On my last trip, I did things a little differently than usual—all for research, of course! Normally, I’m a solid one day per park kind of girlie, but I wanted to see if park-hopping like a bunny is more time-efficient and worth the extra cost. So, we went all in with 3-day park hopper tickets for a crew of eight, plus four kiddos under three.
Day 1 kicked off with a long drive up from Ft. Myers (about 3.5 hours), so we arrived at Animal Kingdom around 12:30 PM with a full agenda. Dino Land is closing after January 2025, so we had to spend a bit of time there, and John’s first time on Flight of Passage was a must! Though Animal Kingdom closed at 7 PM, we debated hopping over to Epcot for some festival bites but honestly, Disney tired is no joke.
Day 2 was all about Magic Kingdom magic! I didn’t snag a Virtual Queue spot for Tiana’s new ride (oops), but we enjoyed Swiss Family Treehouse, Peter Pan, and even braved a rain shower. We were so blissfully tired that we didn’t even stay for the fireworks. These slower-paced days really are some of the most magical, spent mostly with John and me just enjoying the moments.
Day 3 began bright and early thanks to the extra hour from Daylight Savings! We hit Hollywood Studios with our Lightning Lanes ready for Mickey’s Runaway Railway, Star Tours, and Toy Story’s Swirling Saucers. After catching the Indiana Jones stunt show, we actually hopped—to Epcot, the family’s favorite park! Wrapping up at Epcot was the perfect finale.
Now, before I make my final ruling on hoppers: did we maximize the hopping potential? Not really. We didn’t check Virtual Queues as often as we could have, and we took a more relaxed pace. But here’s the thing—as regulars to the House of Mouse, we don’t feel pressured to squeeze in every single ride.
If you’re planning a once-in-a-lifetime Disney trip and can afford the added hopper expense, go for it! It’ll give you extra chances at Virtual Queues, which is a big plus if you’re aiming for top attractions like Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. Plus, if a park is packed or you miss a Lightning Lane reservation, you can easily head to another park. And for you DIE-HARD Disney fans—the 4-Park Challenge is the ultimate reason to get a hopper pass, which is on my own adult-only Disney bucket list.
So, my verdict? FOMO is real! The hopper pass is something I’d definitely get and use again, but maybe not for every trip. Oh, and a bonus: if you drive to Disney and park hop, hang on to your parking receipt—you only pay once for the whole day!
If you’re thinking about tickets or need help planning your Disney adventure, reach out to me—I’d love to help make your trip unforgettable!
