Hi Karen,
Thank you for stopping by the Disney Parks Moms Panel. I hope you are having a magical day!
We often visit the Disneyland Resort for three days. We love purchasing 3-Day Park Hopper tickets. When you purchase the park hopper ticket, you will have the freedom to hop back and forth between Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park. This is quite seamless to do because they are literally across the esplanade from each other. Sometimes one park may feel busy so we bounce over to the other to experience the atmosphere and vibe at the other one. We may not park hop on one of the days but we seem to always park hop on two of the days.
Yes, you can save a little more money by not purchasing park hopper tickets but I think having the ease of mind that you can change your mind mid-way through the day is worth the price difference in my humble opinion.
Being that it will be a first visit, be sure to stop by Guest Services and get a free "First Visit" button to wear during your trip; Cast Members that see the button in the parks will be sure to send warm wishes throughout the day.
I hope this helps. If you have any more questions, please visit us here and let us know how we can help you plan your magical vacation.
Wishing you a pixie-dusted time!
~Lynette