Baby Swap Disappointment

[Suellen]

This last trip (okay two trips ago) when we went as a family it was really the first time we tried to use the Baby Swap ~ usually DH just skips whatever.

So I thought the POINT of baby swap was that we would all wait together then at the entrance of the ride the non-rider and adult would wait in a waiting area and then when we came off I would wait with the non-rider while he rode.

We ended up not bothering and DH took DD to go do something different and we met up with them after.

We took the rider switch card anyway but weren't able to get back. This was at Soarin' ~ is it like that on all the Baby Switch rides?

 

[Hannathy]

Yes that is the way it is everywhere. you don't wait at the ride, which I think is better. This way it isn't rubbing it in to the smaller person that they can't ride. It really is just a "free" fast pass for the second adult. We always thought it worked out well. The waiting adult and child can go play or ride something else or get a snack, look in the gift shop, etc.

 

[HdnMickeyGrl]

Can you explain a little more what happened? You jumped from how you thought it would work to you not bothering with it. It could just be me but it's not clear from your post what went wrong.

ETA: nevermind someone posted while I was posting and filled in the blanks. Interesting because I thought it worked the way you explained OP.

 

[Suellen]

Sorry ~ they have one person wait in line while the other person waits elsewhere....outside of the line and the original line waiter gets a fast pass for the elsewhere waiter.

We just really like to be all together and spend our time as a family ~ to me it is less obvious to younger DD that she is missing something because the separation time from her big sister is minimized.

She will be almost three now.

Plus the queues are some of the fun especially at Soarin with the games you can play and all.

 

[dis-happy]

The only place for me where BabySwap has happened as expected in the OP was at Star Tours. But I've heard that it may have changed even there.

 

[allison443]

Sorry ~ they have one person wait in line while the other person waits elsewhere....outside of the line and the original line waiter gets a fast pass for the elsewhere waiter.

We just really like to be all together and spend our time as a family ~ to me it is less obvious to younger DD that she is missing something because the separation time from her big sister is minimized.

But didn't you say you split up anyway once you decided not to do the baby swap? Your dh took your younger dd somewhere else?

 

[Suellen]

We did this time to ride Soarin because DD had already been promised. We didn't attempt anymore after. So older DD got to ride ToT only if the wait was 5 -10 minutes.

I like the way they do it (or at least to) at Universal where we all wait in line together.

Due to the number of hours my DH works we don't get as much family time as we would like and really enjoy our vacations together.

 

[HdnMickeyGrl]

I think she didn't want to split up twice. So they just split up the one time, met up with her DH and DD and her DH did not use the "baby swap fastpass".

I agree with the OP that it's a weird way to do it because you basically create a situation where you make everyone wait longer than if they had just stayed together and swapped as was described by the OP. The FP babykeeper has to wait and find something else to do while you ride and then everyone else has to wait while the FP babykeeper rides after they swap.

OP, I'm sorry you missed out on some family time.

 

[PEANUT1]

I don't mind the way disney does it..the rider swap ticket allows 3 people to ride. This way the swapped rider doesn't have to ride alone. They can ride with another memeber of the group.

 

[Cibahwewah]

I agree. The baby swap took way longer than I expected. Basically, it took twice as long to do anything. It's not like the fastpass line really gets you on the ride instantly. We waited at some rides (like Soarin, BTMRR, Space Mountain, Test Track) for close to an hour for both adults to ride. The only place it worked right was Star Tours.

 

[dis-happy]

You can combine FP with Babyswap. Most (all???) of the rides that have babyswap also have FP.

1. Dad and child ride via FP. Mom waits with baby, a minimal wait usually due to using FP.

2. Dad and child exit.

3. Mom and child re-enter FP line with babyswap ticket and ride.


Minimal waits, older child gets to ride twice with each parent. There is usually something interesting to do with younger child during the minimal waits...at BTMRR and SM there's a playground; at MS there's a jungle gym; at Soarin' you could ride The Land or have a snack in the food court; etc.

 

[Suellen]

I don't mind the way disney does it..the rider swap ticket allows 3 people to ride. This way the swapped rider doesn't have to ride alone. They can ride with another memeber of the group.

This isn't really a benefit for us as there are "usually" just the four of us.

So maybe it will be this next time when my mother will be with us.

 

[tinkerbell313]

We had the same experience last June with almost every ride that DS was too short to get on...and it wasn't worth it because every ride took at least an hour...and it wasn't a family vacation...it was a DH/DD vacation and a myself/DS vacation.

We went June 2nd through the 9th and it was very busy...9s on the UG scale. On every ride that DS was too short, DH and DD would get in line and wait at least 30 minutes and the CMswould give me a FP for the ride. I would then take DS elsewhere. Then I would meet back up with DD and DH. Sometimes I would get on the ride if the FP line was short...but lots of time the FP line was also 30 minutes (by the time they got off the ride, the regular line grew to an hour minimum...we noticed that lines came and went...and you really needed to pay attention) . It was frustrating...but for us...I think because we went at a busy time of year.

I am sorry.

 

[momto2js]

At US it is that way the whole family waits and then the non rider swaps. For my family this doesn't work well because we have to haul the kids through the crowded line for pretty much nothing. We would rather have the non rider do something else or stay with the sleepers in the stroller.

 

[Suellen]

At US it is that way the whole family waits and then the non rider swaps. For my family this doesn't work well because we have to haul the kids through the crowded line for pretty much nothing. We would rather have the non rider do something else or stay with the sleepers in the stroller.

I should have mentioned that we always stayed On-Site at US and went to the front of the line anyway. Plus it was different then. We had a 2YO and a 4MO.

4MO and 2YO basically couldn't ride the same stuff so it would have been me and DH swapping both kids. It worked out better to all wait together.

 

[SmallWorld71]

I guess this just boils down to one of those one size doesn't fit all situations. I love the way Disney does the Baby Swap/ Rider Switch tickets. I think it allows for everyone to have more fun that way. This way while one person is on the ride, the little one can be having fun nearby. Also, the Swap ticket allows you to re-enter through the FP line. Even during our recent visit during President's week with an 8/9 crowd we didn't wait more than 15 minutes in a FP line. If you waited over an hour than I am guessing you got in a really long line to begin with. I definitely recommend combining Baby Swap with Fast Pass for the best overall use of time. Also, for those of us who had little ones who were adventurous and wanted to ride, it would have been mean to take them in line and then deny them a ride. This is not a problem with babies of course, but can be a big problem for those in the 3-5 age range. OP, I'm sorry your experience wasn't great. But, I for one think it's great that Disney provides this service.

 

[bear_mom]

We used baby swap a few times when younger dd was too small for some rides. Older dd liked it because she got to ride the ride twice - once with me and then once with dh. I don't think it would have been fair to younger dd to have to wait in line for a ride she couldn't ride, she was already disappointed enough.

Emily

 

[Suellen]

Being away from her sissy that long is a bigger disappointment from my youngest.

I also think she would like the queue's and seeing what it is all about.

I guess I don't know why they couldn't let DH and DD slip out the Chicken Exit. I *think* most rides have them.

 

[Hannathy]

Being away from her sissy that long is a bigger disappointment from my youngest.

I also think she would like the queue's and seeing what it is all about.

I guess I don't know why they couldn't let DH and DD slip out the Chicken Exit. I *think* most rides have them.

Because unfortunately they can't trust people to not slip onto the ride instead!!! Sad but true. I'm sure it is a legality anymore.

 

[jessica52877]

This is interesting. I didn't know you could do it for older children, I thought it was just for babies. Not sure what I thought the cut off was though.

We used it once at US when DS was not quite a year old and I really enjoyed the way it worked. I never used it at disney since I didn't care for the way they had it set up. We too like to stay together as a family, but I also never thought of using it once DS was a bit older but just not tall enough.

I would NOT want to haul a kid through the line though if they were sleeping and I can see the issue for not quite tall enough kids too.

ETA: Just so I am clear, I am confused with myself! I don't know why I never thought of using it with older kids!