When it comes to park tickets, everyone who visits Walt Disney World will have an opinion on what is best. Some folks think just the Base Ticket is the only way to go, while others think Park Hopper is a better idea. There really isn’t a right or wrong answer to what is best, it just depends on you, your family, what you plan to do and how much time you have – so what is best for you!
Let’s look at some of the pros and cons for each.
Base Tickets
Pros:
- Less expensive per day
- No wasting time going from park to park
- You get to do everything in one park without losing the magic of that park
- You can take advantage of the lockers in each park to put things needed for the
day without carrying it around or moving from park to park
Cons:
- Cannot visit different parks in one day
- Once you have done what you want to do, that is it!
- On the other hand, if you don’t get to do everything you want on that day, and if you don’t have another day when you can go back to that park, you will just miss out!
- If that park is really busy that day, you don’t have the flexibility to go anywhere else
- You need to stay a minimum of 4 days if you plan to see all 4 parks
Park Hopper Tickets
Pros:
- Flexibility to see other parks each day
- Allows you to jump to a different park when the crowds get heavy
- Gives you a chance to see different hotels – catch a bus to a different hotel, then
catch a bus from that hotel to another park. This can break up the day in a fun way! - Provides a change of pace from park to park: For example Magic Kingdom may have a fast pace while Epcot may be a bit of a slower pace
- Allows you to catch a night time show or fireworks since not all are shown every
night during slower periods of the year - Gives you more flexibility when planning around dining reservations
Cons:
- Additional cost for each day whether you switch parks or not
- Takes some time getting from park to park
- To get your money’s worth, you’ll feel the need to visit at least 2 parks each day
So there you have it! Base tickets or park hoppers – which is best for your family?
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Debbie and her husband live in Chattanooga, TN. They both are huge Disney fans and try to visit the most Magical Place on Earth at least once a year, if possible. They are enjoying taking each of their now 10 grandchildren and hope to also take their great granddaughter in the near future. One of their favorite trips has been visiting Disney with adults only, including one trip when their son proposed to his girlfriend. Each trip begins with the planning, which can take up to a year, beginning with how to get the grandkids excited about their upcoming trip. They have surprised some of them the day before they left, while the latest one had “presents” every 10 days starting at 90 days all leading up to an exciting trip with her parents along also. Their philosophy on Disney Trips? “Each trip is completely different, like visiting Walt Disney World for the first time.” They both enjoy all that Disney has to offer, but enjoy Animal Kingdom and EPCOT the most. It is their goal that everyone who visits Walt Disney World has a magical trip with lots of memories to last a life time.
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