Child Swap

[jadelsp]

I am going in April and will be traveling with my 4 y.o. who is very tall for his age and is height able to ride everything except Screaming but not mentally able to ride some things, do they allow the child swap passes for situations like this. We have multiple people in our party and it would be nice to have 2 ride and then use the swap pass for the other 2 to ride, but I am not finding if they offer the child swap when the child is big enough to ride? Any help or insight would be appreciated.

 

[Imdboss]

Yes they do. We used child swap last Oct for a couple rides when DS was 6 and tall enough to ride but they were just too scary for him. Never had a problem.

 

[wenrob]

It's technically "rider swap," it's most commonly used for children but it's for anyone who can't ride for whatever reason. You shouldn't have any issues. My son dislikes roller coasters and I just tell the CM he's too nervous to ride, never a problem.

 

[corinne76]

Wow! When I asked about ride swap before on here, I was told that we could use it only for rides DS (he will be 4.5 yrs) is too short to ride, not the ones he won't ride just cause he's scared. He finally made 40 in and some rides should be fine but I think he still won't go on some. He's my scared-y child

This is good to know. I may have to ask the CM in charge anyway.

edit: okay wait. child swap, rider swap, rider switch ... are they all the same thing?

 

[wenrob]

Wow! When I asked about ride swap before on here, I was told that we could use it only for rides DS (he will be 4.5 yrs) is too short to ride, not the ones he won't ride just cause he's scared. He finally made 40 in and some rides should be fine but I think he still won't go on some. He's my scared-y child

This is good to know. I may have to ask the CM in charge anyway.

edit: okay wait. child swap, rider swap, rider switch ... are they all the same thing?

You were very misinformed. Yes, they are all the same thing. I said rider swap but it's rider switch. The idea behind it is that if someone in the party sits with the non rider, be it a child too young/short, someone who is too frail or just scared to ride they won't have to wait in line making the others who just rode in turn wait for them. It's kind of like a placeholder for the person who sits out but would have otherwise waited in the same line.

 

[wenrob]

Here is the definition from the WDW page, I can't find one for Disneyland. The wording says children but I've always understood it to be anyone who for whatever reason can't ride. My son is clearly tall enough to ride and we have never had an issue.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/rider-switch/

 

[corinne76]

You were very misinformed. Yes, they are all the same thing. I said rider swap but it's rider switch. The idea behind it is that if someone in the party sits with the non rider, be it a child too young/short, someone who is too frail or just scared to ride they won't have to wait in line making the others who just rode in turn wait for them. It's kind of like a placeholder for the person who sits out but would have otherwise waited in the same line.

Well that's just straight awesome! OUr last trip we went with my friend and she had an infant and I had a toddler. So we actually needed rider switch because we had really little ones. this time, DS is FINALLY tall enough but he may not ride everything he's physically able to. This won't affect many rides but maybe one or two. This is great to know! thank you so much!

 

[wenrob]

Well that's just straight awesome! OUr last trip we went with my friend and she had an infant and I had a toddler. So we actually needed rider switch because we had really little ones. this time, DS is FINALLY tall enough but he may not ride everything he's physically able to. This won't affect many rides but maybe one or two. This is great to know! thank you so much!

Well, there is hope. My son is afraid of everything but little by little he's warming up and becoming more adventurous each trip. His twin sister loves it though because she gets to ride everything twice, haha.

 

[jadelsp]

I knew that you guys would know the answer. I thought it was just for those to small, so this is great news. Thank you all so much for your help and knowledge. We will be there on the 19th and I cannot wait.

 

[SMD]

It's only available on rides that have a height restriction, but they're not going to measure him before giving you the swap pass.

 

[wenrob]

It was also available for the Haunted Mansion when we were there last summer.

 

[southlake]

I'm confused how this works. Do you both have to wait in line and then one person/parent takes the Rider Switch pass from a CM, leaves, then gets back in line.. where? I've never understood how this works!

 

[wenrob]

You take your group to (usually) the single rider line, show them the non rider and tell them you'd like a rider switch pass. Depending on the ride, they either give you one right then or they give you a lanyard with a card to take to the CM where you board. The people who are riding right then get in line (either standby oR fast pass if you have them) while the ones who are not go take a break or do something else. When the riders come off the ride then the person who sat out with the non rider and two others can then go.

 

[southlake]

You take your group to (usually) the single rider line, show them the non rider and tell them you'd like a rider switch pass. Depending on the ride, they either give you one right then or they give you a lanyard with a card to take to the CM where you board. The people who are riding right then get in line (either standby oR fast pass if you have them) while the ones who are not go take a break or do something else. When the riders come off the ride then the person who sat out with the non rider and two others can then go.

Thank you, but then where does the second rider go to get in line to get up front? This is what I'm confused on for the second person.

 

[wenrob]

Thank you, but then where does the second rider go to get in line to get up front? This is what I'm confused on for the second person.

Oh, I'm sorry. The just go to the fast pass line.

 

[Rubygoose]

Thank you, but then where does the second rider go to get in line to get up front? This is what I'm confused on for the second person.

The rider swap card essentially works like a FP, since the second person and up to 2 others can use the pass to go into the FP line up. Also, you don't need to use it right away, but you do need to use it the same day.

 

[southlake]

Ok so rider swap passes are equivalent to Fast Passes. Kind of, in that the first non-rider has to wait in line twice. First in the standby line, second in the Fast Pass line. I think I got it now?

 

[southlake]

The rider swap card essentially works like a FP, since the second person and up to 2 others can use the pass to go into the FP line up. Also, you don't need to use it right away, but you do need to use it the same day.

Thank you!

 

[wenrob]

Ok so rider swap passes are equivalent to Fast Passes. Kind of, in that the first non-rider has to wait in line twice. First in the standby line, second in the Fast Pass line. I think I got it now?

They do not have to stand in line twice. Your whole party goes to the CM near the FP/Single Rider line and requests the pass. Now the non riders go about their business while the riders get in the appropriate line. When you get the pass you're not really standing in any kind of line, you're just walking up, showing your party and then splitting up.

 

[southlake]

Thanks Wen. I missed in your first response that one has to go to the single rider line to request the pass upfront. Our DD is old enough to ride most rides but with a new baby on the way, I'm going to need to figure out how to use this for future visits!