Hey there, Carol!
Welcome to
planDisney and excellent question! I always recommend “playing it safe” especially if you are visiting during a holiday or celebration. I tend to stress out about the little things and worrying about not making it to a
dining reservation is something that haunts me the night before. I mean it shouldn’t, but I can be known to ‘sweat the small stuff’. Thankfully, my husband is the opposite so he usually brings me back down to reality.
With that being said, Park Hopping is subject to availability. Having a dining reservation or Lightning Lane reservation through
Disney Genie services does not guarantee park entrance. I recommend scheduling all of your plans for the park you have the
theme park reservation for. Anything else, that happens after you hop, is a bonus! Plus, it’s the safest option.
I know many of my friends who are now
Magic Key holders have been able to hop among the two parks just fine. So far, the availability to do so has not been an issue, again, this can change especially if you are planning on visiting the parks during a holiday or celebration. So be sure to plan accordingly.
Carol, I hope this helps plan out your park days. If it works out better, you might want to consider changing your starting park. I always create a list of “can’t miss” options and plan my days around that. I know we will always visit again, but there’s just a handful of things I really can’t go without when I visit. So if your reservations are your “top choices” then switching your starting park would be best.
Have a great time!
-Shantel