Confused on Child Swap

[CalSea12]

Ok so an article on the DIS says that Child Swap is where one parent waits off to the side with the baby, while the other rides. Then the adult that was waiting gets to ride without getting back in line.

Now as I am reading some previous posts from a few years ago, people are saying yes the waiting parent has to get back in line and wait to ride.

I do not really see the point in child swap if you just get a "fast pass" or have to wait in line again? Can some one clear this up, and if you do need to wait in line again then what is the point of Child Swap?

Thanks!

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

Ok so an article on the DIS says that Child Swap is where one parent waits off to the side with the baby, while the other rides. Then the adult that was waiting gets to ride without getting back in line.

Now as I am reading some previous posts from a few years ago, people are saying yes the waiting parent has to get back in line and wait to ride.

I do not really see the point in child swap if you just get a "fast pass" or have to wait in line again? Can some one clear this up, and if you do need to wait in line again then what is the point of Child Swap?

Thanks!

Adult 2 gets a FP to use to go thru the FP line decreasing the wait, you do not completely bypass the que. Going thru the FP line could save you hours. Space Mtn often has a standby wait of 60 minutes, in the FP line you are looking about average of 10 or so, saving 50 minutes of waiting.

 

[vdub322]

We will be using Child swap (or rider swap, or whatever you want to call it) for the first time during our trip in a few weeks, so I've been wondering about the process myself. I am hoping that we don't have to take our three year old into lines for rides she can't go on. I think the benefit to getting a fastpass for the non-riding parent would be that my husband and DD12 could ride first while I took DD3 to do something she CAN do, and then when they get back I could go through the Fastpass line. I've even heard that I can take DD12 with me so that I don't have to ride alone. I'm sure someone will correct me if I am wrong...

 

[mesaboy2]

We will be using Child swap (or rider swap, or whatever you want to call it) for the first time during our trip in a few weeks, so I've been wondering about the process myself. I am hoping that we don't have to take our three year old into lines for rides she can't go on. I think the benefit to getting a fastpass for the non-riding parent would be that my husband and DD12 could ride first while I took DD3 to do something she CAN do, and then when they get back I could go through the Fastpass line. I've even heard that I can take DD12 with me so that I don't have to ride alone. I'm sure someone will correct me if I am wrong...

You'll be fine here. They don't allow children who don't meet the height requirement into the queue.

 

[CalSea12]

So basically we get a fast pass from Child Swap instead of our tickets? Is there a certain amount we can get like Fast Pass or can we do any ride as many times as we like?

Both me and hubby are huge fans of Dinosaur and wanna get on it as many times as possible, so can we do this ride over and over on Child Swap?

 

[CalSea12]

You'll be fine here. They don't allow children who don't meet the height requirement into the queue.

Really? So my husband and daughter can not come and wait with me in line, and then exit?

 

[vdub322]

You'll be fine here. They don't allow children who don't meet the height requirement into the queue.

Good...thank you for clearing that up! I really didn't want to have to literally "swap" her...she's just under 40 inches and I feel like that would be rubbing it in her face!

 

[wehavesix]

We will be using Child swap (or rider swap, or whatever you want to call it) for the first time during our trip in a few weeks, so I've been wondering about the process myself. I am hoping that we don't have to take our three year old into lines for rides she can't go on. I think the benefit to getting a fastpass for the non-riding parent would be that my husband and DD12 could ride first while I took DD3 to do something she CAN do, and then when they get back I could go through the Fastpass line. I've even heard that I can take DD12 with me so that I don't have to ride alone. I'm sure someone will correct me if I am wrong...

Yes! To get the child swap, the family goes to the fp entrance and asks the cm there for the child swap pass. CM usually will want to see that the child in question really is a child too small to ride that ride. One person stays with the baby while the others ride. When they return, the waiting adult and up to 2 more (if I remember correctly) can use the child swap ticket to gain entrance via the fp line. So your older child can ride twice. Once with dad and once with mom!

 

[mesaboy2]

Really? So my husband and daughter can not come and wait with me in line, and then exit?

That's been my experience and consistent with everything I've read here.

 

[RMulieri]

That's been my experience and consistent with everything I've read here.

Mine as well.They would not allow me and my too short 5 yr old through the line.

 

[brockash]

Really? So my husband and daughter can not come and wait with me in line, and then exit?

This is correct. We've used child swap many times, and the underheight child is not allowed in the line at all.

Honestly, it's really better this way. My young kiddos don't want to be standing in a line (especially for something they can't even ride) One adult takes the one that can't ride on something that they can do, and then once the other parent has ridden, that parent will go through the fastpass line (with up to 2 other pp., so if you have 2 kids tall enough to ride, they can ride twice- once in the regular line with one parent and then again with the other parent in the f/p line.)

 

[mesaboy2]

Mine as well.They would not allow me and my too short 5 yr old through the line.

Circa late 2006 both CMs in the FP queue at Space Mountain let us through with DD2. DW and her were shown to the unloading area while I rode and then DW was shown to the loading area. This was before I became a Disney gerd, didn't know better, and thought that was the norm. Fast forward about a year later when the first CM, also at Space, let us through again but the second one at the merge point didn't. That led to my least proudest moment when I got upset at that CM and was embarrassed to walk back out that long tunnel.

Either it's changed since then or three of those four CMs needed more training.

ETA: This got me thinking. I wonder if they still do the junior bellhop thing at ToT? DD got to do this when she didn't ride years ago, and I'm pretty sure she didn't meet the height requirement there either.

 

[bumbershoot]

Really? So my husband and daughter can not come and wait with me in line, and then exit?

They go up to the first CM in the line (where you first get into the line) to show you have a swappable child, then the non-riding adult and the kid(s) go elsewhere and amuse themselves. Once the first rider(s) is/are done, the non-rider gets to go.

(if used to Universal, it's not like it is there...there you go through the line altogether...at WDW, apart from a very FEW exceptions I've read about mainly with Splash, you split apart before you get into the line.

 

[Raenstoirm]

Really? So my husband and daughter can not come and wait with me in line, and then exit?

Nope. Your husband gets to take your child to do something she wants to do while you ride. Keeps the little ones from getting really cranky while waiting for something they cant do.

 

[sadossey]

Okay here's a scenario, please explain. This is our first DW trip with me, DW, DD5, DS2. Let's say the line is long for soarin' and we (me, DW, DD) want to ride and get FPs. How would you use FPs in conjunction with rider swap so one of us could keep my son, or can you?

 

[tzolkin]

We will be using Child swap (or rider swap, or whatever you want to call it) for the first time during our trip in a few weeks, so I've been wondering about the process myself. I am hoping that we don't have to take our three year old into lines for rides she can't go on. I think the benefit to getting a fastpass for the non-riding parent would be that my husband and DD12 could ride first while I took DD3 to do something she CAN do, and then when they get back I could go through the Fastpass line. I've even heard that I can take DD12 with me so that I don't have to ride alone. I'm sure someone will correct me if I am wrong...

To me, this is really the key feature of Rider Switch-- it allows both adults to experience an attraction with their older child(ren).

If you just have two adults and one too-short child, you can really just get two FPs and each ride using the FP line. The Rider Switch pass is good for up to 3 people, so the second adult can take one or two older children along. This is wonderful for our family because DH and I both get to ride with our oldest DD.

Also, the Rider Switch Passes do not need to be used immediately (unless this has changed recently, they have always been good for the entire day). This has been convenient for us because a few times DH and DD rode RnRollercoaster and ToT with FP while I waited nearby with the younger kids. We then did a few other attractions together and older DD and I would return later that evening to use our RS passes.

 

[HolliePoppins]

Circa late 2006 both CMs in the FP queue at Space Mountain let us through with DD2. DW and her were shown to the unloading area while I rode and then DW was shown to the loading area. This was before I became a Disney gerd, didn't know better, and thought that was the norm. Fast forward about a year later when the first CM, also at Space, let us through again but the second one at the merge point didn't. That led to my least proudest moment when I got upset at that CM and was embarrassed to walk back out that long tunnel.

Either it's changed since then or three of those four CMs needed more training.

ETA: This got me thinking. I wonder if they still do the junior bellhop thing at ToT? DD got to do this when she didn't ride years ago, and I'm pretty sure she didn't meet the height requirement there either.

This was our experience in sept 2010 and sept 2011. Both times our too short daughter entered the Space Mountain line with us and waited with an adult at the exit.

 

[marshallandcartersmo]

My situation is "similarish". My 2 ds's are definately tall enough to ride, but do not WANT to ride. Trust me, after ds #1 almost fainted after riding RnR, I don't want to push them again
So we'll have DH & I that will want to ride (Everest, Space Mtn, RnR, TOT) & 2 ds's with us that will not. Suggestions? Any different since they are tall enough?

Is single rider the best option for us? Maybe we all get in single rider line but DH & I take turns riding & staying w/boys?? But there aren't many rides with single rider lines, are there?

TIA

 

[mesaboy2]

My situation is "similarish". My 2 ds's are definately tall enough to ride, but do not WANT to ride. Trust me, after ds #1 almost fainted after riding RnR, I don't want to push them again
So we'll have DH & I that will want to ride (Everest, Space Mtn, RnR, TOT) & 2 ds's with us that will not. Suggestions? Any different since they are tall enough?

Is single rider the best option for us? Maybe we all get in single rider line but DH & I take turns riding & staying w/boys?? But there aren't many rides with single rider lines, are there?

TIA

Child swap is designed to be used for children not tall enough, or so I've read. I don't think it works with kids who simply don't want to.

You named two of the only three attractions that have single-rider--Everest, RnRC, and Test Track is the other. Almost all indications are that Test Track will close in a few days and remain down until late Summer or Fall.

 

[jworkkul]

So basically we get a fast pass from Child Swap instead of our tickets? Is there a certain amount we can get like Fast Pass or can we do any ride as many times as we like?

Both me and hubby are huge fans of Dinosaur and wanna get on it as many times as possible, so can we do this ride over and over on Child Swap?

If you have a child under the height for that certain ride, you may obtain a regular fast past to use. You then approach the CM at the entrance and advise them that you want a "child swap." The CM will want to see the child not making the height requirement and give the parent waiting a pass to use. Now, if the riding parent has obtained a regular fast pass they then proceed through the FP lane and ride the ride. Upon exiting, they meet up with the other parent and they will take that "child swap" pass along with 2 other riders (if they have them) through the FP line. If, on the other hand, you do not obtain a regular FP, then the first parent will have to go through the regular line but the other parent gets to go through the FP line.