One of the great things about taking a vacation to the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida is that there are so many options for you to explore. Disney offers two water parks and four theme parks in addition to mini-golf, sports activities, and the dining and entertainment district of Disney Springs / Disney Springs.

Sometimes, however, with options come complexity.

When you purchase your admission tickets for Disney theme parks, you need to decide if you want to add the “park hopper” option. The park hopper option allows you to visit more than one park in a single day.

Is park hopper right for you?

The answer depends on many factors, including the ones below.

Let’s take a look:

When To Stay Put

If some of the situations listed below sound like they apply to you, it may be better to skip the park hopper option.

You Want to Save Money

If saving money is one of your most important priorities, skipping the park hopper out on is one way to do it. Depending on the number of days in your ticket, park hopper can be a bit expensive. You can have a wonderful Disney World vacation without park hopping and by staying in a single park each day. If funds are tight, skip park hopper.

Sometimes the park hopper option doesn't make sense.
Sometimes the park hopper option doesn’t make sense.

You Are a First-Time Visitor

If this is your first time visiting Walt Disney World, there is little need for you to add park hopper to your tickets. There is more than enough for a first-timer to explore in every park to take up a whole day and more.

You Have Small Kids

Exploring Disney World theme parks can be tiring for adults and exhausting for little kids. If you are taking small children to Disney World, chances are they will tire out earlier in the day and you won’t have any need to visit more than one park per day.

You Are Visiting During a Busy Time

If you are visiting Walt Disney World during a busy season like summer, Christmas time, or anytime children are out of school, you may not want to park hop. When the crowds get large, it can take a lot longer than normal to move from one park to the next. This makes it less attractive to use the park hopper option. During busy times, it’s probably better to stay in one park each day.

When To Park Hop

Visiting more than one park in a single day is a great option for some people. If these situations listed below describe you, purchasing the park Hopper option with your Disney World tickets may be a good idea

You Have Been Many Times Before

If you have been to Walt Disney World many times before, you may have certain favorites in each park that you want to see. In the same way, you may just want to visit the new shows, attractions, restaurants, and stores in each park. The park hopper option will give you flexibility to skip the parts of Disney World that are less interesting to you and focus your attention on the parts that are new, or the parts you like the most.

You Love Nighttime Spectaculars

Disney World definitely knows how to put on a show. In fact, they don’t even call their evening entertainment a “show”. They call it a “spectacular,” and with good reason. If you are a big fan of the nighttime spectaculars like Wishes at the Magic Kingdom, Illuminations at Epcot, or Fantasmic! at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, park hopper may be a good choice for you. It allows you to enjoy any park during the day and then visit a different park that is presenting the spectacular of your choice in the evening.

You Are Visiting During a Slower Time

While Disney has done a great job of making sure their parks are busy all the time, there are still some seasons during the year with lower crowds. Notice that I said lower crowds, not low crowds. Even so, if you visit during an off-season time like early December or late January, you may be able to visit a surprising number of shows and attractions in a single day since there will be fewer people. It’s possible you’ll see and do everything you want in a single park before you run out of daylight hours. In a situation like this, a park hopper allows you to keep the fun going all day long.

You Love Flexibility

If you are the type who likes to make last-minute changes and loves having a flexible schedule, the park hopper option may be a good investment. It allows you to more easily make changes in your touring schedule. You can change your mind about what you feel like doing during the middle of the day.

Do you add the park hopper option to your Disney World tickets?