Park Hopper ?

[KGmomoftwins]

We are going for 3 nights @ GF August 21-23 with me DH, and 2 DD 7yo and have purchased 2 days of regular park passes. Plan is MK on the 22 and on the 23 we were just going to HS but really our only interest there is Toy Story Land and the Frozen show. So that got DH and I thinking we could add a park hopper on for that 1 day and go to Epcot in the afternoon since I was able to get a dinner ressie at Teppan Edo and we would just want to do the World and Frozen ride if I could get on Soarin and the land that would be a bonus. So my questions are...
1. How and when should I add the Park Hopper on?

2. Is it doable to do HS from rope drop to let's say noon and get TSL and the frozen show done?

3. What would be the best way to get from HS to Epcot?

4. What suggestions would you make for fast passes? Do I have a shot for a 9am SDD FP?

Thanks for your help!

 

[hiroMYhero]

1. How and when should I add the Park Hopper on?

If you purchased directly from Disney or have a package booked, add it now. Park hopping is good for all days of your tickets not just 1 day.

3. What would be the best way to get from HS to Epcot?

Walk - 15 or 20 minutes.

4. What suggestions would you make for fast passes? Do I have a shot for a 9am SDD FP?

Book Frozen Ever After @ Epcot for the afternoon. Plan to do TSL when DHS opens... arrive at DHS 1 hour before its scheduled opening.

 

[Schneewittchen37]

1. How and when should I add the Park Hopper on?

This I can't really say how to do this best. I believe it's an all or nothing thing with your vacation package. I suppose you could call and try do it over the phone. Good luck....

2. Is it doable to do HS from rope drop to let's say noon and get TSL and the frozen show done?

Maybe. Get to the park early and be lined up before rope drop for SDD. My friend who arrived 60 minutes before rope drop was in and out within a few minutes. We arrived about 15 minutes before rope drop and waited 35-40 minutes. We then had about a 30 minute wait for Alien Saucers, and then a fastpass for Midway Mania. The Frozen show starts at 10:30 and runs every hour on the 30. More likely you would be catching the 11:30 show and leaving the park around 12:30.

3. What would be the best way to get from HS to Epcot?

If you have good shoes and a lot of energy it's about a 1 mile walk from HS to Epcot. My husband and I did it with friends the other week. It's about a 25 minute, nice walk. Even quicker on a bicycle, DH did that one day in about 5 minutes.

The bus could be slow. Wait 20 minutes. Timid bus drivers, etc. Scooters!!!! Expect it to take around 45 minutes.

4. What suggestions would you make for fast passes? Do I have a shot for a 9am SDD FP?

I'd try for a SDD or Midway Mania FP. Since it's such a short trip, SDD will be harder to get.

 

[Pmlocke]

You can add the Park Hopper feature at any time during your stay, when you make your reservations, the day before you leave for WDW. I know because I have done all three and I go every year.

 

[ErinsMommy]

If you dont want to walk you can always take the boat from HS to BC and the walk goes from 20 minutes or so, to 5 minutes or so.

 

[MrsAlexis]

You can add the Park Hopper feature at any time during your stay, when you make your reservations, the day before you leave for WDW. I know because I have done all three and I go every year.

Would the cost just be pro-rated? We will be there soon and staying for 9 nights....how does it work if we wanted to upgrade to PH for maybe the last 3-4 days?

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

Would the cost just be pro-rated? We will be there soon and staying for 9 nights....how does it work if we wanted to upgrade to PH for maybe the last 3-4 days?

It is not pro-rated, unfortunately. You pay for the length of your ticket regardless of when you add it.

 

[siren0119]

We are going for 3 nights @ GF August 21-23 with me DH, and 2 DD 7yo and have purchased 2 days of regular park passes. Plan is MK on the 22 and on the 23 we were just going to HS but really our only interest there is Toy Story Land and the Frozen show. So that got DH and I thinking we could add a park hopper on for that 1 day and go to Epcot in the afternoon since I was able to get a dinner ressie at Teppan Edo and we would just want to do the World and Frozen ride if I could get on Soarin and the land that would be a bonus. So my questions are...
1. How and when should I add the Park Hopper on?

2. Is it doable to do HS from rope drop to let's say noon and get TSL and the frozen show done?

3. What would be the best way to get from HS to Epcot?

4. What suggestions would you make for fast passes? Do I have a shot for a 9am SDD FP?

Thanks for your help!

So the way park hopper works, you cannot just add it to one day of your trip - you need to add it to your entire ticket package if you want to use it at any point during your trip. You can upgrade your tickets to parkhoppers at any time before or during your trip - you would just pay the difference between your 2 day base tickets and the cost of the same tickets with park hopper option. If you wait until after you've used your tickets, the price will NOT be prorated (you will still pay the difference between 2 day base and 2 day parkhoppers regardless of when you upgrade). It's probably easier to just do it before your trip since you are there for a short period of time, so that you're not using your time waiting at Guest Services to make the change.

RE: Slinky Dog Dash - from what I have seen it's been easier to get FP for that ride later in the day as opposed to first thing in the morning, but it's totally luck of the draw. It's definitely harder to get FP for the most popular rides on a short trip vs a longer trip. Log in and see what you can get as soon as your fastpass window opens, then keep checking back to see if you can modify it to a better time. There are folks who have had some luck modifying and getting a better time the day before, as guests that are onsite change their plans. If you can't get a morning FP, consider Rope drop for SDD and get a fastpass for A2S.

HS and Epcot are connected by a walkway, it's about 15 -25 minute walk depending on how fast you walk. You can also get friendship boats from HS to the resorts on the boardway, then it's about a 5 ish minute walk to the International gateway. Buses with Air conditioning will also be running between the parks. "Best" way to get there really depends on what your priority is - speed, comfort level, etc.

 

[Pmlocke]

Would the cost just be pro-rated? We will be there soon and staying for 9 nights....how does it work if we wanted to upgrade to PH for maybe the last 3-4 days?

They adjust it to the time you will be using it. My son decided to use it for the last day of his trip last October and they were able to accommodate him.

 

[KGmomoftwins]

WOW thanks everyone awesome and very helpful information! Let's say I make 2 FP after I use those could I make a third for the second park? Sorry new at this! Is it easy to find where to get this friendship boat I'm thinking this will be the best for a hot August day.

 

[KGmomoftwins]

They adjust it to the time you will be using it. My son decided to use it for the last day of his trip last October and they were able to accommodate him.

Cool so he only paid for the days they used the park hopper?

 

[siren0119]

They adjust it to the time you will be using it. My son decided to use it for the last day of his trip last October and they were able to accommodate him.

That sounds like he got some pixie dust, not a standard policy. If @Robo happens to chime in, he's far more of a ticketing expert

 

[lanejudy]

They adjust it to the time you will be using it. My son decided to use it for the last day of his trip last October and they were able to accommodate him.

Possibly your son received some pixie dust. But adding a hopper is typically an all-or-nothing deal. That said, the cost to add hopper can vary if you have a 1 day ($60), 2 or 3 day ($70) or 4-10 day ($80) ticket.

OP - adding a hopper to a 2-day ticket for your dates is $70+tax (~$74.55 each).

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[hiroMYhero]

WOW thanks everyone awesome and very helpful information! Let's say I make 2 FP after I use those could I make a third for the second park? Sorry new at this! Is it easy to find where to get this friendship boat I'm thinking this will be the best for a hot August day.

If you only book 2 FPs, as soon as you enter the line for FP#1, book 1 FP for your 2nd Park - Epcot.

See the FP FAQ ADDENDUM Sticky for park hopping tips.

 

[Robo]

They adjust it to the time you will be using it. My son decided to use it for the last day of his trip last October and they were able to accommodate him.

That might have been the case in that one situation, but it is not correct to state (in general)
“they adjust it to the time you will be using it.”
As others have said, Park Hopping is purchased based on the number of days on the complete ticket. While it never hurts to “ask nicely” for whatever you’d like, PH is a long-established rule of “all or nothing.”
If you have a 7-day ticket and wait to add the Hopper until your final day, you must pay the total cost of a 7-day Park Hopper to upgrade. It is specifically not an “adjusted rate.”

 

[gharter]

2. Is it doable to do HS from rope drop to let's say noon and get TSL and the frozen show done?
It depends on how busy the park is and how early you get there. If you want to do RD, be at the tapstiles 60 minutes before the park opens. If you are there only 30 minutes before park opening, the line for SDD will easily be 60-90 minutes by the time you get to it. The Frozen show, just be in line 20 minutes befor ethe show and you should be fine.
3. What would be the best way to get from HS to Epcot?
another vote to walk. Its about a 20 minute walk at most and is a nice area along the canal.
4. What suggestions would you make for fast passes? Do I have a shot for a 9am SDD FP?

If you are trying for a FP at 60+3 or later, you should be good, less then that can be hard. I was able to get SDD at 60 +3, but not until late afternoon.

 

[Pmlocke]

I am not sure I stated it rightly or you all have misunderstood what I was trying to say. If you are visiting WDW for 7 days and have decided not to have a park hopper but after three days decide you want to add the park hopper, you only need to go to the hotel concierge and it will be added. I did not mean to say you can get it for a few hours here or one of the days out of the entire trip. My son this past month, on his last day, got it for the entire family for that last day. They did three parks that day. I did not get it two years ago and decided two days into the trip to get it. It lasted for the rest of the trip. I hope this clarifies my earlier statement.

 

[Pkltm]

We did slinky dog, alien saucers, midway mania, star tours, tower of terror and frozen show by 1 pm on a Sunday a couple of weeks ago. We roped dropped slinky (waited 30 minutes), Alien saucers was 25 minutes, then used Fast passes for the other ones except frozen that was not really needed.

Walk or boat to Epcot and have fun.

We like having hoppers for the trip as sometimes if crowds are too much or we feel like switching thins up be are free to move around.

 

[siren0119]

I am not sure I stated it rightly or you all have misunderstood what I was trying to say. If you are visiting WDW for 7 days and have decided not to have a park hopper but after three days decide you want to add the park hopper, you only need to go to the hotel concierge and it will be added. I did not mean to say you can get it for a few hours here or one of the days out of the entire trip. My son this past month, on his last day, got it for the entire family for that last day. They did three parks that day. I did not get it two years ago and decided two days into the trip to get it. It lasted for the rest of the trip. I hope this clarifies my earlier statement.

I think the confusion isn't in when you can add it - but whether you are charged for the full cost of the upgrade vs a pro rated rate

You CAN add parkhoppers at any point of your trip, but it is standard that you are charged for whatever the difference is between the tickets you have (for example, a 3 day base ticket) and the park hoppers for the same number of days (in this example, a 3 day ticket with park hoppers) and not a prorated amount just because it wasn't upgraded until later in the trip.

As was mentioned before - the cost to upgrade to parkhoppers for the OP would be around $75 per ticket - regardless of whether she upgrades before, or during her trip, even if she doesn't upgrade until her last day.

 

[KGmomoftwins]

If you only book 2 FPs, as soon as you enter the line for FP#1, book 1 FP for your 2nd Park - Epcot.

See the FP FAQ ADDENDUM Sticky for park hopping tips.

Thank you this was very helpful! I’m excited now that I have a better idea how hopping works!