Children, Rides and Having a Parent Wait

[CapeCodTenor]

I'm asking this here on the Families board because this deals with kids, but if this isn't the correct place please move or let me know and I'll ask it in the appropriate forum.

I know that Disney stopped the program, or policy, of allowing people who are watching a person in wheel chairs from jumping the line at a ride. However, I recently had a conversation with someone I commute with, who goes down 3/4 times a year, that Disney has a program where they allow parents who are watching a child to jump the line after the other parent has gone through. Is this true? I haven't heard about it before, but then again, I've never gone down with a child before. Thanks.

 

[heath92681]

When your party approaches the standby line, alert the cast member that you have a child too small to ride. A cast member will give the parent entering the standby ride a fast pass that the other parent can use later.

 

[CapeCodTenor]

When your party approaches the standby line, alert the cast member that you have a child too small to ride. A cast member will give the parent entering the standby ride a fast pass that the other parent can use later.

Oh cool...thanks.

 

[MomTo3PrincessesInNJ]

I'm asking this here on the Families board because this deals with kids, but if this isn't the correct place please move or let me know and I'll ask it in the appropriate forum.

I know that Disney stopped the program, or policy, of allowing people who are watching a person in wheel chairs from jumping the line at a ride. However, I recently had a conversation with someone I commute with, who goes down 3/4 times a year, that Disney has a program where they allow parents who are watching a child to jump the line after the other parent has gone through. Is this true? I haven't heard about it before, but then again, I've never gone down with a child before. Thanks.

I wouldn't call it "jumping the line" but they have a Child Swap that is used for families that have children of different heights. So if mom and dad have 3 kids (1 tall, 2 tall, 3 short), All 5 show up to Space Mountain. The Cast Member sees kid 3 is too short, so the CM gives Dad a lanyard to present later in the line to obtain the Fast Pass for mom. Dad then rides first with kid 1 & kid 2 (via Fast Pass if one is scheduled or stand by lane). Then dad walks out and hands mom the fast pass and she can take kid 1 & kid 2 to ride Space Mountain via the Fast Pass line. OR she can wait until later in the day. OR if mom is actually scared and doesn't want to ride, dad and kid 1 & 2 can use the pass to all ride again. The passes are usually valid for a week or so, so you don't have to even use it the same day.

 

[pooh4evr]

Go to the CM at the beginning of the line, or fastpass entrance to get the Child Swap Pass. Sometimes the CM needs to see the small child too, and usually they aren't allowed to get in line, the small child a parent have to wait outside of the ride.

 

[CapeCodTenor]

I wouldn't call it "jumping the line" but they have a Child Swap that is used for families that have children of different heights. So if mom and dad have 3 kids (1 tall, 2 tall, 3 short), All 5 show up to Space Mountain. The Cast Member sees kid 3 is too short, so the CM gives Dad a lanyard to present later in the line to obtain the Fast Pass for mom. Dad then rides first with kid 1 & kid 2 (via Fast Pass if one is scheduled or stand by lane). Then dad walks out and hands mom the fast pass and she can take kid 1 & kid 2 to ride Space Mountain via the Fast Pass line. OR she can wait until later in the day. OR if mom is actually scared and doesn't want to ride, dad and kid 1 & 2 can use the pass to all ride again. The passes are usually valid for a week or so, so you don't have to even use it the same day.

That's great! Thanks. for the info.

Go to the CM at the beginning of the line, or fastpass entrance to get the Child Swap Pass. Sometimes the CM needs to see the small child too, and usually they aren't allowed to get in line, the small child a parent have to wait outside of the ride.

I understand why they'd want to see the child. My DD's pretty tall for her age, don't know exact height, but she's 3 and looks 4, so when we go when she's 5 it shouldn't be too much of a problem with the exception of a few rides. But it's good to have this knowledge.

 

[DopeyDame]

Just to clarify, this is generally only available at rides with height requirements. So if your tall five year old is over 48 inches, you probably won't be able to use it at any point. If someone doesn't *want* to ride they can always use the chicken exit, and sometimes you'll get a CM who will let you have one just because they're being nice, but the actual child swap passes are for kids who are too small to ride. And yes, they have in the past measured my barely-too-small kid to make sure she was below the height before giving us a child swap pass. (Which annoyed me to no end, frankly, because then she got excited thinking she might be able to ride.)

 

[CapeCodTenor]

Just to clarify, this is generally only available at rides with height requirements. So if your tall five year old is over 48 inches, you probably won't be able to use it at any point. If someone doesn't *want* to ride they can always use the chicken exit, and sometimes you'll get a CM who will let you have one just because they're being nice, but the actual child swap passes are for kids who are too small to ride. And yes, they have in the past measured my barely-too-small kid to make sure she was below the height before giving us a child swap pass. (Which annoyed me to no end, frankly, because then she got excited thinking she might be able to ride.)

Thanks for pointing that out. I don't think I have no problem waiting in line, but was wondering if we came to a ride where my daughter wasn't tall enough what would we do.

 

[harrowgirl]

@DopeyDame This is only partially true. The official policy is if a child is too short OR is scared, but you are correct that it is only for rides with a height requirement. Some cast members do stick to the height issue, but they are the ones who are not actually following policy and this is not the norm. My son is not quite 48" tall, and is therefore tall enough for BTMRR, Space, 7DMT, Expedition Everest, Test Track and Tower of Terror. We were able to get rider switch passes on ALL of these rides in May, a couple of them multiple times and were not one time turned down. My son was 5. We perhaps would have had an issue if he was 5' tall and 10 years old....but for a younger child this isn't an issue at all.



"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!"

 

[harrowgirl]

@DopeyDame This is only partially true. The official policy is if a child is too short OR is scared, but you are correct that it is only for rides with a height requirement. Some cast members do stick to the height issue, but they are the ones who are not actually following policy and this is not the norm. My son is not quite 48" tall, and is therefore tall enough for BTMRR, Space, 7DMT, Expedition Everest, Test Track and Tower of Terror. We were able to get rider switch passes on ALL of these rides in May, a couple of them multiple times and were not one time turned down. My son was 5. We perhaps would have had an issue if he was 5' tall and 10 years old....but for a younger child this isn't an issue at all.



"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!"