No park hopper and non EMH park strategy

[DmoDisney]

What do you all think about the strategy of going to the park(s) w/o EMH? We're going late April for 6 days and we're not planning on park hopping and want to avoid the parks with EMH as I've read they tend to be the most crowded for the whole day. But DW and I are agonizing over the park hopper (we'd need to add it to 5 tickets).

I guess the ultimate strategy is to do the EMH park and then hop to a non EMH park after 11am or so. My DW and I will have our 3 kids (7,4,1) and my mom (who is somewhat limited in mobility) and I have this vision that park hopping would be exhausting for us (we will have a rental car though). Have you all had success park hopping with younger ones or is it easier to just do a park a day? Wondering if I should ditch my non EMH park strategy and get the park hopper. Was the park hopper worth it in your opinion?

Thanks. Hopefully once I get back I can start giving some input! I've only had questions so far since I haven't been to WDW since 1997! Only 36 days left. The giddiness factor is rapidly climbing off the charts...

[Love of Disney]

We don't purchase the park hopper anymore. Even when it was included (in the past), we really didn't use it. But, we like to take our time in each park. If for some reason we are done, we find that there is always lots to do at the resorts, touring the resorts, DTD, etc... If you have small kids and a limited mobility person, you may find it hard to hop. I guess it's a personal preference!! Good luck with you decision!!

[IloveDisney71]

I couldn't live without the park hopper pass but my 2 DD's were 7 & 8 the first time we used the park-hopper so it was easy for us to do. I don't know how hard it would be with little ones. I really think it just depends on your needs.

[BriarRose0708]

It seems like you're concerned about crowds and mid day burn-out. I don't think you have to purchase a park hopper in order to avoid this. It is true that the park with the early Magic Hours does get more crowded, so if you are not going to go for the Hoppers, stick with the plan you have. My advice would be to get to the park at opening (if you can) and take a break in the middle of the day when crowds are at its highest. Go back to the resort, rest up, take a nap or swim, and return to the park later in the day when it's a little cooler. This way you won't feel like your family is rushing everywhere and you can enjoy your time together at Disney. You'll be there long enough that you can do all four parks at the beginning and then have 2 days to go back and do some things you may have missed.

One thing is for sure whether you get Park Hoppers or not- you're going to have a magical time! Enjoy your trip!

[TBY2225]

We went in September the past 2 years and we didn't have hoppers. This worked really well for us and our DD6 and DS2. We did just as a previous poster said. We would go for EMH in the morning and then go back to the hotel during the "hot" time of day and then come back that evening to finish up the park. By the then afternoon crowds have thinned out some and since we had a swim and nap, we were ready to go!

[thatkindofday]

I have always been big on the park hopper option, there was one day this last visit we went to all four parks in one day (no lie!) but I think this year when my fiancee and I go for our honeymoon, we're going to skip the park hopper option and get a 10 day pass for our 5 day visit (a 10 day pass is only like 12 dollars more than a 5 day, less than park hopper option which is like 50 bucks) and if we use them to go to more than one park, great, and if not, then it won't be as much of a loss. Just an idea.

[LauraF]

One thing to keep in mind is where you want to eat every day.

If you want to eat in a different park from your starting park, then the hopper is essential. But if you're planning on eating at a hotel or offsite, then I wouldn't worry about it.

[KylesMom]

Each family is different, but we'd be lost without the "hopping" option. We typically get to the parks at opening, hang out until early to mid-afternoon, return to our resort for a few hours and then usually head to a different park for the evening. Not always, but usually. If we've spent the day at AK & want to go to MK to see Wishes & Spectromagic, we can do so later in the evening. We rent a car & drive to most of the parks ourselves so that when we're ready to head out, we can. We've been doing this since DS was 2 with great success.

We participate in am EMH at MK & AK, and when the crowds become prohibitive we head out to either our resort or a different park. One thing to note: You didn't list your actual dates, but you might want to ensure that Grad Nights don't take place during your trip - this year they fall on April 18 & 19 and April 25 & 26. This may increase your "want" to have the hopping option for the extra $225.

(a 10 day pass is only like 12 dollars more than a 5 day, less than park hopper option which is like 50 bucks) and if we use them to go to more than one park, great, and if not, then it won't be as much of a loss. Just an idea.

Just a tip that you cannot utilize more than one admission ticket per day to park hop. You will be allowed one park entry per day, regardless of how many days are on your ticket unless you have purchased the hopping option.

As has already been said, no matter what you decide, you're going to have a great time!

[NJGIRL]

We NEVER park hop and we do just fine. We did it one year and I found that sooooooo much time was wasted on traveling back and forth.
We go into a park for the day and stay there and do everthing there is to do there. We make our ADR' s in the park that we will be in for the day. I find there is enough in each park that interests us to spend the whole day and night there.

[JPL]

I have to say Park Hopping is the most valuable add-on to a WDW ticket. It allows you many more options and much more flexibility, an escape from an overcrowded park or change parks if your children want to go back to see Mickey's House when you are not at the MK.

Here is a scenario for you where park hopping becomes really valuable. You are at the MK and you kids want to see SpectroMagic and Wishes a storm rolls in and they are cancelled so you miss them that night and have very disappointed children. However the Next day you are going to AK which might not take you all day and usually closes earlier than other parks. You can hop over to the MK just to see Spectro and Wishes.

[Gooftroop5]

Park hopping is essential to us. We like to do certain parks in the morning & others in the afternoon. We did it with our dd when she was 2 1/2 then the following year when she was 3. It never seemed to be too tiring. Matter of fact it helped her to get rest. Sometimes just being in the car or on trasnportion gave her a needed rest that she wouldn't wanted to take otherwise. Also it was unseasonable hot & humid when we were there so it gave us a chance to leave AK when it was hot in the afternoon & go to EPCOT to cool down.

[DmoDisney]

quote:
One thing to note: You didn't list your actual dates, but you might want to ensure that Grad Nights don't take place during your trip - this year they fall on April 18 & 19 and April 25 & 26. This may increase your "want" to have the hopping option for the extra $225.

We arrive on Sat. 25th, going to Epcot that day b/c of grad nite and planning on going to MK on Sunday...wasn't sure how crowded MK would be on that Sunday b/c of the grads?

[Polynesian Dweller]

Park hopper is an essential for us. It just provides so much more flexibilty. Sometimes its so we can, for example, go to MK for most of the day and then go to Epcot for dinner.

At other times, we have started off in one park, found it way too crowded and then simply gone to another. For $7.50 per day per person for your 6 day stay ($45 flat fee for length of ticket) its absolutely a tremendous value.

[Goofy Texan]

There's no need for you to decide now. Just plan to be at 1 park per day (a non - EMH park).

If things happen that would make hopping valuable, then add the hopper option. You can add it anytime as long as it hasn't been more than 14 days since it's first use, and you still have at least 1 day left on it.

[PixieChick]

We never get park hoppers and we do just fine. We also don't utilize EMH to avoid crowds. you may want to check out info central to see wich park is the busiest on each day. We take that into consideration when making our plans along with adr's. We follow BriarRoses plan. Go early! The parks are nearly empty first thing in the morning and you will be able to see most of the popular rides with little or no waiting. We return to the same park later in the day. Your right to take into consideration your families limitations and enudurance now. We made the mistake of trying to fit in to much when our dd was 3 and it was way to much for her. By lunchtime she was one of those crying cranky kids you see all over the parks. Not fun. By the second day we made sure we returned to the hotel for a nap and some downtime and it made such a difference. She was happier, and the trip was much more enjoyable. I'm sure whatever you choose you'll have a great trip.

[DmoDisney]

about not trying to do too much. I realize that what I have "planned" is going to probably (er..will) get cut in half! I'm read some posts where some recommend taking an entire day off and just dinking around the resort and DD. We probably won't do that since we don't plan on coming back again until DD1 is 4/5. We'll relax a bit on our Disney Studios day since with little ones we can probably do most things fairly quickly in that park. Definitely doing the afternoon break thing too!

[Young@Heart]

We got park hoppers once and never used it. Since then, we don't even bother. We love spending the day at only one park, and drinking everything in. We usually take a break in the afternoon (for either a nap or a swim) and return to that same park to finish things up. We also usually pick up a FP or two (depending on what's allowed based on the first one) before we leave and get to visit 1 or 2 attractions w/ little or no wait when we return.

[Tink#64]

[QUOTE=KylesMom;1579150]Each family is different, but we'd be lost without the "hopping" option. We typically get to the parks at opening, hang out until early to mid-afternoon, return to our resort for a few hours and then usually head to a different park for the evening. Not always, but usually. If we've spent the day at AK & want to go to MK to see Wishes & Spectromagic, we can do so later in the evening.[QUOTE]

This is what we do too! I'm not sure why, but that's what we do! I seriously debated the hopper add on for our last trip, 2006, which was the first trip for us that it wasn't included. DH said that he really wanted to have that option so we paid the extra & got it. We do not hop from park to park during the day, but we do enjoy switching it up for the evening. But - I don't think it would be a hardship not to get the hopper & return to the same park in the evening to finish up what we didn't get to & enjoy the evening events.

We've tried to do the evening EMH 2x & it didn't work for us. Last trip we were going to do EMH in the evening at MK & our youngest dd - 8 at the time, was so tired he was crying & asking if we really had to stay! Of course we didn't, we went back to resort so little guy could get some rest. The previous trip we went to MGM for the evening to see Fantasmic & we stayed for the evening EMH & we waited in line for 1 hour for ST! It was crazy! We returned to MGM the next morning & we walked on ST with no wait at all.

EMH doesn't work for us. Our DS's were 8 & 10 for our last trip & require some sleep! I'm up at 6:00 almost every day. We try to be at the parks for opening, because it's definitely less crowded in the early AM, not including EMH - which seem to early for us - we're pushing it to be at the park for regular opening! The evening EMH is too late for us unless we are taking the next morning off & it just never seems to work with our schedule.

So, who knows? To each his own! I'm sure everyone's routine works for them. You are going to get alot of advice & you still are the one that knows your family & what will be best for you! I second guess myself alot! I'm already stressing over my itenerary for the end of September! I made a chart with moveable pieces to play with my park days! Only on Intercot!

[Gottaluvgoof]

We never spend money on the hoppers. I love the whole system of staying on property for the convenience of not having to rent a car and not having to drive at all. The problem is, the buses can be a pain sometimes with waits, so my theory is get to one park and stay all day. I'm not wasting good time waiting for another bus. I can very easily spend an entire day at one park, and actually we usually are there open till close. We also never go on days with EMH. I made that mistake ONCE, and will never again. The only difficult part is when you are on the dining plan, you have to get your strategy down 180 days in advance so you can book your restaurants. It was a lot of homework, but I just did it this week. Planning is part of the fun of the trip. Good Luck with your plans and have a great trip.

[diz_girl]

Since you have little ones, getting to the parks early, taking a break to go back to the resort mid-day, and returning to the parks later in the afternoon is a good idea. So you may not need park hoppers.

However, here's an idea to let you Park Hop (in a limited way) and spend only $7-9 extra per person and not $45 per person. If you're there for six days, then I'm assuming that you'll get a six-day base pass. BUT GET A TEN DAY PASS INSTEAD! You'll get four extra "days", which can let you hop to another park four times. The total cost for those four extra "days" for five people is $40, which is less than one park hopper for one person. That way you can do four days at two parks and two days at one park, or any combination of ten that you like. That should be enough hops for your family.

There's also lots of non-park activities to do that don't cost a lot. There's riding the monorails, miniature golf, or DTD, or visiting other resorts (especially if you have ADRs). For example, you don't have to be at the MK to watch Wishes, you can watch them from the Poly beach, maybe before or after dining at 'Ohana. Or you can visit AKL and look at the animals that they have there. Plus there's the petting zoo, pony rides, the campfire sing-along and nightly movie at FW.