To park hop or not to park hop? That is the question! I know this can be a big debate for families planning a Disney Parks vacation, so I’ve put together a guide to help you decide whether or not to include a Park Hopper option with your Disney tickets.
What is a Park Hopper?
Disney offers multiple options for park tickets:
- Base Ticket: Allows you to enter one theme park in a single day (also known as a “Magic Your Way” ticket).
- Park Hopper Ticket: Allows you to enter multiple theme parks in a single day.
- Park Hopper Plus Ticket: A Park Hopper option that also provides access to Disney’s water parks, golf courses, and the ESPN Wide World of Sports Center (Walt Disney World only)
For example, a Park Hopper ticket for Walt Disney World will allow you to “hop” between Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and/or Animal Kingdom within a single day. A base ticket would only give you access to one of those parks.
At Disneyland Resort, a Park Hopper ticket allows you to hop between Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure.
FAQ: Will a Park Hopper ticket give me access to both Disney Parks and Universal Orlando Resort? Unfortunately, no. They are two completely different resorts.
What are the advantages of a Park Hopper ticket?
Here are a few of the benefits to using a Park Hopper ticket:
- You can spend the morning at one park and the afternoon at another (great if you only want to spend half a day at a park).
- Have the flexibility to hop to parks that have morning or evening Extra Magic Hours while spending the rest of the day at one that is less crowded.
- You can hop to a different park for a dining reservation (such as a hard-to-find one like Cinderella’s Royal Table).
- You can hop to a park to see a particular show or event (such as Epcot’s Candlelight Processional).
- When the parks are too busy, you can leave a park to hop to one that is less crowded (Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios are generally less crowded than Magic Kingdom or Epcot).
What are the disadvantages of a Park Hopper ticket?
As with everything, there are a few trade-offs you’ll need to make to park hop:
- You can spend up to 60 minutes in wait and travel time when hopping between parks, so you lose some park time.
- When traveling with small children, getting strollers loaded onto the buses or back into the car can be a hassle (as can moving your parking spot).
- At Disney World you can only reserve FastPasses in advance for one park per day, which means you have to choose which park you want FastPasses for.
- Park Hopper options do cost more than base tickets:
- $50/person additional for 1 day
- $60/person additional for 2-3 days
- $75/person additional for 4+ days
When should you use a Park Hopper ticket?
As with all your other Disney decisions, there is no set answer that works for every family. Weigh out the pros and cons and look at your park plans as a whole to determine which will be the best option for you.
That being said, here are a few times I’d highly recommend the Park Hopper option:
- When you want to experience all four Walt Disney World theme parks in less than four days (or both Disneyland theme parks in less than two days).
- During the busy seasons – When traveling during summer, Christmastime, or Spring Break it’s great to have the option of hopping to get away from crowds.
- When you know you only want to spend half a day at a particular park.
- When Magic Kingdom closes early for the Halloween and Christmas Parties (this way you can keep the fun going if you don’t have a party ticket).
- For visits to Disneyland Resort – The two parks are walking distance from one another, so park hopping is easy.
Tips & tricks for using the Park Hopper option
Here are a few more things to consider when deciding which park tickets are right for your vacation:
- Check to see if your tickets include the Park Hopper option (e.g. most military tickets include the option by default).
- Factor in wait and travel time for park hopping when making dining/FastPass reservations in other parks.
- Park Hoppers are great if you need to switch up plans during your week (e.g. you got rained out of a fireworks show but want to catch it another day).
- Using your own transportation can often save you time when park hopping (allow extra time for the Transportation & Ticket Center at Magic Kingdom).
- Park hopping between Magic Kingdom-Epcot and Epcot-Hollywood Studios are the easiest due to quick transportation options.
One last tip: Don’t plan too much park hopping into your day. You want to feel relaxed, not rushed. Aim for 1 “hop” max and give yourself plenty of time to get where you want to be.
How would you like to have a personal concierge to help you choose the right ticket options for your particular trip? I can help with that! As a vacation planner specializing in Disney Destinations, it’s my job to assist with these types of decisions based on my knowledge of the parks. The best part? When you book with me you get all of my planning and concierge services at no additional cost.
Click here for a free quote on your next Disney vacation!
Happy hopping!
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