Park hop or not? Please help!

[senoragilbert]

Hi, all. We're trying to cram all four parks into 2 full days and 2 half days. Here are the specifics:

Arrive at Boardwalk Villas @12 noon on Friday, Oct. 25 (assuming plane lands on time).
Leave for airport at 3:30 pm, Monday Oct. 28 from whichever park we're in.

This is during that crazy SWGE time period, so we have access to EEMH: 6-9 am at HS, 7-8 at MK and AK.

My original plan was: Epcot on Friday afternoon/evening until close, MK on Saturday (the only day without MNSSHP), HS on Sunday, and AK Monday morning/afternoon. I know we don't know what we don't know yet, but I have to make FP decisions and ticket purchase decisions before August 29. So, am I crazy not to take advantage of two ultra-early mornings at HP and use my FP elsewhere? Or is one park per day, with such a short trip, just fine? Or will all the other parks fill up after the park hoppers leave HS every day, anyway?

We are "donut day" people, we'd prefer to get up early, take a long break and nap/pool mid-afternoon, and go back until close. So we should be avoiding the most crowded times of day in any of the parks. This is not my first trip, but I have never park-hopped.

Thanks for helping me get the most out of my very short weekend trip!

 

[jina]

We share a similar touring style and coincidentally will be there that same weekend (plus a few days on either end).

Given your touring style and the fact that you are staying at Boardwalk, I'd totally park hop. We too have hoppers.

I'd do EEMH at DHS whichever days you feel like getting up that early -even if it's just until 8am, then hop somewhere else or take a break and hop since DHS is only 10-15 minutes walk from Boardwalk. I'm planning to avoid DHS and EP on Sat and Sun due to local crowds for Food & Wine plus SWGE weekend warriors so I'm doing MK generally on Sat & Sun and hopping between DHS and EP on the weekdays. We are skipping AK altogether although I do love that park but we were there in 2018 for 2+ days and DD did all the junior ranger stuff so we are done for now.

For Sun if you are not going to the party and are hopping, MK is ideal as it will have lower morning and early afternoon crowds until the partygoers arrive. Then take a break and hop somewhere else.

Here is what I would do:
Fri afternoon: FP+ for DHS (not likely to get slinky dog but maybe R&R or TSM), hop to EP in the evening or just chill @ Boardwalk if EP is a zoo due to F&W but you may be able to change some DHS FP+ to be @ EP (or tap out your priority 2 DHS FP to get an EP one).
Sat: AK FP+ (note you may not get FOP until evening- if so, do EP or MK in the AM, rest and hit AK in the evening)
Sun: MK FP+ (rope drop and hang out until early pm when the partygoers arrive, chill in the evening or hop to EP or DHS or AK (if you could not get a FOP FP+ for Sat) depending on crowd levels- get the lines app).
Mon: EEMH at DHS - you should be able to get a slinky dog FP+ since this is 60+3, fly home

 

[Rach3975]

We're doing the same length trip in November and went with one park per day, but in your case hoppers might make more sense. In addition to doing the 2 early mornings in HS, you could go to MK on a less-crowded party day then go Sat night for the nighttime entertainment. Our trip is after EEMH ends and during the week of no parties between the Halloween and Christmas seasons, so for us one park a day worked better.

 

[Max G]

OP- I think you're the perfect candidate for park hopping, for two reasons. One, you plan on taking an afternoon break at your resort. Two, you're staying at Boardwalk which has the fabulous perk of being walking distance to two parks. Have a great trip!

 

[shellyj]

If the hoppers fit comfortably into your budget, I say absolutely get them.
I don't think you'll regret having the flexibility during a trip with so many variables - SWGE is the biggest question mark for sure, but you're also navigating around MNSSHP on the weekend before Halloween and F&W at Epcot.

I don't think you said how many people you have, or if you are traveling with little ones, but if it's a group of 3 or more, having the hoppers means you can split up and hit different priority experiences for part of the day.

 

[Disneypro1]

We have always been anti park hopper.
Always get more done 1 park per day. But, trying to do 4 parks in that short of time.....you may have to get them. Honestly, Id enjoy 3 parks. Maybe skip the Studios. And Do 2 full days MK and Epcot and AK the other.

 

[senoragilbert]

Thank you, all. Really helpful responses so far...keep it coming!

@jina thanks for the very specific advice! Maybe we'll see you there. HA!

@Rach3975 Thanks for the thoughts. Glad we're not the only ones trying to squeeze it all into four-ish days!

@Max G I forgot to mention we had to do a split stay. Sunday night at AK Jambo. Do you still think we're good candidates for hopping?

@shellyj The only budget issue is convincing my husband that it's worth the extra $75 per person. There are four of us: myself, my husband (both 41), our son (16) and my MIL (67). We all did 10 days in Europe together at the beginning of the summer, with step days between 12K and 28K.

@Disneypro1 Me too! I never even considered it until now.

 

[Max G]

@Max G I forgot to mention we had to do a split stay. Sunday night at AK Jambo. Do you still think we're good candidates for hopping?

I guess that depends on your plan for handling the resort switch. Your initial post says that you plan to hit up Hollywood Studios on Sunday. You'll already be in a great spot for it, so if you check out of Beach Club and arrange for your luggage to be transferred to AKL, you could head to HS for the morning and the early afternoon. Around lunch time, I'd recommend leaving HS for a lunch break. A lot of people rave about the food options at AKL (it's the only deluxe resort that I've never stayed at or visited so I can't comment from experience) so if those sound good to you, you could head there from HS, OR you could detour to Disney Springs for lunch, so many solid food options there. In either case, try to get checked in at Jambo after the meal. Spend some time exploring your new resort, take that mid day break that your family likes, then when you all feel refreshed, head back out to whichever park you feel you haven't spent enough time in.

One of the reasons that I gave for saying that you're a good candidate for hopping was your preference for a lengthy mid day break. That's exactly how we like to do Disney too. I always figure since we're regrouping mid-day we might as well go somewhere different at night, however, we have annual passes so hopping is free. You have the additional monetary consideration to weigh. Are you aware that you don't have to decide before your trip? You can add the hopper option once you're there. That way you could judge the situation once you're actually in the situation.

 

[sharonabe]

We are "donut day" people, we'd prefer to get up early, take a long break and nap/pool mid-afternoon, and go back until close. So we should be avoiding the most crowded times of day in any of the parks

With such a short trip, I'm not sure I would stick to this plan. Your Sat is going to be very crowded ALL day long, and the afternoons are not more crowded than the evening when everyone wants to catch HEA on the few nights it plays.
I guess if you get up for the 6 a.m. at HS, you might need a nap that afternoon just to make it through the evening and the early morning the next day.

I don't think I'd bother with hoppers; you just don't have enough time to make really good use of them.

 

[Master Fastpasser]

My rule of thumb is if you're going to do a quick and dirty weekend warrior type trip then get park hopper and if you're going to do a more relaxed and longer trip then do base tickets.

HOWEVER with your plan it would seem like a good idea to get a base ticket.

Usually my short trips include a 2 day park hopper and a MK party ticket and we are go go go so the park hopper works well for us.

 

[ArtieRyder]

A - can you define donut day? I think I know what it is, from context, but I want to confirm. It sounds like a great term

B - We have never bought park hoppers - BUT we stayed at Boardwalk in April and it was the first time I wish I bought them. We pool in the middle of the day as well (donut people?) and a couple times I wished we could just walk over to HS or Epcot at night instead of trekking back to MK or AK.

 

[senoragilbert]

@Max G thanks for clarifying. I like the idea of waiting until we are there to decide on hopping. Yes, I can save a few bucks getting them now ($73 per person instead of $75 plus tax) but if we don't need the hoppers, that saves even more. I think this is a great plan!

@ArtieRyder I made it up! You are correct in thinking that "donut day" means you leave a hole in the middle for rest, pool, etc.!

Also, I should mention that we have only been during spring break and in the summer, and I'm a Touring Plans aficionado. So I think the "crowded" parks will feel normal to us, and that we'll be able to get everything in by making a good plan and sticking to it!

With a bunch of adults, do we want to wait for Slinky Dog if I can't get a FP for it? Or should we skip it?

 

[Kingoglow]

I am not a fan of park hopping. For my touring style, I would rather spend a whole day at MK and Epcot than even bother with the other two parks.

 

[Max G]

We have never bought park hoppers - BUT we stayed at Boardwalk in April and it was the first time I wish I bought them. We pool in the middle of the day as well (donut people?) and a couple times I wished we could just walk over to HS or Epcot at night instead of trekking back to MK or AK.

We stay at BW, BC, or YC on the majority of our trips primarily for this reason. It's great to close out the day with a walk around World Showcase and then easily stroll back to our room, no matter where we spent the rest of the day.

Also, I should mention that we have only been during spring break and in the summer, and I'm a Touring Plans aficionado. So I think the "crowded" parks will feel normal to us, and that we'll be able to get everything in by making a good plan and sticking to it!

This, and your earlier mention that your family has no problem with a lot of walking or a busy itinerary, is why I think this trip is going to work well for you. It wouldn't be ideal for every family.

With a bunch of adults, do we want to wait for Slinky Dog if I can't get a FP for it? Or should we skip it?

It's fun. Do it if you happen to get a fastpass or if you happen to catch it with a decent stand by wait time. Skip it if the line is beyond whatever you consider too much. For us, I wouldn't wait more than 30 minutes. It is actually fun to just stand near it and watch it for a few minutes if the posted time is nuts.

 

[gharter]

Being there that short of time, it would be diffficult to see all the parks without a park hopper.
Also, since you are taking a break in teh middle of the day, that the perfect time to park hop.

 

[DisneyFive]

I think your original schedule is very doable and I don't see a need for park hoppers. In fact, your schedule is exactly how I would do it. Epcot on arrival day, and AK on departure with a full day at MK and HS. MK is EASY to choose as a full day park. HS depends on preference. HS is personally our 2nd favorite park behind MK, and that is before Star Wars was involved. Even with Pandora, AK is the park we get done with the quickest out of all 4 parks.

Dan

 

[NeedMoreMickey]

Going that short of time I wouldn't spend any time at the resort especially if you are trying to see all four parks.

 

[DisTXMom]

Since you intend to take a break at your resort mid-day, hopping doesn’t really add to your transportation time. We take breaks also and always get hoppers. We find parks like Epcot can be hit in the mornings without fastpass and we book all of our fastpasses in our afternoon park.