Park hopping is an awesome add-on to your Disney tickets if you use it well. I enjoy riding Star Tours at Hollywood Studios and having dinner in Japan at Epcot. It may not be ideal for first-time visitors, but if you have been before or are short on time, it can be a great choice. Simply plan ahead and make a list of the places you want to visit and eat at.

The two parks I prefer to use a park hopper on are Epcot and Hollywood Studios.

They are close to each other and offer a lot to see and do in one day. I do not recommend hopping from Magic Kingdom because it is the largest park and takes longer to reach. We dedicate an entire day (plus magic hours) to Magic Kingdom. It is my favorite park with numerous attractions and amazing food options.

Here’s why park hopping at Disney World works well for us.

  • We’ve been to the parks before and know our favorites.
  • We can plan out our day with a list and map of where to go and what to do and eat; etc.
  • My daughter is older, she’s a trooper so it’s more doable.

Park Hopping at Walt Disney World

On our first day at Walt Disney World, we visited Magic Kingdom. We spent the entire day there (plus magic hours) and loved every minute. The next day, we went from Animal Kingdom to Epcot to Hollywood Studios which are not too far from one another. The most time wasted was at Pandora. Since the attraction is so amazing and new, the lines are quite long. Avatar is one of my favorite movies, so I couldn’t miss the opportunity to check it out.

Pandora has two rides: the Na’vi River Journey and the Avatar Flight of Passage. The Na’vi River Journey is just beautiful. It’s a journey into a bioluminescent rainforest in search of the Na’vi Shaman of Songs. It was my favorite, to be honest- the Avatar Flight of Passage scared me (too much motion for me). It’s a beautiful 3D ride (on a banshee) through Pandora. After visiting Pandora, meeting some characters, and watching a bird show- we headed to Epcot.

Epcot had their garden festival which we definitely wanted to see.

We also planned to take some fun pictures by the “bubblegum walls,” floral sculptures, and Epcot’s famous globe. We rode a few rides including Test Track and headed over to Hollywood Studios.

Our final stop was Hollywood Studios. When I was a cast member, I got to work there so it always brings back memories. Like the White Rabbit, I’m always running late. I’d power walk to work every day and clock in just in time. I definitely don’t miss that part. (lol)

Hollywood Studios has become a Star Wars fan’s dream.

I was totally geeking out at Star Tours, the Jedi training show, and meeting with characters like stormtroopers and BB-8. It was so much fun. We also enjoyed other things like Voyage of the Little Mermaid (an old favorite). The night ended with Star Wars Galactic Spectacular which is a stage show with fireworks. Star Wars fans will appreciate this one for sure- all the feels!

Park hopping gave us the chance to see and do more in one day.

I think it’s worth it. Comfortable footwear and backpacks are recommended. You can see my list here. It can be tiring but what Disney trip isn’t? And it’s so worth it!