Hello there, Sarah, and welcome to planDisney! I love this question because it's subjective, which means I get to make my best case for my favorite kind of ticket - the 1-day with a
Park Hopper and
Disney Genie+ service options. We'll see if it convinces you, too!
Even though I'm a huge advocate for multi-day trips to the Happiest Place on Earth to take your time, soak it all in, and get time to do all the things, I also understand that it's just not in the cards sometimes. Last summer, my family and I were able to sneak in a one-day trip to the parks on the way home from a different trip, so I had to plan efficiently.
It made it even more potentially precarious for my wife and I because we have two kiddos under 5 (at the time) and we were visiting - like you - on a hot summer day. If it were just my wife and I, we would've been there bright and early and stayed until park close - planning out the most effective route to pack in as many attractions as possible. It looked very different with our kiddos, with a much slower pace and a mid-afternoon break to cool off, but we had a FANTASTIC time.
I share all that to say that regardless of the trip you're taking - whether it's an attraction-packed trip from open to close, or a slow-paced, soak-it-all-in and take-it-easy trip (or anything in between), it will make your one-day trip much more efficient, effective, and fun (at least in this panelist's opinion), with the addition of a Park Hopper and Disney Genie+ service.
Without the Park Hopper option, you'll be limited to just one park on your trip. If you include it, then starting at 11:00 AM, you can hop between parks as often as you'd like. The value increases when you layer the Disney Genie+ service on top of that because you can make
Lightning Lane selections for both parks. Eating lunch in Disneyland Park, but want to book a Lightning Lane for the
Incredicoaster in Disney California Adventure Park right after? (Well, maybe not RIGHT after - let your lunch settle first!), you're good to go with the Park Hopper and Genie+ service.
If you want to maximize your magic, the Park Hopper and Genie+ service are must-haves in my book. I didn't even get to the added perk of
unlimited Photpass digital downloads to cement your experience through professional photos in iconic locations!
I hope that helps, Sarah! Thanks again for your question, and feel free to come back to see us here at planDisney if you think of any follow-ups. We'd love to help!
Have a Magical Day,
Greg