Should Families Skip Park Hopper on their First Disney Trip?

People wonder all the time whether they really need park hopper tickets. We have answers, especially for a young family on their first trip!

Park Hopper

If you are new here, you may be wondering what Park Hopper is in the first place. Simply put, Park Hopper is an add-on you can purchase for Walt Disney World tickets. Typically, Disney Guests can enjoy one park per day during their stay. They can exit and re-enter the park as many times as they want. Park Hopper, on the other hand, allows you to visit more than one park per day during the life of your ticket.

Some people swear by Park Hopper and won’t do the parks without it. However, while Park Hopper is an attractive option for many, you might want to consider skipping it if it just isn’t for you. This is especially true if you have a young family, and you are bringing them for their first visit to Walt Disney World. Here are several things to consider before you purchase Park Hopper for your Walt Disney World Vacation.

Consider The Cost

First, you need to know that Park Hopper certainly is not a free upgrade. It does come at an upcharge. Therefore, to get the most value out of the trip, Guests should only purchase Park Hopper if they plan to use it.

Park Hopper can increase the price of your ticket significantly. The amount is reasonable for those who use it, but it is quite substantial if it might not ultimately serve you well on your vacation.

Consider Your Audience

Next, if you are part of a young family and taking the kids on their first trip to Walt Disney World, you may want to consider your audience before you splurge on Park Hopper. Remember, children very much live in the moment! Everything they encounter on their first trip to Walt Disney World will be new and magical and take some time to soak in.

Also, children who have never been to Walt Disney World probably know very little about what is actually there aside from what their parents tell them about in advance. They may not know that there are flying elephants in one park and characters from Frozen in a totally different park. To say that they will very likely do far less research than you will on the subject is probably an understatement unless you are actively involving them in the process.

They will not know, for example, if you decide to visit only 2 of the parks during your trip. They will blissfully enjoy what you are taking them to see and do without any thought of what they may be missing in other parks.

Plus, they will have more time to enjoy themselves right where they are and all there is to do. After all, often the littlest details are what children remember rather than the headliners that everyone raves about.

It also may be that you and your family find yourselves exhausted after just ONE park and don’t have the energy to tour a second. If that is a worry of yours, skip it so that you don’t feel pressure to use it. You can always head back to the park you exit later if you get a second wind.

Consider the Time Factor

Park Hopping takes time. While it is relatively effortless if you are using the Skyliner to get from Hollywood Studios to EPCOT or vice versa (weather permitting), the time factor can be a bit unpredictable.

As a general rule of thumb, you should always give yourself at least an hour to get from one Disney location to another (and be happy if it takes less time). This accounts for time to wait for your transportation option, whether it is the line for the Monorail or the wait for a bus to appear.

Then you must also walk to the new park from the drop-off spot and go through security and the touchpoints. That also builds in a bit of cushion for the unexpected like getting flagged for a bag check or having your transportation temporarily pause.

Also, park hours may play into your choice. If you are traveling during a time when parks are not open late, you might be eating up time that could have been better spent in a single park. This is especially true since Park Hopping does not begin until 2:00 PM currently. (everyone is hoping that changes soon).

Consider the Transportation Situation

Speaking of transportation, remember that if you decide to Park Hop with small children, it means you are lugging all their gear along too. This is not such a big deal if you are taking the Skyliner or the Monorail as you can roll your stroller right on. But, if you need to get from place to place by bus or by using your own car or rental or rideshare, you will have to fold and unfold the stroller (if you have one) an extra set of times.

You cannot get from Animal Kingdom to or from any other park without taking a bus or car. You also cannot travel between the Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios without wheels. And, if the weather happens to be bad, it will mean the Skyliner will also vanish as an option.

Consider YOUR Overall Enjoyment

Avoiding Park Hopper means spending time in just one park per day. This gives you and your family plenty of time to explore the park you are in without the pressure of getting to the next park on time. And, there is PLENTY to see and do in each and every park. You can easily stay from Rope Drop to the closing in each park without running out of fun to have for the whole family!

Skipping Park Hopper will certainly make planning much simpler, which can be an important factor the first time you visit Disney World with your family. There is so much to think about that one less thing may be a great idea.

It also gives you one less thing to keep up with while you are enjoying your day. If you decide to use Genie+ or Individual Lightning Lanes or book Advanced Dining Reservations, you will already have plenty of scheduled times to adhere to without piling on the timing of Park Hopping.

Having to leave to get from one place to another might be inconvenient if you find yourself very happy right where you are. What if you have not finished all you intended to do?

Which Young Families Would Enjoy Park Hopper?

If you were already a well-seasoned Disney planning pro before you added children to your family, even if it is your first time bringing them along, you probably know what you are doing. Go forth and HOP!

If you are visiting for a short time, and you have your heart set on visiting all 4 parks in fewer than 4 days, you will need Park Hopper to accomplish this feat. This is true UNLESS you elect to purchase tickets to After Hours events to get the extra parks in. However, remember that if you do plan to visit all 4 parks with fewer than 4 days to do them all, and you purchase Park Hopper that it must me applied to the entirety of your trip. You cannot add just ONE day of Park Hopper to a three-day ticket.

At the end of the day, you are the BEST expert when it comes to your own family and children. You will know what suits your travel style best!

Is Park-Hopper a MUSH have for you? Feel free to let us know in the comments. Do you know someone who is planning a trip to Walt Disney World with small children for the FIRST time who could benefit from this information? Pass it along so they can have the best trip ever.