Hi there Caroline! Welcome to planDisney! I’m so glad you’re here. There’s nothing more fun for me than talking with folks who are planning their first-ever visit to the Happiest Place on Earth! You’re in for the adventure of a lifetime, and what will hopefully become the first of many incredible visits!
For your first ever visit, you will have a unique experience given that things are looking and feeling a little bit different at Walt Disney World at this time, given their commitment to keeping all Guests and Cast Members as safe as possible as we return to the magic. There are many changes underway that are outlined on the
Experience Updates pages, which I recommend that you review if you have not done so already.
I have confirmed that it is indeed possible to purchase
Park Hopper tickets as you plan to, for visits in 2021. However, Park Hopping is not available as of today. The dates when Park Hopping will return have not been officially announced. Also, the
Water Parks remain closed at this time, and the date(s) of their reopening have not been announced. The best way to stay updated on all the progress and news would be to check back here at planDisney or the
Disney Parks Blog.
However, to answer your question about the Water Parks, I’m happy to tell you that
Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon and
Disney’s Blizzard Beach are some of my favorite places to visit, and are both complete free-standing Parks! The best way to travel from EPCOT to one of these amazing Water Parks directly is to catch a Disney
Transportation Bus, which depending on availability, may be able to take you there directly! At times, there may be one transfer needed to accomplish this. Please check with a Cast Member at the transportation center at
EPCOT to inquire about the most direct route for you!
Caroline, the Disney Water Parks have so much to offer, and in my family, we usually dedicate a full day to visiting one of these amazing Parks. However, once it is possible to do so again, Park Hopping would allow you to visit both EPCOT and a Water Park easily within the same day, as many times as you desire! I hope I have answered all your questions, and please know that we are here for you anytime we can be of assistance again in the future!
Happy planning & see ya real soon!
-Clara