How is rider swap working with FP+?

[wallskm]

Last year when we went we utilized rider swap, which allowed us to make a more efficient use of fast passes. Basically one of us would get a FP to one ride while another got a FP for another ride, and then would get the rider swap FP, allowing both of us to use a FP for each ride. This allowed us to do both rides without making our kids wait so long before getting back to their rides. Would we be able to do the same with FP+? Like I get one for myself for soarin, and he makes one for test track?

 

[DIS kid at heart]

Last year when we went we utilized rider swap, which allowed us to make a more efficient use of fast passes. Basically one of us would get a FP to one ride while another got a FP for another ride, and then would get the rider swap FP, allowing both of us to use a FP for each ride. This allowed us to do both rides without making our kids wait so long before getting back to their rides. Would we be able to do the same with FP+? Like I get one for myself for soarin, and he makes one for test track?

I am wondering the same thing. This will really help with only getting 3 FP+ a day. We will have DS2 and a friends DS1, with a total of 9. Hope this works!! I've heard swapping MB's is working too for the ones who won't ride certain types of rides.

 

[doconeill]

In theory it will work the same way. Rider Switch passes are the same as before - you present the pass, and they let you in with up to two guests.

To do the "split FP" thing with FP+, you have to change selections on an individual basis, however, so it is more work to make the selections.

I know of no plans to push Rider Switch to a technology-based system, but it is possible...some - including some CMs - see that being able to split FPs in this fashion and then use Rider Switch passes can provide a big advantage over the normal guest, whereas Rider Switch was more meant to penalize guests with young children less...on rare occasions you could come across a CM who would require that the guest staying with the child also have a Fastpass, and would trade it for the RS pass. Not sure how they'd do that now anyways...so not likely to be a problem going forward.

 

[morethananyonex]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but does that mean we could use rider swap to get around the tiers at Epcot? DHS wouldn't work, but Epcot sounds like it might.

We have 5 adults and 1 toddler. The 5 adults want to ride TT and Soarin'. Can we book 3 at Soarin' and get a rider swap for the other 2 (plus someone gets an extra ride), while having the other 2 FP+ used at TT and get a rider swap that allows the remaining 3 people to ride?

 

[Iowajes]

We have 5 adults and 1 toddler. The 5 adults want to ride TT and Soarin'. Can we book 3 at Soarin' and get a rider swap for the other 2 (plus someone gets an extra ride), while having the other 2 FP+ used at TT and get a rider swap that allows the remaining 3 people to ride?

Why would you need more than 1 rider swap pass? How many adults are needed to watch 1 toddler?

 

[doconeill]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but does that mean we could use rider swap to get around the tiers at Epcot? DHS wouldn't work, but Epcot sounds like it might.

We have 5 adults and 1 toddler. The 5 adults want to ride TT and Soarin'. Can we book 3 at Soarin' and get a rider swap for the other 2 (plus someone gets an extra ride), while having the other 2 FP+ used at TT and get a rider swap that allows the remaining 3 people to ride?

In theory, yes, if the child does not meet the height requirement of either attraction (necessary to _guarantee_ getting an RS pass) - but I also suspect that if this becomes an issue, they'll figure out a way to stop it as well...

 

[doconeill]

Why would you need more than 1 rider swap pass? How many adults are needed to watch 1 toddler?

Not two at one attraction, which they won't give (one per child).

They are talking about getting them at two different attractions.

 

[ampc3]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but does that mean we could use rider swap to get around the tiers at Epcot? DHS wouldn't work, but Epcot sounds like it might.

We have 5 adults and 1 toddler. The 5 adults want to ride TT and Soarin'. Can we book 3 at Soarin' and get a rider swap for the other 2 (plus someone gets an extra ride), while having the other 2 FP+ used at TT and get a rider swap that allows the remaining 3 people to ride?

We aren't at our FP+ window yet, but assuming this situation works, that is exactly what we plan to do at Epcot as well. However we are hoping that by the time we go in a few months my twins will be tall enough

 

[Iowajes]

Not two at one attraction, which they won't give (one per child).

They are talking about getting them at two different attractions.

No- they are talking about getting FP for 2 adults, and relying on the other 3 adults to get rider swap at the first ride; and then getting FP for 3 adults and relying on the other 2 adults to get rider swap at the second ride. It doesn't take 3 adults to watch a toddler, thus need to swap.

Does rider swap really allow multiple adults per child onto the ride like that?
That doesn't seem at all how the system is intended. If the rider swap adult doesn't have to also have a FP, it seems like only 1 should be able to piggy back on the FP of the person they are swapping with.

 

[morethananyonex]

Why would you need more than 1 rider swap pass? How many adults are needed to watch 1 toddler?

Not more than 1 rider swap pass, 1 rider swap pass at each ride allowing all of us to ride both TT and Soarin' avoiding the standby lines.

We have 5 FP+ total to use on tier 1 rides. If we use 3 for Soarin and 2 for TT (or the opposite) the people who do not hold FP+ for the ride can use the rider swap pass to ride it afterwards.

In theory, yes, if the child does not meet the height requirement of either attraction (necessary to _guarantee_ getting an RS pass) - but I also suspect that if this becomes an issue, they'll figure out a way to stop it as well...

He's not tall enough to ride either of them.

We're going in about 3 weeks, so we should still be good for this trip at least! We'll have to decide if we'll try that method or just use the rider swaps to give a few of us extra rides.

 

[doconeill]

No- they are talking about getting FP for 2 adults, and relying on the other 3 adults to get rider swap at the first ride; and then getting FP for 3 adults and relying on the other 2 adults to get rider swap at the second ride. It doesn't take 3 adults to watch a toddler, thus need to swap.

Does rider swap really allow multiple adults per child onto the ride like that?
That doesn't seem at all how the system is intended. If the rider swap adult doesn't have to also have a FP, it seems like only 1 should be able to piggy back on the FP of the person they are swapping with.

Actually, it DOES allow 3 guests on one Rider Switch pass. The other "intent" of the Rider Switch pass is that the guest who stayed behind doesn't have to then ride alone.

 

[morethananyonex]

No- they are talking about getting FP for 2 adults, and relying on the other 3 adults to get rider swap at the first ride; and then getting FP for 3 adults and relying on the other 2 adults to get rider swap at the second ride. It doesn't take 3 adults to watch a toddler, thus need to swap.

Does rider swap really allow multiple adults per child onto the ride like that?
That doesn't seem at all how the system is intended. If the rider swap adult doesn't have to also have a FP, it seems like only 1 should be able to piggy back on the FP of the person they are swapping with.

Rider swap allows 2 additional people to ride along with the 1 person who watched the child, giving a total of 3 per pass, as far as I understand.

 

[Iowajes]

Rider swap allows 2 additional people to ride along with the 1 person who watched the child, giving a total of 3 per pass, as far as I understand.

Wow- that should be nice for the people with small children then who will get 6 FP+s

 

[BBL24]

So this really does work? Our group is similar and would work with Soarin and Test Track too. Rider swap passes allow 3 people to ride with the pass?

 

[HoosierFrog]

Okay, so I want to make sure that I follow this. We have a family of four (Two adults, Two children, ages 7 and 2). So, instead of only getting fast passes for three rides, we can get six fast passes with rider swaps (at the ride entrance) as long as our DD2 isn't able to ride? This will be our first time using either FP+ of RS.

 

[doconeill]

Okay, so I want to make sure that I follow this. We have a family of four (Two adults, Two children, ages 7 and 2). So, instead of only getting fast passes for three rides, we can get six fast passes with rider swaps (at the ride entrance) as long as our DD2 isn't able to ride? This will be our first time using either FP+ of RS.

In your particular situation, its kind of complicated, because the 2yo can't get a Fastpass+ reservation (they would not have a ticket, and wouldn't need one anyways to join an adult who does)

The concept is this - first, basically how Rider Switch will work...

Say you want to ride both Soarin' and Test Track, but your 2yo is not tall enough for either. Fastpass+ allows you to only choose one of them due to tier limitations. You choose FP+ for Soarin', and ride Test Track standby.

Since your 2yo is not tall enough, you go to the cast member at the entrance of Soarin', present the 2yo for measurement (if they ask), and ask for a Rider Switch pass. One of you stays with the 2yo, while the other two use their FP+ to enter. When they come back, you then enter through the Fastpass line with the RS pass, and your 7yo can join you. Bonus for the 7yo - he gets to ride this twice.

At Test Track, same thing, except the first two have to go through the standby line, so you have to wait longer.

Now, for this "loophole"...

Instead of getting FP+ for all three of you for Soarin', you switch _one_ of them to Test Track (whoever will stay with the 2yo first at Soarin'). Be sure to pick a later time for Test Track. Then go to Soarin' and do as above.

When it is time for the FP+ for Test Track, you again ask for a Rider Switch pass, and the adult who stayed with the child at Soarin' ONLY enters via the Fastpass line (you only have one FP+ here...). When they return, then the other and the 7yo can ride using the Rider Switch pass. The advantage is that you didn't have to wait in the standby line at all. The disadvantage is that the 7yo has to wait this time.

If the 2yo was 3yo with a ticket and thus able to get FP+ as well but still too short to ride, then you could split the FP+ two-and-two, and one of you would have to use the 2yo's MagicBand for one of the rides.

Because of the complexities in doing this, and having to swap around MagicBands, etc. (and perhaps the fear of getting "caught" - the CMs can see limited information on who scans the MagicBands - even if the CMs don't particularly care of people are swapping them around) will likely limit the number of people who would bother, which already between needing the child to get the Rider Switch pass and even knowing it is possible to do this is probably a small number.

 

[DIS kid at heart]

In your particular situation, its kind of complicated, because the 2yo can't get a Fastpass+ reservation (they would not have a ticket, and wouldn't need one anyways to join an adult who does)

My DS2 will have his own Magic Band, but of course not a ticket. Is this more for show than anything? Has anyone tried making FP+ selections with non-ticketed toddlers yet??

If this works, it would def be great for Epcot and DHS, but I'd be bummed if we found out it didn't work while in the parks. Anyone try?

 

[morethananyonex]

My DS2 will have his own Magic Band, but of course not a ticket. Is this more for show than anything? Has anyone tried making FP+ selections with non-ticketed toddlers yet?? If this works, it would def be great for Epcot and DHS, but I'd be bummed if we found out it didn't work while in the parks. Anyone try?

It doesn't work. You need a ticket attached to make FP+ reservations, which a 2 year old doesn't have. The system only lets you make 3 FP per day multiplied by how many tickets are on your MDE account.

It's for show. I suppose it opens doors and stuff, but there's nothing you'll actually need it for.

 

[doconeill]

My DS2 will have his own Magic Band, but of course not a ticket. Is this more for show than anything? Has anyone tried making FP+ selections with non-ticketed toddlers yet??

The system won't allow you to make a FP+ selection for anyone in your family/friends who does not have a ticket.

The band has many functions - FP+ is just one of them. Open resort room door, charging privs (you probably COULD give the 2yo charging privs - if they can remember the PIN ), trigger special experiences - even lost child identification.

If this works, it would def be great for Epcot and DHS, but I'd be bummed if we found out it didn't work while in the parks. Anyone try?

Few have probably tried at this point because regular FP is still available at the parks (except AK), so there are easier ways to deal with it.

 

[mkacar24]

Currently the Disney website says that only 2 guests are allowed per rider switch pass. Not sure if that is a change or if it has always read that way. I know we have used rider swap in the past and 3 were let on with the second group.

As for the original question, who knows? I don't think the intent of rider swap is to allow the essential doubling of FP+ reservations, but reading the posts here people were obviously doing it with FP. It seems like the way it should operate is that all the adults that want to ride the ride make FP+ reservations and then swap at the entrance. But that may be too hard for Disney to enforce.