Child/Rider Swap age limit

[smallgingerone]

New here!

We are heading out next summer after taking the kids in 2017. I suspect that there will be a few rides that they do not want to do again that myself and my husband do - given that they already experienced them and weren't too keen (ToT being the main one!).

Is Child swap available on all rides? does it matter that the child is technically tall enough to ride but doesn't want to?

Last time we went my son was not tall enough for FoP and we didn't have FPs so while the rest of the party did RD for this, my husband took him off to do other things and had to queue for 3 hours later in the day to do it. I really want to avoid having to queue for stuff twice if we do not have FPs.

Kids will be 7 and 9 so not really old enough to be left on their own if they queue with us and then take the exit before getting on the ride.

Thanks

 

[china mom]

Child swap is available at rides with height limits and is designed for children not tall enough to ride. That said, there are many reports of a rider swap being given out for a tall enough but reluctant rider. I just would not make that my plan.

I can tell you about one specific exception - Frozen Ever After does not have a height restriction but they gave me a rider swap on behalf of my wheelchair bound mother who was unable to ride but could not be left alone.

BTW, at ages 7&9, you may not want to leave the child alone to wait but under Disney rules, they can be alone. They can ride rides alone at age 7 and the opposite applies.

 

[lanejudy]

As PP says, rider swap is only available at rides with a height limit. You can request a swap for a tall-enough child, but they may require your full party to go through the queue and "swap" at boarding.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[smallgingerone]

Thanks for this, happy for everyone to queue, but I just have a feeling that someone will bail at the last minute when them remember which ride it is!

What's the Disney policy on picking up a child and strapping them in to the ride whether they like it or not?!

 

[MomOTwins]

If it is just you and your husband, you don't need child swap--just get two fastpasses for TOT for yourselves. You will both be able to take turns riding within a 1 hour fastpass window.

 

[smallgingerone]

If it is just you and your husband, you don't need child swap--just get two fastpasses for TOT for yourselves. You will both be able to take turns riding within a 1 hour fastpass window.

Doesn't help if we can't get fast passes for the rides concerned, but also I don't want to automatically assume that they will not want to ride when we get there. Fine if we are refreshing FP during the day and can ask them, but not when we are planning the first three of the day. They will be 3 years older than last time, so may like some rides now... but.....

 

[lanejudy]

Thanks for this, happy for everyone to queue, but I just have a feeling that someone will bail at the last minute when them remember which ride it is!

If someone bails at the last minute, just ask the CM at the loading area if you can do a swap - dad boards with kid1 while mom waits with kid2 (who bailed), when they return, mom rides with kid1 (extra ride!) and dad waits or exits with kid2.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[jlb727]

I have a 8 and 5 year old, and we also went last in 2017 and plan to go in 2020. We used rider swap last time, but my son, who was barely 3 then, will be too tall. I plan to have them watch ride videos on YouTube of some of the popular rides (which they love to do anyway) to refresh their memories before I have to make FP reservations. Then, I will have them rank the rides and tell me which ones they feel comfortable doing again (or trying for the first time!) I am hoping it will help them feel involved in the trip planning!

 

[LongLiveRafiki]

I can tell you about one specific exception - Frozen Ever After does not have a height restriction but they gave me a rider swap on behalf of my wheelchair bound mother who was unable to ride but could not be left alone.

It's wonderful that they gave it to you, but I do want to stress that it's not guaranteed at this ride. We were denied when our 1 year old was sleeping in his stroller. We were told we could do a swap at boarding, but they would not issue the actual pass. The swap at boarding still would have required taking him out of the stroller, so we just waited until the end of our FP window and woke him up early to ride.

We've also been told the swap at boarding was the only option at several other rides (EE, RNR, TOT, etc) with a child tall enough but too scared to ride. OP, they will allow one adult to wait at boarding with the child(ren) who are tall enough but don't want to ride, then that adult can ride when the first gets back (with the child who rode the first time, if there is one, getting a second ride). It's possible you could get pixie dusted and given the actual rider swap pass, but I wouldn't count on it. You can still make it fun for the kids having to wait in line with you by letting them choose the next ride or offering to get a treat afterwards.

 

[Aladora]

According to the WDW website, there is no age limit for Rider Switch. (I had to check for our trip last year, there were some attractions DS did not want to try, when we were actually there he changed his mind!)

Guest Services Rider Switch

Rider Switch

This handy feature allows adult Guests to take turns waiting with youngsters or Guests unable to ride.

What Is Rider Switch and How Does It Work?
If Guests in your party can’t or don’t want to board an attraction, you don’t have to miss out!
If a child does not meet the height requirement or a Guest does not wish to board a particular attraction, no problem! With Rider Switch, one adult can wait with the non-rider (or riders) while the rest of the party enjoys the attraction. When the other adult returns, they can supervise the non-riding Guests, and the waiting adult can board the attraction without having to wait in the regular line again!
Rider Switch is available at select attractions at all 4 Walt Disney World Resort theme parks.

To Use Rider Switch:
1. First check with a Cast member to see if Rider Switch is offered at the attraction in question.
2. Once at the attraction, approach the greeting Cast Member with your entire party. At least one adult member of your party and the Guests who are not riding will be issued a Ride Switch entitlement by the Cast Member and asked to wait in a designated area (usually outside of the attraction). This group is “Party 2.”
3. The other party members (“Party 1”) ride the attraction.
4. After riding the attraction, Party 1 locates Party 2. Then, Party 1 takes over supervision of the non-riding children or Guests.
5. Party 2 enters and boards the attraction without having to wait in the regular queue a second time. The Rider Switch entitlement must be validated by a Cast Member at this time.
If the person in Party 2 waited alone with the child, he or she may bring up to 2 other Guests back to ride the attraction with him or her. Please note that only 3 Guests are allowed per Rider Switch Pass.

Attractions Offering Rider Switch
Get a complete list of attractions at Walt Disney World Resort where you can use Rider Switch.
Magic Kingdom Park
The Barnstormer
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
Space Mountain
Splash Mountain
Stitch’s Great Escape
Tomorrowland Indy Speedway
Epcot
Frozen Ever After
Mission: SPACE
Soarin'
Test Track
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Alien Swirling Saucers
Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
Slinky Dog Dash
Star Tours® - The Adventures Continue
Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park
Avatar Flight of Passage
DINOSAUR
Expedition Everest - Legend of the Forbidden Mountain®
Kali River Rapids
Primeval Whirl

 

[tjmw2727]

The below quoted faq doesn't assure that you will get a "digital rider swap" only that you will be provided a way to ride together if a child who can ride chooses not to.

Occasionally a digital rider swap will be issued to a child eligible to ride but most times the "rider switch" will be done by everyone waiting in line and then the party taking turns at boarding.

If the OP's children meet the height requirement and one of the kids decides not to ride they should be prepared to go do a switch at boarding, no worries as the cm will instruct them what to do.

And yes, I and several others have had personal experience, mine with a barely tall enough nephew who was terrified of TOT but was "eligible to ride". We were offered switch at boarding and that would have been fine if he wasn't afraid of the queue area. Honestly I didn't mind missing it and had a nice relaxing ice cream with my nephew instead of a theme park ride but others seem to feel differently.

According to the WDW website, there is no age limit for Rider Switch. (I had to check for our trip last year, there were some attractions DS did not want to try, when we were actually there he changed his mind!)

Guest Services Rider Switch

Rider Switch

This handy feature allows adult Guests to take turns waiting with youngsters or Guests unable to ride.

What Is Rider Switch and How Does It Work?
If Guests in your party can’t or don’t want to board an attraction, you don’t have to miss out!
If a child does not meet the height requirement or a Guest does not wish to board a particular attraction, no problem! With Rider Switch, one adult can wait with the non-rider (or riders) while the rest of the party enjoys the attraction. When the other adult returns, they can supervise the non-riding Guests, and the waiting adult can board the attraction without having to wait in the regular line again!
Rider Switch is available at select attractions at all 4 Walt Disney World Resort theme parks.

To Use Rider Switch:
1. First check with a Cast member to see if Rider Switch is offered at the attraction in question.
2. Once at the attraction, approach the greeting Cast Member with your entire party. At least one adult member of your party and the Guests who are not riding will be issued a Ride Switch entitlement by the Cast Member and asked to wait in a designated area (usually outside of the attraction). This group is “Party 2.”
3. The other party members (“Party 1”) ride the attraction.
4. After riding the attraction, Party 1 locates Party 2. Then, Party 1 takes over supervision of the non-riding children or Guests.
5. Party 2 enters and boards the attraction without having to wait in the regular queue a second time. The Rider Switch entitlement must be validated by a Cast Member at this time.
If the person in Party 2 waited alone with the child, he or she may bring up to 2 other Guests back to ride the attraction with him or her. Please note that only 3 Guests are allowed per Rider Switch Pass.

Attractions Offering Rider Switch
Get a complete list of attractions at Walt Disney World Resort where you can use Rider Switch.
Magic Kingdom Park
The Barnstormer
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
Space Mountain
Splash Mountain
Stitch’s Great Escape
Tomorrowland Indy Speedway
Epcot
Frozen Ever After
Mission: SPACE
Soarin'
Test Track
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Alien Swirling Saucers
Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
Slinky Dog Dash
Star Tours® - The Adventures Continue
Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park
Avatar Flight of Passage
DINOSAUR
Expedition Everest - Legend of the Forbidden Mountain®
Kali River Rapids
Primeval Whirl

 

[Deb & Bill]

We used to bribe our son when he didn't want to do a ride and I was unable to do it because of motion sickness. My husband hated to ride alone so we'd buy the kiddo something and then he'd ride. He got a lot of stuff that way. He turned out pretty good as an adult and doesn't need to be bribed any more.