Welcome back to planDisney, Denise! I'm so happy you came back to ask another question.
Like you, I typically have to make
Theme Park Reservations, as currently, they are required for
Annual Passholders. I don't mind, as I like having a plan and my brain doesn't really allow me to
not have one...even if it's a loose plan! I like to know where I'm starting the day. Well, who am I kidding? I usually know
most of my day, with a few surprises here and there. What was I saying about a loose plan again?
As long as you have a theme park ticket with the
Park Hopper Option and you have a Theme Park Reservation, the system will allow you to make
Lightning Lane reservations at a park other than the one for which you have a reservation. This is because there are currently no restrictions on what time you're allowed to start park hopping at the
Walt Disney World Resort. That being said, you must tap into the theme park for which you have the reservation
before you'll be allowed tap into another one. Also, note that while there currently isn't a time when you can start park hopping, park-to-park buses don't typically start running until about 10 a.m.
You're smart to start your day at
Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park, as it typically opens the earliest of all four of the parks. And if you're staying at a
Disney Resorts Collection Hotel, you have access to
Early Theme Park Entry, which means you can get into the park 30 minutes before everyone else. We did this in December and got on
Zootopia: Better Zoogether! and
Expedition Everest before most Guests were even allowed in the parks. And we were sipping our
Ube Cold Brews from
Satu'li Canteen and strolling around
Pandora - The World of Avatar once they were. By the way, if you like sweet coffee, be sure to grab that one. You can even use
Mobile Order to reduce the amount of time it takes to get that sweet, cold caffeine to hit your lips!
Denise, best wishes in maximizing your day. If you have any other questions,
keep them coming! I'm all about talking strategy!
With pixie dust and caffeine,
Matt