Hi Cliff! Welcome to planDisney!
You picked a great month to visit the
Walt Disney World Resort. The weather is typically warm (but not too hot) and you'll arrive just before the rush of the summer crowds. The
EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival will be underway. Between the exhibits, topiary displays, and outdoor kitchens, there are endless things to do and see. I recommend spending at least two days at
EPCOT to soak it all in. And judging by the number of days you expect to spend in the parks, you should be able to hit the major events taking place all over Walt Disney World.
Cliff, it is possible to modify your reservation and there are a few ways to go about it. If you booked a vacation package directly through Disney and linked this reservation to your
My Disney Experience account, log on and go to the "My Plans" page. If your reservation is eligible to be modified, you'll see a link to the right that says "Change Reservation". Once you select, you'll see a series of options to adjust different parts of your reservation. If you don't have access to My Disney Experience, or you booked a ticket-only package, you will need to contact the
Existing Tickets line to speak to a Cast Member about your options.
With that said, you will not be able to exchange two of those days for a 1-day Park Hopper ticket. If you decide to add the
Park Hopper Option to your existing vacation package, you will need to do so for the entire length of stay. Park Hopper is not allowed to be added for only one of those days. I believe your best option here is to verify if you can downgrade from an 8-day to 6-day ticket package and then purchase a 1-day Park Hopper separate from the vacation package. You will have to pay full price for the additional day since you can't tie it into the discount you receive on multi-day tickets. It is possible that staying with the 8-day base ticket is the most cost-effective option. I would verify the costs before making any changes.
I like your idea of fitting in a rest day! It definitely comes in handy on longer trips. If you end up keeping the tickets the way they currently are, I recommend taking a semi-rest day. Make a park reservation but do not actually visit until later that day. You can sleep in and take advantage of the amenities of the resort. Maybe even grab a breakfast reservation followed by an early afternoon at the pool. And then head over to a park for the evening festivities.
I hope I was able to steer you in the right direction, Cliff. Have a magical time on your upcoming stay!
See ya real soon!
Greg