6 Things You Need to Know BEFORE Park Hopping in Disney World

With the current Park Pass Reservation system, making Disney World plans can feel a little restricting.

Magic Kingdom

Park reservations started back in Summer 2020, and from the looks of it, they’re here to stay. While you can no longer stroll into any park you please at park open, Park Hopping is still around, and lets you go to any of the four parks, as long as they’re not at capacity. Let’s go through a couple of things you should know before you park hop!

1. Park Hopping Starts at 2PM

Park Hopping starts at 2PM! You can leave your first park at any point before then, but you can’t enter another park until 2. Now we do know that some Disney guests have found that they can sometimes get into their second park early, but there is no guarantee. If you ask a Cast Member, they’ll let you know when you can scan into your next park!

Animal Kingdom

2. You Must Scan into the Park You Have the Reservation for First

Before you hop to another park, you must scan into the park where you have the reservation. Even if you’re hopping after 2PM, you still have to scan into the first park. There isn’t a minimum amount of time you have to spend in your first park, so you can, in theory, scan into your first park, then immediately turn around to go to your next one.

Magic Kingdom

3. You Can Call to See if the Park is Full

The only thing that can stop you from park hopping is park capacity. If the park you are trying to go to is full (which can happen during holiday periods), they might turn you away at the gates. However, there is a way to check if the park you want still has space, so you don’t have to go all the way to the park just to get turned away. You can call the Park Hopper Hotline to make sure that the park you want to hop to has space. The number is (407) 560-5000 

Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway

4. Transportation Between Parks Can Take a While

Transportation between parks can take longer than you probably think, so make sure you take that into account when planning your park hopping, especially if it’s important to you to maximize your park hours. It’s easiest to hop between Magic Kingdom and EPCOT, which are connected by the Monorail, and EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, which are connected by the Skyliner.

Monorail

There are also buses that start running between parks at 1:30PM, but depending on crowds and traffic, this might not be the most efficient option. You can also call a rideshare, like Uber or Lyft, if you want to ensure you’re getting from park to park quickly without waiting for a bus. We recommend accounting for an hour of transportation when park hopping.

50th Anniversary Skyliner

5. Park Hopping with Genie+

If you’re using Genie+ while park hopping, it can get a little confusing. You can tell Genie that you’re park hopping, but the options for that park won’t show up automatically until you hop. You can also make Lightning Lane and Pay Per Ride selections for other parks. Just make sure you make plans with return times after 2PM. The more you tell Genie about your day, the more plans it can recommend for you, so make sure you update Genie+ if you’re park hopping.

Genie+

6. You Can Go to As Many Parks as You Want

If you’re park hopping, you can go to as many parks as you want, not just 1. You pretty much have free reign once 2PM hits, so the only limit is time! You can even hit all four parks in one day if you want to. You can also return to your original park after hopping, so if you’re spending the money to park hop, make sure you take full advantage of it!

EPCOT

That’s all we have for what you should know before you park hop, but stay tuned to AllEars for all the latest Disney updates!

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