Hi Paula,
Welcome to planDisney and thank you for your question!
Paula, let’s start with the potential conversion of
Park Hopper tickets to a base ticket. Since tickets are non-refundable after your purchase, there aren’t many ways to convert your ticket from my experience. Sometimes, guests are able to use an unused, expired ticket’s total toward another ticket, but you’d need to reach out to the
Existing Tickets help desk to confirm (if you end up not using the tickets). You can also call that desk if you have specific follow-up questions pertaining to your ticket.
Now, with a three day Park hopper, you do have some great flexibility. One quick note, looks like you’ll be at the Walt Disney World Resort during the end of the year, which is such a fun time to go. Since this is a popular time of year because of the holidays and school being out, I HIGHLY suggest you book your
Disney Park Passes now. This way you already have your days reserved in advance and have a general idea about the Parks you’ll be starting in.
Remember, with any three day ticket,
you have five days to use the ticket after the start date. So, once you scan into the Park on your first day you have four more days to use your remaining two days. You can get a lot done within this timeframe; you just have to be a bit creative with scheduling.
One of the top things would be to utilize
Early Theme Park Entry and
Extended Evening Hours whenever possible. If either are not an option, no worries, I suggest getting to the Park for opening. This way you’re in the Park earlier and can hopefully get a few things checked off your bucket list. You can also stay later in the evening as well, as the crowds thin out to go see a show or head back to their Resorts, that gives you a bit more time in the Parks.
That last point brings me to my final tip: Make a plan in advance! I find that things tend to run smoother if you have a plan. For example, if you’re going to the Parks early have an idea about where you’d like to take a break for lunch, then later in the afternoon head to your next Park (after 2:00 p.m.). At that next Park, have a general idea of
attractions you’d like to do and potentially an evening show you’d like to see. Since you’ll have your Disney Park Pass days booked, that’s a great start and you can begin mapping out your must-dos from there!
I hope this “Bit By Bryanna” is helpful as you prepare for your Walt Disney World trip later this year. If you have any other planning questions or want further advice on how to get the most out of your tickets, please feel free to reach out, I’m always happy to help!
The Magic Is Calling,
Bryanna