Age Limit for Child Swap?

[Macduffy]

I'm travelling to Universal this June with my husband and two sons. My youngest, 9, is high functioning autistic and won't be able to or won't want to ride some of the attractions at the parks. Is the child swap feature still available? Using the single rider option would still require us to wait in line twice.

Thanks in advance!

 

[janicept]

I know the following have child swap and I can't imagine there would an age limit: Hulk, Forbidden Journey, Dragon Challenge, Gringott's, RRR, Mummy, MIB. There may also be others that have it that I forgot: I don't have kids so never used it. You can always ask the people working at the entrance - they are always helpful.

 

[DisneyOma]

Don't some of those attractions have the room you wait in to swap? Will he be able to handle that? Also, if he's tall enough, he can go into the queue with you, and then you can swap at the vehicle - that way you don't have to wait twice.

 

[pcstang]

You will be fine. They are very easy to work with at USO.

 

[bchbetha]

I think Disney has a rule like if the child is tall enough to ride then you can't swap. Its been a while since we've been to Disney. But at Universal, our kiddo was tall enough to ride some rides but didn't want to. There was no problem with swapping. We did all have to wait in line though.

 

[macraven]

UO has a great child swap set up!


No age or height plays into using the swap set up

I've seen families use the swap room for elderly relatives


It is a nice way to be able keep the entire family together
No need for waiting outside if one in the family can't or doesn't want to do the ride

 

[bumbershoot]

Yep, what Mac said! UO is way less regulated than Disney's swap. You *do* all go into the ride, though (no matter how short the person is), and the non-rider and next-riders wait close to the seating area.

 

[Kivara]

Like others have said, it is open to anyone. Before I was willing to go on Rip Ride Rocket, my 12 y.o. wanted to ride. He got on the ride & I asked where child swap was for me to wait on him. No rudeness, no shock, the TM just smiled and pointed out the direction to get there.

Also, my 15 y.o. is taller than me (I would guess he's 5'9") but he's never enjoyed roller coasters. He happily waits in all the coaster's child swap areas.

I will say, as someone else mentioned...some of the child swap rooms tend to be rather crowded (can be loud when crowded) and show movies/shows. Not sure if any of those affect your child. Forbidden Journey's room has been rather crowded most times we've been and they show HP movies. Spider-Man is usually rather empty, but it can be loud, between ride noises and the Spidey cartoons playing. Dragon Challenge is the most boring "room" ever. It's just a stone hallway with a bench and doors on both ends. Over the bench is a window, to watch the coaster loading...but it's usually empty and not too loud

 

[kohlby]

I have a child with sensory issues and love Universal's child swap! I never have to give a reason why my 8 year old needs child swap - they're always fine with it. (Meanwhile, at Disney they don't let us use it if the child is a smidge over the height - even when he was 3! I asked about allowing it due to his sensory issues and was told that guest assistance passes would help him ride - not help the rest of the family ride).

The rooms do vary with noise, crowdness, and darkness. Despite his sensory issues, he actually does quite well in the FJ room. The MIB room is our favorite - light, not crowded, and not loud. Plus, you can watch people get on the ride. (Also, it's easy to use both single rider AND child swap for that ride due to where you enter child swap. Some rides wouldn't let us use both so just ask before you get on). I think RRR is one of the few child swap rooms we haven't used. There's a nice place to sit right outside the ride on the fake grass. Also, sometimes single rider is short enough that you can send one adult to do a ride while the other does a ride with the child. Hulk usually fits this when we are there. Hulk has a sign saying how long single rider line is too - not all rides have that. Storm Force is right next to it - it's like teacups though it seems like it's faster to me. (I can't even watch it due to dizziness - I send my husband on that one with our youngest while the oldest does single rider Hulk and I go with the middle child so she can do single rider Dr. Doom).

 

[oakleycat]

We do child swap all the time with my 8 yo who still hates dark rides, never had any problems.

 

[sandy77d]

My 11 year old has used child swap in Universal with no questions asked.