Planning a trip to Walt Disney World? If you’re limited on time and want to make the most of your visit, park hopping is a great way to experience as much of the parks as possible.
With four main theme parks, two water parks, and over 25 resort hotels, it can be hard to know where to start. Fear not! Read on for our comprehensive guide on everything you need to know about Disney World park hopping.
What Is Park Hopping?
Park hopping means visiting more than one of the Disney World parks in the same day. When you purchase a ticket with “park hopper” options, you can come and go between any of the four theme parks (Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, or Animal Kingdom). It is also possible to add a water park option so that you can hop between Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon.
How Does It Work?
You’ll need a multi-day ticket with park hopper access. When purchasing tickets online or at the gate, look out for this option if you are planning multiple visits during your stay. The ticket will contain instructions for how many days (or hours) it is valid for and how many times it can be used. For example, if you purchase a 3-day ticket with 4 visits in each day that means that you have 12 total visits across 3 days—over enough visits for some serious park hopping! Just remember that once each visit has been used up, it cannot be reactivated.
Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of how you can make the most of park hopping at Disney World:
Step 1: Get Your Park Hopper Tickets
Ensure you have park hopper tickets to unlock the freedom of exploring multiple parks in a single day. Please note that base tickets without the park hopper option won’t grant you access to park hopping.
Step 2: Make a Parks Pass Reservation for Park 1
Before you embark on your park hopping adventure, make a reservation for your first park of the day. Remember, you must have a reservation to enter your initial park.
Step 3: Delve into Park 1
Arrive at your first park and fully immerse yourself in all the magic and wonder it has to offer. Experience your chosen park to the fullest!
Step 4: 2PM, Time to Hop!
After 2PM, you can venture into your second park of the day. Take advantage of this opportunity to discover even more enchanting experiences.
Now, let’s dive into the details of these steps…
Need to Add Park Hopper to Pre-purchased Tickets?
If you’ve already bought tickets without the park hopper option, don’t worry! You can usually upgrade at the park gates or contact the place where you purchased your tickets. Be sure to explore the possibility of adding park hopper and make the most of your Disney World experience. You can also reach out to Disney directly at 407-W-DISNEY (407-934-7639) for further assistance with ticket upgrades.
A Reservation for Your First Park is a Must
Remember, you must have a parks pass reservation for your first park of the day. Without a reservation, you won’t be able to kickstart your park hopping adventure. Keep this in mind while planning your itinerary.
Start with Your Reserved Park
To fully embrace the park hopping experience, you need to visit the park for which you made a parks pass reservation. Make sure to explore the wonders of this park as your first adventure of the day.
Park Hopping Begins at 2PM
From 2PM until the park’s closing time (subject to change), you have the freedom to hop to another park and embrace new adventures. If you enter your first park early in the day, you’ll need to wait until 2PM before entering another park.
No Reservation Needed for the Second Park
Unlike your first park, you don’t need a parks pass reservation for the second park you visit during your park hopping adventure. Follow your Disney dreams and explore your heart’s desire without any additional reservations.
Note: Capacity Constraints for the Second Park
While park hopping allows you to explore multiple parks, please be aware that the second park you choose to visit is subject to capacity constraints. Although rare, there may be instances where the second park reaches its capacity limit. To help you avoid this problem, we’ve detailed Disney World crowd levels throughout the year so you can head to where the crowds aren’t!
Explore as Many Parks as You Wish
Feel free to hop between parks at your leisure! With park hopper tickets, you can delight in the magic of various Disney parks throughout the day. Remember, subsequent parks after your initial two don’t require additional reservations, but please keep in mind capacity constraints.
How to Travel Between the Different Disney World Parks
Skyliner, Pedestrian Path, and Boat: To go between EPCOT and Hollywood Studios, hop on the Skyliner, take a leisurely walk via the pedestrian path, or enjoy a scenic boat ride. All three options typically take around 20-30 minutes. Please note that if you opt for the boat, be aware that wait times may prolong your journey.
Monorail Transfer: If you wish to travel between EPCOT and Magic Kingdom, take the monorail with a transfer at the Transportation and Ticket Center. It’s a seamless way to visit both parks.
Bus: For all other park-to-park journeys, consider taking the bus. The bus transportation starts operating between the parks at approximately 1 PM.
Rideshare Services: If you prefer the ease of rideshare services, you can use Uber, Lyft, or the delightful Minnie Vans. However, please keep in mind that rideshares other than Minnie Vans do not directly stop at Magic Kingdom. Instead, they drop off and pick up passengers at the convenient Transportation and Ticket Center.
Car: If you have your own car, you only need to pay for parking once. That means if you move between the parks, you won’t have to pay for parking at multiple lots.
So, what are you waiting for?
Park hopping is an excellent way to maximize your time spent at Walt Disney World. With careful planning, nice weather, and flexible scheduling options available through multi-day tickets with park hopper access, getting around from one magical kingdom to another has never been easier! So what are you waiting for? Plan your next adventure now and get ready for some serious hopping around the Magic Kingdom!
