Everything Park Hopping - Please Read Post 1

[lovethattink]

Thank you for the helpful posts, everybody!

Finally, I think that I understand! Thank you!

YEP!! This is the post that started my confusion. Since I read it under a park hopping thread, I applied it to park hopping. So, I thought that you could park hop (after 2:00) to all parks except MK on the weekends. So, when I booked my. trip, I made reservations on Sat and Sun for MK so that I would be able to go there! LOL. Looks like I could have chosen where I wanted to go first instead.......

I did think that it was pretty unfair to keep AP's from hopping to the MK. I had been in the habit of getting an AP every year, but I have to say that I am sorry to have purchased this one. Never again! I HATE having to make park reservations - wish that I had kept the date based tickets.

You can hop to MK on a Sat or Sun after 2, as long as you had a park reservation somewhere and tapped in.

But without making reservations you can just go to MK after 2 any other day.

I haven’t had any issues making park reservations last minute in months. Around holidays or events could be a different story.

 

[scrappinginontario]

After Jan 9, will AP still have to wait until 2:00 pm to hop to another park? And will we still be unable to park hop. to the MK on weekends? Seems unfair if everyone else can go wherever and whenever they like. if you are staying at a WDW resort will the rules be different? Or do we simply not know yet?

There is a thread that solely discusses Park Reservationss. That one might be helpful too as this thread was created to discuss park hopping specifically.

 

[Mickeynutty]

If I am staying at a deluxe resort in December, may we park hop before 2 PM? TIA!

 

[tseitel]

No park hopping right now prior to 2, no matter what level of resort

 

[Mickeynutty]

No park hopping right now prior to 2, no matter what level of resort

Thank you!

 

[musicguy856]

All-day park hopping returns early next year:

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...pper-access-coming-back-to-walt-disney-world/

 

[lovethattink]

And includes Annual Passes!

 

[CoachBeard]

All-day park hopping returns early next year:

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...pper-access-coming-back-to-walt-disney-world/

Came here to share this, just saw on IG. This is awesome and I'm so happy I planned my trip for Jan 12th because everything magically changes just a few days before I get there!

Now I have to go back to my day planning spreadsheet and tweak some desired ADR's!

 

[VeronicaZS]

For the past 2 years, my DH and I have taken an adults only 2-night, 3-day trip to DW with hopper tickets. We never get hoppers on family trips but really enjoyed it for just the two of us. I was starting to think about planning another long weekend in May 2024 but considering the cost of the ticket and the 2 pm rule, it just didn't seem worth it. Now I think the trip is back on the table!

 

[scrappinginontario]

All-day park hopping returns early next year:

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...pper-access-coming-back-to-walt-disney-world/

Thanks for the information! Post 1 has been updated.

 

[tom1944]

For the past 2 years, my DH and I have taken an adults only 2-night, 3-day trip to DW with hopper tickets. We never get hoppers on family trips but really enjoyed it for just the two of us. I was starting to think about planning another long weekend in May 2024 but considering the cost of the ticket and the 2 pm rule, it just didn't seem worth it. Now I think the trip is back on the table!

We were in WDW in August and I had purchased park hopper. We used it one day for about 10 minutes in the second park.

I do not think it works for our trip with a 4 year old. I can see 2 adults using it effectively but not when you add a toddler in the mix.

 

[rdevans_2000]

My personal thoughts, yes it will be possible to park hop at Christmas. Possibly not to the MK on Christmas Day or New Years Day but this is no different than in years past. MK reached capacity almost every pre-COVID year so it could easily happen this year too.

This is only my guess and over time my thoughts may change but, given the park hopping that has been happening so far in 2021 even the days all 4 parks reached reservation capacity, I would anticipate the ability to park hop even on busier days.

I agree with this. We just stay flexible with our plans. We have never been unable to hop, but we also have not tried hopping to MK on Christmas Day or New Years Day. In my experience hopping being locked down is very rare.

 

[jensen]

Advice please! Our last trip was right before Covid. We are big hoppers. Rope drop, do a couple rides, then hop - going from park to park to park each day. We really want to go back for Christmas this year. But, are considering waiting until next Christmas just so we can hop like we are used to. Will waiting until 2PM to hop be miserable? Or will the mornings fly by and we won’t even realize that hopping has changed?

 

[scrappinginontario]

Advice please! Our last trip was right before Covid. We are big hoppers. Rope drop, do a couple rides, then hop - going from park to park to park each day. We really want to go back for Christmas this year. But, are considering waiting until next Christmas just so we can hop like we are used to. Will waiting until 2PM to hop be miserable? Or will the mornings fly by and we won’t even realize that hopping has changed?

It's really a personal decision. We went into our days knowing we couldn't hop until 2PM so filled them with fun then hopped when we were ready. Sometimes right at 2PM, other days not until later.

Many have enjoyed successful trips even with the 2PM PH restriction. Like everything, it's how important it is to you and how big a negative that is to your family.

 

[pens4821]

Advice please! Our last trip was right before Covid. We are big hoppers. Rope drop, do a couple rides, then hop - going from park to park to park each day. We really want to go back for Christmas this year. But, are considering waiting until next Christmas just so we can hop like we are used to. Will waiting until 2PM to hop be miserable? Or will the mornings fly by and we won’t even realize that hopping has changed?

We didn’t mind the 2 rule, but also glad it’s going away. Our major issue is once (or twice) for our 6 days we like to go to one park, ride a few rides, head to another, then take the evening at the resort. We were unable to do this with the 2 restriction. However, we just took afternoon breaks and it worked out just fine.

 

[MickeyMice]

We were in WDW in August and I had purchased park hopper. We used it one day for about 10 minutes in the second park.

I do not think it works for our trip with a 4 year old. I can see 2 adults using it effectively but not when you add a toddler in the mix.

i think this depends on whether your kid will nap in a stroller during the hops (and if you can hop without folding the stroller).

our kids are bit older but still will throw themselves into the stroller when tired and overstimulated. it's a decent break during the hot and busy part of the day. but i wouldn't hop with a toddler unless it could be a nap opportunity.

 

[Mome Rath]

Advice please! Our last trip was right before Covid. We are big hoppers. Rope drop, do a couple rides, then hop - going from park to park to park each day. We really want to go back for Christmas this year. But, are considering waiting until next Christmas just so we can hop like we are used to. Will waiting until 2PM to hop be miserable? Or will the mornings fly by and we won’t even realize that hopping has changed?

I think if you want to hit 3 or more parks, you should wait if the frustration would actually ruin your trip, but only you guys would know that. I did go several times during the restriction and I will say it made me mad each trip. lol I'm one who would hit 3 parks at day (at least) before the restrictions (esp. loved Animal kingdom to EPCOT to MK). In short, I did feel I wasted a chunk of time "waiting."

I filled that time with going hotel hopping, or back to my hotel for a bit before heading out again, and it did take me from 3 parks to 2 in a day. This only really impacted me because I take short trips (like 2 1/2 days). If I were there for longer, I don't think it would have made me quite so frustrated.

 

[sbelbot]

I just saw that EPCOT is sold out on 12/31 and that has me wondering just how crowded the parks may be the week after Christmas. We bought hopper tickets and already have park reservations. However, we made quite a few dinner reservations that aren't the same as our park reservation Is it possible that Disney could deny park hopping due to capacity limitations? Has this ever happened in the past? If so, any information on how frequently has this occurred?

Thanks.

 

[disney-inspired]

I just saw that EPCOT is sold out on 12/31 and that has me wondering just how crowded the parks may be the week after Christmas. We bought hopper tickets and already have park reservations. However, we made quite a few dinner reservations that aren't the same as our park reservation Is it possible that Disney could deny park hopping due to capacity limitations? Has this ever happened in the past? If so, any information on how frequently has this occurred?

Thanks.

It definitely has happened in the past and I can definitely see it happening for NYE.

 

[scrappinginontario]

I just saw that EPCOT is sold out on 12/31 and that has me wondering just how crowded the parks may be the week after Christmas. We bought hopper tickets and already have park reservations. However, we made quite a few dinner reservations that aren't the same as our park reservation Is it possible that Disney could deny park hopping due to capacity limitations? Has this ever happened in the past? If so, any information on how frequently has this occurred?

Thanks.

Please read post 1 of this thread. While the inability to hop was a challenge prior to March 2020, only once since then has park hopping ever been stopped and that was only for a few hours to the MK on its 50th Annuversary.

Since park reservations were introduced, park hopping has not been a problem. For this holiday season in 2023 I would anticipate it would be the same. I could be wrong as things could change but based on the past 3 years, I would anticipate you will be fine.

On NYE I would recommend hopping to Epcot closer to 2 PM just to be on the safe side but that’s just my opinion.