Hi Patty,
Welcome to the Moms Panel!
First of all, I appreciate your son's service to our country and your support of him. Sounds like you've got big fun planned in October!
The beauty of your
Park Hopper tickets, is that they allow you to come and go between each of the four theme parks (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios and Disney's Animal Kingdom) at Disney World as much as your heart desires. So yes, you can visit Animal Kingdom during the day and then go to Epcot that evening for dinner.
If you haven't already, I would go ahead and make dining reservations. Reservations can be made beginning 180 days prior to your trip by calling 407-WDW-DINE or online by clicking
here.
Feel free to visit again with any questions! We love assisting guests plan their vacations!
Wishing you many magical memories :-) Allison