Welcome to planDisney, Amanda!
Thanks for stopping by, and excellent question!
Park Hopping is totally up to you and where you want to go. When my little ones were younger, we did 1 park per day
theme park tickets because it was easier to stay where we were with the stroller, and having littles meant taking tons of breaks. So we liked having the chance to spend the entire day in whichever theme park we were at. Now that they are older, they love the rush and excitement of park hopping.
Depending on your ticket type, you may be required to schedule
theme park reservations. If you have date-based tickets, Hakuna Matata, you’re all set and don’t have to worry about making a Theme Park Reservation. So you can bypass this step, and the power of selection is truly in your hands.
Since you are looking at a three-day visit, I recommend purchasing a 3-day park hopper ticket. I know you mentioned spending the first two days in one theme park, but you can usually find savings when purchasing theme park tickets for multiple days. So, starting your park-hopping adventure on day one might be worth it. The good news is there isn’t a set time as to when you have to hop by! It truly is up to you.
I'm happy to share what my family does to give you an idea and help you plan. We will usually open a theme park, take Animal Kingdom, for example, and spend most of our day there. Since Animal Kingdom usually closes earlier, we will park hop over to Magic Kingdom with enough time to catch the
nighttime spectacular, like the fireworks or parade. We also use park hopping to experience different things at different times. Like an early morning ride on
Guardians is a must, but a nighttime ride on
Slinky Dog Dash is even better in my son’s eyes. And luckily, Hollywood Studios is a quick ride on the Skyliner away.
Honestly, park hoping just depends on what you want to do. Think about your must-dos to help you decide if park hopping is something you want to try. If you have any more questions about hopping or need scheduling ideas, ask away. I’ll be more than happy to share my experiences with you!
Have a great visit and happy planning.
Shantel