Exactly how does rider swap work?

[TaxiLab127]

Are you given a fast pass to come back later or do you wait for your party to return from ride, then you ride immediately after? TIA

 

[laceyinwonderland]

We just returned last week from a trip, and used rider swap several times. In all instances but one, DD6 and myself would both have fast passes, at the beginning of the line, point to my mom and DD2 in her stroller, and ask for a rider pass. They give you a small piece of paper, and yes, the child/children plus the adult who didnt ride before come back anytime later and enter thru the FP line whild adult 1 waits with the too small child.

At 7DMT, however, when we asked for rider swap, the CM asked if my mom (who was the waiting adult) had a FP (she did not, we added her tickets last min and couldnt get her one.) The CM said in order for us to use rider swap for that ride, we would all need FP+ or my DD and I would need to wait in the standby line first. I had already been on a few days before, so I let my mom take DD6 and I waited with DD2 and we chose not to get the rider swap.

 

[wilkeliza]

As pointed out the technical rule is if you are using FP all party members must have had the original FP reservation. It does appear 7DMT is the only ride on property following that rule but it is on the books.

If it is for a regular line they will send the first group through the standby line and then when they come out the next group will go through the fastpass line with the card. The cards allow 1 person and up to 3 other guests. I did have one CM try to tell me it was 3 total even though the card says 1 swap plus 3 additional guests. I had to read it out to them and also tell them I work in attractions so I know.

 

[lizard1]

They are getting more strict with the rider swaps. I had several different experiences during the last 2 weeks.

When my kids didn't want to ride TOT (but were big enough) they made us do an internal rider swap. This is where everyone has to wait in line and then when you get to the ride, they give further instructions for one person to wait with those not riding and then you swap when the first person gets off the ride.

On RNR, they wanted to know who was specifically staying with the child who was too small to ride and then wanted to see the other memebers of the party enter the line before giving the swap.

At Space Mountain, they made sure to have EVERYONE scan their band for the FP (even the person waiting) before giving the rider swap pass. I also heard this being done at other rides that my kids were tall enough to ride.

If you get a rider swap ticket, it states that it is good for 3 guests, and this was the case for every RS that I received over the last 2 weeks.

 

[TaxiLab127]

Ok, thanks. Sounds kind of confusing still, but I think I get the idea. I'll just make sure everyone in the party that wants to ride has a fast pass if we decide that route. Thanks again!

 

[Alesia]

This is the best explanation you'll get: http://wdwuntangled.com/rider-switch/

 

[wilkeliza]

They are getting more strict with the rider swaps. I had several different experiences during the last 2 weeks.

When my kids didn't want to ride TOT (but were big enough) they made us do an internal rider swap. This is where everyone has to wait in line and then when you get to the ride, they give further instructions for one person to wait with those not riding and then you swap when the first person gets off the ride.

On RNR, they wanted to know who was specifically staying with the child who was too small to ride and then wanted to see the other memebers of the party enter the line before giving the swap.

At Space Mountain, they made sure to have EVERYONE scan their band for the FP (even the person waiting) before giving the rider swap pass. I also heard this being done at other rides that my kids were tall enough to ride.

If you get a rider swap ticket, it states that it is good for 3 guests, and this was the case for every RS that I received over the last 2 weeks.

Hm I do see in the photos they say 3 guests. I wish I still had mine because I could have sworn a few said 1 plus 3. These were for rides without single rider lines where the difference bettween a party of 3 and a party of 4 is nothing. I.E. BTMRR, Splash, Dinosaur etc.

 

[lizard1]

Hm I do see in the photos they say 3 guests. I wish I still had mine because I could have sworn a few said 1 plus 3. These were for rides without single rider lines where the difference bettween a party of 3 and a party of 4 is nothing. I.E. BTMRR, Splash, Dinosaur etc.

Maybe there is a difference for the rides, then, as my smallest can ride the 40" rides. I know they used to say 1 plus 3 guests as those are the ones I got the trip before this, but this trip they definitely specified 3 guests.

 

[fizz13]

ooh I'm so glad I read this! I thought I was being clever as we have 5 in our party (1 is a 2 year old) and at Epcot I got 2 FP for test track , 2 for soarin and was going to use rider swap to get us all on. it looks like I better choose one or the other, it's great they are being vigilant but this used to work great on previous trips.

 

[jennilouwho]

It's so frustrating trying to figure things out. I emailed Disney a few months ago and was told that I could have FP+ for DH, DS8, and DS6 for Splash Mountain and then get one for me for Winnie the Pooh or Peter Pan to ride with the 18 month old and I would still be able to ride Splash Mountain with rider switch. I book FP+ next week, I wish there was a consistent rule on this one way or the other.

 

[meljean]

As pointed out the technical rule is if you are using FP all party members must have had the original FP reservation. It does appear 7DMT is the only ride on property following that rule but it is on the books.

If it is for a regular line they will send the first group through the standby line and then when they come out the next group will go through the fastpass line with the card. The cards allow 1 person and up to 3 other guests. I did have one CM try to tell me it was 3 total even though the card says 1 swap plus 3 additional guests. I had to read it out to them and also tell them I work in attractions so I know.

I was just logging on to search this question. So the "non" rider also needs to have a fastpass plus if the party has one for that ride? If you are not using fast pass plus does the old way work where you get the ticket to get in the FP line?

 

[wilkeliza]

It's so frustrating trying to figure things out. I emailed Disney a few months ago and was told that I could have FP+ for DH, DS8, and DS6 for Splash Mountain and then get one for me for Winnie the Pooh or Peter Pan to ride with the 18 month old and I would still be able to ride Splash Mountain with rider switch. I book FP+ next week, I wish there was a consistent rule on this one way or the other.

Just know when you email or call it is not people who actually work in the area who respond. Techical in the situation you describe you would be ineligible for a rider swap because by booking a different fp+ you are dating I have no intention on riding x ride.

I really wish they would have real park employees do online and call GR but sadly they are people in offices in Kissimee who don't work in the parks.

 

[wilkeliza]

I was just logging on to search this question. So the "non" rider also needs to have a fastpass plus if the party has one for that ride? If you are not using fast pass plus does the old way work where you get the ticket to get in the FP line?

First answer is by written rule yes. There may be exceptions though. 2nd yes if the party goes through the stand bye first the swap goes through fast pass.

Also for classification ir seems to be a hard 3 now not 4.

 

[stitchfan18]

Do you get a rider switch pass if everyone in your group has a FP?

 

[DopeyDame]

First answer is by written rule yes. There may be exceptions though. 2nd yes if the party goes through the stand bye first the swap goes through fast pass.

Also for classification ir seems to be a hard 3 now not 4.

Really? That doesn't even make sense. Why should my teeny-tiny 5 year old need to use one of his FP+s for a ride he can't ride?

I haven't been since FP+ but that's certainly not how it was explained and enforced when we've used it in the past.

 

[Alesia]

Really? That doesn't even make sense. Why should my teeny-tiny 5 year old need to use one of his FP+s for a ride he can't ride?

I haven't been since FP+ but that's certainly not how it was explained and enforced when we've used it in the past.

Everyone who can ride is supposed to have a fastpass. Anyone who is to short to ride doesn't need one.

 

[jennilouwho]

It's so frustrating trying to figure things out. I emailed Disney a few months ago and was told that I could have FP+ for DH, DS8, and DS6 for Splash Mountain and then get one for me for Winnie the Pooh or Peter Pan to ride with the 18 month old and I would still be able to ride Splash Mountain with rider switch. I book FP+ next week, I wish there was a consistent rule on this one way or the other.

For what it's worth, I emailed Disney back about this saying that it's hard to plan my trip out FP+ wise when I was told the above scenario would work, but the reports online are that it's not working that way. I received a call from someone named Mallory today who told me that the official Disney policy is that I should be able to book 3 FP+ of a height restriction ride for DH and my two older boys and then show the baby and get a rider swap while me and baby go ride Winnie the Pooh with my FP+. She said she was going to "investigate further" why that's not happening in the park all of the time and then she gave what she told me was her direct line to call if there were problems. At this point, I'm going to book all of us on the same ride and not risk the other way, but I thought some might be interested in what I was told on my phone call.

 

[wilkeliza]

Really? That doesn't even make sense. Why should my teeny-tiny 5 year old need to use one of his FP+s for a ride he can't ride?

I haven't been since FP+ but that's certainly not how it was explained and enforced when we've used it in the past.

By non-rider I thought you meant the swapping adult not the 5 year old my apologies.

Your 5 year old would not need the fp for the ride they can't go on.

 

[pezaddict231]

Very interested to know how this is working. It doesn't even make sense that you would need FP for everyone using the rider swap. In that case, why would I even need to get a rider swap? If you had two adults and a baby, couldn't they just ride one after the other using FP alternating who stays with the baby? What is the point of rider swap at all then?

 

[pezaddict231]

Was just looking on the Disney website and it says you can only bring 1 additional guest per swap pass and 7DMT is not listed as one of the child swap attractions