Disney Parks Touring: To Hop or Not to Hop...

...that is the question.

Park hopping is a ticketing add-on that allows you to do just that- hop from one Disney Park to another on a given day. Some guests wouldn't dream of visiting the parks without hoppers, while others rarely see the benefit and remain firmly planted in one park per day. Hopping does come at an expense: in addition to the monetary piece, there's an expense of time- which for some people, is a larger issue than the dollars involved.

Adding the Park Hopper option onto a ticket will cost an additional $59 per person. That price is per ticket, regardless of the number of days on your ticket. If you have a  ten day ticket, that comes out to about $6 per day; on a three day ticket? Well, you can see how some deals are better than others.

My park touring style pretty much necessitates park hopping. I LOVE hopping, and I have never done a visit without this option. I like the freedom it gives me. I can decide on a whim to visit a different park, and I can end the day in a completely different place than I started. Also, I really love to stay in the Epcot area resorts- and in these resorts, I find park hoppers to be especially necessary. How could I not slip in to Epcot every day, at least for a short time, when the International Gateway entrance is just steps away from my resort?

My next visit (which remains in the tentative stage, but let's just pretend it's a go!) will be a very different type of visit for me. It will be quick (just three nights), it will be specifically focused (partially on running a race, and partially on experiencing the Food & Wine Festival), I will be staying on the monorail loop for the first time, and I'll be trying to do the visit as economically as possible. In addition, a member of my party has some mobility issues. Given all these reasons, I'm looking at my first visit without the park hopping option. I have to admit, it makes me a little nervous! Will I feel tied down? Will I regret our choice of park on a given day? What happens if I suddenly remember something I absolutely need to do at a different park? Am I overreacting? Being ridiculous? ;) Probably. I'm sure it will be just fine- and it'll be a new experience for me, which is always interesting...

What are your thoughts on park hopping? Do yo always do it? Do you never do it? Do you feel the expense is justified? Share your thoughts in the comments...

Getting There is Half the Fun

Ok, maybe not actually getting there- but the planning is a big part of any trip to WDW. As with many fans, it first started long ago, while getting ready for one of my first trips. What? I have to make restaurant reservations ahead of time if I want to eat in the parks? Huh…ok, I’ll look into that. A few quick internet searches later had me gulping and wondering what I had gotten myself into. I had no idea about the depth and breadth of planning resources available online. I dove in and read everything I could get my hands on, and the rest, as they say, is history. I quickly realized that for me- getting ready for a trip is almost as much fun as the trip itself. Disney plusses the magic by providing great resources on all aspects of trip preparation.  Along with Disney’s main website, they also offer the Disney Parks Mom’s Panel, a great resource with a panel of experts ready to answer any and all planning questions. In addition to the official Disney sites, there are countless forums, blogs, and websites to aid in planning. I’ve made some great connections in the Disney blogosphere and twitterverse, and I’m always amazed at the generosity and support in the Disney fandom. Whatever kind of information or planning help you’re looking for- it’s out there! A blogroll sharing some of these helpful sites is in the works for my sidebar.

As of this writing, I am four days out from what will likely be my last trip to WDW for a while. This is a short trip- just four days- but I plan to make the absolute most out of it! I’d show you my spreadsheet, planning lists, ADR chart, and time schedules, but I think I might scare you away…

Instead, I’ll show you something I find invaluable. As I start my packing, I have to to put a plug in for something that changed my travel system in a profound and positive way: packing cubes. It's hard to explain how & why they’re so great, but they make it easy to pack and super easy to keep organized. They are zippered pouches, in various sizes, that go right into your luggage. Everything stays where it should, and they allow me to pack much more in a small space than I'm able to without them. Oh, but whatever you're thinking about them right now- they're WAY better than that. A review I once read about them sums up my feelings well: I used to think, “what could I possibly need these for”? Then I tried them, and now I think, “I can’t believe I used to pack like a caveman”.  

Try them, and you’ll see what I mean…

Have you ever used packing cubes?

(No disclosure necessary- I'm just a big fan!)