One of the questions we get asked the most by clients, family members and friends is … how many days should I spend in the parks during my upcoming Walt Disney World trip? Well, that depends on resolving a few matters not the least bit limited to: the number of days you can devote to the overall vacation in accordance with your work and school schedules; determining your family’s interests and preferences; and pinpointing your family’s vacation style.
After those fundamental questions are answered, the subsequent question is… which type of park ticket should I buy? Of course, the answer is as unique as each family visiting Walt Disney World. But, we can tell you that there are three types of tickets - base, Park Hopper and Park Hopper Plus Option. Today on the blog, we’re covering the basics regarding these ticket types to help identify the one that meets your individual family’s needs.
BASE TICKET
The base ticket allows entry into one of the four theme parks per day. The base ticket does not limit you to just one park for the duration of your trip; you can use a base ticket for a different park each day or for the same park every day. What can you do with a three-day base ticket, for instance? You could visit Magic Kingdom on day one, Epcot on day two and Animal Kingdom on day three. Or for uber fans of the Most Magical Place on Earth, you could visit Magic Kingdom on all three days of your tickets.
With the base ticket, you can also visit the same park on different occasions during the day. For example, you can enter Magic Kingdom at park opening; exit the park for your brunch reservation at Grand Floridian; reenter the park to experience more attractions; exit the park for dinner at the Contemporary; then reenter Magic Kingdom to view the nighttime spectacular, Happily Ever After. That would be a great day - count us in on the fun!
With a base ticket, we rode the major attractions at Epcot; went back to our homebase, Animal Kingdom Lodge, for a nap; then returned to Epcot for dinner and the Illuminations show.
Who are good candidates for base tickets? Guests who are staying for an extended period of time, and will visit each of the parks on multiple occasions during their visit. Guests traveling with infants or very young children as waiting for, and hopping on and off Disney buses can be taxing for little ones. And guests who are confident that they are only interested in visiting one park during the entirety of their stay.
PARK HOPPER TICKET
The Park Hopper ticket entitles guests to visit more than one of the four parks on the same day. With a one-day Park Hopper ticket, you can start your day on safari at Animal Kingdom, and then end your night with a Fantasmic! showing at Hollywood Studios. Or you can tackle a certain number of attractions at Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, Epcot and Magic Kingdom in a single day - conquering the four parks in one day challenge. If you accomplish this, please be sure to tell us about it :)
Park hopping and screaming our way throughout the day - starting out spooky at Haunted Mansion in Magic Kingdom and ending terrified in front of Tower of Terror at Hollywood Studios
Park Hopper tickets are ideal for guests who want to make the most of their abbreviated trip. For example, if you can only visit for two days but want to visit all four parks, a two-day Park Hopper ticket is the way to go. Or perhaps you geek out at Walt Disney World - no judgement here - and create themes for your park days like sampling sweet and savory snacks at each of the parks on one day; tackling the roller coasters on another day; reveling in your inner child on the slow-moving, indoor rides on one day; and catching the live shows and entertainment on another day.
PARK HOPPER PLUS OPTION
If your family wants to spend time outside of the parks, you might consider the Park Hopper Plus Option which adds admission into Disney’s two water parks as well as its golf and mini-golf courses. With the Park Hopper Plus, you receive the same number of visits as the same number of days of your park tickets. For instance, if you bought a six-day Park Hopper Plus Option ticket, you receive six admissions into Blizzard Beach, Typhoon Lagoon and/or the golf courses.
Humunga Jowabunga at Typhoon Lagoon - entry available with the Park Hopper Plus Option ticket
Outside of water park enthusiasts, active vacationers are the perfect fit for the Park Hopper Plus Option ticket. You are not content lounging by the pool at your Disney resort or eating and shopping your way through Disney Springs. No sir. You need to be on the go. We may not be able to vacation together; just saying, we like a lot of relaxation time ;)
SPECIAL TICKET OFFERS
Occasionally, Walt Disney World will offer special ticket pricing to all guests and certain segments of the park-going population. As of this blog post, all guests are eligible for the 4-Park Magic tickets which allow admission to one of the four theme parks per day. Essentially this is a base ticket valid for four days, but you must visit each of the four parks during your visit - you cannot visit one park over the span of the four days. In addition, you cannot redeem this offer for three days or five days; it must be four days of tickets. Depending on the dates of your visit, the 4-Park Magic tickets range in price from $340 pre-tax to $380 pre-tax per guest 10 years of age and older.
Posing in front of Cinderella Castle on day one of our 4-Day Magic Ticket
If you call the Sunshine State home, you may be entitled to exclusive ticket rates (not to mention, that we are jealous of your proximity to our favorite place). As of this blog post, Florida residents can purchase a 3-Day Discovery Disney ticket for $175 pre-tax per person 10 years of age and older. The base tickets expire on June 30. We may seriously consider a relocation to take advantage of this incredible deal!
Certain members of the armed forces are also eligible for special ticket pricing. In 2019, qualified members or their spouses can purchase a 4-Day Military Promotional Ticket for $241 plus tax per person at participating U.S. military sales outlets. Valid military ID must be presented to purchase the tickets, as well as to activate the tickets once on-site at Walt Disney World. The Park Hopper add-on is not required as all military tickets come with park hopping opportunities.
For ticket purchases outside of these special deals, the more days of tickets you purchase, the less expensive the ticket costs per day. Currently, a one-day base ticket starts at $109 before tax, while the lead-in price for a 10-day base ticket is $44 pre-tax.
Furthermore, tickets do not need to be used on consecutive days. Check out our earlier blog post on the valid use period of Walt Disney World park tickets.
Which ticket do we prefer? The Park Hopper! We enjoy the flexibility of moving from park to park, allowing us to vacation in the moment!
After reading this post, are you still unsure which ticket is right for you? Contact one of our amazing Beyond Imagination Vacations travel agents today to receive personal, customized vacation planning!