FastPass+ Basic Info, Suggested Priorities, And Strategies--Part II

[SPOERLX3]

Because the only _guaranteed_ way to get a Rider Switch pass is to have a child who is not allowed to ride, not one that simply doesn't want to.

You _may_ be given a Rider Switch pass for other reasons. Or you may be accommodated differently.

The poster I was responding to has a small child.

We just got back from Disney World last Wednesday. My grandson is 7 and every inch tall enough to ride every ride. There were several that he did not want to ride (RnRC, ToT, SM, etc) and never was his height considered. We just went up to the CM at the ride and ask for a Rider Switch and they gave us one so it doesn't appear that there is a single reason for a rider switch.
On other rides, we would walk through the line with the rest of our family and then at the end, we would just tell the CM we decided not to ride then I would go back and get in a single rider line if they had one. Never a problem.

Here is the Rider Switch information from the Disney World website.

What Is Rider Switch and How Does It Work?

If Guests in your party don’t want to board an attraction, you don’t have to miss out. One adult can wait with the non-rider while the rest of the party experiences the attraction. The waiting adult can then board the attraction without having to wait in the regular line again when another adult in the party returns to supervise the child or children who do not ride—either because they do not meet the height requirement or simply do not wish to ride.

Rider Switch is available at select attractions at all 4 Walt Disney World Resort theme parks. See a Cast Member at the attraction for more information.

To Use Rider Switch:

1. Check that Rider Switch is offered at the attraction in question by asking a Cast Member.

2. Enter the normal queue with your entire party. At least one adult member of your party and the Guest who will not be riding will then be issued a Rider Switch Pass and asked to wait in a designated area. This group is “Party 2.”

3. The remaining party members, “Party 1,” ride the attraction.

4. After riding the attraction, Party 1 locates Party 2. The non-rider is then “switched” to Party 1.

5. Party 2 enters without having to wait in the regular queue a second time and boards the attraction. The Rider Switch Pass must be presented to a Cast Member at this time.

If the person in Party 2 waited alone with the child, he or she may bring one Guest back to ride the attraction with him or her. Please note: Only 2 Guests are allowed per Rider Switch Pass.

 

[mousevisitor]

Check often around the 45 day mark when packages have to be cancelled (figure 52-45 days out) ... And then keep checking a lot as it gets to be the final week - as people start their vacation they seem to figure the system out more and make adjustments..which could leave a FP for you

Thank you so much for the tips! I will definitely try these.

 

[doconeill]

We just got back from Disney World last Wednesday. My grandson is 7 and every inch tall enough to ride every ride. There were several that he did not want to ride (RnRC, ToT, SM, etc) and never was his height considered. We just went up to the CM at the ride and ask for a Rider Switch and they gave us one so it doesn't appear that there is a single reason for a rider switch.
On other rides, we would walk through the line with the rest of our family and then at the end, we would just tell the CM we decided not to ride then I would go back and get in a single rider line if they had one. Never a problem.

Here is the Rider Switch information from the Disney World website.

What Is Rider Switch and How Does It Work?

If Guests in your party don’t want to board an attraction, you don’t have to miss out. One adult can wait with the non-rider while the rest of the party experiences the attraction. The waiting adult can then board the attraction without having to wait in the regular line again when another adult in the party returns to supervise the child or children who do not ride—either because they do not meet the height requirement or simply do not wish to ride.

Rider Switch is available at select attractions at all 4 Walt Disney World Resort theme parks. See a Cast Member at the attraction for more information.

To Use Rider Switch:

1. Check that Rider Switch is offered at the attraction in question by asking a Cast Member.

2. Enter the normal queue with your entire party. At least one adult member of your party and the Guest who will not be riding will then be issued a Rider Switch Pass and asked to wait in a designated area. This group is “Party 2.”

3. The remaining party members, “Party 1,” ride the attraction.

4. After riding the attraction, Party 1 locates Party 2. The non-rider is then “switched” to Party 1.

5. Party 2 enters without having to wait in the regular queue a second time and boards the attraction. The Rider Switch Pass must be presented to a Cast Member at this time.

If the person in Party 2 waited alone with the child, he or she may bring one Guest back to ride the attraction with him or her. Please note: Only 2 Guests are allowed per Rider Switch Pass.

The web site is often quoted, but as anyone who has actually used Rider Switch knows, it is actually wrong on a number of items. Note that the first paragraph does NOT mention how you will be accommodated - Rider Switch is mentioned afterwards, but isn't explicitly mentioned as the method for all cases.

The entire party does NOT enter the queue. A child who is too small isn't even allowed to enter the queue. And in most cases, there is no designated waiting area, nor are you required to wait - you are permitted to leave the area and do something else. You can come back later in the day.

For some reason they seem to be mixing up multiple methods of accommodation.

And the last part saying it is good for only 2 guests has been wrong forever - it has always been 3 guests.

My information has been confirmed both in person and by attraction CMs. They need to accommodate you - they just don't HAVE to do it with a Rider Switch pass. They do in a lot of cases because it is easier for them in general.

 

[normjen]

I know that one Magic band can reserve 4th FP+ for all, but what if one of us hops to another park and the others stay at the original park. Can that hopper reserve FP+ (after all 3 are used at the original park)for the ones remaining at the original park? I hope I make sense.

 

[Minnie95]

You can book another FP+ as soon as yus use the last of your first 3 or as soon as you use the previous one (if they are your extra ones). Another thing which I didn't know until the other day is that you can book the additional FP+ at the kiosk, but amend the time in MDE.

Thank you! And thanks for that extra tidbit of info; that will really help!

 

[glamdring269]

This may be known but wanted to share...

There is also a bug in the 'change experience' selection when modifying FP+. We hit this one a few different times last week.

Basically, if you change the time for an experience it's straightforward.

However, if you select change experience it will say you are looking to change experiences within the already selected time slot but may actually give you an entirely different time.

Example:

FP+ in hand for 10-11 Haunted Mansion
Change experience for that 10-11 slot to Pirates
New FP+ generated with a time slot of 2-3

I think what this is doing is showing you every experience that is available throughout the day. If it is available during your time slot then you will get that time slot. If it's not available during that slot it will give it to you at the first open slot. But it is misleading because it states a specific time above the experience selection.

Anyway, just FP+ negativity piling on here. Not necessarily related directly to the TSMM FP+ madness we experienced last week.

 

[KimBean]

I couldn't get in til 1 AM on 10/13, and we're staying at Saratoga Springs.

On my night 10/13 at midnight it did not seem like anyone got on at midnight from our little pool here. I got on at 1am on the dot. Staying at CSR with a package and was able to get A&E and 7D which tells me no one was on at midnight or they probably would have been gone already.

 

[Disneyfriend]

I have looked through the thread for this question and not found the answer - sorry if I missed it!

We are planning a split stay for our next trip. Buying a 10 day PH, and the days will be split between two Disney resorts.

Can I get FP+ reservations for the *entire* stay (including the days when we'll be at resort #2) once we are 60 days away from check-in at resort #1?

Many thanks!

 

[Wenny]

I was able to get A&E FP+ for my 9 yo daughter and I, but not for the same timeslot. Hers is 1:40 - 2:40 and mine is 2:40 - 3:40. Is there a chance guest relations could move one of them? Or would we be better off showing up at exactly 2:40?

 

[MacDalt]

I was able to get A&E FP+ for my 9 yo daughter and I, but not for the same timeslot. Hers is 1:40 - 2:40 and mine is 2:40 - 3:40. Is there a chance guest relations could move one of them? Or would we be better off showing up at exactly 2:40?

Send your DD in at 2:38 and have her wait for you just after the FP+ scanner.

 

[Wenny]

Send your DD in at 2:38 and have her wait for you just after the FP+ scanner.

Brilliant! Thank you!!!

 

[doconeill]

I have looked through the thread for this question and not found the answer - sorry if I missed it!

We are planning a split stay for our next trip. Buying a 10 day PH, and the days will be split between two Disney resorts.

Can I get FP+ reservations for the *entire* stay (including the days when we'll be at resort #2) once we are 60 days away from check-in at resort #1?

Many thanks!

No, each reservation is independent at this point.

 

[eeyoreland]

I sincerely apologize if this has been asked and answered, but I will admit I didn't take the time to read all the posts. Feel free to point me to a specific post # if that helps. We are going in January. Our first night is room only because the package discount doesn't start until our second night. So, 1 night room only and 5 nights as a package. Have 6 day park hoppers. We would like to go to a park our first day there. I called Disney and was told the only way we can do that is to buy a one day pass. Is this really true? That one day pass for three of us will eat up what I saved with the package. I was led to believe when I booked this that we'd have access to our hoppers that first day.

 

[doconeill]

I sincerely apologize if this has been asked and answered, but I will admit I didn't take the time to read all the posts. Feel free to point me to a specific post # if that helps. We are going in January. Our first night is room only because the package discount doesn't start until our second night. So, 1 night room only and 5 nights as a package. Have 6 day park hoppers. We would like to go to a park our first day there. I called Disney and was told the only way we can do that is to buy a one day pass. Is this really true? That one day pass for three of us will eat up what I saved with the package. I was led to believe when I booked this that we'd have access to our hoppers that first day.

This isn't really a question about FP+, which is why you won't find it answered in this thread.

Unfortunately our resident ticketing CM appears to have retired, but if you check the ticket sticky thread, post 15, section I, you'll get your question answered, at least as far as it was within the past two years, and I am unaware of any change.

Alas, calling Ticketing will yield the result you got. They do not have any knowledge of (or refuse to acknowledge) how it is actually done at the parks.

 

[Redarrow5150]

Are you changing just the time or can you change the attraction as well?

You can book another FP+ as soon as yus use the last of your first 3 or as soon as you use the previous one (if they are your extra ones). Another thing which I didn't know until the other day is that you can book the additional FP+ at the kiosk, but amend the time in MDE.

 

[eeyoreland]

This isn't really a question about FP+, which is why you won't find it answered in this thread.

Unfortunately our resident ticketing CM appears to have retired, but if you check the ticket sticky thread, post 15, section I, you'll get your question answered, at least as far as it was within the past two years, and I am unaware of any change.

Alas, calling Ticketing will yield the result you got. They do not have any knowledge of (or refuse to acknowledge) how it is actually done at the parks.

Thank you. I will go to that thread and see what I learn.

 

[slzer0]

Has anyone secured a FP during EMH?

I have a MSEP FP which prevents me from getting a 4th,but I'm thinking ad soon as we scan in there I can line up another FP.?

 

[mesaboy2]

1. Has anyone secured a FP during EMH?

2. I have a MSEP FP which prevents me from getting a 4th,but I'm thinking ad soon as we scan in there I can line up another FP.?

1. As the OP notes, they are not offered during EMH.

2. Yes, but at a kiosk only currently and assuming availability that late in the evening.

 

[slzer0]

Thanks.
I'll try scanning in at 1040 and darting back out to a kiosk. Can't hurt.

Is there one near MSEP viewing?

 

[mesaboy2]

Thanks.
I'll try scanning in at 1040 and darting back out to a kiosk. Can't hurt.

Is there one near MSEP viewing?

Closest one I can think of is at Stitch's Great Escape.