Park Hoppers - Yes or No

[mickeyfanachey1999]

We have never not had hoppers. Even on our one day trip last week I got DS15 a hopper (to the tune of $181.04)

 

[dreiwhit]

It all depends on 1) Your park touring style, and 2) how much you want to spend.

If you want to go to multiple parks in one day, get the hoppers. But if you plan to just go to a park and stay, the hoppers would not be worth it. Also, the hoppers can run $60-$80 per ticket more than the base, 1 Park a day tickets.

FWIW, our park touring style is to get to a park at RD and stay all day. Not getting hoppers is one way we save money at WDW.

 

[squirrel]

I say if it's your first trip don't bother with hoppers.

If you think you want them, budget for them but upgrade when you actually need them. If you don't end up hopping you save the money that you would have used for hopping.

 

[epcotty]

We've never gotten park hoppers, just feel they're not necessary and not worth it

 

[JerseyJanice]

I took many trips without them and never missed them. I think planning is easier when you have only one park per day.

That said, I got them for my last trip and my upcoming one. Both times, the Swan is my resort, and with two parks so close, hopping has more value. Also, I am traveling with people who have APs. With a hopper, I can stay with them if they want to see more than one park per day.

 

[bookgirl]

I like park hoppers because I often split the day into sections as in a morning park/afternoon park/evening park.

If one park gets to crowded I just switch over. If i finish a park early and decide I want to see a nighttime show I hop.

If I'm in one park, get a craving for food from anther then I can hop.

I often will rope drop a park to get in one or two rides that I really like but then spend the rest of the day (and FP) at another park.

I know it's an add on and not cheap, but it really does make my trip more enjoyable to have flexibility.

 

[flortlebap]

We like the flexibility of hopping and it helps mix the day up a bit.

That said, it isn't essential and we probably only do it because it's automatically included on U.K. Tickets.

 

[GillianP1301]

For me, park hoppers are one of those things I didn't know I was missing until I tried them. I only got them the first time a few trips ago and before that I was perfectly content with 1 park per day. Once I got the hopper though and was able to take advantage and be more flexible, I can't imagine not going without them.

 

[disneyvoice]

Before we were AP holders we ALWAYS got park hoppers, even if our plans going into the trip were to visit only park each day. We always pre-plan our trips but we also always agree that there is no reason not to change those plans if we feel like doing something else. It is very common for us to have an entire day planned at one park but then we decide to head to another park half way through the day. We like being able to do what we want to without being tied down to our plans and park hoppers make that possible.

 

[Delirium]

I mentioned this earlier, but will re-iterate it since you've received some non-hop feedback.

The time of year you are going (party season and Food & Wine) have to be part of the decision making process. The value of a hopper in October is significantly greater than the value of a hopper in June.

 

[bdiddy]

I have mixed feelings about it. Usually we don't get them. We found it a pain to hop especially when the kids were younger. There was a time we got it and didn't even use it. Although there was another time we didn't have it but could have used it. My best friend and I also went for a weekend and hopped like crazy both days.

I think it depends on a few things. How long are you going, do you have kids and how old are they and what are you the type that likes to try to do everything at a park....rides, shows etc....meaning if you like to try to get it all in then there's plenty to do in one park for a day/ but if you like to hit the big rides and skip world showcase like at Epcot for example then a hopper might make more sense.

 

[Parker Clan]

We always get PH.. But we go in August and like to do mid day breaks and then usually go to a different park at night. So it depends on your preferences & game plan.
I can't imagine not having them, but that is just me

 

[mindeola]

We have had park hoppers for every trip since they started offering them. I can't imagine not having them! I will just ditto bookgirl. This is exactly why we use them.

I like park hoppers because I often split the day into sections as in a morning park/afternoon park/evening park.

If one park gets to crowded I just switch over. If i finish a park early and decide I want to see a nighttime show I hop.

If I'm in one park, get a craving for food from anther then I can hop.

I often will rope drop a park to get in one or two rides that I really like but then spend the rest of the day (and FP) at another park.

I know it's an add on and not cheap, but it really does make my trip more enjoyable to have flexibility.

 

[thevolcanogod]

This trip I finally quantified how I feel about hoppers. If I was going for 4 days or less and the parks were in their current state, I would get hoppers. Anything more than 5 days and I personally would not. We tend to take longer trips so the tickets are more economical per day - so the last trips have been 10 Park day trips. We only hopped once in both trips and it was only to go see Muppets in DHS because it was down until our last couple days.

We also are staying off-site from now on which plays into this as it's much more difficult when you're dealing with a car vs disney transportation.

 

[TNGirlwCamera]

I haven't had a park hopper in several years now. I tend to stay in one park all day.

I read on a Disney blog a cool suggestion. It said, put the difference of cost of hopper passes on a Disney gift card. Then if you decide to hop, use the gift card to pay the difference. Apparently you can just pay the difference at the ticket counter. If you don't hop, then you still have that money to use elsewhere. Now I haven't tried this, so I would do some research first.

 

[TNGirlwCamera]

Looks like I skimmed everyone's comments too fast because a few said you can add on the hopper at the park. Yay! This is good to know.

 

[PSUGuy]

We go to WDW for Food&Wine during which we end up at WS every afternoon/evening except for Sat. As such we need hoppers so we can hit other parks at morning rope drop and then hop to F&W. Even without F&W we hop during other trips, we used to go the first week in March, and we'd enjoy ourselves less with single park passes.

Bill From Pa

 

[Elsaalltheway]

I agree with those who say park hoppers are a good choice. With how many rides are down at HS its only a two or three hour park. I don't think I could spend a whole day there. Plus for some parks with the extra hours tend to swell because others with out the park hoppers want to get their money so they tend to go up in volume. And there is always more then one way to get to other parks without having to go back to your own hotel, you can monorail from MK to Epcot and take a boat from HS to Epcot. I think for me AK and HS are only half day parks, even with Pandora, that only adds two rides and thats not going to take me a whole day to get through them. Plus for me I have preferred night time shows I like and I'll park hop to see those.

 

[scard192]

we travel in the Fall when MK closes at 7PM 4 nights/week for the parties and feel like PH are a must. Plus park hours change 3 weeks out and having the hoppers just gives us a lot of flexibility

 

[squirrel]

Looks like I skimmed everyone's comments too fast because a few said you can add on the hopper at the park. Yay! This is good to know.

I recommend waiting if you aren't sure you would hop. Why pay for something you don't use.