Hey there, Kelsey! I’m so glad you found us here at planDisney to ask your question about park hopping for your trip later this month.
I have answered this question quite a few times. The new
park pass reservation system was a little confusing to me at first as well. Simply put, you need to make a park pass reservation for the theme park you wish to begin your day at. So, whether it is Magic Kingdom Park, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, or Disney’s Animal Kingdom, you will make the reservation for that park. Once 2:00 PM strikes on the clock on that day, you can park hop to any park that has availability.
To check park hopping availability, simply open your
MyDisneyExperience mobile app. Click on the three lines in the lower right corner. Then, select “Park Hours & Info” in the left-hand column. Scroll down a little, and you will see each theme park listed, the park hours for the day, and then “park hopper availability” and the hours (2:00 PM – close).
On our recent visit, we found that our favorite park hop was from EPCOT to Disney’s Hollywood Studios in the late afternoon using the
Disney Skyliner. You can also walk between these two parks or take a boat. When our family “raced” (3 of us each used a different transportation option), we found that they all take roughly the same amount of time, so it is truly personal preference. By doing this hop, we were able to get into the standby queue for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, and only had about an hour wait.
You are visiting WDW at my most favorite time of the year! When you are at Magic Kingdom, be sure to take a detour over to Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa to see the giant Gingerbread House. It is a sight to behold for sure. Plus, you can even mobile order a bite from
Gasparilla Island Grill on the boat ride over to have ready for when you arrive. Definitely consider that for your lunch that day.
I hope you have a wonderful holiday visit to The Most Magical Place on Earth.
Happy Traveling,
Tracy