Hiya Corrie - welcome back to
planDisney!
Thanks for stopping by with another question for our team of panelists. We love to help Guests just like you plan your very own, very magical,
Walt Disney World Resort vacations!
While official capacity limits and the number of available
Park Pass Reservations aren't publicly available, it's generally believed that
EPCOT has the largest capacity of the four Walt Disney World Resort Theme Parks. For this reason, Park Pass Reservations for EPCOT tend to have better availability than other Theme Parks and it is less likely that entrance to EPCOT would be restricted to Guests later in the day.
Corrie, when you make a Park Pass Reservation, that is the first park you must visit that day. If you have the Park Hopper Option added to your Theme Park Ticket or Annual Pass, you can visit any other available Theme Parks starting at 2 p.m. that day. It's important to highlight that just because Park Pass Reservations are not available for a Theme Park does
NOT necessarily mean you can't visit that park after 2 p.m. with a Park Hopper. It simply means that you can't start your day there.
I see that you're visiting just after Christmas, and this is quite a busy time of year at the Theme Parks. It is likely that one or more of the Theme Parks will reach capacity, and when that happens, Park Hopping may be restricted, but those with Park Pass Reservations for that park should still be permitted to enter. That being said, these decisions are made for the safety of all Guests, and may vary depending on attendance and other factors - Cast Members at the Theme Park entrance make the final call about allowing a Guest to enter. Guests are usually informed of capacity-related restrictions via the
My Disney Experience Mobile App, and you can always speak to a Cast Member for details or to ask any questions.
So, very long story short, you're thinking is right on target. While I don't think Park Hopping to EPCOT would be restricted, it is still a gamble. If experiencing Harmonious is a must-do, the only way to make sure you'll be able to visit EPCOT is to make a Park Pass Reservation at EPCOT for that day. If available, you can always hop over to Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park after 2 p.m. and then return to EPCOT later. Or, you can take a risk and make a Park Pass Reservation for Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park, start there in the morning, and then hope that park hopping to EPCOT is available later in the day.
I hope this information is helpful as you continue planning your upcoming vacation. While you're at EPCOT, be sure to check out my favorite new attraction -
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind - it's a blast!
Ryan J.