Do we need park hoppers?

[janfelcie]

We are DVC and always get park hoppers at WDW. Adult daughter and I will be staying four days at DL. Are park hoppers really needed for just the two parks? We have not visited in 20 years. What do we need to know. We are going late June. At WDW we do one park in the morning, afternoon at resort and then go to what ever park is open late.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

What are your dates? What is your park touring style? Will you be purchasing MaxPass? It is so easy to park hop at DLR (the parks are a football field's length apart -- they are more like one big park!) that hopping is really no big deal. Would you hop for rides? MP lets you book a FP on the DLR app on your phone for one park while you're still in the other park -- super easy! Would you hop for food? We do this all the time. Eat a meal or snack in one park, then go ride something in the other park. (We think DCA has better food.) If you feel one park is getting too crowded, hop to the other park for a while. Not everyone tours the parks this way, though. Some people prefer to do one park in detail, one day at a time. It just depends on your preference. But if you choose hoppers, you can get really good use out of them!
This thread has really good information for you: A DLR Guide for WDW Vets. Read this and come back with any questions.

 

[figment_jii]

I don't think need park hoppers, but they can be pretty nice to have. I like to think of DLR as Epcot: DL is Epcot's Future World, DCA is World Showcase, and DTD is just outside of International Gateway. The Esplande, the area between the two parks, is about the same length as the bridge that connects WS and FW. Going between DL to DCA is usually pretty easy (there are times when the tickets lines can be pretty lengthy, but if you avoid crossing at that point, it's usually less than 5 minutes). I like having park hoppers because it lets you treat the resort as one big park. If something is down, you can easily go back to it a different time/day. Same if you see that something has a really good wait time or if there is a show you want to see or somewhere you want to eat.

That being said, I've gone to DLR and spent the entire day in just one park. Different people tour differently and if you plan it out, you can do one-park-per-day without missing out. I've just gotten so used to having park hoppers, it's tough to imagine a four day trip without hopping!

 

[starry_solo]

Yes , when are you going?

 

[Winnowill]

If you always get hoppers for WDW, you'll DEFINITELY want them at DLR. Park hopping at DL is SO MUCH EASIER than at WDW. Truly, it takes no effort whatsoever, and if one park is feeling a little crowded, it only takes five minutes to hop over to the other.

 

[BrianL]

Yes, with a Hopper, DL and CA become one big theme park! It's awesome!

 

[SgtTibbs]

Maxpass: $10 per person per day = $80
Parkhopper: $110 extra for two people over four days.

I'd rather have the Maxpass over a park hopper. Used right you will get more done that way. Of course park hopper plus Maxpass is the best of both worlds.

 

[Skyegirl1999]

Maxpass: $10 per person per day = $80
Parkhopper: $110 extra for two people over four days.

I'd rather have the Maxpass over a park hopper. Used right you will get more done that way. Of course park hopper plus Maxpass is the best of both worlds.

Maxpass is $15 per person, per day now.

 

[SgtTibbs]

Maxpass is $15 per person, per day now.

Really? So now it's $110 for park hopper and $120 for Maxpass? Gee it's almost like someone at Disney did the same math I just did.

 

[FeistyDisneyMom]

It still was $10 when I bought the promo tickets online a few weeks ago, but your only option online is for every day's worth of tickets. If you think you are likely to buy, its a significant savings to do it while buying tickets online if you have a large group and/or a long stay. I have 9 people for 4 days, so $360 vs $540 is a big deal.

And I bet SgtTibbs is right and it was a matter of someone at Disney doing the same math.

 

[sherilaine]

No one needs it but we never go without it as our trips are once per year and the cost of hopers is just a small portion of the overall cost of the trip and allows us to ride all our favourites every day at the parks.

 

[goooof1]

YES ! Cannot imagine not having the flexibility that hoppers offer! Also, if staying at the GCH, it is easy (and fun) to enter through DCA even if you are coming from Disneyland... better than the walk through DTD.

 

[tzeitel]

Definitely! It is just so easy to go from one park to the other that PHs are really worth it. We never get PHs at WDW because we hate how long it takes to get from one park to the other, at DLR it is a (less than) 5 minute walk.

 

[chickapin parterre]

20 years.....do you like the water that soaks you attractions at WDW? They have one that is great for riding every day before returning to lodging soaking wet for afternoon break.

Do you think that some WDW attractions in the morning have a different vibe at night?....Matterhorn, storybook land, monorail, autopia and RSR have different vibe in daylight and then at night.

20 years has been a long time and maybe you don't have a sentimental attraction to Disneyland, so you probably don't have a good morning greeting or a Good night, parting is such sweet sorrow tradition with Disneyland, so a park hopper would not serve that function as it does for the folks who frequent and help visitors to this site.

....and you will never know when it is crowded and time to head over to DCA.....folks here, including myself, have an internal gauge to measure our crowded morning tolerance at Disneyland and then when to head over to DCA....you won't have that insight.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

...and you will never know when it is crowded and time to head over to DCA.....folks here, including myself, have an internal gauge to measure our crowded morning tolerance at Disneyland and then when to head over to DCA....you won't have that insight.

Every person has their own personal sense of "too crowded" -- it just differs from person to person. I think the regulars here might have a higher tolerance level than people who've never experienced any Disney park (or any mall during the holidays!), but if the OP and daughter have any experience of WDW during a peak or semi-peak time, they'll get the vibe. What they really need to know is: SWGE! It will have to be open by late June, and that will redefine the meaning of "crowded" at DLR. So, just in that context, I would think parkhoppers might be a "need."

 

[DLgal]

I say it's a need, even though its really not. We park hop literally every time we visit the parks, which is a LOT. We get tired of a park after a few hours, and sometimes one park is just uncomfortably crowded and the other isn't, so it's nice to be able to bail when we start feeling claustrophobic.

 

[azdisneylover]

Yes, I would highly suggest you getting park hoppers. You will be glad you did, especially with SWGE opening some time this summer.

 

[robinb]

I went for 5 days in the summer and I hopped every single day. I would say "yes!" to hoppers.

 

[agamble]

Since you are not travelling with young children I would say definitely get hoppers if they're in your budget. $110 is not a small chunk of change, but when compared to the total cost of your trip may be pretty small. As others have said hopping is easy. It gives you more choices of rides, food, and entertainment. Also many people feel that DCA can be seen in a day or day and a half whereas Disneyland needs 2+ days. If you go with non hoppers you have to choose between 2 days at each park or limit yourself to just one day at DCA. DCA has a large amount of rides that are not found at WDW. We personally love DCA and would be sad to only have one full day there. And if RSR went down that day you could miss it and it is truly a must do.

 

[Violetspider]

I haven't been to DL or DCA since I moved away in 2005 and even I can't imagine not having had park hoppers those last years I was there. It's just too easy and I imagine even more of a necessity now. I've already purchased my hoppers and my MaxPasses for December. Can't wait for the easy of it all after years of minimal hopping at WDW due to the transit time involved.