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Credit: DisneyOne of the more unpopular rules implemented throughout the Disney Parks since Covid has been the Park reservation and Park Hopping system.
In order to attend one of the Disney Parks on any given day, Guests have to make a reservation for a specific Park to be linked to their ticket. Previously, Guests were allowed to show up to any Park of their choosing, and if they had the correct ticket, were able to Park Hop, or go to a different Park, at any point throughout the day.
Under the new system, Guests are not able to Park Hop until after 2 o’clock. This has been one of the more controversial and unfavorable regulations implemented in the Parks because it makes it difficult for Guests to be able to plan their day. If the Park they wanted to go to is at capacity or isn’t taking any more reservations for the day, they have to change their entire plans around in order to reserve a different Park for the day before being able to Park Hop.
It’s made it difficult to get dining reservations at certain parks and to plan activities across the parks, like virtual queues or Lightning Lanes. Earlier this year, it was announced that the Park reservation and Park Hopping system would be removed early next year, much to the approval of Guests. However, the rule has been in place since the parks open up after Covid in 2020, and anybody that is planning a vacation, is a frequent Guest, or is an Annual Passholder knows the rules about the Park Hopping system.
A Disney influencer and Annual Passholder at Walt Disney World is being slammed on Twitter for her entitlement when it came to a recent encounter with this rule. The influencer took to her Instagram stories, which were screenshot and shared to Twitter via @GrandCalStan, to explain that she made reservations at Woody’s Roundup BBQ at Hollywood Studios, for an hour before Park Hopping was allowed. She explains that she had a friend visiting from out of town to celebrate her birthday and they were hoping “a nice cast member could help.”
She went on, claiming that they tried to enter Hollywood Studios and were told that the earliest they could be let in was 1:45 or she would have to talk to Guest Relations and cancel her reservation. When she was told there was nothing else they could do for her, she explained that her sister had been allowed to Park Hop before the 2 p.m. time frame just two weeks prior and asked if the time frame was “selective.”
She named the Guest Relations Cast Member that helped her, including his hometown, and stated that she filed a complaint against him “because he obviously wanted me to remember who was NOT going to let me in.” She claims that she’s at the Parks “all the time” and knows the “ins and outs of Disney,” upset that she was treated like a “clueless first time Disney goer” before finally claiming that the Cast Member must have been “pissy because he’s one of the people who moved here from California and was LEFT HIGH AND DRY!”
The influencer is being slammed on Twitter for being entitled, especially considering she’s a regular Disney Guest, and therefore knows the rules in regards to Park and dining reservations as well as Park Hopping. Others called her rude, stating that the “Lake Nona” comment was uncalled for, and that the Cast Member who helped her was in the right. “This is a Christian from LAs stan account tbh,” said @GrandCalStan, while @littlesophiebug claimed “I for one think Christian from Los Angeles should have been meaner!!!!!”
Although the Park Reservation and Park Hopping system are universally disliked and considered controversial, they are still Disney rules and regulations, and are followed pretty closely. As @clarabellecows states, “no because the park hopping guidelines are literally in the terms and conditions when you make a dining reservation. they straight up tell you not to do this because it will not work.” It’s safe to say that everyone else supports the Cast Member for following the rules and not jeopardizing his job for a poorly planned dining reservation.
Who do you think was in the right? Let Inside the Magic know your thoughts!