Disney Park Hopper Guide | Pros & Cons + Is It A Good Deal?
Park Hopping is a term you'll undoubtedly hear dozens of times when planning a trip to Disneyland or Walt Disney World, with the most important question being if Park Hopping is even worth it.
Our Disney Park Hopper Guide details what exactly the Park Hopper ticket option is, as well as an analysis of if we find the Park Hopper ticket to be a good deal!
Questions We'll Answer About Disney's Park Hopper:
- What Is Park Hopper?
- Is Park Hopper A Good Deal At Disneyland?
- Is Park Hopper A Good Deal At Walt Disney World?
What Is Park Hopper?
When you're looking to purchase tickets to Disneyland or Walt Disney World you will undoubtedly see the "Park Hopper" option pushed more than the single park option.
Park Hopping is the ability to go to multiple Disney parks in one day.
This means that if you're at Walt Disney World, you can start your day at Magic Kingdom and then visit EPCOT, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios as often as you'd like on the same day.
At Disneyland, Park Hopping gives you the ability to visit both Disneyland and California Adventure on the same day. Just like at Walt Disney World, you can go between the two Disneyland theme parks as many times as you'd like in a single day.
There is no restriction to how many times you "Park Hop" in a single day!
Without Park Hopping added to your Disney ticket, you will only be able to enter one Disney theme park per day. While you may enter and exit that one park as often as you'd like, you cannot access any of the other Disney theme parks.
Is Park Hopper A Good Deal At Disneyland?
Park Hopping at Disneyland will only be a good deal if you're visiting the parks for two days or less - it's more of a luxury than a necessity here.
We recommend getting a Park Hopper if you'll be at Disneyland for two days so you can experience Disneyland on your first day, California Adventure for a majority of your second day, and then head back to Disneyland in the evening to experience any attractions you may have missed.
Disneyland typically takes more than one day to experience entirely, but much of California Adventure can be done in a day or less.
If you're only visiting Disneyland for a single day, then getting a Park Hopper is only worth it if you want to see a few of the rides at California Adventure.
It's nearly impossible to do both Disneyland and California Adventure all in one day, so we normally recommend just focusing on one park and skipping the Park Hopper unless you absolutely need to squeeze in a ride or two at one of the other parks.
Once you get to three or more days at Disneyland we don't often find that a Park Hopper is always a good deal.
We most often recommend spending two days at Disneyland and one day at California Adventure and skipping the Park Hopper option to save a sizable chunk of cash. Two whole days at Disneyland, and one whole day a California Adventure should be plenty of time to experience most of the attractions these parks have to offer.
DISNEYLAND PARK HOPPER PROS
- Disneyland and California Adventure are a short 2-3 minute walk from each other, making Park Hopping super easy and convenient.
- California Adventure arguably has better food than Disneyland, so being able to pop into California Adventure even just for something to eat is a solid perk.
- If you miss any attractions, you'll be able to return to either park for just a short while if needed.
- Disneyland often stays open later than California Adventure, so heading over to Disneyland after California Adventure closes is a great way to end your day.
DISNEYLAND PARK HOPPER CONS
- Adding the Park Hopper option makes tickets considerably more expensive, often nearly as much as adding a whole additional day to your ticket!
- California Adventure can mostly be done in a single day, so there isn't always a need to return
Is Park Hopper A Good Deal At Walt Disney World?
Unlike at Disneyland where we think adding Park Hopper is more of a luxury, Park Hopping at Walt Disney World is more of a necessity!
The main reason we suggest purchasing a Park Hopper ticket at Walt Disney World is because some parks, like Animal Kingdom, do close very early in the day leaving an entire evening available to explore another WDW theme park.
Another (surprising) reason we recommend Park Hopper is that, even though Disneyland has more rides than Walt Disney World, the attractions are much more spread out at Walt Disney World.
This means you can often find yourself in a situation where only a few rides at a certain park interest you - leaving you looking for something else to do only a few hours into your day.
With Park Hopper, you can easily take off to the next park if you're looking for something else to do!
Also, if you find yourself to be a big foodie, you may be heading over to EPCOT multiple times during your stay at Walt Disney World to grab a meal when you're craving something more than the stereotypical theme park burger and chicken tenders.
WALT DISNEY WORLD PARK HOPPER PROS
- Allows you to experience other parks when one closes early
- Great way to only ride a few attractions at one park and then head to a different park for the rest of the day
- Best way to take advantage of EPCOT's numerous dining locations
- Becomes much more affordable the longer you stay at Walt Disney World
WALT DISNEY WORLD PARK HOPPER CONS
- Expensive, especially if you're only at WDW for a few days
- Walt Disney World theme parks are not that close to each other, so you'll spend a chunk of time traveling between parks
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