big party + rider swap

[DisneyMom2000000]

Hey all!
I am traveling to WDW with 6 adults and 3 children (infant, 2 year old, and 4 year old). Our FP window is opening up. I'm debating on how to do it with the option of rider swap. Is it a safe bet to just book three or four fast passes for rides with rider swap, then do the swap later? Or would you just try to book FP for all adults at once and take turns?

 

[Gentry2004]

You should have no trouble getting a swap, but I think its 1 swap per party not per person, and the swap is only good for 3 riders, so make sure you know which 3 people will be using the swap and make sure everyone else rides the first time.

 

[marcyleecorgan]

I would just split your party up into appropriate groups that are riding, and have some of the adults take the kids to another ride that they CAN ride. If you all can juggle the load of kids, make their FP+ on rides that they can ride, make FP+ for the adults in the party ; why do you need Rider Swap? Or is it because you feel you need to get more value out of your ticket?

And yes, other Disney Guests do get very annoyed over this as you can see from the already visceral reaction. You're not really supposed to use Rider Swap as a way to use your small human to get more FP+, Rider Swap was originally designed for groups who didn't have enough adults to supervise everyone if one of the small humans is too small.

 

[DavidNYC]

I think a lot of the strategy depends on what rides the 4 year old will be tall enough for. A swap pass often ends up allowing a tall enough child to ride twice since the pass allows 3 people to ride. So two scenarios:

1. For a ride where the 4 year old can ride: I'd have 4 adults and the 4 year old get a FP for the ride with the height restriction. I'd have the other two adults get a FP for something they can take the little kids on at during the same window. Those two adults will then use the swap pass with the 4 year old. This requires each party member with a ticket to use 1 FP with the 4 year old riding twice.

2. For a ride where the 4 year old will not ride: 3 adults make FP for the ride with the restriction and the other 3 adults and the child make a FP for a ride they can ride at the same time. Those 3 adults then ride with the swap pass. Alternatively, if there are 2 rides in that park that no child will be riding, the adults can split 3 and 3 for those two rides (the plus is you get two "adult" rides using only one FP but the downside is that the 4 year old basically "wastes" a FP since the child won't have used any FP for that slot). Which is better depends on how you plan to engage the kids while adults are riding.

One thing to remember that is VERY helpful. The swap passes are good all day. If you don't want to have the kids waiting around for two groups to ride, you can hold on to them to use later in the day when the kids are eating, napping in stroller, doing Small World for the 9th time. . . etc. My wife and I would often hold on to them so the kids weren't waiting and then use all of the swap passes while the kids napped in the stroller with my parents watching them.

While some debate this - I believe these strategies are accepted practices. I could get into other things about switching magic bands but that starts getting a lot closer if not over a line. Everyone is just using their FP and taking advantage of a swap while minimizing the "do nothing" time for kids too short.

(EDIT: to rebut the suggestion that this should be limited to when there aren't enough adults - the easiest example of rider swap is 2 parents with a little child. One parent rides, the other parent rides with a swap. I don't think anyone would suggest that's an improper usage but with FP+ it's technically not "necessary". Disney intentionally made the passes all day, they intentionally made them for 3 people. They've cracked down on many many things but the splitting FP between parties for swap has not been one of them). When you're travelling with little kids in a party, you're going to waiting around and "losing" a lot more time than a party where everyone rides - while this system may allow you to take advantage of a higher percentage of FP lines - I can pretty much assure you it does not allow you to get on more overall rides in a day than those with no little kids.)

 

[hodad]

The swap passes are good all month!

 

[DavidNYC]

The swap passes are good all month!

I just had my first trip last week where my daughter finally hit 48" inches so no rider swaps for me for the first time in 8 years! (Although on a side note she was 48" plus 1 millimeter at 9am for RnR and 48" minus 1 millimeter at 3pm so we could have gotten one that second time but I think that would have caused a breakdown if we rode without her!)

I'd seen them at various points being all day, half the month, or all month. I know I'd saved them for nap time but not sure if I ever saved them for another day but that's good point that if they are you can save them up if the kids are having a non-park day and head out to use them all. Again - exactly as intended - an option to use them when the kids who can't ride are otherwise engaged.

 

[DisneyMom2000000]

I would just split your party up into appropriate groups that are riding, and have some of the adults take the kids to another ride that they CAN ride. If you all can juggle the load of kids, make their FP+ on rides that they can ride, make FP+ for the adults in the party ; why do you need Rider Swap? Or is it because you feel you need to get more value out of your ticket?

And yes, other Disney Guests do get very annoyed over this as you can see from the already visceral reaction. You're not really supposed to use Rider Swap as a way to use your small human to get more FP+, Rider Swap was originally designed for groups who didn't have enough adults to supervise everyone if one of the small humans is too small.

We certainly use it for convenience of being able to get group 1 on a ride, have group 2 wait with the babies, and then let group 2 come back to ride at their convenience later.

 

[DisneyMom2000000]

I think a lot of the strategy depends on what rides the 4 year old will be tall enough for. A swap pass often ends up allowing a tall enough child to ride twice since the pass allows 3 people to ride. So two scenarios:

1. For a ride where the 4 year old can ride: I'd have 4 adults and the 4 year old get a FP for the ride with the height restriction. I'd have the other two adults get a FP for something they can take the little kids on at during the same window. Those two adults will then use the swap pass with the 4 year old. This requires each party member with a ticket to use 1 FP with the 4 year old riding twice.

2. For a ride where the 4 year old will not ride: 3 adults make FP for the ride with the restriction and the other 3 adults and the child make a FP for a ride they can ride at the same time. Those 3 adults then ride with the swap pass. Alternatively, if there are 2 rides in that park that no child will be riding, the adults can split 3 and 3 for those two rides (the plus is you get two "adult" rides using only one FP but the downside is that the 4 year old basically "wastes" a FP since the child won't have used any FP for that slot). Which is better depends on how you plan to engage the kids while adults are riding.

One thing to remember that is VERY helpful. The swap passes are good all day. If you don't want to have the kids waiting around for two groups to ride, you can hold on to them to use later in the day when the kids are eating, napping in stroller, doing Small World for the 9th time. . . etc. My wife and I would often hold on to them so the kids weren't waiting and then use all of the swap passes while the kids napped in the stroller with my parents watching them.

While some debate this - I believe these strategies are accepted practices. I could get into other things about switching magic bands but that starts getting a lot closer if not over a line. Everyone is just using their FP and taking advantage of a swap while minimizing the "do nothing" time for kids too short.

(EDIT: to rebut the suggestion that this should be limited to when there aren't enough adults - the easiest example of rider swap is 2 parents with a little child. One parent rides, the other parent rides with a swap. I don't think anyone would suggest that's an improper usage but with FP+ it's technically not "necessary". Disney intentionally made the passes all day, they intentionally made them for 3 people. They've cracked down on many many things but the splitting FP between parties for swap has not been one of them). When you're travelling with little kids in a party, you're going to waiting around and "losing" a lot more time than a party where everyone rides - while this system may allow you to take advantage of more FP lines - I can pretty much assure you it does not allow you to get on more rides in a day than those with no little kids.)

Thank you! We will most likely be doing scenario 2 because the 4 year old is a bit timid.

 

[marcyleecorgan]

We certainly use it for convenience of being able to get group 1 on a ride, have group 2 wait with the babies, and then let group 2 come back to ride at their convenience later.

I am so confused by what you just said. How does that keep you from criss-crossing the Parks and spending lots of time getting to places?

Group 1 gets in their FP+ queue
Group 2 takes Small Humans for bathroom break/snack/gets in the FP+ queue for the kids' rides
Group 1 & 2 meet up again
Group 2 gets in their FP+ queue
Life continues

I can't imagine a scenario in which adults get to avoid the more childish rides at WDW and only ride the thrill rides... if you have kids, you are likely going to have to endure IASW...

 

[DavidNYC]

I am so confused by what you just said. How does that keep you from criss-crossing the Parks and spending lots of time getting to places?

Group 1 gets in their FP+ queue
Group 2 takes Small Humans for bathroom break/snack/gets in the FP+ queue for the kids' rides
Group 1 & 2 meet up again
Group 2 gets in their FP+ queue
Life continues

I can't imagine a scenario in which adults get to avoid the more childish rides at WDW and only ride the thrill rides... if you have kids, you are likely going to have to endure IASW...

I think she was referring only to how they would handle FP for those particular rides - not how they're planning their whole day . . . it does take some planning when you may wisely want to get a FP for Space and/or Splash Mountain since those are typically among the longest waits and need to figure out how to allocate your FP between the "adult" rides and the "kid" rides so you're maximizing the benefit of FP. (This is even more the case when many of the non-height restricted rides are far easier to get as a 4th FP than the mountains).

 

[DisneyMom2000000]

Does convenience always mean cross crossing across the parks? Rider swap means group 2 can entertain the kids with snacks on anothe ride, and not feel like they have to rush right back to the ride. They can go on it anytime. It makes park touring easier for people with small children, that’s all. I don’t think I said we avoid childish rides? Honestly I think you just have a problem with rider swap in general, and that’s ok, but you are really putting way too much energy into this.

I just wanted to know if, for example, for 7DMT if I should make FP for all adults or just four since rider swap exists. If I do make all FP for adults for 7DMT then the kids will have wasted FP because there’s won’t be an adult one left to ride with them on a kiddie ride.

I am so confused by what you just said. How does that keep you from criss-crossing the Parks and spending lots of time getting to places?

Group 1 gets in their FP+ queue
Group 2 takes Small Humans for bathroom break/snack/gets in the FP+ queue for the kids' rides
Group 1 & 2 meet up again
Group 2 gets in their FP+ queue
Life continues

I can't imagine a scenario in which adults get to avoid the more childish rides at WDW and only ride the thrill rides... if you have kids, you are likely going to have to endure IASW...

 

[Gentry2004]

Does convenience always mean cross crossing across the parks? Rider swap means group 2 can entertain the kids with snacks on anothe ride, and not feel like they have to rush right back to the ride. They can go on it anytime. It makes park touring easier for people with small children, that’s all. I don’t think I said we avoid childish rides? Honestly I think you just have a problem with rider swap in general, and that’s ok, but you are really putting way too much energy into this.

I just wanted to know if, for example, for 7DMT if I should make FP for all adults or just four since rider swap exists. If I do make all FP for adults for 7DMT then the kids will have wasted FP because there’s won’t be an adult one left to ride with them on a kiddie ride.

I would do just four adults, then send the others to ride with/entertain the kids.