FP+ and new digital rider switch questio

MamaBear12

Mouseketeer
Joined
Jul 19, 2016
I’ve been reading about the new rider switch and I’m not 100% clear on something. Does everyone have to have a FP+ when using rider switch, or can I book the FP+ for just a couple adults in our party and then the other two adults watching the kiddos get the rider switch on their tickets (but not the FP+) like we used to do with the paper ticket rider switch system? I understand that we all have to go up now so the CM can put the rider switch onto our magic bands/cards, just not clear on whether all need a FP+ from the get-go and if they check for that. Thanks!
 
I think you all need to have the FPP to get the swap. If person 1, 2, & 3 ride all need to have the FPP. To put the digital rider swap on person 4 so person 4 & 5 can ride person 4 would need to present their band and have the FPP to get the swap...
 
I’ve been reading about the new rider switch and I’m not 100% clear on something. Does everyone have to have a FP+ when using rider switch, or can I book the FP+ for just a couple adults in our party and then the other two adults watching the kiddos get the rider switch on their tickets (but not the FP+) like we used to do with the paper ticket rider switch system? I understand that we all have to go up now so the CM can put the rider switch onto our magic bands/cards, just not clear on whether all need a FP+ from the get-go and if they check for that. Thanks!

Just got back and no, not all members need it. I booked my son and I a seperate child friendly ride but was still able to get a rider swap for the rides my husband, friend and sister had fast pass for. They will scan your magic band to apply the rider swap pass and allow up to two more to add it to (they can be members that already had a fast pass or not). I read several reports of people stating what you said so we were worried but it worked for us 100% of the time when I never had a fast pass booked for the thrill ride.
 
Just got back and no, not all members need it. I booked my son and I a seperate child friendly ride but was still able to get a rider swap for the rides my husband, friend and sister had fast pass for. They will scan your magic band to apply the rider swap pass and allow up to two more to add it to (they can be members that already had a fast pass or not). I read several reports of people stating what you said so we were worried but it worked for us 100% of the time when I never had a fast pass booked for the thrill ride.
This is great to hear - i was worried the little ones would start missing out if everyone had to have a FPP
 
Ok- so to clarify a bit more, for my family of 6:
Lets say for Space Mountain
I can get a FP for members 1-2-3-4 and then get a rider swap for myself as I stay back with the baby with no FP needed?
Would I be able to then ride with kids 2-3-4 as hubby stays back with the baby, or would I need to be a solo rider?
 
Ok- so to clarify a bit more, for my family of 6:
Lets say for Space Mountain
I can get a FP for members 1-2-3-4 and then get a rider swap for myself as I stay back with the baby with no FP needed?
Would I be able to then ride with kids 2-3-4 as hubby stays back with the baby, or would I need to be a solo rider?

You could ride with 2 of the kids. Rider swap can be used for up to 3 people total. All of you will need to get the rider swap added to your magic band.
 
We just returned and the only problem we had was with SDMT. They warned us that everyone should have a fast pass for it in the future.
 


We just returned and the only problem we had was with SDMT. They warned us that everyone should have a fast pass for it in the future.

I've heard 7DMT and FOP are the most common rides with an issue. I'm anxious to try it out but certainly don't want to mess up our FP+ plans.
 
We just returned and the only problem we had was with SDMT. They warned us that everyone should have a fast pass for it in the future.

So if everyone has a fastpass and you do riderswap, do the people who do the swap then get a swap pass in addition to their fastpass? Or do they have to 'use' their fastpass to get the swap pass?
 
It does seem pretty silly that everyone needs to have a FP for rider swap, I mean- why waste time adding a swap if the next group can just go- the only "benefit" I see is that the kids in group 1 would get to ride twice with RS and they can't do that after using up a FP.

I hope we can swap without all needed FPs since it may be hard to get ones for 5 of us at a time.


You could ride with 2 of the kids. Rider swap can be used for up to 3 people total. All of you will need to get the rider swap added to your magic band.
Thank you for the clarification. We will have to let the kids decide who "gets" to ride twice on each ride then.
 
Once the rider switch is added to your magic band, you can see it in the MDE app. It shows up like a fast pass does.

We use the rider switch both with and without FP and I notice on the ones with FP, that the second rider’s FP doesn’t get used.

Example: I booked 4 FP to FOP for myself, husband, and 2 boys. My daughter is too small. My husband and boys all use their FP, a rider switch gets added for me and the boys. While they are riding, MDE shows that we have both the rider switch and I have a FP for 1 (used to be 4). Then when I ride with the boys, it goes down to showing I have just 1 FP. I thought maybe it just didn’t clear in the app, but I was able to modify or cancel that FP.

So, that is my long way of saying, the waiting adult doesn’t seem to need the FP. I book them to be safe but they are always left over. We were just there about a week ago.
 
I'm a little confused about this rider swap. From what I'm reading it varies. If mom and dad want to ride, Space Mountain do both parents need a FP?
 
I mean- why waste time adding a swap if the next group can just go- the only "benefit" I see is that the kids in group 1 would get to ride twice with RS and they can't do that after using up a FP.

There is still a benefit. It gives you more time for both groups to ride. If you get the swap, the FP window doesn’t run out while group 1 is riding. You can still get there toward the end of your FP window, and group 1 and group 2 can still ride even if the FP window is closed by the time group 1 is done.

Without a swap, if the FP window ran out while group 1 was riding, then group 2 would have missed their FP window. If they have the swap, they can still ride.
 
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There is still a benefit. It gives you more time for both groups to ride. If you get the swap, the FP window doesn’t run out while group 1 is riding. You can still get there toward the end of your FP window, and group 1 and group 2 can still ride even if the FP window is closed by the time group 1 is done.

Without a swap, if the FP window ran out while group 1 was riding, then group 2 would have missed their FP window. If they have the swap, they can still ride.


ahhh. that part makes sense. I know a few times we did actually get to the ride at the last 10 minutes of the window (after we realized it was a window)
I supposed group 2 could just tap their band and wait as long as the CM saw them waiting though?
So many variables haha. I just hope for simplicity we can all get FPs and just swap.
 
Here now and the new rider swap has gone fairly well at both MK and HS. All RS passes have been good for the entire day, so no expiration time. We used them right away though, but they clearly stated in my app that they were good for the rest of the day. On BTMRR the RS pass start time was 30 min after I entered the FP+ que (standby was 80 min, so it wasn’t accidentally assigned based on that). I was done in 15 min and didn’t realize the time issue, so when DH went to use it it didn’t work, but he explained to the CM that he had a RS so they let him on. At the HS Star Wars ride the CM issuing the RS was not by the FP+ line, so the kids and hubby were out of her line of sight when found her and asked for the swap. She gave me a hard time and asked why we both didn’t just use our FP+ on the ride and ride one at a time. We had other group members who wanted to ride with me so we needed the RS. She gave it to me after I explained to her multiple times that I wanted to have a buddy to ride with me and needed the RS in order to do so, but she told me it might mess up the rest of my fast passes (it didn’t). Those were the only issues though. None of the rides we got RS for (BTMRR, TOT, Rock n roll coaster) required us both to have a FP+ to get the FP time for RS.
 
Here now and the new rider swap has gone fairly well at both MK and HS. All RS passes have been good for the entire day, so no expiration time. We used them right away though, but they clearly stated in my app that they were good for the rest of the day. On BTMRR the RS pass start time was 30 min after I entered the FP+ que (standby was 80 min, so it wasn’t accidentally assigned based on that). I was done in 15 min and didn’t realize the time issue, so when DH went to use it it didn’t work, but he explained to the CM that he had a RS so they let him on. At the HS Star Wars ride the CM issuing the RS was not by the FP+ line, so the kids and hubby were out of her line of sight when found her and asked for the swap. She gave me a hard time and asked why we both didn’t just use our FP+ on the ride and ride one at a time. We had other group members who wanted to ride with me so we needed the RS. She gave it to me after I explained to her multiple times that I wanted to have a buddy to ride with me and needed the RS in order to do so, but she told me it might mess up the rest of my fast passes (it didn’t). Those were the only issues though. None of the rides we got RS for (BTMRR, TOT, Rock n roll coaster) required us both to have a FP+ to get the FP time for RS.
Just want to thank you for sharing this great detail! I've been trying to find people's recent experiences of this, so this is a huge help!
 
I'm bumping this thread because my FP+ window opens tomorrow and I want to get this right. Our party is: me, DH, DD7, DD5, DD2. DD2 is not tall enough for anything. DD7 and DH really want to ride Slinky Dog Dash, so I am planning to get FPs for them to ride it. I think DD5 *might* want to ride it as well. Can I get FPs for just DH and DD7, but ask for rider swap when they enter the FP line? Then the swap would be loaded onto DH and DD5's magic bands, and she and DH can go back through the FP line once DH and DD7's ride is over? From what I'm reading, it sounds like it would work, but I want to make sure I'm not missing something.
 
Bumping for my understanding...

Party of 3, me, DD, and DGS 20months.

I can get a FP for FOP and we can do rider switch without her having to get her own FP?
She can get a FP for EE and we can do rider switch without me having to get my own FP?

And the rider switch FPs do not count against the 3 initial FPs?

Is this correct?
 
Bumping for my understanding...

Party of 3, me, DD, and DGS 20months.

I can get a FP for FOP and we can do rider switch without her having to get her own FP?
She can get a FP for EE and we can do rider switch without me having to get my own FP?

And the rider switch FPs do not count against the 3 initial FPs?

Is this correct?

A rider swap does not count against the 3 planned FP. You can have 3 planned and still get a rider swap. In regards to whether the person getting rider swap needs FP, many people have reported that they did not need them. Some still choose to get FP for everybody. Info from Disney about this is all over the place, but in practice it seems CMs generally do not require or look for the waiting rider(s) to have FP before issuing rider swap.
 

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