Is the Disney World Park Hopper Ticket Worth It?

Let’s be honest. Disney can be very expensive. And with Disney ticket prices rising a few times every year it’s important to save where you can. While we have the best post on planning Disney on a budget, there is one simple extra that people often question. And that my friends, is the Park Hopper Ticket. What if you want to go to more than one theme park per day? Or you’re eating dinner in a different park? What if this is a Short Disney Trip and you have to fit it ALL in? Here are all the details, answers, and tips we would come up with about whether or not the Park Hopper Ticket at Walt Disney World is worth it.

Disney World Park Hopper Ticket Details

If you’re visiting Walt Disney World, chances are you’re very aware of what it’s all costing. From the ticket prices to the room cost to the extra transportation and all the food, you may not be thinking about extra tickets or add-ons. And, if you’re buying a Disney Vacation Package, you may or may not be ready for the “Add Park Hopper Ticket” prompt that comes up as you’re finally ready to purchase your vacation. 

Do we think you need the Park Hopper Ticket at Disney World? No. And some people might say that’s crazy because there are people who insist the Park Hopper is a must. We are not those people. We know how to plan a Disney vacation and how to save money. And those are really your only qualifications for not needing the Park Hopper ticket. So what is it that you actually GET when you buy a Disney Park Ticket?

What is the Disney World Park Hopper Ticket?

The Disney World Park Hopper Ticket is an extra ticket that allows you access to multiple parks in one day. Since Walt Disney World is made up of 4 theme parks, this is a perk if you’re planning a short vacation and cannot commit a full day to each park. Keep in mind also that the Disney World Theme Parks are NOT CLOSE TO EACH OTHER… which means you’re spending time traveling between them, if you hope to park hop. 

The only exception here is that EPCOT Park is within walking distance of Hollywood Studios, connected by a pathway, that will take about 20-30 minutes each way. But even then, there is plenty to do in both parks, that you don’t really need the Park Hopper. 

Where can you Park Hop at Walt Disney World?

Park Hopping at Walt Disney World allows you to visit any or all of the following on the same day; Animal Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, and Magic Kingdom. As noted below, a general park hopper ticket doesn’t get you access to water parks, golf, or sports complex, that is a different ticket, the Park Hopper Plus Ticket. Additionally, if you just want access to those extras, but without park hopping, that is another ticket, which is a Base Park Ticket with the Water Parks and Sports option. 

When can you Park Hop at Walt Disney World?

As long as you have a Park Hopper Ticket, or an Annual Pass, you can park hop across Disney World Parks at any time of day, during park hours. 

Disney World Park Hopper Ticket Types

There are two different types of Park Hopper Tickets at Walt Disney World, each with a different list of options and costs. Here’s the breakdown of what you get with each kind of ticket. 

Park Hopper Ticket

The Park Hopper Ticket allows you access to multiple parks within a single day.

• Disney’s Animal Kingdom
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios
• EPCOT
• Magic Kingdom

Park Hopper Plus Ticket

The Park Hopper Plus Ticket allows you access to multiple parks within a single day, and several extra admissions to other attractions per the below. 

Ability to Park Hop any or all of the parks…

• Disney’s Animal Kingdom
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios
• EPCOT
• Magic Kingdom

…Plus admission of the equal number of days purchased to any of the following. 

• Blizzard Beach
• Disney’s Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf Course
• Disney’s Oak Trail Golf Course
• Disney’s Winter Summerland Miniature Golf Course
• ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex
• Typhoon Lagoon

Disney World Park Hopper Ticket Cost

Now keep in mind, the more days you purchase on your ticket, the cheaper both the ticket and the Park Hopper will be. On a 3-day ticket, the Park Hopper prices decrease to about $22 per ticket per day, which isn’t really that expensive, but keep in mind, that’s per person, per day. A family of four visiting Walt Disney World with a 3-day ticket would save over $250(depending on the ages of the children) by choosing not to have the Park Hopper.

• 1-day ticket: $67.10 – $78.81 more
• 2 or 3-day ticket: $79.88 – $90.53 more
• 4-day or longer ticket: $90.53 – $101.18 more

Do You Really Need the Disney World Park Hopper Ticket?

Here’s a disclaimer. We are currently Walt Disney World Annual Passholders, with the Incredipass. As out-of-state Disney junkies, we get the honor of paying the highest-cost season pass, so the Park Hopper ticket for us is already built in. But, when we used to do just ONE annual Disney trip a year, we NEVER, EVER got the Disney Park Hopper Ticket. Why?

Well, for one thing, every park at Walt Disney World has so much to offer that we really wanted to take it all in. And the best way to do that was to Plan One Disney Park Per Day. And yes, even Hollywood Studios, which is a small park could still fill our time if we took the time to experience it all. The same goes for Animal Kingdom Park, which sometimes closes at 5 pm. We wouldn’t use that day to go to another theme park but instead head to Animal Kingdom Lodge for dinner or another resort. Or the Boardwalk, or Disney Springs. There really is so much to do outside of the parks, that we would never try to fit more than one park into a day.  

For another, the Disney Park Hopper Ticket can be pricey! And we just aren’t keen on rushing around like crazy people between multiple parks in a day and having to pay for it. Now, are we saying the Park Hopper is a definite no? Of course not. I think there are many times when a Park Hopper is very useful and worth the convenience. Honestly, not having one will require a little more thought-out planning. Thankfully we have lots of posts on planning.

When a Park Hopper Ticket is a Good Idea

The Park Hopper Ticket is perfect for those who…

• Have a shorter Disney trip and want to experience the Parks as much as possible
• Don’t want to plan out as much
• Want or need a lot more flexibility
• Are traveling in a large group who may want to split up

When a Park Hopper Ticket May Not Be Needed

You probably don’t need a Park Hopper Ticket if you…

• are traveling on a budget
• enjoy exploring Disney Springs or the Resorts and want to spend time there
• plan on spending a lot of time at your own resort
• have a longer trip and don’t need to fit everything in a short amount of time
• plan on visiting just one park per day at Walt Disney World. 

We firmly fall in the “don’t need a park hopper ticket” camp of people. And truthfully that’s because we know how to plan our Disney Days and like to save money. Here are some easy posts to show you what you can do in each Disney Park in one day. 

• How to Do Magic Kingdom in One Day
• How to Do EPCOT in One Day
• How to Do Hollywood Studios in One Day
• How to Do Animal Kingdom in One Day

Disney Park Hopper Ticket Tips

If you’re depending solely on Disney Transportation, keep in mind that during busy times, waiting for buses, boats, and the monorail can take up a lot of your day. Whereas if you are driving or staying at a Disney resort within walking distance of a Parks, transportation is not as much of an issue. In fact, there are certain situations in which a Park Hopper Ticket is IDEAL. 

For instance, if you’re staying at the Swan and Dolphin Hotels, OR at the Disney BoardWalk Resorts, you are within walking distance of both EPCOT and Hollywood Studios. In this situation, you can really maximize your park hopper ticket, because you get such easy access to both parks via a walking path and skyliner. 

How to Park Hop at Disney World

Disney World now has buses at each park that does allow you to go to another park. While they are sometimes intermittent, if you’re hoping to park hop from one park to another, just grab a Disney Bus at the bus depot, wherever you are. Buses are clearly marked on the front, with their next destination. 

• Magic Kingdom: Disney’s Contemporary Resort is the closest resort with a walking path that takes about 5-10 minutes to walk to the front gates. Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort is the closest resort that has the Monorail to Magic Kingdom.
• Animal Kingdom: The closest resort to Animal Kingdom is Animal Kingdom Lodge.
• Hollywood Studios: The closest Resort to Hollywood Studios is Disney’s Boardwalk Inn and Disney’s Swan Hotel. 
• EPCOT: The closest resort to EPCOT Park is Disney’s Beach Club.

Disney World Park Hopper Ticket

There you have it! Our somewhat biased take on the Disney World Park Hopper Ticket. Whether you need one for your vacation is completely dependent on how you’re planning your Disney Vacation. Hopefully, this post has shown you the inner workings, pros, and cons of having this extra ticket and can help you decide what’s best for you!