Baby Swap play areas?

[Contrariwise]

So after about 5 rides on Mission Space, using baby swap while the waiting parent was pretty much tortured by our 2 year old (due to the lack of anything for him to do) we recently discovered that there is a "play place" for toddlers in the exit. We never saw it before (they don't exactly make the place obvious- ie. "toddler area inside!"). Does anyone know of other areas like this that we're missing out on?

Best I've found so far:

--AK- Kali river rapids- Just off the viewing bridge there's a fountain play area
--Epcot- Test Track- In the exit area there are actual new cars that I believe my DS thinks is THE BEST playground ever
--MK-Splash Mountain- The only blatantly obvious toddler play area (though, not particularly entertaining with only one 2 ft slide)

If there is a secret place near Soarin' that will be exceptionally helpful- NOTHING "toddleresque" to do in there (that I can see) but run for the dangerous stairs & escalators, try to enter Soarin' through the exit, slam into the Garden Grill clear walls, attempt to trip people with food trays and generally give me a heart attack.

 

[Twingle]

Thanks for sharing this post - I knew about the one by Splash Mountain and that was IT!

Hopefully there are other play areas - they are a big life saver to us.

 

[tjmw2727]

Once you have the baby swap pass for the second child you can leave the area if you like, this is what we always do.

For soarin I would leave the pavilion and head over to the imagination pavilion. You could do the figment ride or just enter via the gift shop, there is a musical play area there at the exit from imagination.

Once we have the baby swap pass for the second parent one us will take the toddler/baby to do something else, ice cream, play area or another attraction. We designate a time and meeting area and also have our cellphones. This way dh or I can take the younger dd to do something fun and then return later alone to let the second parent ride.

Glad you found the play area at MS and TT.

MK - for splash I often took dd for a round trip loop on the railroad instead of the little climber. If its hot we stop at Donalds Boat to play and dh meets us there. You can also walk over to fantasyland and do a couple re-rides or poohs playground.

For Space Mtn we usually do a ride on the teacups and or the TTA.

RnRc and TOT, we usualy do an ice cream, take a walk or see the beauty and the beast show.

EE, you could also do the boneyard or just walk some of the beautiful "treks" to see the various animals.

HTH
TJ

 

[stitch63]

Thanks for starting this post. I didn't know any of this information and we are going to baby swap as much as we can this year

 

[jrasmom]

Can someone explain this baby swap thing to me? OR refer me to where it is explained in detail?

We're traveling with a 9, 6, and 2 yr. old and I know the 2 yr old won't be able to ride all the rides....will he get to ride most or quite a few of them at least?

 

[emma'smom]

Don't forget the fountain in front of Ariel's Grotto and Winnie the Pooh's playground. These are both great for waiting while folks ride the "dark rides" and a great meeting point as they are not far from Fantasy Land after the older folks do Space Mountain.

 

[MouseEarsJenny]

I can't say for sure, but I do think I heard of a play space near Soarin'. But there's definitely another ride in the pavillion! Why not just ride Living with the Land while you wait?

 

[2sweetangels]

Can someone explain this baby swap thing to me? OR refer me to where it is explained in detail?

We're traveling with a 9, 6, and 2 yr. old and I know the 2 yr old won't be able to ride all the rides....will he get to ride most or quite a few of them at least?

Im right along with you, DH and I will be going to WDW for the first time in september with our DD's 1 and 2 years old and I keep hearing about baby swap, but not to clear on it.

 

[Contrariwise]

My attempt at explaining the baby swap:

If there is a ride with a height restriction you can bring your baby up to the entrance and ask the CM for a Baby Swap ticket. He will hand what is essentially a fast pass for up to 3 guests to the person waiting with the baby. The rest of the party then goes through the line and when they exit you can take your turn by going through the fast pass line.

I didn't even think of the Boneyard for EE- is it pretty close?
The reason I try to stick to the play areas is that we usually only ride these big rides when we have a fastpass, so it doesn't take that long in actual time... but when you have a rambunctious 2 year old those 15 minutes can feel like 3 hours. (And doesn't it take about that long to exit the Land Pavilion... without a stroller?!? ) I also don't relish the idea of criss crossing the park, with all our paraphernalia, since I come all the way back to ride the ride myself anyway. So, the closer, the better. I hope the Mission Space/Test Track area is a trend...

 

[jrasmom]

That sounds neat. I guess the only downfall is that I'd have to ride alone....but there will be some rides that DH might not want to ride anyways so I'll ride those with the oldest if he wants to ride.

I'm still a little clueless on how fastpass works too BUT I'm going to do some more research on that one.

Thanks for all your help everyone!

 

[java]

Fast pass is EASY. There are machines outside the more popular rides- you slide in your ticket and a pass comes out with a time stamped return time- at that time you come back and get on the fast pass lane.(you may have to wait a little if lots of people returned at the same time you did but generally not longer than 10 minutes.)So you can do fast pass- return and then do baby swap- so you all go through on fast pass. Also a fast pass is good anytime after your time expires....meaning that you don't have to go in the window on your ticket(many don't know that) Once you get a fast pass for one ride you cannot get one for another for a predetermined time(it used to be until your fast pass expired but I believe that has changed)so choose your fast pass usage wisely! Have FUN!!

 

[Contrariwise]

That sounds neat. I guess the only downfall is that I'd have to ride alone....

You actually don't! The swap ticket is "for up to 3 guests" (not sure if that means 3 people total or you plus 3...). So I just hand the baby to DH and my older girls get to ride twice- once with DH, once with me. Boy are they are going to be sad when DS is older

Why not just ride Living with the Land while you wait?

That was my original plan for Soarin'. Unfortunately every time I've attempted it the standby line is a 40 min. wait! I never get in a line more than 20 minutes with this particular 2 year old!! I think a lot of people wait out their Soarin' fastpasses in that line.

And java, I'd be careful with that fastpass tip- I've never taken the risk of letting one expire, since some CM's do enforce the time. I don't want to get stuck in an 80 min. line when that fails!