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Here’s What We’ve Experienced With Disney’s New Park Hopping Process

Dani ,  , 
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Park Hopping has returned to Walt Disney World! Many guests are excited to have this feature return, but there are a few things you need to know. Park hopping is a little different than what you may be used to.

This weekend Ivonne on our team park hopped between EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. She parked at Hollywood Studios since that is where she would end her day, and used Disney Skyliner to head to EPCOT. After enjoying the morning and early afternoon at EPCOT she headed back to the Disney Skyliner station at International Gateway.

EPCOT Skyliner Station – January 2021
Hollywood Studios Entrance – Approaching from Skyliner Station

The trip aboard the Skyliner from EPCOT to Hollywood Studios takes about 10 -12 minutes, which includes transferring at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort. At Hollywood Studios it was a breeze to go through temperature check and security check, and then enter Hollywood Studios.

Views of Skyliner from International Gateway at EPCOT

Walt Disney World Park Hopping Process

It really does not feel all that different than Park Hopping “in the good old days.” The process is fairly simple. You need to have a Disney Park Pass for one of the parks that day. You then need to visit that park first before you park hop. And you need to check availability of the park you want to hop to before you get there.

So let’s break that down into little steps.

  1. Make sure you have valid theme park admission that is eligible for park hopping.
  2. Make a park reservation for the first park you will visit that day.
  3. Actually visit that park.
  4. Once the Park Hopper Hours begin you can check availability either online or on the phone.
  5. You do not need a reservation for the next park, it just needs to be available.

 

Park Hopping Reminders

Reminders about Walt Disney World Park Hopping

  • Your park ticket must be valid for parking hopping in order to hop to another park.
  • Park Hopper Hours are subject to change.
  • Park Hopper Hours will most likely not be earlier than 2:00 p.m. due to Rise of the Resistance Boarding Group distribution at 1:00 p.m. at Hollywood Studios.
  • Bus transportation that runs from park to park is available during Park Hopper Hours.
Park Hopper Sign at Bus Transportation
Park to Park Bus Transportation
  • Your MagicBand or ticket will be scanned to make sure you visited your reserved park of the day first when using Disney park-to-park bus transportation.
  • The monorail that runs from the Transportation and Ticket Center to and from EPCOT is not currently running.
  • The Friendship boats are running between EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, and the respective resorts.
  • The Disney Skyliner is running between EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, and the respective resorts.
  • You can park hop to multiple parks during Park Hopper Hours, just subject to availability.
  • When park hopping you will need to go through temperature scanning and security checkpoints at applicable entrances.
  • You can check availability of the park you want to hop to at https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/calendars/day/
  • You can also call the automated phone line 407-560-5000.
  • Finally, you can check availability at Guest Relations.
Magic Kingdom Park Hopper Availability as shown online on 01-03-2021

Are you excited about the return of park hopping? What’s your favorite park-to-park combo?

 

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Dani

Born and raised in the land of sunshine and dreams come true, Dani is a proud Orlando Native who loves sharing her hometown with others. She's worked in nearly all of Orlando's theme parks, on board Disney Cruise Line, and in hotel management. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @thisfloridalife

4 thoughts on “Here’s What We’ve Experienced With Disney’s New Park Hopping Process”

  • A couple months in, how have you found the Skyliner lines for park hopping crowds? I’m thinking about taking the Skyliner to a resort lunch spot but realized I may not want to leave at the same time as the park hoppers!

    • So far no major lines, maybe a 10 minute wait. Closing and opening times are definitely the busiest. Keep in mind we have not seen park hopping during peak seasons like Spring Break.

  • As the rules are written, the member of your travel party would have to visit the park where he/she has a park pass for that day. I would suggest just having that person check park pass availability for the park where you are meeting after 2pm and modify the existing park pass reservation to that park.

  • On a longer trip, it’s pretty normal for one person in my family of 6 to not go to our morning park and just go back out with the family to another park after an afternoon break. Is this now a problem because they wouldn’t have scanned their ticket at the park with the reservation? Is there any process to handle this short of that person going all the way to the reserved park?

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