Baby Swap

[grammagail]

I've read some posts on this - but am still a little confused. We have 5 people going - 4 "adults" and 1 - 4 yo. This is our first trip in over 10 years, so basically first timers.

My question is this - for example - Mission: Space - I know my 4 yo grandson will not be riding this - but the other 4 of us want to. How would this scenerio work? Am I to understand that we could all bascially stand in line - and then 3 of them would go on the ride while I wait with my grandson. Then when they exit - I hand my grandson over to my husband and now it's my turn (?) Do I have to ride alone or does at least one of my party get to ride again? Is this something we should tell the CM "prior to" doing this?

Thanks for any help. I know this ride is a definite one we'll be doing it with but I anticipate a few more - ToT.

I think he will be "game" for a lot of fun other rides - but I know there are a few I wouldn't even attempt to try with him (even if his height is OK)

 

[LibertyBelle]

With the child swap you will not be able to stand in line with your party and the child (unless the child meets the height requirement and decides not to ride). When you arrive at the attraction (say Mission Space) you would tell the greeter out front that you are doing a child swap. They will then issue you a pass for the person that is waiting with the child to signify that you are doing the swap and show you where you can wait for your party. Once the rest of your party is done and they meet back up with you, you then take the pass you were issued (and 1 or 2 other people from your group...the pass is usually good for 3 people) and return to the fast pass line (or the greeter depending on the attraction) and they will let you through.

So no you will not have to ride alone you can bring 2 people with you. But you will also not be able to wait in line with them as they go through the first time.

The BIG attractions with height requirements (Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, Dinosaur, Big Thunder Mountain, Rock N Roller Coaster, Test Track, Mission Sace, TOT etc...) will have a pass that they physically hand you for the child swap... the smaller attractions that the children can go on, but you might decide is to scary for them like the Haunted Mansion you would just let the greeter know and they will assist you when your group comes out.)

 

[grammagail]

Wow - thank you so much for such a detailed, understandable explanation. While 95% of this trip is to truly enjoy my grandson enjoying Disney - us grown-ups want to have our own little fun too

I'm so glad I found these posts - I have printed off more information than I'll ever be able to remember to use. It's just good to know that we won't have to miss something - as long as we know how the rules work.

Again - thanks for quick reply.

 

[dcmbshafe]

Just be aware that the actual baby-swap procedure varies by attraction. For Space Mountain, we all went through the line together and when we got to the loading area, we told the CM we were doing child-swap. DW went on first and I waited off to the side of the loading area with the kids. When she got off the ride, she was escorted through a back-door to where we were and took the kids to the exit area while I rode. Alternatively, when we rode ToT, we went through one at a time (as in the previous example with Mission: Space). Just ask the CMs at the entrance of each attraction how it works and they'll tell you exactly what to do.

Also, since there will be 4 of you, I believe you will be able to work it so that two of you go at a time - again, just be very clear about what you want to do with the CM and they will help you out. Have a great time!

 

[grammagail]

Again - thanks for the feedback. I want to follow the rules - while still being able to enjoy. We will most definetly check "before" we leap!

I assume there is usually a CM at the beginning - before you actually enter a ride - so we can check?

I remember being there about 8-9 years ago - and someone in our group (there was about 20 of us) had gotten hurt that morning and was confined to a wheelchair (twisted ankle). Disney was very acommodating to our group - and in fact - I feel a lot of our group took "advantage" of their generosity - because they allowed the "wheelchair" person to go thru a different line - and a good majority of our group followed right behind and were able to ride wayyyyy before people standing in line. While this was nice on Disney's part - I felt it was wrong - and didn't take part in it. I felt maybe her family could go with her - but not 15+ other people.

That's why I wanted to make sure of the "rules" of swapping - didn't want others to think we were trying to double-ride or something

 

[jcemom]

Our experience was different from that of dcmbshafe at Space Mountain.

We were issued a paper baby swap pass, similar to a fastpass, good for up to 3 people, at: Tower of Terror, Rock 'n Roller Coaster, Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Test Track, and Mission Space. Another nice thing about the baby swap pass is that you don't have to use it right away, you can come back later in the day whenever it's convenient for you. We did that a couple of times to keep our DD from waiting too too long at one time.

Just be sure to ask the CM at the entrance to each queue to be sure of how they're doing it at that ride on that particular day!

Have fun!

 

[grammagail]

thanks - it's so nice to hear actual stories of what works and what doesn't.

We'll just make sure we ASK before we do anything. I think it's a fantastic idea that Disney allows this - however - my cynical side sees this as something easily abused

While we would only use this for "real" - for the stuff my grandson just doesn't want or can't ride (guess we won't know til we get there) - I can see people abusing this to ride 2X in a row quickly without waiting in line again (?) Or am I missing something?

I just thought we'd all stand in line - the 3 of them would get on while I wait with my grandson...and then when they come off - hand him over and ride my turn (hopefully with one of them). But what I'm hearing you guys say - is that they'll give out a paper pass - or have me wait somewhere else - so that when the first group comes off - we'll go back to the front of the line with our little paper pass and ride BEFORE all the others standing in line? Could get messy coudn't it????

Guess I'll just have to wait and see - but will definetly take all your advise with me. THANKS.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

How tall is your grandson? My 4yo could ride almost every ride when we were there last month, with teh exception of Space Mountain, Rock N Roller Coaster, and Mission to Space. My son is 42" and the cut-off on all the other rides was 40" or less.

T&B

 

[grammagail]

We actually need to measure him - but I'm guessing around the 38-40" mark right now - and we don't leave until the end of June.

Besides the height issue - I don't know how he'll do with some of the intensity of the rides. This is his first time and don't want to push the envelope and ruin the entire trip. Although this is the kid who loves to climb on top of the cupboards or anything that is "climbable" (is that a word???)

We watch the Disney video all the time and he's already said the things he DEFINTELY wants to do (Buzz, Dumbo, etc.) and the things he DEFINETLY doesn't (Haunted Mansion). It's funny to watch him watch the video.

As long as HE wants to ride and meets the requirements - I don't have a problem taking him on something. But - just like at home - HE's THE BOSS

But just knowing we have this "swap" option really helps - since me and both my girls (18 and 22) love the rides - don't want to get all the way to Disney and not be able to do some of our things too.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

My favorite ride is Tower of Terror and I was so hoping that I could get Jake to ride it (my sister ended up going with us so we could have baby swapped it, but I had planned to bring Jake by myself so I wouldn't have had that option originally). He did ride it and ended up riding it 4 more times. Mind you, I started with non-thrill rides and worked up to ToT. I wouldn't have brought him if he hadn't wanted to go, especially if he was freaked out by it, but I was surprised that he liked it as much as he did. He didn't have a problem with HM or any of the other scary themed rides. The only thing that he didn't like were the 3D shows--those scared him.

T&B

 

[SueM in MN]

Originally posted by grammagail

I remember being there about 8-9 years ago - and someone in our group (there was about 20 of us) had gotten hurt that morning and was confined to a wheelchair (twisted ankle). Disney was very acommodating to our group - and in fact - I feel a lot of our group took "advantage" of their generosity - because they allowed the "wheelchair" person to go thru a different line - and a good majority of our group followed right behind and were able to ride wayyyyy before people standing in line. While this was nice on Disney's part - I felt it was wrong - and didn't take part in it. I felt maybe her family could go with her - but not 15+ other people.

I just wanted to mention that things have changed a lot regarding wheelchair users compared to 8-9 years ago. Most lines have been changed to be wheelchair accessible, so in most cases wheelchair and ecv (scooter) users wait in the same line with everyone else. This is called "Mainstream Access". AK and the Studio were constructed with Mainstream lines, so there are no wheelchair lines there. Some of the older rides at MK and Epcot were not able to be renovated to be Mainstream. In some cases, wheelchair users wait in the regular line until just before boarding, then they are directed to the wheelchair entrance. A very few rides (Small World and Spaceship Earth are examples) have wheelchair users enter the ride thru the exit, because there was no other way to make it accessible.

When the rest of my family went on Triceraptop Spin, I went thru the line with them, but didn't want to go on. They led me to a little fenced off area (it could be described as a cage) and shut it from the outside. I was locked in there until the CM let me out! And he forgot about me, so I had to yell a few times when the rest of my party finished.

 

[bmr12]

One other thing to keep in mind about the swap is that it is very time consuming. If you are following a touring plan of any sort, the swap will slow you down considerably, as your wait at these attractions can almost double by the time the first person/group gets through, and then the second group goes through the line again.

So if you are planning to cover lots of ground on a particular day, you'll want to keep this in mind and possibly rent a stroller (helped my 5 year old rest while the adults were able to move much more quickly).

 

[moinab]

Although it is nice that Disney provides the option, we found the baby swap was useless for us, because we just got fastpasses instead (a baby swap pass is basically the same thing as a fastpass - you turn it in to the CM in the fastpass line.) Of course, if there were no fastpasses left, it's a different story, I guess, but we managed to get in everything we wanted to do.

 

[tjmw2727]

Originally posted by grammagail
thanks - it's so nice to hear actual stories of what works and what doesn't.

We'll just make sure we ASK before we do anything. I think it's a fantastic idea that Disney allows this - however - my cynical side sees this as something easily abused

While we would only use this for "real" - for the stuff my grandson just doesn't want or can't ride (guess we won't know til we get there) - I can see people abusing this to ride 2X in a row quickly without waiting in line again (?) Or am I missing something?

I just thought we'd all stand in line - the 3 of them would get on while I wait with my grandson...and then when they come off - hand him over and ride my turn (hopefully with one of them). But what I'm hearing you guys say - is that they'll give out a paper pass - or have me wait somewhere else - so that when the first group comes off - we'll go back to the front of the line with our little paper pass and ride BEFORE all the others standing in line? Could get messy coudn't it????

Guess I'll just have to wait and see - but will definetly take all your advise with me. THANKS.

In our experience you couldn't get a baby swap pass without the non-riding child (too short/scared) present. This helps eliminate abuse (I hope). For example for RnRC - we all went to the entrance of the standby line, about a 20 minute wait. We told the CM we wanted to do a child swap - he asked which child would not be riding and we indicated my dd who was to short. He gave me a baby swap pass which looks and works just like the FP. Youngest DD and I went for ice cream and waited for DH and my older DD to ride. After they rode, older DD and I went back on through the FP line with the baby swap pass and rode while DH and younger dd waited.

So there is minimal chance for abuse - you do have to have a legitimate non-rider and there is no "skipping to the head" as you actually have a FP in the form of the baby swap pass. Nobody but you or the CM would know which pass you have.

Again - your right though, to save frustration check at each attraction as it does change from ride to ride and from day to day. We also use FP instead whenever possible but its nice to have the option to child swap when the standby lines are shorter.

HTH
TJ

 

[Mskanga]

We just came back last month from WDW and we did the child swap a couple of times, one of them on RNR and they never made me get a child swap pass, we all waited on the line and then when we got to the loading dock we told the CM , I was directed to go through some doors to wait on the unloading area and when my dh and dd got off, dh took my youngest with him and I went straight to the fastpass area and got on the ride with my oldest.
Maybe I didn't get a pass because I didn't ask the CM at the door? They probably assumed that she was tall enough and she was riding?

 

[tjmw2727]

Originally posted by Mskanga
We just came back last month from WDW and we did the child swap a couple of times, one of them on RNR and they never made me get a child swap pass, we all waited on the line and then when we got to the loading dock we told the CM , I was directed to go through some doors to wait on the unloading area and when my dh and dd got off, dh took my youngest with him and I went straight to the fastpass area and got on the ride with my oldest.
Maybe I didn't get a pass because I didn't ask the CM at the door? They probably assumed that she was tall enough and she was riding?

Yes, she must have been tall enough as they won't allow a child who dosen't meet the requirement to even enter the building. If your swaping with a non-rider who isn't tall enough you need to get the child swap pass or you will have to wait the line again (or get a regular FP).

Just to clarify!
TJ

 

[grammagail]

Thanks for all the feedback. I think we'll just check before we ride. Sounds the safest to me. I'm "hoping" we don't even have to use it that often - and that my grandson will want to ride some of the bigger rides. We will definetly start out small and work our way up - it is NOT worth ruining a trip over. But just wanted to be prepared and know our legal options for enjoying.

My main concern was like Mission Space (in particular) as I know that one is too much for him - but didn't want to miss out on an oppotunity for the rest of us to ride it.

Thanks to everyone for their advise.

 

[jcemom]

Originally posted by moinab
Although it is nice that Disney provides the option, we found the baby swap was useless for us, because we just got fastpasses instead (a baby swap pass is basically the same thing as a fastpass - you turn it in to the CM in the fastpass line.) Of course, if there were no fastpasses left, it's a different story, I guess, but we managed to get in everything we wanted to do.

Did you know you can use baby swap and FastPass together? A CM told me about that. We got FastPasses for Test Track, then returned at our FP time and asked to baby swap. We were given a baby swap pass to go with my FastPass. DH took the boys on and when they got back I could've taken the boys on (even though by then my FastPass had expired, the CM said with baby swap as long as the first group goes in before the end of the FP window it's okay). The boys weren't crazy about it, though, so we opted no to go on.

The baby swap is nice if your child/children want to ride twice. With FastPass you only get one pass for each person, with baby swap the older kids can ride once with each parent.