to park hop or not to park hop

[dosekies]

Fiance and I are going to be in WDW in November. Arrive on Thanksgiving, first park day Friday, staying thru the next Friday. I can't decide whether to park hop or not. We have them from free dining, but it wouldn't really bother me if we didn't use them other than the 1 day I have planned for them so far.

If I go with the park hopping plan I have, it changes the plans from when I made my ADRs and I might have to drop my Trattoria al Forno and Ohana breakfasts.

I just don't know what to do!!!! I can post the plans I came up with if anyone wants to see them for specific advice.

 

[Gehrig1B]

Park hoppers allow flexibility and that is important to us.

You can change plans mid stream if necessary and you can make ADR's wherever you wish (within any park) and sill visit another park that day.

We like to attend am EMH and then hop to another less crowded park in the afternoon, maybe dine at Epcot in the evening. Park hoppers make planning easier for us.

 

[Haley R]

Fiance and I are going to be in WDW in November. Arrive on Thanksgiving, first park day Friday, staying thru the next Friday. I can't decide whether to park hop or not. We have them from free dining, but it wouldn't really bother me if we didn't use them other than the 1 day I have planned for them so far.

If I go with the park hopping plan I have, it changes the plans from when I made my ADRs and I might have to drop my Trattoria al Forno and Ohana breakfasts.

I just don't know what to do!!!! I can post the plans I came up with if anyone wants to see them for specific advice.

How many park days do you have?

 

[hakepb]

I mostly hop to have more dinners in World Showcase countries than I want to spend full park days in Epcot.
(I used to hop to MK when other parks closed earlier, but that happens less frequently)
It's not a bad idea to hop to a park with evening EMH (if you are mostly there those 2 EMH hours)

 

[srwarden1928]

If you are a veteran of WDW, park hopping can be fun. If you are a relative newbie, park hopping is unnecessary. I would not sacrifice your ADRs. Hopping only for ADR purposes can be an effective way of using the privilege.

 

[lubob]

We usually hop from park to park depending on our dinner reservations that night. We love the hopper option gives you some flexibility on a busy trip.

 

[Sepo]

If staying at an Epcot / Boardwalk area resort, hopping is quite helpful. 1) Allows you to come home from MK via tram through Epcot for a short detour, 2) Dining galore at World Showcase (mentioned), 3) short boat trip to Hollywood studios before or after coming home.

And as others have said, tremendous flexibility. Go to one park in morning, take break, go to another in evening; and adjust dining as needed.

 

[dosekies]

How many park days do you have?

We have 5 full days, 2 half days, and a MVMCP day.

 

[dosekies]

Here is what I was debating on. No matter what I choose, I have time at each of the parks (except for HS) on another day as well.

Sunday - AK open to close
Monday - MK open to close (evening EMH)

OR

Sunday - MK until 4ish and hop to HS to close
Monday - AK open to close then hop to MK for EMH

CL are a little lower for the park hopping option, but I would then not go to my Tusker House breakfast on Sunday or my Trattoria al Forno breakfast on Monday

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I wouldn't drop TH or Trattoria to park hop.

 

[Haley R]

I think it depends on how badly you want the dining reservations. To me, Hollywood Studios doesn't have enough right now for me to make a trip there. I would rather spend the whole day at MK because I can easily spend 2 days there. I haven't been to AK since Pandora opened, but I can imagine that park could be an all day park as well. I vote no park hopper.

 

[lilkitty819]

We park hop all the time. We start at any park that has early entry and make sure we are there at rope drop. Do the must do rides at that park, then go back to room for an hour or so just to relax for a bit. Then we fastpass the park that we know will be at in the afternoon/evening. Works out great for us. Also you will be there at a busy time so park hopping give you the option of leaving a park that is getting to crowded. Have a great vacation!!!

 

[mi*vida*loca]

We park hop all the time. We start at any park that has early entry and make sure we are there at rope drop. Do the must do rides at that park, then go back to room for an hour or so just to relax for a bit. Then we fastpass the park that we know will be at in the afternoon/evening. Works out great for us. Also you will be there at a busy time so park hopping give you the option of leaving a park that is getting to crowded. Have a great vacation!!!

This is what we do and why we love PH's.

OP if you have no desire to park hop then don't. I wouldn't skip over ADR's just to hop.

 

[dreiwhit]

A lot depends on your touring style. For us, hoppers aren't necessary as we go to one park each day and stay there.

Also, hopppers for us would be an additional $320 on top of our base tickets.

 

[StraightToDumbo]

We park hop frequently because our plans change on the fly. Sometimes we decide another park is more suitable to the mood. This trip, we were underwhelmed by AK and left by noon. Break, then HS through Fantasmic. We were ecstatic having the ABILITY to change our minds.

 

[shannonstar]

We tend to be Park Hoppers, but it's not for everyone. Because we usually stay at BCV, we will often hop to HS or EP. It also allows us to utilize EMH at one park and then hop to another in the afternoon/evening using FP+ for things like FOP. That being said, I wouldn't necessarily drop dining to park hop.

 

[Ouida]

We park hop all the time. We start at any park that has early entry and make sure we are there at rope drop. Do the must do rides at that park, then go back to room for an hour or so just to relax for a bit. Then we fastpass the park that we know will be at in the afternoon/evening. Works out great for us. Also you will be there at a busy time so park hopping give you the option of leaving a park that is getting to crowded. Have a great vacation!!!

I asked this very same question. We are going the week before you. We decided not to use the park hopper option. We got an extra day stay, for nearly the same price as the hopper (party of 6). The thing I still don't understand is how people say it's great to park hop in the morning. if you get to one Park with say EMH at 8am. By the time you make it to another park say 10am earliest, you better have FPs as it will be the most crowed time of the day at the second park??? Anyway, I already see some spots where we may miss that option. Like everything Disney, the more you can afford, the more fun you will have.

 

[tzolkin]

We get PHs every trip and would not go without them, but everyone has different preferences and priorities.

Flexibility is an important aspect of our trips. We enjoy being able to just go wherever the mood takes us. I do a lot of RESEARCH for our vacations (including lists, spreadsheets, and index cards), but we don't like to be confined to a SCHEDULE. (We have enough of that at home!)

This is the major reason we also prefer to not make ADRs (certainly not every day). We don't want to be required to stop what we are enjoying at a certain time or feel like we are stuck in a particular park because we have a reservation. The meals may be nice, but we would rather eat in a lounge or snack around F&W than have the plans for every day be dictated by our meals.

 

[Ouida]

A lot depends on your touring style. For us, hoppers aren't necessary as we go to one park each day and stay there.

Also, hopppers for us would be an additional $320 on top of our base tickets.

I think this is mostly us, but how do you handle rain that totally wreck your plans, or heavier than you thought crowd levels without missing out? Those would be the biggest budget concerns. You can be totally happy in just one Park, BUT things do happen that can put a damper on your trip.

 

[Retro Magic]

For most trips it's the only way to go for us! Especially for ADR if you want to eat in a different park and want to take advantage of some EMH days.