Everything Park Hopping - Please Read Post 1

[loves to dive]

MK is the only park that has ever closed to hopping and as others have stated, that was just for a few hours on the actual 50th anniversary. Otherwise, all the parks have been open for hopping so I wouldn't worry about it. I hop between MK and other parks all the time. You can technically get into Epcot a few minutes before 2. I don't make advance ADRs just day of but I have certainly made them day of for a different park then I had the park reservation for. It's just Disney covering themselves. If you were taking a bus and the park was closed to hopping, there wouldn't be one available but there aren't buses between MK and Epcot, you have to take the monorail. I'm assuming if it were closed to hopping (which it never has been) there would be a sign at the transfer station at TTC.

 

[scrappinginontario]

In general how difficult is it? Any tips? We have a reservation for dinner in Epcot, but are starting the day in MK. I am just wondering in general if availability is good and haven't seen exactly WHEN I can make the hopping reservation...is it 7 AM or after I have entered the first park?

Post 1 of this thread explains park hopping in great detail.

 

[Disco Lemonade]

How much time is wasted doing 2 hops by car? We are going in June for 2 days and I was thinking of doing a double park hop one day. I wanted to start in Animal Kingdom, hop to the studios just to do Tower of Terror and then go to MK after just that ride. ToT is my favorite Disney ride, so I want to do it if it makes sense.

 

[scrappinginontario]

How much time is wasted doing 2 hops by car? We are going in June for 2 days and I was thinking of doing a double park hop one day. I wanted to start in Animal Kingdom, hop to the studios just to do Tower of Terror and then go to MK after just that ride. ToT is my favorite Disney ride, so I want to do it if it makes sense.

Driving can possibly save a bit of time. I wouldn’t recommend doing a double hop if MK was going to be in the middle but doing
what you’re considering should work well for many reasons!

1 AK is traditionally the first park open so early start.
2. DHS parking lot is close to the park so less travel time getting to and from the park.
3. ToT is relatively close to the front of the park.
4. With MK now having TRON and no AH events in Jun (that were aware of) all MK dates that are published are showing it open until 10PM and sometimes later.

I’d say, ‘Go for it!’ I think you have a great plan in place!

 

[CarolynFH]

How much time is wasted doing 2 hops by car? We are going in June for 2 days and I was thinking of doing a double park hop one day. I wanted to start in Animal Kingdom, hop to the studios just to do Tower of Terror and then go to MK after just that ride. ToT is my favorite Disney ride, so I want to do it if it makes sense.

I think your plan is doable as well, for all the reasons listed above. I would plan for each hop to take about an hour, though, from leaving one park gate to entering the next, given that you'll have to get from the park exit gate to your car, drive to the next park, enter the parking lot and be directed to your parking spot, and then get from the car through security to the park entrance tapstyles. At this point, only AK and MK have parking trams, so unless trams return to DHS in time for your visit, you'll be walking from your car to the DHS entrance, and when riding the Skyliner we've seen cars parked quite a distance away from the entrance. And at MK the parking trams will bring you to the TTC, where you'll go through security and then choose either the ferry or the monorail to bring you to the MK entrance plaza. So even though the drive from one parking lot to the next might be 10-20 minutes, there are other activities that require time as well!

 

[BingandNelsonFan]

Planning a trip in early December and will have one-day PH tickets for the first time ever. Really hoping to be able to take in HS and EPCOT in the same day -- with more time at EPCOT than HS.
I've been reading through a lot of this thread and have a couple questions --

1) Is there any reason to hope/expect that the 11:00am hopping time will be implemented in WDW by later this year, as is now in Disneyland?

2) If anyone has experience with hopping, does it seem like a better idea to do EPCOT (only visiting World Showcase and the Moana attraction) or Hollywood Studios (planning a walk through the two main Hollywood street areas and Galaxy's Edge -- hoping to keep it down to a couple hours)?

3) We'd have our own vehicle, so it seems from the previous responses that driving to each parking lot is the best. Does that seem like a good idea, or just take the boat between the two?

Thanks so much!

 

[scrappinginontario]

Planning a trip in early December and will have one-day PH tickets for the first time ever. Really hoping to be able to take in HS and EPCOT in the same day -- with more time at EPCOT than HS.
I've been reading through a lot of this thread and have a couple questions --

1) Is there any reason to hope/expect that the 11:00am hopping time will be implemented in WDW by later this year, as is now in Disneyland?

2) If anyone has experience with hopping, does it seem like a better idea to do EPCOT (only visiting World Showcase and the Moana attraction) or Hollywood Studios (planning a walk through the two main Hollywood street areas and Galaxy's Edge -- hoping to keep it down to a couple hours)?

3) We'd have our own vehicle, so it seems from the previous responses that driving to each parking lot is the best. Does that seem like a good idea, or just take the boat between the two?

Thanks so much!

There is no indication that the 2PM park hopping rule will change for WDW. I would plan as if it will remain at 2:00 as it’s been that way for over 2 years.

Given that attractions and stores in the majority of WS do not open until 11:00 I would plan to start your day in HS. Up to you but you but depending on park hours you may wish yo leave your vehicle at DHS and take WDW transportation to Epcot as it would drop you at WS. Just a thought depending on what time the 2 parks close.

 

[buzz1fan]

What do you think of this hop plan?
Early june
Am park : magic kingdom via bus
Break at pop couple hours after lunch
Bus over to animal kingdom for a couple rides( EE, Navi River, Safari)
Bus over to magic kid from to finish up fantasy land. We don’t watch parade or fireworks. We hit normally mermaid- small world- Pooh- philharmonic-

 

[BingandNelsonFan]

There is no indication that the 2PM park hopping rule will change for WDW. I would plan as if it will remain at 2:00 as it’s been that way for over 2 years.

Given that attractions and stores in the majority of WS do not open until 11:00 I would plan to start your day in HS. Up to you but you but depending on park hours you may wish yo leave your vehicle at DHS and take WDW transportation to Epcot as it would drop you at WS. Just a thought depending on what time the 2 parks close.

Thanks! That's good to hear.

I thought, from reading online, that World Showcase started opening at the regular park opening time this year, is that incorrect?

Also, am I understanding the first post correctly that you can hop to more than one park in that later half of the day?

 

[scrappinginontario]

Thanks! That's good to hear.

I thought, from reading online, that World Showcase started opening at the regular park opening time this year, is that incorrect?

Also, am I understanding the first post correctly that you can hop to more than one park in that later half of the day?

You can walk through WS from park opening but many things between France and Norway won’t open until 11:00.

Yes, post 1 is current. You can hop to multiple parks.

 

[BingandNelsonFan]

You can walk through WS from park opening but anything between France and Norway don’t open until 11:00.

Yes, post 1 is current. You can hop to multiple parks.

Thanks! So, basically, Mexico, Canada and UK are open from park opening about 9:00am?

 

[scrappinginontario]

Thanks! So, basically, Mexico, Canada and UK are open from park opening about 9:00am?

It seems based on MDE that most attractions in WS open at park opening but shopping and dining May/may not open. I would recommend checking hours on MDE to get an idea what may/may not be open.

To check:
- open MDE app
- click upside down teardrop
- change too left option to Epcot
- change centre option to either attractions or shops
- click ‘show list’
- click individual attractions/shop to display hours

 

[Fladis32]

Hi,

If you have an AP reservation for MK and you leave to go to HS, how does that work? Also, can you come back to the first park you were at later in the day?

 

[AnnaKristoff2013]

You can hop to any other park after 2 pm. You can hop between parks an unlimited amount of time at that point (including back to the original park) unless it gets so crowded that they close a park to hopping. That has only happened once, on October 1st, 2021 at Magic Kingdom. In addition, with an AP you can enter any park after 2 pm irrespective of whether you have a park reservation or have tapped into your first park, except for MK on weekends.

 

[Mr. Drauer]

you leave, go to HS, and then enter (after 2:00 because of park hopping rules). A park reservation basically guarantees you entry to that park open to close, so you leave HS, and head back to MK

 

[Fladis32]

Ok. I think I get it. Now if it’s Saturday or Sunday and you are at Epcot and want to head to MK, how do you do that?

 

[Mr. Drauer]

same way you hop anywhere else - just after 2:00. Your AP is a park hopper. The new AP rules just say you don't have to make a reservation to attend a park except MK on weekends at the pre-hop time (before 2:00).

 

[scrappinginontario]

Hi,

If you have an AP reservation for MK and you leave to go to HS, how does that work? Also, can you come back to the first park you were at later in the day?

Please see post 1 of this thread. It explains park hopping in great detail.

 

[Oscar_The_Grouch]

I have searched for an answer to this question but couldn't find one so I'm sorry if this is a repeat post. I am visiting WDW next week for two weeks for the first time since 2019 so the current park rules are new to me.

On vacation I like to get up late, have a long lunch at the hotel and then visit the parks from mid afternoon until they close. I have made park reservations for each day & I have a park hopper ticket but if for instance I have reserved MK for one day but change my mind & want to visit Epcot and turn up at 3pm do I still have to visit MK first? Or can I go straight to Epcot as it is after the 2pm park-hopper cut off time? Thanks for your help.

 

[scrappinginontario]

I have searched for an answer to this question but couldn't find one so I'm sorry if this is a repeat post. I am visiting WDW next week for two weeks for the first time since 2019 so the current park rules are new to me.

On vacation I like to get up late, have a long lunch at the hotel and then visit the parks from mid afternoon until they close. I have made park reservations for each day & I have a park hopper ticket but if for instance I have reserved MK for one day but change my mind & want to visit Epcot and turn up at 3pm do I still have to visit MK first? Or can I go straight to Epcot as it is after the 2pm park-hopper cut off time? Thanks for your help.

Post 1 of this thread explains park hopping in great detail.

If you do not have an Annual Pass, you must have a park reservation for whatever park you enter first, regardless of what time you enter that park.

If you are an AP holder you may enter a park after 2 PM without a park reservation.

For additional information you may also want to read post 1 of the ‘Everything Park Reservations’ thread.