WDW Park Hopping Question

We are going to WDW for the first time February 14-17th. I haven’t been since I was 12, which was 23 years ago! My husband has never been nor my daughter, who will be 6.5 at the time we go. I purchased 4 day park hopper tickets. My thought was that we could hit the parks in the morning, come back to the hotel to rest/nap and then have the option to go back to a different park to check out the nighttime stuff to switch things up a bit. Does anyone have some ideas on the best way to utilize them? Like, which parks are really cool to see at night? Which nighttime show would you see if you were to pick 1-2? Thanks everyone!!

We do the same thing: one park in the morning, back for rest, and a different park in the evening. I’d pick Wishes at the MK as the number 1, must see show; the MK is fantastic at night.

The second pick is debatable. Illuminations in Epcot is awesome. There will most likely be a new show in the Animal Kingdom by your trip. And, if the Star Wars fireworks in the Studios are still going, I hear they are amazing (hoping to catch them this Oct)

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I agree that MK is the number one choice, but you may get lots of different opinions. I like PHs because you could actually plan on seeing every park at night. You could do MK extra a couple of mornings and then hop to another park and see the night time show. If you are at MK first thing when it opens you could save your fast passes for your 2nd park so you will guarantee you do the high lights too.

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Where are you staying? I agree that Wishes is a must-see. This time we are staying at the Yacht Club so we are planning on spending evenings at Epcot and Hollywood Studios. Fantasmic at Hollywood studios is pretty amazing as well…definitely a show I think your daughter would love!

For a 6 year old, my two night time picks would definitely be Wishes and Fantasmic! hands down. For me, there’s no comparison to Cinderella castle being lit up at night along with the lights that adorn Main Street. Hollywood Studios park is a little lack luster to me but Fantasmic! will always be one of my favorite Disney shows. It celebrates the best of Disney classics and the finale is enough to give everyone goosebumps. That being said, Rivers of Light should be open as others have pointed out and it could be a state of the art show that’s not to be missed and I’ve heard that Animal Kingdom is stunning at nighttime. Hope this helps, I know you have a lot of people going a lot of different directions on here but I’m positive your family will have a fantastic time either way!

Are you staying in the world? One Park Hopping strategy would be to hop to or from the park with Extra Magic Hours. So if there is an early morning EMH at the Magic Kingdom, go to the park that morning to take advantage of those low crowds and then leave when the park gets crowded. Then you can hop to say HS on a lower crowd night to catch the Star Wars Fireworks or Fantasmic.

We are staying at AOA. I remember seeing Fantasmic at Disneyland when I went with my HS band in '95 and '96. Or at least I’m assuming it’s the same show. I loved it!

Yes! We’re staying at AOA. And that’s kind of what I was thinking too. It would be fun to change it up.

F! is “similar”, but much better in DL because it’s right on the Rivers of America and incorporates the Mark Twain and Columbia.