Best way to get between parks

Question

What’s the best way to get between parks if you have your own car. Should I leave the car at park#1 or move it when we hop?

I know AK is far from the others and Epcot/HS are close together so may be dependent where we go.

Presume it’s one parking cost per day vs per park?

Answer

When visiting Walt Disney World with your own car, understanding the best strategy for park hopping can save both time and money. Here’s a detailed overview:

1. Parking Costs: Each theme park charges a separate parking fee, regardless of whether you leave your car there or move it. Currently, standard parking for cars is per day, not per park, but each time you enter a new park, you must pay that park’s parking fee if you drive there.

2. Park Hopping Strategy: If you have a park hopper ticket and are moving between parks, it usually makes sense to leave your car at the first park if you plan to return there. However, if your itinerary requires multiple hops to different parks that are far apart, moving your car may be necessary.

3. Proximity Considerations: - Animal Kingdom (AK) is farther from the other parks, so if your day includes AK and another park, expect a 20–30 minute drive to your next destination. - Epcot and Hollywood Studios (HS) are very close, connected by a walkway and the Skyliner, so it may be easier to leave your car at one of these parks and use Disney transportation (walking, Skyliner, or bus) to hop.

4. Parking vs. Transportation: In many cases, it can be more efficient to park at the first park and then use Disney’s internal transportation (buses, monorail, Skyliner) for hops to nearby parks. This avoids multiple parking fees and reduces time spent finding new parking spots.

Leave your car at the first park if most of your day’s hopping is between nearby parks (Epcot/HS or MK/HS). Use Disney buses or Skyliner for the hop.
Move your car if your day includes Animal Kingdom and a park on the opposite side of property, as using Disney buses might take longer than driving.
Consider time of day – parking at Epcot early in the morning and hopping to HS by mid-day can be done efficiently using the Skyliner.

5. Efficiency Tips: - Plan your hops around park opening and closing times to minimize traffic inside the property. - If you plan multiple hops, try to combine parks that are geographically close to reduce drive time. - Check real-time app updates for transportation and traffic inside property, as it can affect travel times between parks.

Summary: Driving between parks is fine, but be mindful that parking fees apply per park. For closer parks, using Disney transportation is often faster and cheaper than moving your car.