Fastpass and Child Swap together???

[Poohbear77]

I hope this isn't a question that will get me flamed

I was wondering though, could a parent go through the fastpass line, and then baby swap? Not sure if you HAD to go through the regular line in order to do this. Thanks in advance

 

[ndgqmiller]

Not sure if this is what your asking. My family just got back last week and we have a 2 year old so we had to use baby swap a lot! The way we did it was My husband would get a fast pass for a ride for him and the older 2 kids. Then when he entered the fastpass line I would go with him and we would get a baby swap, which was good for up to 3 riders. When he got off with the kids then I would get on with the bigger kids. But there were a couple of times when he came out and the baby didn't want me to leave or my daughter needed me to take her to the restroom and I told him to just use my babyswap and then I road later. Not a big deal. On Expedition Everest we did fastpass for all of us and did a baby swap. The kids loved riding it. But the lines weren't to long anyways Stand by lines were 20 mins. even for the big rides, with fastpass we usually rode with in 10 mins of getting in line.

 

[Deesknee]

I have done the same as the previous poster.

We usually get the fastpass ASAP upon entering the park. We are a fam of 6 we get 5 fast passes.

Then when we go back to ride it. One of us go on with the 3 teens (using 4 fast passes) while one waits with the baby. When that group gets of the other adult goes on again with the 3 teens using the babyswap (usually equals total of 3 passengers) and the extra fast pass. There have been times when something has come up that one of the teens don't want to ride again, so both adults go on with the other teens which is a real treat to actually ride with the majority of my teens and dh. Or sometimes other things come up and the person who waited out waits out again. There have been more than a few times we have ended up giving away fast passes because one or two of the teens (or adults) have not wanted to ride again. I've never thought of this as cheating in anyway. We have never schemed to get away with extra rides. I don't understand why you would think someone would flame you for this question. It is late and my brain is tired, but am I missing something?

 

[Poohbear77]

This will be our first time using fastpasses,last went in 1996 and didn't use them.

O.K to clarify this is what I thought we would do:

Get 4 fastpasses for 4 different rides
One parent goes through fastpass line
Then babyswap and then other adult goes on with 2 older children without having to use another fastpass ticket

That way we could do 4 rides back to back, and would only have to use up 1 fastpass each ride for all 4 of us.


Does this make sense??? Maybe I am too tired as well.

 

[mamaminnie]

This will be our first time using fastpasses,last went in 1996 and didn't use them.

O.K to clarify this is what I thought we would do:

Get 4 fastpasses for 4 different rides
One parent goes through fastpass line
Then babyswap and then other adult goes on with 2 older children without having to use another fastpass ticket

That way we could do 4 rides back to back, and would only have to use up 1 fastpass each ride for all 4 of us.


Does this make sense??? Maybe I am too tired as well.

I don't think that will work, everyone going through the fastpass line needs their own fastpass (I think )

But maybe I'm too tired as well.

 

[AnnetteF]

This will be our first time using fastpasses,last went in 1996 and didn't use them.

O.K to clarify this is what I thought we would do:

Get 4 fastpasses for 4 different rides
One parent goes through fastpass line
Then babyswap and then other adult goes on with 2 older children without having to use another fastpass ticket

That way we could do 4 rides back to back, and would only have to use up 1 fastpass each ride for all 4 of us.


Does this make sense??? Maybe I am too tired as well.

Just to let you know, you can only be in possession of a fastpass for one ride at a time. You can not get another one until the time of the return time for the first one that you got is passed.

 

[JJ&JSMOM]

Thanks to the OP for asking this question. I was reading the Unofficial Guide this morning on fastpasses and I thought about the baby swap and how that would all work. I was just going to ask the question and then there it was! What a coincidence.

 

[ukwildcat]

Just to let you know, you can only be in possession of a fastpass for one ride at a time. You can not get another one until the time of the return time for the first one that you got is passed.

But this doesn't necessarily mean you can't hold more than 1 legal fastpass at a time. I have personally held two fastpasses at one time. And I know I have read about someone holding 3 legal fastpasses at one time (although I'm not sure how they did it).

I think what Poohbear is proposing is fine. Sounds like one person will ride the ride alone, and then with the other kids as a group. I don't see why each person couldn't hold one fastpass (each for a different ride), and then do what Poohbear said. Wordy enough?

 

[Poohbear77]

Thanks ukwildcat,

I am so glad that you understood. It was a confusing question, but I figured if anyone could answer it someone at the Dis could
Thanks again

In case anyone was wondering how I would be getting 4 legal fastpasses, I would be using my husbands ticket at one ride, then mine at another, then one childs, then the other. (4 separate rides)and doing a baby swap at each one. HTH

 

[Schmeck]

Baby Swap works independently of Fastpass. If you get a FP for the intended attraction, the first riders go through the FP line, then the babyswap group goes through the FP line afterwards. If you don't get FP, then the first riders goes in the standby line, and the babyswap group goes through the FP line.

 

[all4fun]

What Schmeck said.

Plus, here's the page on Allearsnet the explains Fastpass in more detail: here and on WDW Info here .

Here's the page that explains how the Rider Swap works: Here .

hth.

 

[tjmw2727]

Technically, in theory I guess this would work but could be hassle to actually accomplish.

The biggest drawback I see to this is actually getting the FP's in the first place and then getting back to ride within the return time window without running yourselves ragged doing it. Especially at Epcot where Soarin and TT are at opposite ends of the park.

Since you have to be at the attraction to get the FP you will first have to walk to each attraction to get the FP and then return to each attraction for the first parent to ride then back to the attraction for the 2nd parent and siblings to ride. I know my kids would be wondering why they couldn't just ride!!. For some attractions your return time can be several hours away. Also the child who dosen't meet the height restriction must be present when the 1st parent rides in order to get the rider switch pass for the 2nd parent. In my experience, as recently as 2 weeks ago they were VERY strict about this.

What we would do is alternate between FP and standby with rider swap especially with rides that are in close proximity. For example we would get FP's for Splash Mountain and then ride BTMR via the standby line while waiting for our return time. You can still use rider swap so everyone can ride. Then we would go to say tomorrowland and get a FP for Space Mnt and ride Buzz and TTA etc vaa standby while waiting for our Space return time.

Keep in mind that the purpose of babyswap is so that families with babies and young children can experince the attractions without twice the wait time not as a fast pass replacement.

TJ

 

[tjmw2727]

What Schmeck said.

Plus, here's the page on Allearsnet the explains Fastpass in more detail: here and on WDW Info here .

Here's the page that explains how the Rider Swap works: Here .

hth.

Wow, I just have to mention that the page quoted above on rider swap is no longer accurate. Only Primeval Whirl and Star Tours still do the rider swap as described on that page. The others use a rider swap pass that works like a fast pass for the second parent. In addition not all the rides listed are offering the riderswap. Maybe its time for an update!

TJ

 

[fromscratchmom]

Yikes. I thought I understood, but this seems to be getting kind of muddled. I got my info on it from the Unofficial Guide. I thought that "the baby swap" referred to when 2 people who both want to ride stand in line together and have a their non-riding offspring with them in the line. Then when they get to the front of the line one rides (possibly with an older child but obviously not with the non-riding younger child and obviously not with the adult who will be staying at the front of the line with the non-riding child). Then when the first adult is done riding, he or she takes over the care of the non-riding child while the parent who had been waiting rides.

I can't see any reason why they would have suddenly discontinued doing this? But I also can't quite understand why they would do it differently in the fast-pass line. I would have assumed that everyone in the fastpass line who wants to ride needs to have their own fast pass. Isn't this true of guests who are not doing the baby-swap? If so, why would it be different for those who are doing the baby-swap?

I'm sure hoping that a CM (or 2 or 3) might see this and offer us some clarification. I'm really trying to be prepared to know what to expect when we get to Disney.

 

[ndgqmiller]

Okay we just got back last week and this is how it worked for us. When we used fastpass we just asked the fastpass guy for a baby swap ticket and when my husband got off the ride I would then enter the fastpass line. If my husband went in the standby line we just went up to the fastpass line before he entered the standby line and they would give us a baby swap pass (good for up to three riders.) You must all be together when you go up to the cast member they have to see the child. The previous writer was correct about star tours we did all stand in line together. I personally liked the baby swap pass better, bc I would walk around with my 2yr old or find a ride she could ride. Better than holding her in line. My unofficial guide says the samething. But that is not how it worked.

 

[Poohbear77]

tjm- I agree, the more I actually think about it I would probably do this with only 2 rides at a time, and only those within close distance of each other. Thanks for the advice about using the standby line, that does sound like the way to go.

Is there always a CM at the opening of the ride that handles the baby swap passes? I don't know if my 2 year old will be able to handle going through the entire queue.

I think that the baby swap pass is a much better idea then having the entire group go through together.
Thank you guys for all your help!!!

 

[ndgqmiller]

Yes, there is a CM at every entrance to monitor the fastpass times.

 

[Schmeck]

I thought that they wouldn't let anyone under the height restriction into the queues at all - that's why the swap is done outside of the queues. If the child is above the height restriction, but still doesn't want to ride, then they can do the swap inside the attraction.

 

[tjmw2727]

I thought that they wouldn't let anyone under the height restriction into the queues at all - that's why the swap is done outside of the queues. If the child is above the height restriction, but still doesn't want to ride, then they can do the swap inside the attraction.

Yes that's right the child can't enter the line with you but must be with you to get the swap pass. You can get one from the CM before you enter either the the FP or standby line. Usually the CM will hand the rider swap pass to the parent riding second who can then go off to wait or do something else. Then when the second party rides with the rider swap the other parent and the child can be elsewhere doing something fun they don't have to return to the attraction again.

TJ

 

[tjmw2727]

For those wondering about details on babyswap, here is a repost of my child swap 101. It is very unofficial but based on my many years of using the various evolutions of babyswap/childswap most recently in Feb and April and October of 2006 with my 2yo neice and 4yo nephew and 9 & 10yo dd's.

My first advice on baby swap is to tell the CM at the attraction before you enter the line (either Fastpass or Standby) that you want to use the swap and find out how they handle it. Do not wait until you are boarding!

The baby/child unable to ride must be with you to do a swap so everyone must approach the line together. Some CM's have you all wait the line together, then the first parent and older child(ren) ride and other parent and younger child wait at the exit and then switch via the exit allowing the older child(ren) to ride with both parents. Off hand I think only Star Tours and Primeval Wirl still do it this way. Most rides now give you a rider swap pass. The rider swap pass works like a fast pass and allows up to 3 people total to return to that attraction anytime that day so the second parent can ride.

You all go to the entrance of the standby line or use a FP in the FP line and ask to use parent swap. The CM will give you the swap pass and the parent riding second and the baby (or young child) can then leave to do something else while the first party rides. The child who dosen't meet the restricion must be with you to get the rider swap pass!! The second parent then returns to ride via the FP line with the rider swap pass and can ride with 2 others (3 max) if they like. I prefer the rider swap pass because the baby or child that dosen't meet the height requirement dosen't have to wait the line for something he/she can't ride.

Hope this is helpful!
TJ