With today’s ticket complexities and increasing prices many people question whether or not to purchase a hopper. A family of four can save $220 by purchasing a base ticket and skip the park hopping but is it worth it? It does depend on the vacation length, family’s goals for the trip and their personal likes and the events at the parks. This article will discuss factors that impact your trip and how you plan and whether the hopper is for you and your family. Every time you hop it takes about one and a half to two hours to leave the park, wait and get on transportation and go through security. It can be a little faster from Magic Kingdom to EPCOT and from EPCOT to Hollywood Studios if you walk; but, do allow for time between parks.
Watching fireworks in the fog
Length of stay is a big factor. If you are only staying three days then could be beneficial; but, it does make a significant increase in budget. It gives you the ability to experience two parks in one day. It increases your daily park price by 18.33 per ticket per day over three days. If your family is strictly limited by time it provides the opportunity to see all four parks. It is particularly important in the fall when you have the Halloween and Christmas Parties in the evening and sometimes park hours are limited. The Magic Kingdom will close early for the party and to get the most for your time you can switch to another park. A way to avoid this it’s best to plan your Magic Kingdom day on a non party day. Check the calendar before you plan to try to take advantage of extra Magic Hours and extended park hours. Be aware that a park with extended hours, morning or evening, is typically your most crowded park for that day.
Haunted Mansion on a foggy night.
Weather is a factor; yes weather can play a factor in benefits of purchasing a hopper. During the rainy season you may get rained out and may want to return to that park. Often one are two parks are open later and you can switch and catch up on things you missed. Another issue with rain is that sometimes events are cancelled and without a hopper your family will miss out on the opportunity so experience it. But not only rain is an issue. One issue is fog. Yes fog can get pretty thick in fall and winter with the changing temperatures. The fog can get so thick and you miss out on fireworks because of the density of the fog. So a hopper gives you the advantage of heading back to that park to see the fireworks on a clear night. If a firework viewing is big in your family then it may be an option to consider. With an extended stay, five days or more, your cost is spread over length of stay and your options to hop around can be more important. Some parks are still half day to three quarter day parks. While the popular attractions are growing in these parks and soon most parks will require a full day, for some they may want to hop in and ride a few attractions and head back to their favorite park. During events such as EPCOT’s International Food and Wine Festival it’s especially helpful to have a park hopper so you can hop over to EPCOT and enjoy the food booths at lunch or dinner.
Budget of course is a factor. You can save a significant amount without the hopper for a family of four. There is so much to do on Disney property and you won’t get bored if your chosen park closes before you are ready to turn in for the night. If not on the dining plan and watching your budget you will find dining options are also more affordable at the resorts. The family can spend the evening swimming, exploring area resorts, watching the fireworks from a resort beach, watching an outdoor Disney movie at your resort, dining at a different resort, riding the monorail and stopping at each resort or shopping at Disney Springs. Resorts have a flyer for activities at the resort so make sure you check it out. It’s also a great time to plan a dinner show such as Hoop de do Revue or the Spirit of Aloha Show.
Hopping for the sake of hopping is fun though not cost or time efficient. If you frequent the parks and want to go to all four parks in one day then go for it; but, if it’s your family vacation and you want to get the most out of every minute then leave the hopping to four parks in a day to the others. Hopping does take time to transfer parks, even in your own vehicle. Imagine having four to six hours more of park time? That’s probably the time you waste transferring from park to park. Make the most of your time and enjoy each park.
Another reason to get a hopper is if you are in a large group and you want to go different ways yet meet for group gatherings. Now this group can be as small as family gathering of eight or even less but it’s having the flexibility to go off to do your own thing while others are in another park then meet them again. I am not a proponent of purchasing a hopper just so you can eat at a restaurant. If you want to eat at the Crystal Palace then do it on your Magic Kingdom day. Plan accordingly. If you can only find a reservation on a day that does not have extra magic hours then consider changing that park day when you plan. As I mentioned before Extra Magic Hours are not always the best option because it draws the crowds. If you want to do the extra magic hours then yes purchase a hopper so you can leave that park when it gets crowded.
Touring can take a little more planning and know how without the hopper but that’s why having an experienced travel agent is great to help you plan. There is no right or wrong choice only the choice that works for you and your travel party. The goal is to get the most from your vacation and your budget. Happy traveling.
