Child Swap Question

[hunter6009]

DH, Me, DS (4) and DS (infant) will be at WDW in Sept. I have a question about the child swap thing at the parks...
If I want to do the child swap and wait while DH and DS ride, can DS ride again right away with me? He won't want to stay behind while mommy rides the ride he just had fun on by herself and I also want some memories with him on rides...

How do we go about doing the child swap? Do I need a special pass or something?

 

[tina_la]

you are right your older son can ride with each of you once using the child swap. Our experience last year was we would walk up to where the line started and there is always a CM waiting there. Told the Cm we wanted to do a baby swap and she would hand us a paper card (looks like a fast pass) and it says something about baby swap pass and the ride's name. After DS and DH get off just grab DS and ride again. You will enter through the fast pass line with your baby swap pass. I think these are good for up to 3 people. I know my 2 oldest would ride with DH and then both would ride again with me using the swap pass.

The only ride we encounter that was different was Star Tours and in there they had me walk up the que and wait for DH. What we were supposed to do was DH was to wait in the seat and I would hand off the baby while he then left with the baby out the exit. It got all confused (DH has selective hearing sometimes) and it really was confusing since this was the very first ride and time we had done the baby swap. That was the only ride handled this way though and no more problems any other time during the vacation. Looking forward towards doing it again this year. Have a great time. Might see you there in Sept.

 

[hunter6009]

you are right your older son can ride with each of you once using the child swap. Our experience last year was we would walk up to where the line started and there is always a CM waiting there. Told the Cm we wanted to do a baby swap and she would hand us a paper card (looks like a fast pass) and it says something about baby swap pass and the ride's name. After DS and DH get off just grab DS and ride again. You will enter through the fast pass line with your baby swap pass. I think these are good for up to 3 people. I know my 2 oldest would ride with DH and then both would ride again with me using the swap pass.

The only ride we encounter that was different was Star Tours and in there they had me walk up the que and wait for DH. What we were supposed to do was DH was to wait in the seat and I would hand off the baby while he then left with the baby out the exit. It got all confused (DH has selective hearing sometimes) and it really was confusing since this was the very first ride and time we had done the baby swap. That was the only ride handled this way though and no more problems any other time during the vacation. Looking forward towards doing it again this year. Have a great time. Might see you there in Sept.

Thank you- one more question as now I'm a bit confused...when you say walk up to the line where the CM is, did you mean you never waited in line? I guess I imagined child swap was when you all 4 of us wait in line and then right before I board the ride, I tell them I'm doing child swap and me and baby step to a waiting area. Then when DH and DS get done, DS and I hop on the ride. Is that right or no?
From your post it kinda sounded like we don't wait in line ever...like a fastpass. Is that the case?

 

[tjmw2727]

Thank you- one more question as now I'm a bit confused...when you say walk up to the line where the CM is, did you mean you never waited in line? I guess I imagined child swap was when you all 4 of us wait in line and then right before I board the ride, I tell them I'm doing child swap and me and baby step to a waiting area. Then when DH and DS get done, DS and I hop on the ride. Is that right or no?
From your post it kinda sounded like we don't wait in line ever...like a fastpass. Is that the case?

No, not quite;
The first party to ride has to wait in the standby line or use a fast pass. So before entering the actual line there will be a CM at the entrance and that is when you ask for the rider swap pass. The CM will give the pass to the parent riding second who can then go and do something else while the first party rides. Then anytime that day, right away or later on, the second parent and up to 2 others can return and ride via the fast pass line.

If a child isn't tall enough to ride they will not even be able to enter the queue with you at all. The exception, as a pp mentioned is Star Tours where you all wait together and then switch at the exit.

HTH
TJ

 

[tina_la]

No I changed a line and I guess that did make it more confusing.

There is a CM waiting at every ride BEFORE you get in line. Right at the entrance. The CM before you get in line will give you one baby swap pass. After that you or your DH will get in the regular line with your son. When that adult and your DS get off the ride you then use the baby swap pass by getting in the fast pass line. It does save time but in Sept the lines are really low anyway we almost didn't need it except for really popular rides like Soarin'.

The only time we had a situation like the one you are talking about was Star Tours and it was exactly like you posted.

BTW: Sometimes a good place to hang out with the baby will be the dump shops at the end of the ride your DH and DS are on. For one thing all rides empty into one and they are air conditioned. Another thing is it will be easy to met with DH and DS when they get off the ride. Bad thing about it: depending on the age of your youngest you may end up buying stuff.

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

Just wanted to add that we have been to Disney for the past 5 Septembers and fast pass and child swap has never been running (lines are too short to need it). Depending on WHEN you are going in Sept, this might not be an issue.

 

[GhostLady]

I saw that the baby swap is only good for two people so I don't think it would help us out much but I wanted to make sure.

We have 4 children, one is only 2 and won't be able to ride the bigger rides. My DS(6) will be able to ride some of them so DH and I would like to take turns riding those with him. The problem is that we also have DD (15) and DS (13) who won't want to wait around for the 2nd ride. Does this mean that one of the older children can ride the 2nd time but not the other one?

This may not even be an issue since DS (6) can't ride some of them and DD isn't big on rides so she may not even want to ride but I just wanted to make sure of the rules before we go.

TIA. Hope this isn't to confusing....

 

[estherhead]

Not sure how accurate this is, but when we went last year we had 3 kids, 2 big kids & a baby. We did the baby swap a couple times. We went to the Fast Pass CM & asked for a baby swap ticket. They give fastpass looking ticket to you & then your family get in line. I would take the baby to go sit in the shade to nurse/change diapers/have a little snack. Then when they were done I would hand the baby to dh & take the big girls & my baby swap ticket back to the CM & he/she would let me & my two daughters go up the fastpass line.

This worked really well with Fastpasses themselves. We would get 4 FP's. Then come back at the beginning of our FP window & grab a baby swap & while they hopped in the FP line I would get 4 more FP's. Then 15 min later they would be off & I would ride (the girls rode a 2nd time.) Then we would still have 5 FP (& only need 3.) We would come back at our next window & do the whole thing again & hand the 2 extra FP's to a couple. We did this a couple times & it allowed our girls to ride their favorites 4 times with no line.

 

[tjmw2727]

I saw that the baby swap is only good for two people so I don't think it would help us out much but I wanted to make sure.

We have 4 children, one is only 2 and won't be able to ride the bigger rides. My DS(6) will be able to ride some of them so DH and I would like to take turns riding those with him. The problem is that we also have DD (15) and DS (13) who won't want to wait around for the 2nd ride. Does this mean that one of the older children can ride the 2nd time but not the other one?

This may not even be an issue since DS (6) can't ride some of them and DD isn't big on rides so she may not even want to ride but I just wanted to make sure of the rules before we go.

TIA. Hope this isn't to confusing....

The first party can be as big or small as you like - either use the standby line or use FP. If you use FP you will need a FP for each person riding the first time.

The rider swap pass is good for up to 3 people total. The reason is so that the second parent dosen't have to ride alone. A side benefit is that often siblings get to ride twice. In your case I would have some kids ride with the first parent and the others ride with the second parent. On rides where the 6yo doesn't want to ride or isn't tall enough both of the older kids can ride twice.

This way everyone gets to ride and nobody has to ride alone.

TJ