9 Park Hopping Mistakes To AVOID in 2024

January 9th has come and gone, meaning that there are some new park rules at Disney World!

We’ve seen that park pass reservations are gone for date-based tickets, the dining plan has returned, and all-day park hopping is back to “normal.” Speaking of park hopping, we wanted to make sure that you have as smooth of an experience as possible on your next trip, so we wanted to go over some mistakes that you’ll want to avoid!

Let’s not waste any time (since your trip is rapidly approaching) and dive right into the park-hopping mistakes you don’t want to make at Disney World!

Underestimating the Travel Time Between Parks

If you didn’t know, Disney World is HUGE! It covers 47 square miles or 27,520 acres, which is downright ginormous. That means it’s going to take you some time to travel between the parks.

You’re going to need to factor in the time it takes you to leave the park and get to your transportation be it your own car, bus, monorail, or one of the boats (keep in mind that the buses start transporting between the parks at 10 AM), and then how long it will take you to get to your next park.

Not Checking Park Hours

The parks don’t all have the same operating hours, which can make things tricky if you’re trying to park hop. This is where the My Disney Experience App comes in clutch!

Fire up the app and have a look at the opening and closing times for the parks you’re starting at and hopping to so that you can make the most of your days!

Not Prioritizing Lightning Lane Reservations

Now you know that the most popular rides are going to get filled up and have some pretty insane wait times, so what are you to do? One option is to take advantage of those Lightning Lane reservations.

There is a cost associated with them, so keep that in mind and consider the budget, but if you do make any reservations, they will seriously help streamline and generally help you to make the most of your time in each park.

If you are an Annual Passholder take note that you will only be able to book Lightning Lane times after 2PM for the park you plan to hop to, until you have signed into your first park of the day.

BEWARE of This NEW Annual Passholder Rule at Disney World

Overlooking Dining Reservations

You’re going to need to eat when you’re at the parks, and if there are specific places you want to eat at, you’re going to need to make your reservations in advance.

Those popular restaurants really fill up, especially during peak times, so make sure to make your reservations early and also consider eating at off-peak times too!

Here’s our guide to making Disney World dining reservations!

Not Checking Entertainment Schedules (Shows, Parades, etc.)

If you want to catch any of the live entertainment (shows, parades, etc.), you’re going to want to look into the schedules as sometimes they have a habit of changing.

The last thing we want is for you to miss out on those really memorable experiences, so make sure that when you’re planning out your plan of attack for each park, have a look at the currently listed times for your favorite events!

Not Being Flexible

This one is more of a reminder for you that while it’s great to have a plan, just make sure that it’s open to changes.

It feels inevitable that there will be unexpected events, ride closures, or even weather conditions that might alter your original plans. If you’re flexible, things will go just that much smoother.

Not Packing Chargers

This one is key! Make sure you bring portable chargers for your devices! You’re going to be using those devices all day, taking pictures, and accessing the My Disney Experience app.

The last thing you want to have happen is to run out of power which will seriously mess up the game plan especially if you need help navigating the parks or accessing your reservations.

Here are the best lightweight portable chargers for Disney

Not Rope Dropping

If you’re not rope-dropping when you go to the parks, especially when you’re planning on park hopping, you’re missing out. It’s the strategy that most Disney “pros” use in order to experience the most popular attractions when they typically have the shortest wait times.

You will have to arrive at your first park before it opens and then make a mad dash for your favorite ride, but if you do it right, you’ll find yourself checking a lot of rides and attractions off your list much earlier than you ever expected to.

Not Planning Out Your Day Beforehand

We talked about flexibility being key earlier, but perhaps the best advice is to always have a rough plan for the day already mapped out so that you can make the most of each park. Maybe consider using Disney Genie to help make that plan.

Mark out those key attractions, dining reservations, and live entertainment options that you want to prioritize. This will help prevent you from wandering aimlessly and ensure you get the most out of your time!

Hopefully, you’ll find those tips helpful and you won’t run into any park-hopping issues on your next Disney World trip.

In the meantime, keep following AllEars for more Disney news!

BEWARE of This NEW Annual Passholder Rule at Disney World

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