Park Hopping Returns to Disney World in 2021
Walt Disney World’s phased reopening is about to reach another significant milestone with the return of the Park Hopper park ticket option. This will allow Annual Passholders and guests who bought Park Hopper tickets for 2021 to visit multiple parks per day. In this post, we’ll share important dates, details, how it’ll work with Park Pass reservations, and the ripple effect it could have on crowds & more.
As a reminder, Park Hopping was temporarily suspended along with the Disney Dining Plan, FastPass+, Extra Magic Hours, character meet & greets, and a range of entertainment options back before the Disney Park Pass theme park reservation system was rolled out.
Some of these suspensions were due to physical distancing requirements. Others were due to the reality that reduced park capacity and demand meant lower attendance, making some less feasible or not financially viable. The Park Hopper ticket option was probably a bit of column B, but also some degree of difficulty integrating it into the Disney Park Pass reservation system. Beginning January 1, 2021, Annual Passholders and guests who purchase theme park tickets with Park Hopper benefits will be able to visit more than one park per day, with some new modifications as part of Walt Disney World’s ongoing focus on health safety and managing theme park capacity.
With the updated Park Hopper experience, guests must make a Disney Park Pass reservation for the first park they plan to visit AND enter that first park prior to visiting another. At this time, a park reservation is not required after the first park, however, reservation requirements are subject to change. Additionally, Walt Disney World will set specific Park Hopper hours during which this option will be available. Park Hopper hours will start at 2 pm each day and end at the park’s scheduled close time.
Guests will soon be able to check DisneyWorld.com/ParkHours and the My Disney Experience app for the most up-to-date Park Hopper hours, as they could start earlier at a later date, depending on the day and park. That means Animal Kingdom might allow Park Hopping beginning at noon some days, whereas Disney’s Hollywood Studios could still be at 2 pm on the same day.
It’s all about managing attendance. (Just like right now when there are Cast Members counting guests in and out of shops.) These modifications are designed to help Walt Disney World continue managing attendance in a way that fosters physical distancing. Additionally, other enhanced health safety measures remain in effect, including the requirement that all guests ages two and up wear face masks.
Here’s a helpful graphic that should explain the process a bit better:
In the official announcement, Walt Disney World notes that the ability to visit another park will be subject to the park’s capacity limitations. Some of you are likely worried about what will happen if the park you want to visit hits capacity.
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