i need particulars on "kid swaping"

[loriandmatt]

ok, i get the concept, but honestly i never paid to much attention to the details as i never needed to use it before. now, however, with a newborn, our next few trips we are definatly going to have to use kid swap.

on of us (mom and dad) ride with DS (currently 9) while other of us waits with baby. - that part is the easy part.

- do we notify CM at start of wait line that we want to use kid swap?

- can 1st parent rider and son use fastpass for 1st ride or can kid swap only be used in standby lines?

- when 1st rider and son get off, does 2nd parent and son have to wait in stand by line all over again, or do we go thru fast pass line or something else?

- can son even go with 2nd parent or does he just go on once?

- are any of these things up to the discression of the CM on duty? (in other words - will one CM on one ride let DS go on ride with mom and then with dad, but other CM at other ride only let the parent swaping ride and not DS.)

sorry if that came out like babble.

- lori

 

[beattyfamily]

Getting Fastpass vs. standby for first parent and son is completely up to you.

What I do is get fastpass for everyone. Head to the start of the line and ask the CM about parent swap and most now give a fastpass good for the day.

Parent #1 and son go with Fastpass that you got with your tickets.

Then the parent's swap out and parent #2 and son go using the fastpass given for the swap.

Hope this helps!

 

[Misty89]

so i guess i am confused also......

so the child would get to ride the ame ride twice....once with mom and then once with dad?
i have a extra question.....i have 2 DD's that will go on rides, but my DH wont.......are there any rides that have only 2 seats where i would have choose 1 child to go first and then have to get back inline with #2 DD for that same ride?

thanks

Tina

 

[suerob]

When you want to do a kid swap, get fastpasses like normal and return at that time (or you can wait in standby line but wouldn't recommend it), tell the cm that you want to do a baby swap. They will give you a ticket good for three people to ride. One parent will proceed through line while other waits in a designated area, usually near the exit of the ride. When the first parent is done riding, the other can take two other people on with them to ride, so the older children can ride again. Disney does not have a very good baby swap system. Typically, parents wait in line together, one rides, gets off, you swap the child, and the other rides. I can understand on rides where you get off at a different location but this was not the case for many rides and we still were not allowed to go through the line together. The second parent still has to go through the fast pass line. The only advantage to doing a baby swap is that the older children can ride twice. Otherwise, you might as well just take turns using your fastpasses.

 

[Brian Noble]

I, for one, am not a big fan of Disney's child swap implementation. If one of my kids isn't tall enough (or fearless enough) to ride something, DW and I split up, taking the kids in different directions. That way, the shorter/more cautious DS gets to do something fun rather than wait in a line for DD's ride.

Our home park has a version of kid swap that allows the "other" parent and vertically-challenged to do something else while the "first" parent and daredevil ride. Afterward, the daredevil and "other" parent get to return through the exit. Much more fun for the short kid than Disney's model.

 

[tjmw2727]

Originally posted by Brian Noble
I, for one, am not a big fan of Disney's child swap implementation. If one of my kids isn't tall enough (or fearless enough) to ride something, DW and I split up, taking the kids in different directions. That way, the shorter/more cautious DS gets to do something fun rather than wait in a line for DD's ride.

Our home park has a version of kid swap that allows the "other" parent and vertically-challenged to do something else while the "first" parent and daredevil ride. Afterward, the daredevil and "other" parent get to return through the exit. Much more fun for the short kid than Disney's model.

Actually the non rider does not have to wait the line at WDW either. Simply tell the CM at the entrance to the FP or standby line that you want to child swap. They will give you a swap pass just like a FP but with no time restriction. IIRC up to 3 people can return with the child swap pass.

Then the first party rides, in your case parent and daredevil while other parent and the non rider take in a show, get a snack or do another ride. Then the parent who did not ride returns to ride and daredevil can also re-ride if he/she chooses.

Our example is RnRC - dh and younger dd go to beauty and the beast while older dd and I ride RnRC and getting a child swap pass. We may also take in TOT depending on timing an use of FP and then we meet dh and dd at the snack shop.

Then DH and older dd ride with the child swap pass while younger dd and I do something else - playhouse disney or Voyage of the Little Mermaid.

TJ

 

[beattyfamily]

Disney used to have the kind of "parent swap" where you'd go in line together and then swap at the end OR the other parent and non-riding child meet at the exit and swap there.

At some point they changed it to giving out a fastpass that's good all day.

It doesn't bother me. I actually prefer this fastpass way as long as no one abuses the system.

 

[lovethattink]

We do this all the time. We have annual passes and live in Central Fl. We have ds10 and ds5months. The baby swap is great! Space Mountain and splash mountain even have play areas for the kids, that is if Space Mountain's kiddie concierge is open. When ds and dh get in line, I go straight to the CM to ask how that ride does the kiddie swap. (Found that each ride has their own way of doing it.) Usually they give me a ticket like a fast pass that says that myself and 2 other riders my ride with me, and it has that day's date on it. DS and DH stand in line and I go entertain the baby, and come back when their ride should be over. Then I get to ride and DS gets to go again.

If you have any additional questions, PM me.

 

[Brian Noble]

Well, it looks like they've improved the process since I gave up on it, so I guess I'll try it again. Excellent!

 

[DizBelle]

Do you actually have to have a kid with you to get the child swap pass or can anybody walk up and request one and actually be given one? If anyone can walk up and get one without child in tow, then this system is really open for abuse as I can spend all day using only fast pass lines without ever putting my ticket in a fast pass machine.

 

[lovethattink]

Not sure, I've always had the baby with me.

 

[tjmw2727]

Originally posted by lfontaine
Do you actually have to have a kid with you to get the child swap pass or can anybody walk up and request one and actually be given one? If anyone can walk up and get one without child in tow, then this system is really open for abuse as I can spend all day using only fast pass lines without ever putting my ticket in a fast pass machine.

Yes in my experience there must be a child or non rider with you to get the child swap pass. Once my dh was over by the merchandise cart near RnRC with younger dd when older dd and I entered the line as asked to do the Child Swap. The CM asked where the "child was" so I waved to dh and they came over.

IMHO I prefer that you do have the baby/child/nonrider with you to prevent abuse. Since then we always check into the line together and ask the CM how they prefer to work the child swap and take it from there.

We have an alternative show or ride for all the rides we need to child swap on. For example the TTA while doing Space Mtn and Beauty & The Beast during RnRc. There is usually a show, ride, playground or snack cart nearby thus easing the wait.

TJ

 

[tjmw2727]

Originally posted by lfontaine
Do you actually have to have a kid with you to get the child swap pass or can anybody walk up and request one and actually be given one? If anyone can walk up and get one without child in tow, then this system is really open for abuse as I can spend all day using only fast pass lines without ever putting my ticket in a fast pass machine.

Oh and to clarify further you still have to wait in line, either standby or fastpass, to ride the first time. It is just the "second parent" doing the swap who can use the child swap pass and return to ride.

So in an easy example the wait for Space Mtn is 20 minutes, we all check in with the CM and he gives DH a child swap ticket. Older dd and I wait the 20 minutes and ride while dh and younger dd do something else. We meet at a designated spot and then DH and older dd ride Space mountain while younger dd and I enjoy some time together.

I do advise checking with the CM every time you wish to Child Swap as they have minor differences. I also advise that the entire party check in -especially the non-rider.

TJ

 

[beattyfamily]

I was always asked where my child was...this past August. Yes, if the CM doesn't ask then there can be abuse, unfortunately.

 

[dolphindan1]

OK I understand the concept but one part still escapes me....After the first parent rides how does the second parent ride without waiting...are they sent back thru the exit does a CM escort them past everyone....I am missing something....We didnt have to use it last year as there were no waits or lines for really anything so we just took our turn in line 5 minutes max....and several years ago they would have us wait at the exit and then we would take the seat the first parent got out of....So how does the second rider work now?

 

[ruttie]

The second rider will enter the Fast pass line with the baby swap pass in hand.

 

[PlutoPony]

Originally posted by dolphindan1
OK So how does the second rider work now?

At ToT, DS and I were taken to the ride exit (downstairs where the ride pictures are shown) while DH rode. When he got off, I went to a CM stationed there and they took me back up to the ride loading area where I was put in with the next group - no wait.

 

[Disneyland_emily]

It all depends on how the ride works. The easiest way is to ask the greeter as each ride queues different and the rules vary depending on the time of day


R n R Coaster they cannot (or shouldnt) have anyone under 48 come through the building so all child swaps are done outside- TThe 1st half uses Standby or FP to ride once The 2nd half of the Swappers are sent through the FP lane- The only time a Swap is done inside the building is when the child IS tall enough to ride but chooses not to and the parents dont want to leave the child (ie if the kid is 15 theyd be okay walking down the hall and waiting while the family rides- an 8 year old prob not) Then parent A and kid exit via the hallway and wait in the gift shop (and notify the unloaders of the situation- a simple he didnt want to ride I do works) then when the rest of the party exits the parent A and one person return via the hallway and ride. The only time they vary (or varied- I dont believe its much different now though) is at park close they do send the whole group through the lane and through the hallway (the nonriders) to make sure that everyone got through and ridden before power down.

As for the amount of people who can ride with a Swap- it depends on the ride. I know Coaster does 2 as thats the seating arrangement, other rides like Tower it may be different.

One way to help that is get FPs for all in the group even the non-rider (s) then there is that extra ticket available to have a 3rd/4th person ride with the Swappers (assuming they use the FP lane for Swappers)

-em

 

[Tigger&Belle]

There isn't one perfect way of doing the baby swap. I usually like the was that WDW does it, but it does take longer since both parties have to go through the preshow (unless, like mentioned, the child is tall enough, but doesn't want to ride). When going with a true baby, I perfer WDW's way of doing the swap since it means a sleeping baby can stay sleeping and parents don't have to deal with a young child in line, which can be tough.

T&B