Faith Miller
Starting Jan. 1, 2021, guests will once again be able to enjoy the “Park Hopper” option at Disney World theme parks, based off of a statement made by the company on Nov. 20.
According to the post on the “Disney Parks Blog” by Avery Maehrer, Manager of Communications for Walt Disney World Resort, the return of this benefit for guests will come with “some new modifications as part of our ongoing focus on health and safety.”
Part of the new modifications include the fact that park hopper options will not be available until 2 p.m. each day and will end at the park’s scheduled closing time.
“These modifications are designed to help us continue managing attendance in a way that fosters physical distancing,” Maehrer said in the post.
Another adjustment that has been made is the way ticket reservations will work at the park. Guests will be required to make a reservation for the first park they plan on visiting that day. Then, when Park Hopper hours become available for that day, guests will be able to leave the current park they are at and visit another park.
At this time, even though a park reservation is not required for entrance after the first park is visited, every park is still subject to capacity limitations and entrance into another park can not be guaranteed. This is still subject to change.
Maehrer described the Park Hopper option as the ability for guests to spend the “morning on the savanna at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park and an evening stroll by Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom Park or starting the day living your Star Wars adventure at Disney’s Hollywood Studios before an afternoon traveling around the world at EPCOT.”
Freshman Avery Standifer is a Disney Annual Passholder and explained that her family enjoys taking trips to Disney’s Fort Wilderness. She believes that “the option to go into the parks twice in one day is great” and that she is excited for this option to return.
It is recommended by the “Disney Parks Blog” for guests to check the DisneyWorld.com/ParkHours and the My Disney Experience app for the most current Park Hopper hours when it becomes available. It is possible for park hopper hours to change to an earlier time in the day, depending on the day and park, in the future.
Face masks and temperature screenings are still required for park entry, and social distancing will still be highly encouraged and enforced within the park as well.
