How many kids get back in with rider swap?

[mulderxcoltrane]

hi folks,

We have a 9 year old, 7 year old and 3 year old. Obviously, we'll need to do rider swap with the 3 year old. Can our 9 and 7 year olds BOTH come back with my wife or I with the rider swap ticket?

 

[cakebaker]

Yes. The pass is good for up to 3 people.

 

[mulderxcoltrane]

Amazing - they'll be thrilled.

 

[jomass]

I keep seeing 3 on here but the Disney site seems to say otherwise. It looks like it is only 2 now.

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

 

[staceyeileen]

I keep seeing 3 on here but the Disney site seems to say otherwise. It looks like it is only 2 now.

The Disney site is incorrect.

 

[jomass]

why does this not surprise me? LOL

 

[isabellea]

Do we have to use the rider switch right away or can we use it later in the day?

 

[cakebaker]

The site has said for quite some time that it's 2. The passes still say 3. They can give you more than they advertise, they just can't give you less. That said, should the passes ever change to 2, don't be surprised.

Yes, they can be used later- ours were good until the end of the month.

 

[CMNJ]

Honestly I think if would be good (and fair) if Disney changed to 2 people instead of 3-then the adult staying back has someone to keep them company in line/while on the ride without affecting the standby line as much.
By allowing 3 Disney is actually increasing the standby wait time for everyone else since it appears many people use this policy to have 2 riders ride twice. Since most of the ride vehicles for height requirement rides don't typically have unused 3rd seat space (ie 2 or 3 people can fit across a row like in a doom buggy at the haunted mansion but typically roller coasters rows only fit 2) everytime a ride swap is used with 3 instead of just 2 that lengthens the wait for everyone else-doesn't seem like a big deal but if 100 people use rider swap per day (at a particular ride) with 3 vs 2 that's an extra 100 people in the fast pass line every day slowing down the line for everyone else.

 

[cakebaker]

I never minded the 3 people limit before we could use it- I don't mind it now. It's hard enough to tour the parks with little ones. The benefit of a rider switch just makes things a bit easier and allows parents to enjoy the ride with their other children. I doubt it adds a great deal of time to the lines and is probably made even by allowing more availability of fp+'s since a lot of families who can use the switch don't get fp+'s for as many people on those rides.

 

[CMNJ]

Obviously the disboards is only a small subset of the total disney vacationers but I don't think a lot of families posting here use less fast passes because of rider swap-based on previous threads I've seen here I realize that many advocate using it to get around the tiering system at epcot (1/2 of your party gets fast pass for soarin and 1/2 for test track then rider swap to use fast pass for both) and using it to get multiple rides on headliners at MK like SM and 7DMT by making separate fast pass windows and requesting rider swap both times-as a PP mentioned RS passes do not have to be used right away so it can/is being used by guests to game the system just like SDFP-I do have a toddler just under 40 inches so we do know how hard it can be to tour the parks-I just think that like everything else disney does people find a way to abuse/over utilize the privilege

 

[LoveFamx3Boys]

We have a 8, 6 & 2-1/2 year old so we'll def need RS for some. Question.... All in the party need a FP for same ride in order to get in the FP queue to even get the RS ticket (with all ppl present), correct?

 

[cakebaker]

It was intended to allow parents to both enjoy the experience with their child and gives them the convenience of not having to do it back to back. People with young children move slower, ride less, spend less time in the parks. So what if they get an extra ride now and then.

Honestly, I'm not really interested in debating the merits of the rider switch pass. I think it's a very nice thing Disney does for families with small children and the fact that there are some who may abuse it is not reason to limit the benefits to those who it was intended for.

 

[cakebaker]

We have a 8, 6 & 2-1/2 year old so we'll def need RS for some. Question.... All in the party need a FP for same ride in order to get in the FP queue to even get the RS ticket (with all ppl present), correct?

Only the people riding first need a fp+. For example in your family- You or your spouse can ride with one of the older children. Both of them would need a fp+. Then you can ride with both the older children on the rider switch pass.

There are several ways you can do it, but bottom line, only the first people riding need a fp+.

 

[Ava]

Obviously the disboards is only a small subset of the total disney vacationers but I don't think a lot of families posting here use less fast passes because of rider swap-based on previous threads I've seen here I realize that many advocate using it to get around the tiering system at epcot (1/2 of your party gets fast pass for soarin and 1/2 for test track then rider swap to use fast pass for both) and using it to get multiple rides on headliners at MK like SM and 7DMT by making separate fast pass windows and requesting rider swap both times-as a PP mentioned RS passes do not have to be used right away so it can/is being used by guests to game the system just like SDFP-I do have a toddler just under 40 inches so we do know how hard it can be to tour the parks-I just think that like everything else disney does people find a way to abuse/over utilize the privilege

Following the rules as Disney has established them is not abusing the system. It's using the benefits offered to you. If Disney wanted to, they could require all the eligible riders in a party to scan a FP+ at the ride entrance (if the first riders plan to use the FP line) before issuing a Rider Swap ticket, but they don't.

Using Rider Swap makes it take twice as long for a group to experience an attraction vs all being able to ride together. Whether getting multiple rides on fewer attractions or being able to ride a greater number of different attractions in the same period of time is a bigger advantage is up to individual preference. But I feel like it all evens out in the end.

 

[Jaime4004]

It was intended to allow parents to both enjoy the experience with their child and gives them the convenience of not having to do it back to back. People with young children move slower, ride less, spend less time in the parks. So what if they get an extra ride now and then.

Honestly, I'm not really interested in debating the merits of the rider switch pass. I think it's a very nice thing Disney does for families with small children and the fact that there are some who may abuse it is not reason to limit the benefits to those who it was intended for.

Is this only for small children? I'm sure this has been asked and answered many times over the years, but i'll ask anyway We used to use it all the time when we had small kids, it was great. But now I have bigger kids and the 9 year old is still a chicken One of us always has to stay with him on many rides, and it's not really a big deal. We've been enough times that it doesn't really bother either of us. The adult who likes the ride just a little less would stay behind. But it would be nice to have the option to both ride (if we don't have FP)

 

[cakebaker]

Is this only for small children? I'm sure this has been asked and answered many times over the years, but i'll ask anyway We used to use it all the time when we had small kids, it was great. But now I have bigger kids and the 9 year old is still a chicken One of us always has to stay with him on many rides, and it's not really a big deal. We've been enough times that it doesn't really bother either of us. The adult who likes the ride just a little less would stay behind. But it would be nice to have the option to both ride (if we don't have FP)

That is a subject of great debate. The official website will tell you it's for anyone who does not want to ride:

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.

As well as this website that gives this advice:
http://www.easywdw.com/forums/showthread.php?21115-All-about-the-Rider-Switch-Pass-(aka-Rider-Swap)

This is another misconception about Swaps. While most of them are used for the "too-small children" situation, technically Disney World's policy allows for Swaps "either because they do not meet the height requirement or simply do not wish to ride". This is spelled out on WDW's Rider Switch website (see the link below). So if you have a timid child who doesn't want to ride, even if they're technically tall enough to ride, you should be allowed to get a Swap. Many CMs don't realize this, and this is definitely a situation where your experience is going to vary when requesting the Swap. It's advisable to print out the information at the WDW website and show it to the CM if you encounter any issues. You can always request to talk to a supervisor or visit Guest Services if you experience a lot of pushback.

Others will tell you that it's up to the individual CM. We have done it before with a too tall toddler and didn't have any issues. We will be doing it this year for at least 1 ride and we'll see how it goes. In general, I'd say it's a ymmv situation.

 

[Ava]

Is this only for small children? I'm sure this has been asked and answered many times over the years, but i'll ask anyway We used to use it all the time when we had small kids, it was great. But now I have bigger kids and the 9 year old is still a chicken One of us always has to stay with him on many rides, and it's not really a big deal. We've been enough times that it doesn't really bother either of us. The adult who likes the ride just a little less would stay behind. But it would be nice to have the option to both ride (if we don't have FP)

I have read of people with children who were tall enough but didn't want to ride being able to do a swap at the loading area. Basically you all go through the line together, then one parent waits at the loading area with the child while the other parent rides. When the first rider gets back, the second parent gets to ride without needing to wait in line again. If you are denied the rider swap pass because your child is technically able to ride, I'd ask if this is an option.

 

[meljean]

Do we have to use the rider switch right away or can we use it later in the day?

Yes, you can use it later and even another day. It says on the slip how long it is good for. We just loved it this past fall so my husband and I could enjoy the ride with our boys. Definitely take advantage of it! Also was nice because the kids of course wanted to ride again and with this we could!

 

[nalajms]

I have read of people with children who were tall enough but didn't want to ride being able to do a swap at the loading area. Basically you all go through the line together, then one parent waits at the loading area with the child while the other parent rides. When the first rider gets back, the second parent gets to ride without needing to wait in line again. If you are denied the rider swap pass because your child is technically able to ride, I'd ask if this is an option.

That's horrible to make them wait in line. My nephew would have a meltdown if he had to do that!

We've never been able to get a rider swap for a child that was too scared but tall enough to ride. We've also never been able to get a rider swap for a child sleeping in the stroller either.