Will we regret not Hopping?

[MichelleVW]

I'm a hopper.....I don't think I could do the parks if I couldn't hop!!! Part of the experience is hopping for us...the boats/monorails, and even the busses between the parks are all fun for us.

 

[mjbaby]

Yes, you can still use transportation if you don't hop.

Thanks!

 

[DisneyKidds]

The main reason I think we would use it is because we will not spend a whole day in MGM and then we could go to Epcot that night if we want and not feel like we used a whole day of entrance on half a day.

Doing that might not be such a bad thing.

You are going for 5 days. A 5 day no hop/expires 14 days ticket would be $205.50 per adult. An advance purchase 5 day/hop/expires 14 days would be $235.37. That is an additional $35 per adult for hopping.

Let's say you wouldn't "hop" on more than 2 days out of those 5. If you were to buy a 7 day/no hop/expires 14 days ticket it would cost $211.94. That is only about $6.50 per adult and you have the two extra days. If you use those two "whole days of entrance" on an evening when you hop you would be paying significantly less than you would if you upgraded to the hopper option on the full 5 day ticket. You could probably even upgrade to add the extra cheap days on an as needed basis.

Have to admit, Disney's new ticket pricing scheme is a bit complex, but there are lots of ways to make it work for you.

 

[disneymom3]

I was under the impression that you could not use an additional days entrance for a second park. Otherwise the above plan would totally make sense.

I know I have read somewhere that once you use a nonhopping ticket you can only reenter that park that same day and not use addtional entrances for another. Anyone else remember that?

 

[ladysoleil]

We're not big park hoppers, we generally choose a park and stay there, except for AK- that we like to combine with Epcot or MGM.

The only thing I'd miss about not having hoppers is the food, because I like being able to go to Epcot to eat dinner. (mmm. Le Cellier!)

If I could plan to keep my dining in the park we're in, or stick to resort restaurants, I'd probably be okay without hopping for a medium length trip. For a longer trip, hopping is a must since we want to spend the extra days revisiting favorite attractions.

 

[LoriZH]

We had hoppers and only hopped 2 out of 8 days, so I don't think I would miss it. I actually like the idea of not hopping, it makes for a more relaxing day at the park because you're not in a hurry to get somewhere else.

 

[HayGan]

I was under the impression that you could not use an additional days entrance for a second park. Otherwise the above plan would totally make sense.

I know I have read somewhere that once you use a nonhopping ticket you can only reenter that park that same day and not use addtional entrances for another. Anyone else remember that?

That is certainly what I understand it to be!

 

[DisneyKidds]

That is certainly what I understand it to be!

That may very well be. The OP should call Disney ot find out.

 

[cobbler]

We have always had hoppers to because of the old system. Then we got AP's. We realized we never had used the hopper option, even with the AP. Ok I lie, in 5 visits we did hop one day. We found that once we get to a park we just stay there for the day and take our time.

So if we go back to regular tickets we will save the $$ and go with non-hoppers.

 

[bigdaddytim]

We love to hop - sometimes one park gets way too crowded and we jump over to Epcot.

Another reason we like them is that we can open the Magic Kingdom & ride the entire Fantasyland & most of Tommorrowland with no waits. Then we will head over to another park. Of course we usually go in January, so its less crowded to begin with.

 

[CheapMom]

I was under the impression that you could not use an additional days entrance for a second park.

You are correct- you can't use additional days for a second park in the same day.

 

[HaleyB]

That may very well be. The OP should call Disney ot find out.

No need to call, that rule is fairly clear. They have linked all the park entrance machines to one database (also how they do the biometrics). You can't use 2 days off the same ticket on the same day. If you could NOONE would pay for hopping, lol.

Now if you had a left over ticket with a few days on it, you could save it for days like this- where you want to do a 2nd park. Then have your 'regular' ticket get you in the first park and use your 'leftover' one for the second park.

 

[MEM]

I have never gone to WDW without a hopper ticket but we are thinking of saving the approx $150 on the ticket upgrade and just not doing a hopper. We will be there for a week and are staying offsite and planning some days to do other things like go to the beach and stay a day at the resort going to the pool and such. Personally, I would really prefer to do the 10 day plus everything under the sun, spend the extra $ now and then have tickets for the next trip whenever that may be, but DH feels that we should keep the $600 or $700 and put it toward other things. So, if I am going to go less expensively, should I go all the way and drop the hopper portion too? We are looking at 5 day tickets.

Have you done it both ways and what were the ups and downs?

I am posting here because to me, this is a budget oriented question, but Beth if you feel it should be moved, I can understand that.

For a somewhat different perspective, I will be attending a convention at the Swan in March and I am still going to buy tickets with park-hopping privileges.
Because of the way the symposia I will be attending are scheduled, I will be able to do a park in the morning for an hour or two with DH and kids and then another after 5 p.m. with them. Its worth it to me to spend the extra money for park hopping and non-expiring tickets. For me, the special convention tickets are not a good deal.

I am planning to buy the 10 day MYW tickets before the end of the year, and like you said, save unused days for a future trip.