Park hopper or base ticket? This question is one that can spark a debate among Disney vacationers. The difference is costly, so it is important to know if park hoppers are worth it for you and your family. Both choices are the right answer it just depends on your families needs, finances, and plans for vacationing in Walt Disney World. Many guests plan their vacations very differently and I have written this article to act as your guide as to whether or not park hoppers are worth it for your family.
Fear Of Missing Out
Not all the parks close at the same time. If you use your base ticket at a park that typically closes earlier like Disney’s Animal Kingdom your day at the parks might be over as earlier as 5pm. Some guests that are not fully aware of this get upset when they realize they have to return to their hotel or spend time at Disney Springs while other guests are enjoying the fireworks at the Magic Kingdom later in the night. If you and you family will have anxiety knowing that other parks are open, I suggest you look at the park hours for the days you’ll be at the parks before you buy your tickets. If getting stuck only going to a park that is closing early will leave you feeling left behind, then the park hoppers are probably a good choice for your family.
Age Of Your Family
In my opinion park hoppers are less necessary for families with young children because you are most likely going to be done with the parks in the late afternoon anyway. Bringing young children back to the hotel to go to bed at 7pm might not be a bad thing.
The older your children are the more important having park hoppers for this reason will be. Teenagers are going to want to be in the Magic Kingdom until 3am if it is open for Extra Magic Hours, and limiting your family to one park a day will matter much more to them than it will to families with young children.
Depends On Your Length Of Your Stay
With a very short stay getting a park hopper could be necessary if you want to hit every park. For trips that are shorter than 4 days having a park hopper is the only way to allow you to see every park. It is also important to recognize that the longer you stay the less expensive park hoppers are per day. The cost of adding a park hopper is a better value the longer you stay and so that is something important to consider.
Financial Means
The difference in price between a 1-day base ticket and a 1-day park hopper ticket is $25 per ticket. For some families this is a no-brainer, but for others they see how this expense can add up. Really sitting down and figuring out what fits your budget will make this decision an easy one.
