Hiya Elaine!
Welcome back to planDisney, and thank you so much for stopping by to send us this magical question. I am truly honoured to be a part of your planning process as you start using your Annual Pass, and as a fellow Annual Passholder, I cannot wait for you to experience all the magic!
In my opinion,
Park Hopping is essential when visiting the Walt Disney World Resort, especially if you are an Annual Passholder! Indeed, I think being flexible is essential if you want to get everything done during your visits, and the Park Hopper Option allows you to make changes to your itinerary based on your interests or needs. First, let's talk about the important facts and what you need to know when park hopping. Although you do have to
make a theme park reservation for the first park you intend to visit, you will not have to make any other reservations when you start park hopping at 2 P.M. It is important, however, that you visit the park you selected before visiting other theme parks; otherwise, you will have to change your reservation or go back to that first park. Regarding dining reservations, entry into that theme park is not guaranteed, which is also the case for any
Enchanting Extras. Therefore, if you have a dining reservation or special tour planned, make your theme park reservation for that theme park, as Park Hopping is subject to park capacity. You can view the parks available for Park Hopping in the My Disney Experience mobile app or by asking a Guest Relations Cast Member.
Now that we have covered the basics let's talk about some other important things to remember! If you are parking at the theme parks, make sure to move your car to your next park, especially if the park you are hopping to closes later than other theme parks!
Disney transportation is available up to an hour after park closure, even if the other theme parks are still open. I once left my car at EPCOT and watched the fireworks at Magic Kingdom Park - rookie mistake! Thankfully, I still made it back to my car, but it is an experience I would not wish on anybody. Also, keep an eye on wait times throughout the day by using the interactive map on the
My Disney Experience mobile app. Similarly, take a look at the park hours, as both of these metrics can help you figure out which park you would like to visit. If you want to use the
Disney Genie+ service, you can still use the service while Park Hopping! Log into your My Disney Experience mobile app and click on "My Disney Genie Day." Then, you can change the park you are visiting in the "Tip Board" section and make your ride selections for those other parks.
I hope this was helpful, Elaine, and that you will have the best day ever on your next visit to the Walt Disney World Resort! If you have any other questions or need more recommendations from a fellow Annual Passholder, don't hesitate to reach out! As Lilo and Stitch say: "Ohana means family, and family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten," and you are part of our Ohana!
Have a magical day,
Ariane