Hey there, Robert! I'm so glad you've stopped by planDisney with your questions.
I think it depends on your park touring style whether or not your family would enjoy upgrading your tickets to include the park hopper pass. Right now, you are able to purchase two types of tickets. You can buy a
standard theme park ticket that allows entry, from the park open until the park closes, to one Walt Disney World Theme Park per day. The second option is a
standard theme park ticket with the park hopper option that allows you to visit multiple theme parks per day with some new parameters. When you purchase either type of ticket, you still must make a
park pass reservation for the Walt Disney World Theme Park, or initial park if you choose the park hopper option, you'd like to visit each day. Park hours often vary each day but are typically from the early morning until late in the evening. If you choose the park hopping options, here's what it is currently looking like:
- Guests wishing to park hop must have standard theme park admission with the park hopper option
- Guests wishing to park hop must make a park pass reservation for the first theme park they'd like to visit each day
- Guests wishing to park hop must scan in and enter the theme park with the park pass reservation before being able to hop over to other theme parks
- Park hopping hours start at 2:00 p.m. each day and last until each park closes
- Guests wishing to park hop do not need to make any additional park pass reservations after their initial one each day
Robert, if you think your family would enjoy
park hopping that means you'd be able to hop around to different theme parks throughout the day. You could visit the first theme park of the day, let's say Magic Kingdom Park, right when it opens at 9:00 a.m. and then after lunchtime around 2:00 p.m. head over to Disney's Hollywood Studios to enjoy some attractions over there. Then around dinner time, if your hungry, you could then hop over to Epcot to enjoy snacks and drinks around The World Showcase. Park hopping is actually my preferred park touring method and I am so glad that it returned at the start of this year.
I think staying at a Disney Resort Collection Hotel is a great idea and there are many perks that come along with including complimentary transportation to and from the Walt Disney World Theme Parks each day. However, you can choose the standard theme park ticket or the standard theme park ticket with the park hopper option no matter where you stay.
Robert, I hope this has cleared up some confusion around the park hopper option for you. If you have any other questions about it or anything else, feel free to come back and
ask me. I'm here to help!