Base ticket vs. Park Hopper

[RobinRocksDisney]

Hello Disney Friends~
I am working on our planning and being a newbie, I need some expert advice:mickey:

The cost difference for my family of a base ticket vs a park hopper is $280. That is alot of money to me.

Is a park hopper a must do?

Thank you in advance for your response:thumbsup:

[Tygger7]

Well, it depends. How's that for a solid answer. :mickey: How long are you staying at WDW? Are you staying onsite? Is this your first time at WDW?

Personally, I always do Park Hoppers because I like the freedom & flexibility to move between parks on a whim. For example, I may spend the day at DHS and then decide I want to run over to Magic Kingdom to watch fireworks (& grab a dole whip). And, we often spend the day at a park, then head to Epcot for dinner.

[Dopey's Girl]

I think it really depends on when you are going...if it's a 'slower' time, you might be ok without the hopper option.

We tried going with just the base tickets a few trips ago, and it just wasn't working for us. AK isn't a whole day park for us, plus it closed really early, but since we didn't have hoppers, we were stuck. We added the option just a day into the trip, and never regretted it, or thought about not having it again! For us it makes trips so much more fun with it!

[RobinRocksDisney]

Its our first time....offsite....7 days .
However, will probably only be in the parks for 4 days.

[lighteningqueen]

We have to have it. If it rains you leave and come back later and may choose to go to another park. Leaving to go eat and then go to another park for dinner. This year we are hopping all over the place and it's a must have. We are trying different CS places at some of the resorts and then may choose to end the evening with a park that has EMH at night. If you are only going the 4 days only out of the 7 which is going to be tough long days then don't get it. You will probably shut the parks down each day at the one you started with.I see it is your first time.... If you have nothing planned the other 3 days I promise you , you will be going back the other 3. No way to do it all in 4 days and have fun without running. Just MHO Especially first timers. We went back last year to do the things we didnt the year before and we went 7 days in 2007 9 days in 2008 and still have not gotten to do it all.

[ibelieveindisneymagic]

The park hopper option is up to you.

We get the park hopper on our tickets, just because we like to eat a lot at Epcot :eat: and enjoy being able to go to another park during the day, and then to Epcot for dinner.

However, on our first trip, we knew that there was going to be so much to do at each park, we didn't bother with it (and didn't miss it at all).

So, I would book the tickets without the park hopper option. Do your planning, make your ADR's for meals and see if you need the option. You can add it at any time, even during the trip, so if you're worried about the extra cost I would leave it for now.

[Itchy]

As a previous poster stated if you are going to do just the parks and no restaurants in the parks i would think that regular passes would work. If you plan on eating in the parks for dinner or lunch and have adr's it might be something that you may want to consider. I dont think it would make a difference whether you are staying on site or off.

We have always had the park hopper and love the ability to come and go in the parks as we like. It adds so much more freedom to the vacation.

Hope this helps:mickey:

[btharvey]

Any 'first-timer' to the parks, I'd suggest, no. Explore each park to the fullest extent that your sanity will allow (some people "fuzz out" after a while with so much on so many different levels ... for example, if you look for hidden mickeys in addition to everything else -- or count the different animals in the Tree of Life -- you could go blind).

We have it because we've been there a number of times, and when our favorites get crowded, we hop elsewhere for a different experience we know we'll enjoy. But it's truly up to you.

[Tygger7]

Its our first time....offsite....7 days .
However, will probably only be in the parks for 4 days.

Since it's your first trip, you may do okay without park hoppers. Depending on your family, you may want to spend more time at a park versus another park. For example, many people feel AK is really a half day park, and I tend to agree. But for us, Magic Kindom is our favorite so we usually end up back there every day at some point....I just can't get enough! :D

One thing to remember since you're staying offsite....don't forget to budget for parking. There was just an increase announced a few weeks ago, and it's now up to $14 per day to park. Just wanted to make sure you knew about that & were accounting for that in your budget.

Hope you have a wonderful first trip!

[btharvey]

... For example, many people feel AK is really a half day park, ....For your first trip, don't look at AK as a 1/2-day park. there is enough to do to see everything at least once for more than one day.

Most of us who spend less than a day there will go to very specific rides, sites and shows (and dining experiences) rather than blow through the whole thing, because we have been there more than once, and we know what we want to re-experience.

Don't run, walk. Eyes and ears open ... and don't forget the Jammin' Jungle Parade!

[BigThunderFan]

Like was mentioned before, you don't NEED the park hopper for your first trip, especially if you are trying to budget. However, you may get to one of the parks and realize that it is so busy you are wasting your day. With the hopper you could quickly jump to another park (and not have to pay parking again - your paystub from the first allows you in) that would hopefully be less crowded.

Either way you go it will be fun and I bet you buy those 3 extra days... :)

[Ms. Mode]

I know you have a lot of response, but I have to throw my oar in the water here...we purchased Park Hoppers on our first trip and never used them.

The first time you visit WDW you spend at LEAST a full day in each park...don't waste your money....but next trip...get the hopper :thumbsup:

[rubato]

I love park hoppers. It's my one and only big splurge on our trips. But, we eat at Epcot almost every night. I don't want to spend 8 straight days in Epcot.

Now, in your case, I might not get them. I would, however, think about 7 day tickets. It's not much more money at all. That way, you could do half days if you wanted, knowing that you'd have another day to come back if you decide. Just a thought. You'll have a fabulous time no matter what, I'm sure.

[faline]

I'm not sure why you're suggesting a 7 day ticket for someone who said they would only spend 4 days in the parks. If you're suggeting that they could use 2 park tickets for 2 different parks on the same day, that won't work.

[lighteningqueen]

I agree but they really ought to think about what and why they are doing there. Are they going to universal??? If so they make think about if they really want to go somewhere else than Disney their first time. You are overwhelmed and so glad to be there that the time goes so quickly and you always wish you could stay longer. Just hope they don't make the mistake of thinking they will be done with it in 4 days,or just wanting to lounge at their resort or rental. To me we could do that at home or closer to home, when we hit the gates its peddle to the medal and give me all you can for as much time I have...

[wdwfansince75]

For a first timer, I would suggest saving the money. Each park, including AK, takes at least a day to really experience all the parks have to offer. Our first trip, in 75, was 3 days, and MK was the only park....We did it all, but not in a single day....and we visited some attractions at least once each day.
If you haven't made plans for other attractions in the Orlando area, You may consider doing extra days, especially for MK and EPCOT.
We usually do 7 days at WDW, rarely do anything other than the parks and pools, and have never been bored. For a first timer, I would suggest 2 days at MK, perhaps your first and last days...2 days at EPCOT....One for attractions and shows, one for World Showcase...and shows....and consider a sit down meal at EPCOT each of those days...Consider the Character Meal at Garden Grill as one of the meals, and your choice of the WS eateries for dinner one evening...Perhaps, timed to enjoy Illuminations as well. The extra days are about $3 per ticket. If you purchase the 4 day base ticket, you can add the extra days up to 14 days after first use. And if you change your mind, you can convert it to a Park Hopper at any time.....

Enjoying WDW is an art....Park Hopping is a science.

[rubato]

I'm not sure why you're suggesting a 7 day ticket for someone who said they would only spend 4 days in the parks. If you're suggeting that they could use 2 park tickets for 2 different parks on the same day, that won't work.

No, I know you can't do that. I just meant, that extra days would be much cheaper than hoppers. So, maybe they could rework their schedule. Do a park for half a day, go do the other thing they were doing for half a day. It's just that extra days are so cheap.

[mdhiggin]

We mostly use our Park Hoppers for EMH. We go to a less crowded park during the day and then hop over to the late night EMH park. Since you're not staying at a Disney resort, you won't be able to do EMH. I don't think leaving off the park hoppers would be a big deal at all, in this case. Avoid the park with EMH that night, though. They will be extra busy during the day due to people staying onsite without park hoppers.

[SBETigg]

My theory is that you're spending so much money to have a great vacation in the first place that it really isn't that much extra to make sure you have the experience in the fullest. To me, it wouldn't be the same without having the ability to hop. The parks are all different, offering different kinds of experiences (some are high adventure, some are lots of walking) and we get more out of them by spending half days in one, and the other half in another. We have more time and patience to really appreciate what all the parks have to offer that way instead of feeling like we have to go through it like we're on a checklist to make sure we get things done.

Plus, we can make the most advantage of our time with hoppers. If one park is prohibitively crowded, we can hop to another. We can make meal plans wherever we want without worrying if we can go to that park on that day. Some people who don't hop will tell you that you lose more time in transportation, so it's not worth it. But I would rather lose some time in transport than lose patience and miss out on attractions because I'm stuck in a high crowd park on any given day. So, it all depends on how you roll. Do you need hoppers, no. Will they make your trip more pleasant overall? Quite possibly.

[Tick-Tock]

I would play it by ear; start without the hoppers, then add them if you need to (and it's within your means). If you're really going to do only 4 days, you'll probably be so busy you won't need to hop. The exception might be if a park is unexpectedly busy, or weather impacts your plans.

We always get hoppers, but since we've been so many times often we go to a park for only one or two attractions and a meal. You're not going to be doing that on a short first trip.

[Gregandmel]

We do without the park hopper....the extra money is better spent on souvenirs. We like to get to the parks at rope drop and spend most of the day there, then return to our resort around 4 or 5pm and hang out the rest of the evening. It makes for a much more relaxing pace (for us - everyone is different though - we aren't go-go-go people). One time we went to Epcot at rope drop, left around 2pm, came back around 6pm and had dinner at Rose & Crown at 7:30pm, watched Illuminations and then returned around 10:30 - 11:00pm....everyone was exhausted - just too long of a day, then the NEXT morning was pretty tough to get up early and hit rope drop at AK. So - park hoppers for us just means we are too much on the go and it's just not for us - but like everyone says - sort of depends on how long you will be there and what your family wants to do. Good luck with your decision and have a GREAT time! :thumbsup:

[CleveRocks]

I would play it by ear; start without the hoppers, then add them if you need to (and it's within your means). My thoughts exactly.

You can add the park hopper option to your base ticket DURING your vacation ... you don't need to do it ahead of time. Adding the park hopper option to a base ticket during your trip costs EXACTLY the same as if you'd bought the tickets as park hoppers in the first place.

Also, doing it this way will really make you stop and think before you decide to hop, because to add the park hopper option will cost $52 + tax per ticket (child or adult), and when you plunk down that much money at one time, you usually stop to think for a minute if it's worth it.

We aren't hyper planners, my family and I. Having the hopper gives us the options and flexibility we need in order to have a good time.

[RobinRocksDisney]

Wow...you guys have given me alot to think about!!!

Thank you for your seasoned advice...and after checking out how much a day at Universal is, we will probably extend our days in the park since going from a 4 to 5 to 6 day ticket is just a few dollars.

Intercot Rocks!:beer:

[mom2morgan]

We've actually gotten the hoppers both times, but never really used them! On our last trip, my daughter made use of it so she could go to all four parks in one day and shop (where is the icon for crazy??). For the rest of us, we just didn't want to spend time travelling between parks, and wanted some "down time" in the evenings, anyway. We did eat at Epcot twice - but the one day we were there all day anyhow, and the other day we were at Downtown Disney most of the day (which, of course, doesn't use up any park pass). We ate in several of the resort restaurants, but not a lot in the parks. I think next time we go we'll save the money!