Since the phased reopening of Walt Disney World began in July, park-hopping across the four theme parks had been put on hold. Starting January 1, 2021, guests visiting the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida will be permitted to park-hop to more than one park in a day as long as they have a valid ticket or annual pass with Park Hopper benefits.
“As we continue to operate in a responsible way, we are reintroducing the Park Hopper option so our guests have the opportunity to see and do more during their visit while we manage attendance and foster physical distancing,” Disney spokeswoman, Erica Ettori said in a statement.
There are some modifications to the Park Hopper experience that you should be aware of before planning your park-hopping adventure. You will still need to make a Disney Park Pass reservation for the first park you plan to visit, and you must enter that park prior to going to another park. While things are always subject to change, Disney does not currently require a park reservation to visit a second, third, or fourth park.
Disney is also implementing specific Park Hopper hours where park-hopping will be available. These hours will start at 2 p.m. every day through a park’s scheduled closing time but may change as park-hopping gets going. All parks are still operating at limited capacity, and being able to enter additional parks will be determined by that park’s capacity at the time you arrive.
The best way to determine if a park is at capacity, and what time park-hopping starts at each park will be to check the My Disney Experience app.
When park-hopping begins next year, you will be able to get into more of the top-tier attractions during the day like Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Avatar Flight of Passage at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park. Note that if you are planning to visit Disney’s Hollywood Studios after visiting your first park you will not be able to join the virtual queue for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. If riding that attraction is a top priority, you will need to make a Disney Park Pass reservation and go there first. The same boarding group distribution times will be in place when park-hopping resumes, 7 a.m. and 2 p.m.
The best use of the Park Hopper option is to make a Disney Park Pass reservation at a park that has the earliest opening time, then move to a park that has the latest closing time to get the most hours in a park in one day. With the reinstatement of park-hopping, visitors will also be able to complete the famous “four parks in one day” challenge if all parks have available capacity.
Many visitors to Walt Disney World have been waiting for park-hopping to return, and the wait is almost over.
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