FP + and Rider switch - discrepancies from CM

[mrsincredible3]

I am so confused!!! I called disney a month ago and was told that not all members of my party require a FP+ for a ride if we plan to utilize rider switch ("baby swap"). I was specifically told only the first party to ride needed the FP+, as the second part of our group to ride would use the rider switch pass. I was also told i would wait with baby while DH and DS6 ride, and then I would go through the FP+ line with DS6 so i could ride. I had even found something on the disney website specifically stating this.

Today i spoke with someone, and then another person in guest relations, who told me that we ALL need FP+ to utilize FP+ and rider switch on a ride. Then i was told we would ALL enter the line together (yes, even the one year old who clearly isn't tall enough to ride Splash or Big thunder), even though i though he couldn't even enter the line. Now i also can't find the place on the website that specifically stated not all members of the party needed to have a a FP+.

I pick times next week, and this information is vital to how i make my selections. I had planned to use FP+ in the afternoons while baby naps in the stroller to ride the "big kid" rides with older DS. Can someone please help me confirm or dispute this and possible find where it states in writing which members of my party require the FP+ to ride? Please help!!! This totally throws a wrench in my plans if we all my go through the line together (i planned to leave baby sleeping in the stroller while we switched off), and had hoped to use a leftover fast pass + for baby to ride something with one parent.

 

[cheesemouse]

Hmmm.... I would have said that your original thoughts were correct and that is indeed how I intend to handle our trip. I have also split our FP+ where DH and the 2 kids have a FP+ for BTM or SM and then I have one for me and the baby for small world. I have already made my FP+ selections so if I need to change it so we all have FP+ for BTM or SM that would be helpful.


It's very frustrating how difficult it is to get a straight answer from Disney CMs (on the phone). And who knows, you/we encounter different answers once we actually get to the parks.

Hopefully someone with real knowledge will chime in here and help us out.

 

[Angel Ariel]

I am so confused!!! I called disney a month ago and was told that not all members of my party require a FP+ for a ride if we plan to utilize rider switch ("baby swap"). I was specifically told only the first party to ride needed the FP+, as the second part of our group to ride would use the rider switch pass. I was also told i would wait with baby while DH and DS6 ride, and then I would go through the FP+ line with DS6 so i could ride. I had even found something on the disney website specifically stating this.

Today i spoke with someone, and then another person in guest relations, who told me that we ALL need FP+ to utilize FP+ and rider switch on a ride. Then i was told we would ALL enter the line together (yes, even the one year old who clearly isn't tall enough to ride Splash or Big thunder), even though i though he couldn't even enter the line. Now i also can't find the place on the website that specifically stated not all members of the party needed to have a a FP+.

I pick times next week, and this information is vital to how i make my selections. I had planned to use FP+ in the afternoons while baby naps in the stroller to ride the "big kid" rides with older DS. Can someone please help me confirm or dispute this and possible find where it states in writing which members of my party require the FP+ to ride? Please help!!! This totally throws a wrench in my plans if we all my go through the line together (i planned to leave baby sleeping in the stroller while we switched off), and had hoped to use a leftover fast pass + for baby to ride something with one parent.

In our experience, we were *not* allowed to take our daughter through lines if she did not meet the height requirement (she was 8 months and 15 months on our last 2 trips).

What you first stated is what we experienced to be true in March & October 2013. For example

1. DH would use his ticket to get a FP for Space Mtn
2. We take DD up to the ride entrance (to show she is too small), and receive a rider swap pass from the CM out front. RS pass is good for up to 3 people.
3. DH rides Space Mtn while I wait with DD
4. DH exits
5. I take RS pass up to CM and go through the FP line with only the RS pass.

With this, we could get FPs for 2 height requirement rides at the same time (ex. Space with DH's ticket and Thunder Mtn with mine) and DH and I would both get to ride them using the RS pass after the initial rider exited.

 

[sets14]

Used rider swap multiple times last week and did NOT have to use up one of my FP +. I had a separate FP+ to use for me and baby. All they scanned was hubs and older son.

 

[KaLyn]

I have no first hand experience but what I've seen reported on the Disney Mom's panel was exactly what you described in your first scenario.

 

[crayon3448]

I'm not sure what the rule is, we are going next week and plan to do rider swap with my DD but DH and I both have FP+ reservations for thrill rides and we're not counting on being able to use rider swap without them.

It's like this: RS allows a family to only have to wait in line once. FP allows you to skip the line. So you what you are talking about doing with the rider swap is only using 1 FP for both you and your DH to have no wait, which is not how rider swap is intended. So it would be like getting extra FPs per day for your family. However, if your husband was riding standby, then you would get the RS pass because then you as a family should only wait in line once.

Of course- I don't know what Disney's policy is on this. I'm not sure anyone really knows yet, people have talked about different cast members doing different things. I guess I'll find out next week.

 

[ampc3]

wow so frustrating for sure! The first way is exactly how in the past we used RS.. Never needed my own FP... That second way doesn't even make sense! ( to me at least) I hope they haven't changed how they do this now... that will put a huge wrench in our planning as well... I swear every day it is something new that is a big ole bummer regarding WDW

 

[Angel Ariel]

I'm not sure what the rule is, we are going next week and plan to do rider swap with my DD but DH and I both have FP+ reservations for thrill rides and we're not counting on being able to use rider swap without them.

It's like this: RS allows a family to only have to wait in line once. FP allows you to skip the line. So you what you are talking about doing with the rider swap is only using 1 FP for both you and your DH to have no wait, which is not how rider swap is intended. So it would be like getting extra FPs per day for your family. However, if your husband was riding standby, then you would get the RS pass because then you as a family should only wait in line once.

Of course- I don't know what Disney's policy is on this. I'm not sure anyone really knows yet, people have talked about different cast members doing different things. I guess I'll find out next week.

Disney does not collect a FP from you if you are using a RS pass to enter the line. It's one or the other - they have not, in our experience, required both from the second rider.

If they aren't taking the FP (whether it was a paper FP or a FP+) from the second rider, the second rider is doing nothing wrong by using their FP for another set of rides on either the same attraction or a different one.

 

[crayon3448]

Disney does not collect a FP from you if you are using a RS pass to enter the line. It's one or the other - they have not, in our experience, required both from the second rider.

If they aren't taking the FP (whether it was a paper FP or a FP+) from the second rider, the second rider is doing nothing wrong by using their FP for another set of rides on either the same attraction or a different one.

I'm not saying anyone is doing anything wrong because Disney does allow it- I'm saying it's a loophole. But I wouldn't want to get there and there is an issue.

 

[Angel Ariel]

I'm not seeing how it is a loophole

Whether the first rider rides SB or FP, the second rider would still be going through the FP line because that's where they send the person with the RS...the RS is, in practice (obviously not name), a FP for up to 3 people to use.

 

[crayon3448]

Ok, the loophole- DH and I have 6 FP+ between us. He goes on a ride, uses a FP+ and we get a RS for me. Then I use the RS to get right on in the FP line. We could then do this for all 6 of our FP+ reservations, so we both went on 6 rides with no wait, whereas a family who can not rider swap only go on the 3 FP+ rides with no wait.

I hope that make sense. FWIW, I don't think there's anything wrong with it, if it is Disney's policy it is done this way. But it is a loophole.

Edited: This loophole really only applies to families with one child, so I can see why Disney does it this way.

 

[Angel Ariel]

I understood what you were saying, but I don't agree that it's a loophole.

FP isn't always a "no wait" - it's a "shorter wait". As evidenced by the past few days when even FP lines were 15-20 mins at times (which is quite easy to extrapolate to times like spring break).

RS enables families to not have to wait in line twice. There are 2 lines - the standby line and the FP line. No matter which line rider #1 goes through, rider #2 enters through the FP line because they don't have separate "rider swap" entrances.