Hi Alyssa!
Welcome to planDisney! How exciting that your very first Disney World trip is coming up!
If you’re planning 3 park days, you’ll want a
3-day theme park ticket. But of course, you’ll have some options when it comes to that ticket!
If you just want to visit 1 park during each of those park days, you’ll want the 3-Day 1 Park Per Day ticket. If you want to visit more than one park on each park day, then you’ll want the 3-Day
Park Hopper Option.
You will not need a park hopper if you want to re-enter the same park you started at. You’ll be free to come and go (pending park capacity) throughout the day!
So, for example, with a standard 1 Park Per Day ticket, you could head over to
Magic Kingdom in the morning. Go back to
your resort for a midday nap. Then return to Magic Kingdom for the fireworks that night. (I highly recommend a midday break from the parks with a 2-year-old if your itinerary allows. That’s prevented so many meltdowns for us over the years…adults included!).
Beyond that, when you purchase your park tickets, you’ll also notice a Water Park and Sports Option and a Park Hopper Plus Option. If visiting the
water parks or golfing is a priority for you, those ticket types would be great options. Otherwise, I’d stick to either the 1 Park Per Day or Park Hopper Option ticket.
There are a couple of things to note when purchasing your tickets. First of all, if your little one will still be 2 by the time your trip rolls around, they won’t need a park ticket. Kiddos under 3 get to enjoy free park admission! You also won’t need to purchase
Lightning Lanes for a little one under 3, and they’ll be free at all
family-style and buffet table service meals.
You’ll also find that your ticket will have a date range. For a 3-day ticket, you currently have 5 days to use it. And ticket prices vary based on the start date of your ticket. You can play around with which date you’d like your ticket to start to see if you can find a better value. Just make sure you’ll be able to get all 3 of your park days in before the ticket expires.
As you continue to plan, feel free to come back with any questions that pop up. We’re always happy to help! I hope you have the most magical trip with your family!
Jenn J.