So you’ve picked your perfect visit dates (or at least narrowed them down—yay!), and now comes the next big question: “How many days should we spend in the parks, and what kind of tickets do we need?” Let’s dive in and break this down in a way that makes sense for families with preschoolers and grandparents tagging along.
If you are just joining us, don’t forget to read more about start here, “The Best Time to Visit Walt Disney World.”
How Many Days Should You Plan?
If this is your family’s first Walt Disney World trip, I recommend planning 3 to 5 days in the parks. Here’s why:
- Preschoolers and grandparents usually do better with a relaxed pace, which means fewer parks per day and plenty of breaks.
- Walt Disney World has four huge parks — Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom — plus water parks and resorts if you want to mix things up.
- The transportation between each of the 4 parks is a recommended 90-minutes, which means, you cannot see and do all parks in 1-2 days.
- With 3-5 days, there’s time to visit your must-see parks without feeling rushed, and time to rest or enjoy your resort pool in the afternoons.
Base Tickets vs. Park Hopper: What’s the Difference?
Base Tickets allow entry to one park per day. So, if you buy a 4-day base ticket, you visit one park each day for four days.
Park Hopper Tickets let you visit multiple parks on the same day. This sounds fancy and flexible, but it’s not always necessary—especially with little ones and grandparents.
Which Ticket Option Works Best for Families with Little Kids?
Here’s the deal: park hopping can be fun if your family loves spontaneity and walking between parks, but it also means more walking and more decision-making mid-day. For preschoolers and grandparents, base tickets often make for a smoother, less tiring vacation.
That said, if you have older kids or everyone’s up for the hustle, park hopping gives you flexibility—for example, starting at EPCOT for the morning then hopping over to Magic Kingdom for fireworks. Just keep in mind it adds to the cost and you need to allow 90-minutes for transfers between parks.
We do not recommend park hopping for first visits. If you have questions, email us at letstravel@thewdwguru.com to find out why.
Cost Per Day: Making Sense of Ticket Prices
Ticket prices vary by day and add-ons like Park Hopper, so it helps to think of your ticket cost as an investment in convenience and fun. More days means a lower cost per day, but you also want to avoid feeling like you have to power-walk through rides. We like to have more park ticket days so that we can take our time, rest during the day, and enjoy the resort hotel.
Final Thought: Quality Over Quantity
It’s tempting to try to do everything in one trip, but your family will thank you for a trip full of joyful memories—rather than tired meltdowns. Think of the number of days and ticket types as your formula for family happiness: less stress, more smiles.
Want help mapping out the perfect number of days and ticket choices for your unique family? I’m just an email away at letstravel@thewdwguru.com to make your planning process so much easier.
Next time, we’ll explore Disney resort choices—on-site vs. off-site, and how to find the perfect fit for your multi-generational family.
Don’t forget! Download your free “Ultimate WDW Planning Checklist for Families” to keep your plans on track.
