Early stages of planning

[midnight star]

Hello. I am a DL regular, and have been going there at least once a year since I was 3. I also currently have an annual pass there..so DL is my home park. I have been to WDW twice, but don't remember much about it. I am planning to take a trip in either late January 2020, or early February 2020. I've been browsing these boards, but have some questions. Sorry, if they sound redundant, I am not used to so much information on multiple forums

I am planning this trip with my parents. They both have been wanting to go back. The last time we came to WDW was 1998 and 2000 so we know a lot has changed.

1. When do ticket prices get released for January and February?
2. Are there any positives to getting a park hopper? I know park hopping requires more effort at WDW than at DL. I am leaning towards one park per day.
3. Is 5 days enough? Thinking about doing one day at Universal to see Harry Potter world
4. Character dining: Reviews on Crystal palace or Chef Mickey? I did Crystal palace twice. My parents aren't too keen on "overpriced" things, so I was looking at more affordable character meals.
5. How are February crowds? What is the weather like? Does rain shut everything down? In California, that is the rainy season, and many outdoor rides will shut down if it rains.
6. How does rope drop work? Is it worth it to rope drop?
7. When does the refurbishment schedule get released? Does WDW add rides to the list on short notice? This is pretty common at DL, so I want to mentally prepare myself if something gets added on short notice..
8. I notice that characters and shows like Philarmagic have fastpasses..what are the stand by lines like for them? Is it impossible to see them if we don't book fastpasses?

 

[midnight star]

Next question is related to fastpass+ . Does this ride list sound doable? I will most likely being doing these with my mom. My dad does not want to do thrill rides.
Magic Kingdom:
Space Mountain (A)
Seven dwarves mine train (A)

Epcot:
Test track (A)
Space ship earth (B)- is this closing? Thought I read an article about it closing

Animal Kingdom:
Dinosaur (B)
Expedition Everest (B)
Flight of Passage (A)

Hollywood Studios:
Rock n Roller Coaster- single rider; mom won't want to go upside down
Slinky dog dash (A)

Question I just thought of, say I book fastpasses for my mom and I. If she decided she does not want to do the ride, can I do the ride myself, then go back and use her fastpass and go again? Is this allowed? Not trying to break any rules.

 

[3gr8boys]

I can't answer all of your questions from my in experience, but can offer this......

You definitely want to study the FP+ sticky threads at the top of the forum.....it will answer some of your questions. As far as mom or dad skipping rides goes....either schedule different FP for her/him or , as you said, schedule a FP that you can use by using their magic band.

Five days is enough to spend quality time in each park.....but you will not be able to see and do everything. WDW is huge. In the last five years we have made two six day trips (trip before that I was baby focused....I don't remember what I did and didn't do ) and I still have a list of things I haven't seen or done yet. (Counting down to February 2020 !!!!) That said, FWIW I would think an adults only trip would mean more efficient touring.

We always hop. I plan 3 FP+ ahead of time and a TS ADR each day.....we like to tour with a basic plan, but roll on whims. If we are finishing something in MK and someone wants to revisit something in AK, it's off to the buses. (We split up as needed for people to hit their priorities/do what they want.) Having hoppers also means being able to eat dinner and see nighttime shows in any park....no matter where you started your day. For us it makes for a more relaxing and enjoyable trip.

We've made several February trips.....I think it is a good weather month.

 

[StarSpeckledSky]

Hello. I am a DL regular, and have been going there at least once a year since I was 3. I also currently have an annual pass there..so DL is my home park. I have been to WDW twice, but don't remember much about it. I am planning to take a trip in either late January 2020, or early February 2020. I've been browsing these boards, but have some questions. Sorry, if they sound redundant, I am not used to so much information on multiple forums

I am planning this trip with my parents. They both have been wanting to go back. The last time we came to WDW was 1998 and 2000 so we know a lot has changed.

1. When do ticket prices get released for January and February?
2. Are there any positives to getting a park hopper? I know park hopping requires more effort at WDW than at DL. I am leaning towards one park per day.
3. Is 5 days enough? Thinking about doing one day at Universal to see Harry Potter world
4. Character dining: Reviews on Crystal palace or Chef Mickey? I did Crystal palace twice. My parents aren't too keen on "overpriced" things, so I was looking at more affordable character meals.
5. How are February crowds? What is the weather like? Does rain shut everything down? In California, that is the rainy season, and many outdoor rides will shut down if it rains.
6. How does rope drop work? Is it worth it to rope drop?
7. When does the refurbishment schedule get released? Does WDW add rides to the list on short notice? This is pretty common at DL, so I want to mentally prepare myself if something gets added on short notice..
8. I notice that characters and shows like Philarmagic have fastpasses..what are the stand by lines like for them? Is it impossible to see them if we don't book fastpasses?

Unfortunately I can't answer all of your questions, but....

2. Definitely go for one park per day. Park hopping does require a lot more effort. Plus, it's very difficult to get the best out Epcot or Magic Kingdom in half a day. Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios may be easier to park hop but I don't recommend it. There's just so much to experience!
3. It depends on where you want to go. If you want to experience all four parks and HP world I'd suggest a full week of 7 days. Two days Magic Kingdom, one day at Epcot (if your party is all adults), one day at Animal Kingdom, one day at Hollywood Studios, one day to revisit your favorite park, then one day for Universal (besides HP world you can also experience some other stuff there).
5. February crowds depend. From my experience February is the a great time to go to the World no matter when. Weather is fine.
6. Magic Kingdom's Main Street opens an hour before the official park opening so get there an hour before official park opening to rope drop there. For the others I'd recommend arriving 40 minutes early. Rope drop is worth it.
8. I don't recommend Fastpasses for shows unless your happiness depends on a good seat. Otherwise arrive 10-30 minutes before for standby depending on the popularity of the show.

I highly recommend buying and reading the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World and browsing these forums/threads. Feel free to ask other questions here as well!

 

[3gr8boys]

I highly recommend buying and reading the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World and browsing these forums/threads. Feel free to ask other questions here as well!

This!

 

[Sara_H]

1. When do ticket prices get released for January and February? I believe they will be released in June...or so I've been told.
2. Are there any positives to getting a park hopper? I know park hopping requires more effort at WDW than at DL. I am leaning towards one park per day. We like the hoppers because for us HS is not a full day park but hopping can take up a lot of time.
3. Is 5 days enough? Thinking about doing one day at Universal to see Harry Potter world I think 5 days is doable.
4. Character dining: Reviews on Crystal palace or Chef Mickey? I did Crystal palace twice. My parents aren't too keen on "overpriced" things, so I was looking at more affordable character meals. Honestly, none of the characters meals are affordable...we did enjoy Cape May Cafe but it wasn't cheap.
5. How are February crowds? What is the weather like? Does rain shut everything down? In California, that is the rainy season, and many outdoor rides will shut down if it rains. Not sure about February crowds but we went mid-late January in 2018 and the crowds didn't seem too bad. The rain won't shut everything down...only the outdoor rides which isn't too many.
6. How does rope drop work? Is it worth it to rope drop? I think rope drop is worth it, especially if you don't have a FP for one of the more popular rides.
7. I notice that characters and shows like Philarmagic have fastpasses..what are the stand by lines like for them? Is it impossible to see them if we don't book fastpasses? I don't think a FP is needed for shows...you may not get seats in the best part of the theater but you can still see the show.

 

[Smrtalec33]

Next question is related to fastpass+ . Does this ride list sound doable? I will most likely being doing these with my mom. My dad does not want to do thrill rides.

Definitely doable. Flight of Passage and Slinky Dog Dash are the only two which might be difficult to get. Try to book those first, no matter which day you were planning on doing them.

As someone else mentioned, definitely go and read the sticky thread on fast passes. A ton of good information there.

 

[Remy is Up]

Hello. I am a DL regular, and have been going there at least once a year since I was 3. I also currently have an annual pass there..so DL is my home park. I have been to WDW twice, but don't remember much about it. I am planning to take a trip in either late January 2020, or early February 2020. I've been browsing these boards, but have some questions. Sorry, if they sound redundant, I am not used to so much information on multiple forums

I am planning this trip with my parents. They both have been wanting to go back. The last time we came to WDW was 1998 and 2000 so we know a lot has changed.

1. When do ticket prices get released for January and February?
2. Are there any positives to getting a park hopper? I know park hopping requires more effort at WDW than at DL. I am leaning towards one park per day.
3. Is 5 days enough? Thinking about doing one day at Universal to see Harry Potter world
4. Character dining: Reviews on Crystal palace or Chef Mickey? I did Crystal palace twice. My parents aren't too keen on "overpriced" things, so I was looking at more affordable character meals.
5. How are February crowds? What is the weather like? Does rain shut everything down? In California, that is the rainy season, and many outdoor rides will shut down if it rains.
6. How does rope drop work? Is it worth it to rope drop?
7. When does the refurbishment schedule get released? Does WDW add rides to the list on short notice? This is pretty common at DL, so I want to mentally prepare myself if something gets added on short notice..
8. I notice that characters and shows like Philarmagic have fastpasses..what are the stand by lines like for them? Is it impossible to see them if we don't book fastpasses?

1. You should see those by June/July
2. Hopping, while yes requiring more effort, is valuable to many to break the day up and allow you to move to a less crowded park for the evening. The reality is, it is personal. At this point, we never spend more than 3-4 hours in a park at a time due to refresh allowing us to do everything we want in any given time period. And we have APs so hopping is something we do daily after a midday break.
3. 5 days using refresh, FPs, and if on property taking advantage of EMH it is possible to do the highlights at each park, but, I dont believe WDW on the whole can be done in 5 days.. You have to decide whats important to you and just make sure you hit those things.
4. Im not the person to answer this one as I am very picky about most food and avoid character meals like the plague. Other than Trattoria which I did very much enjoy in January, the rest of the breakfasts and/or character meals just do not do a lot for me. We have TIW so we eat at Sigs quite a bit but the last time I was at Crystal Palace or Chef Mickey was 4 years ago or so and I have not gone back to either.
5. I find Feb crowds to be ok. WDW doesnt really have an "off-season" so to speak anymore, but, Feb is one of the slower months and you can really enjoy yourself. The other benefit is there are generally MKAH available which is a GREAT investment if your goal is to ride everything.
6. Rope Drop will always be a debate. I am an early morning person and we do "bursts" in parks. Mornings are to ride stuff, use refresh, and enjoy knocking things out. The evenings are to relax and enjoy the ambience of the parks. EMH effects Rope Drop and you can do a ton if you go to a non emh park and do rope drop. If you do EMH, its even better because , for instance, Animal Kingdom, you can knock out the majority fo that park by 11AM and thed earlier an EMH is, the less crowded it is. Weather isnt usually too bad. Be aware it can fluctuate wildly in the winter months Jan-March. It can be 30 degrees in the morning and 75 by noon. The rain is hit or miss, but, we like late January early Feb for trips.
7. It varies. Some we know way out, some are last minute. Just keep an eye on things.
8. You can use refresh to grab a FP if you see a line for something like Philharmagic. Plus it helps burn a FP to make refresh viable. I have not stood in a Stand by line for anything other than lower end attractions which never have lines or they are minimal in a few years since we perfected using refresh. Id suggest learning how to use refresh and youll find your trip easier to manage with limited time.

 

[midnight star]

I can't answer all of your questions from my in experience, but can offer this......

You definitely want to study the FP+ sticky threads at the top of the forum.....it will answer some of your questions. As far as mom skipping thrill rides goes....either schedule different FP for her or, as you said, schedule a FP for her that you can use by using her magic band.

Five days is enough to spend quality time in each park.....but you will not be able to see and do everything. WDW is huge. In the last five years we have made two six day trips (trip before that I was baby focused....I don't remember what I did and didn't do ) and I still have a list of things I haven't seen or done yet. (Counting down to February 2020 !!!!) That said, FWIW I would think an adults only trip would mean more efficient touring.

We always hop. I plan 3 FP+ ahead of time and a TS ADR each day.....we like to tour with a basic plan, but roll on whims. If we are finishing something in MK and someone wants to revisit something in AK, it's off to the buses. (We split up as needed for people to hit their priorities/do what they want.) Having hoppers also means being able to eat dinner and see nighttime shows in any park....no matter where you started your day. For us it makes for a more relaxing and enjoyable trip.

We've made several February trips.....I think it is a good weather month.

Yes, I've been studying the Fastpass+ stickies for some time, but am still trying to grasp it. It's much different than the system at DL. Where I get confused is when we are able to pick new Fastpasses after we used our 3 up. I know we can, but it seemed like it messes with something? I could have just gotten confused.

Unfortunately I can't answer all of your questions, but....

2. Definitely go for one park per day. Park hopping does require a lot more effort. Plus, it's very difficult to get the best out Epcot or Magic Kingdom in half a day. Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios may be easier to park hop but I don't recommend it. There's just so much to experience!
3. It depends on where you want to go. If you want to experience all four parks and HP world I'd suggest a full week of 7 days. Two days Magic Kingdom, one day at Epcot (if your party is all adults), one day at Animal Kingdom, one day at Hollywood Studios, one day to revisit your favorite park, then one day for Universal (besides HP world you can also experience some other stuff there).
5. February crowds depend. From my experience February is the a great time to go to the World no matter when. Weather is fine.
6. Magic Kingdom's Main Street opens an hour before the official park opening so get there an hour before official park opening to rope drop there. For the others I'd recommend arriving 40 minutes early. Rope drop is worth it.
8. I don't recommend Fastpasses for shows unless your happiness depends on a good seat. Otherwise arrive 10-30 minutes before for standby depending on the popularity of the show.

I highly recommend buying and reading the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World and browsing these forums/threads. Feel free to ask other questions here as well!

Thank you! My parents mentioned that parkhopping is a lot of work (granted I was little when they brought me), and I've read that over in the DL boards, but just wanted to know if anyone found value in it. My coworker told me about this guide! I will buy it!

 

[Remy is Up]

Knowing how to use FP and Refresh is the difference between being able to do pretty much anything you want and standing in 2 hour stand by lines for some things. Knowing how to use RD at Ak for FoP is the difference between a calm relaxed 30-60 minute wait for the park to open and having the rest of the day to enjoy the park or standing in a 90-270 Minute line

 

[midnight star]

4. Im not the person to answer this one as I am very picky about most food and avoid character meals like the plague. Other than Trattoria which I did very much enjoy in January, the rest of the breakfasts and/or character meals just do not do a lot for me. We have TIW so we eat at Sigs quite a bit but the last time I was at Crystal Palace or Chef Mickey was 4 years ago or so and I have not gone back to either.
5. I find Feb crowds to be ok. WDW doesnt really have an "off-season" so to speak anymore, but, Feb is one of the slower months and you can really enjoy yourself. The other benefit is there are generally MKAH available which is a GREAT investment if your goal is to ride everything.

What is MKAH...sorry still learning abbreviations lol

Interesting about the character meals. I've just read so much that WDW has better dining options, so I thought maybe a character meal would be fun. I'll look more in detail with those soon...

 

[midnight star]

Knowing how to use FP and Refresh is the difference between being able to do pretty much anything you want and standing in 2 hour stand by lines for some things. Knowing how to use RD at Ak for FoP is the difference between a calm relaxed 30-60 minute wait for the park to open and having the rest of the day to enjoy the park or standing in a 90-270 Minute line

Yeah my coworker recently went and she and her friend waited 140 minutes for that ride....As someone who always used maxpass at DL and doesn't wait more than 30 minutes in stand by lines, I will not wait that long lol I'm wondering when Star Wars opens that will off set the crowds? I know we won't know for sure until it opens.

 

[sponica]

@midnight star

1. When do ticket prices get released for January and February? -Like a PP said, June(ish)
   
2. Are there any positives to getting a park hopper? I know park hopping requires more effort at WDW than at DL. I am leaning towards one park per day.---This is a personal preference, and may also be related to where you decide to stay. I've aways had park hoppers. The reality is you can always add on park hopping when you get there if you find you need/want it
   
3. Is 5 days enough? Thinking about doing one day at Universal to see Harry Potter world. -----Definitely doable but will be a frenetic pace.
   
4. Character dining: Reviews on Crystal palace or Chef Mickey? I did Crystal palace twice. My parents aren't too keen on "overpriced" things, so I was looking at more affordable character meals.----I've never been to those ones. My personal fave is Garden Grill breakfast
   
5. How are February crowds? What is the weather like? Does rain shut everything down? In California, that is the rainy season, and many outdoor rides will shut down if it rains.---Rain typically doesn't shut stuff down, but lightning will. I feel like when I've been in January or March it hasn't been a ton of thunder/lightning
   
6. How does rope drop work? Is it worth it to rope drop?-----if you can manage it, it's worth it for lower(ish) crowds. But don't destroy yourselves trying to do it. I aim for rope drop but I'm usually there about half an hour after rope drop.
   
7. When does the refurbishment schedule get released? Does WDW add rides to the list on short notice? This is pretty common at DL, so I want to mentally prepare myself if something gets added on short notice..----keep an eye out. some rides are seasonally down for refurbs/repairs.
   
8. I notice that characters and shows like Philarmagic have fastpasses..what are the stand by lines like for them? Is it impossible to see them if we don't book fastpasses?------I'd check the sticky. It's a personal preference. Philharmagic you shouldn't need one.

 

[Mappyland]

1. When do ticket prices get released for January and February? June/July
2. Are there any positives to getting a park hopper? I know park hopping requires more effort at WDW than at DL. I am leaning towards one park per day. Ithink its always work a Parkhopper. Just gives you the freedom to jump around.
3. Is 5 days enough? Thinking about doing one day at Universal to see Harry Potter world. 5 days will be the min. You will see everything you want to, but will not have time to do the little stuff.
4. Character dining: Reviews on Crystal palace or Chef Mickey? I did Crystal palace twice. My parents aren't too keen on "overpriced" things, so I was looking at more affordable character meals. Chef Mickey FTW.
5. How are February crowds? What is the weather like? Does rain shut everything down? In California, that is the rainy season, and many outdoor rides will shut down if it rains. Its always busy so just go into it knowing there will be mass amounts of people. Weather is cooler than normal. Maybe a little rain here or there. Rain WILL shut down rides. Nothing you can do about it.
6. How does rope drop work? Is it worth it to rope drop? We always rope drop. Get to the parks an hour before opening and snake your way to the front after the tapstiles.
7. When does the refurbishment schedule get released? Does WDW add rides to the list on short notice? This is pretty common at DL, so I want to mentally prepare myself if something gets added on short notice.. Again not much you can do here. They tend to release them about 3 months in advance, but keep checking sites like WDWNT.
8. I notice that characters and shows like Philarmagic have fastpasses..what are the stand by lines like for them? Is it impossible to see them if we don't book fastpasses? You will be able to do them without fastpasses, the waits can be 20 to an hour long for Characters, I have never used a FP for a show and always get in no problem. ENJOY THE PLANNING PART OF YOUR TRIP ITS JUST AS FUN AS THE TRIP!

 

[Remy is Up]

Magic Kingdom After Hours. It is a separate ticket but you get 3 hours after the park closes and all the snacks/soda/etc are included in the price. Its a limited menu but the ability to do every attraction multiple times is well worth it. This is also based on whether or nto WDW starts increasing the number of tickets sold, thus making it not as worthwhile. But, we are going in 3 weeks and doing another MKAH and the last 3 we went to were a joy. Seeing the park empty at the end of the night, the kiss goodnight, etc. Just amazing value in it.

And as far as character meals, keep in mind, I am likely not the best person for opinions on those. Havent been much since my kids were young and even then it was more for the characters than the food. Went with friends to Trattoria in January and it was absolutely amazing from a food perspective which was surprising. But this is coming from someone who considers restaurants like Il Mulano, Flying Fish, Tiffins, Jiko, Yachtsman, Cali Grill, Citricos, Boathouse, Monsieur Pauls, and places like that the prime places to eat and defers to those most of the time when deciding where to eat. I avoid MK restaurants at all costs ( though Skipper was good the last time we ate there last fall), and other than HBD and the new Taphouse at Studios, Ill avoid everything else food wise at that park. So character meals dont sit high on my list though I do believe there are some hidden gem moderate non sig meals that are excellent. Boma, Sautil Canteen, Nomad Lounge, Sanaa, The Wave, Homecomin, Polite Pig, Frontera Cocina, Raglan Road, Tutto Gusto, La Hacienda, Boatwrights ( Yes I surprised myself with that one), ESPN ( ANother surprise for me), Turf Club, and the HBD lounge are some of our favorite non Sig locations to grab a bite.

 

[midnight star]

Magic Kingdom After Hours. It is a separate ticket but you get 3 hours after the park closes and all the snacks/soda/etc are included in the price. Its a limited menu but the ability to do every attraction multiple times is well worth it. This is also based on whether or nto WDW starts increasing the number of tickets sold, thus making it not as worthwhile. But, we are going in 3 weeks and doing another MKAH and the last 3 we went to were a joy. Seeing the park empty at the end of the night, the kiss goodnight, etc. Just amazing value in it.

And as far as character meals, keep in mind, I am likely not the best person for opinions on those. Havent been much since my kids were young and even then it was more for the characters than the food. Went with friends to Trattoria in January and it was absolutely amazing from a food perspective which was surprising. But this is coming from someone who considers restaurants like Il Mulano, Flying Fish, Tiffins, Jiko, Yachtsman, Cali Grill, Citricos, Boathouse, Monsieur Pauls, and places like that the prime places to eat and defers to those most of the time when deciding where to eat. I avoid MK restaurants at all costs ( though Skipper was good the last time we ate there last fall), and other than HBD and the new Taphouse at Studios, Ill avoid everything else food wise at that park. So character meals dont sit high on my list though I do believe there are some hidden gem moderate non sig meals that are excellent. Boma, Sautil Canteen, Nomad Lounge, Sanaa, The Wave, Homecomin, Polite Pig, Frontera Cocina, Raglan Road, Tutto Gusto, La Hacienda, Boatwrights ( Yes I surprised myself with that one), ESPN ( ANother surprise for me), Turf Club, and the HBD lounge are some of our favorite non Sig locations to grab a bite.

Wow that sounds amazing!

Sounds like I need to do more research on dining options.

 

[KenHutch]

Another person who cannot answer every question but here goes on the subject of park hoppers. Many people like them but we do one park a day because hopping from park to park can eat up to 90-120 minutes each time, on question #3 you can do the parks in that time well the highlights at least if you research well but we do 10-12 days a trip. On question #3 eating at Chef Mickeys or Crystal Palace you will get reviews all over the spectrum from good to awful. I think of those 2 as Golden Corrals with characters. The girls loved them. We have only gone once in Feb and we loved it. When we got there we were in short sleeves. Walked in to check in and the CM's were in full winter jackets. While walking to our rooms 2 teenage girls were walking to the pool in bikini's so go figure. On your rides for a couple of them FoP, Slinky Dog be sure to be on at 60 days or getting a fast pass might be more difficult.

 

[Gehrig1B]

It has never taken us 90 minutes to park hop...even during Christmas and NYE.
Epcot to DHS is a 25-minute walk, MK to Epcot maybe 30 minutes on the monorail. Visiting AK can be a 20-minute bus ride. Yes, you have to incorporate time to and from transport but realistically, if you plan which park you are hopping to it takes no more time than standing in a 45 minute queue for a popular ride. We always park hop, allows so much more flexibility. So nice to visit one park in the morning, return to the resort during peak hours, then hit another park at night for dinner and fireworks, or maybe evening EMH.

Honestly, we often do three park days if we find a great FP at a park we had not planned to visit. We do have APs and are not trying to maximize our day by seeing and doing everything though.

Positives to park hopping also include ease with planning. No need to worry about ADRs as you can hop to whichever you have...no need to plan FP+ at the same park as your ADRs.

Also, you can hit party parks (think MK closes at 6:00 for Christmas party) and then go to another park. Party days are much less crowded because the park closes so early for the party.

Five days is not enough, especially if you plan a day at Universal (one day is not a good value at Universal either). We generally stay 7 nights minimum, just for Disney.

Character meals are very poor value and often you are paying for mediocre food. My personal favorites are Tusker House in Animal Kingdom and Trattoria al Forno because the food is great... Storybook Dining as well, but others find the menu less than desirable.

Most of your other questions have been answered.

 

[Oneanne]

Great advice given so far, just one thing to add. On Instagram, Serena at 'Living by Disney' has been doing a series of stories on rope drop strategies that are excellent, if you're looking for any more resources to check out.

 

[Shellyred8]

Are you staying on-site? Or off-site? That could play into your decision to park hop or not. If you are staying on-site, say at one of the Boardwalk resorts, I would recommend a hopper pass because it's so easy to hop between EP and HS and even EP and MK.

However, being relatively new to WDW, there is so much to do at each of the parks if you don't have much experience with them, that I think you would be fine without the hopper. You could always take the approach of buying the non-hopper pass and if you get there and then decide you do want to park hop, you can add the hopper option then.

It is a lot to take in, but enjoy the ride!