I'm confused about rider swap

[mrsdrmorgan]

I think its a fine idea to make you wait for the ticket until you get through the line. People that are using it honestly have no need for the ticket until the first group in their party exits the ride.

I totally agree. That is a great solution to the problem without inconveniencing those of us who use the system correctly.

 

[TravelingTotMom]

We just got back from five days at WDW and definitely noticed more rides using the lanyard procedure (compared to six months ago). Splash, BTMR, ToT and Soarin' had it, and it honestly is no big deal to use.

You show them the child at the FP+ entrance, and the person riding first is given a lanyard. When you get to the second FP+ scanner, the cast member there takes the lanyard and hands you a paper rider swap pass (like a legacy FP), which is good for up to three people through the end of the month. The second rider than takes the paper pass to the FP+ line, shows it to the cast member there, and then hands it back to the cast member at the second FP+ scanner.

Also, all of the FP+ entrances had rider swap lanyards, so you could use it with only one person having a FP+. In most cases we both had FP+ for the same ride, but we would get rider swap passes anyway in case our window closed before we both got through or if we needed to do something else in between turns if DS was getting bored/antsy.

The only time we asked for a rider swap and were not given one was at Star Tours at night when it was a walk on.

 

[ArwenMarie]

So does this new lanyard procedure prevent people from getting essentially 6 FPs each?

 

[Ava]

So does this new lanyard procedure prevent people from getting essentially 6 FPs each?

No, the lanyard procedure just prevents people from taking the Rider Swap pass, entering the standby line, and then jumping out of line a few minutes later and using the RS pass to go through the FP line. Since you don't get the actual RS pass until you give the lanyard to the CM close to the loading point, you have to stay in line in order to get it.

According to all reports, its still true that only the first people riding need a FP+ in order to go through the FP line. The adult(s) who wait with the too-small child do not need a FP+ since they can use the RS pass to enter the FP line.

 

[HopperFan]

I had a "friend" that just got back from WDW tell me how much they loved the rider switch system, because her husband figured out how to game the system and they were able to take their 5 year old on SDMT 5-6 times with no wait. They would get a rider switch, wait in line for just a few minutes until no one was looking, and then hop out of line, claiming that the little guy had to use the potty. They would then go ride another ride for a few minutes and then hop back in the FP+ line to ride.

"Um… that's really not how that's supposed to work…" I said. "Well… it worked great for us!!" I just shook my head and walked away.

This is what I was referring to but wasn't going to post it. Yes there is no intention of Mom or whoever sitting behind with baby to ride. They are gaming the system for a free FP - repeating it over and over. There is absolutely no reason to give them a pass when they enter the line. Give them the lanyard and once they have waited their turn they get the return ticket. But they also need to figure out the doubling up of FP+ with the use of rider switch. Most rides seat two, the rider who sat out only needs to take one back in with them. The more flexible you make it, the more it will be abused ... and there is plenty going on.

 

[Maxpowers]

Also just remember that you have to have the too short child (or sometimes tall enough but under 7) child with you to get the pass. The CM must actually see the child to get the pass.

The only CM that confirmed I was with a kid last time was the one at ToT. But I'm sure that's the official policy, it just doesn't seem to be practiced 100% of the time (more like 5-10% of the time).

 

[ArwenMarie]

Wow. It doesn't seem fair that they cracked down on the GAC/DAS so much but left all of these loopholes for rider switch. But that's good that the lanyard helps.

 

[dlavender]

The only CM that confirmed I was with a kid last time was the one at ToT. But I'm sure that's the official policy, it just doesn't seem to be practiced 100% of the time (more like 5-10% of the time).

We had similar experiences.

I think it is a great program. Hope there isn't too much abuse, at least not enough to drastically change the program.

 

[JennysSeven]

Jumping in with another question...our youngest is just under 42", so there will be several things he can't ride. There are only a few of those that all of the rest of us will ride (you won't see me on ToT or RnRC, lol) so right now I have fast passes for all 9 of us for Space Mountain, for instance, that the little guy can't ride. So from the rider swap discussions I'm seeing today, it would appear that I could change my (or DH's) and the little guy's FP+ to a nearby ride at the same time, go with the group to Space Mountain so the one adult can get a rider swap, and then take the little guy to the other FP+ attraction. Then the other adult goes to Space Mountain later. My question--is that scenario frowned upon or "gaming the system", since that effectually means the 2nd adult gets an extra FP+, or it is generally acceptable to take the too-short child to do another attraction that also requires FP+ rather than sitting around waiting? That option hadn't occurred to me before reading the 2 rider swap threads going on today--we were just going to wait it out.

 

[jani3]

OP here, thanks for all the explanations then I started reading the "gaming the system" part and it took my brain one day to process and understand that part. I really hope not too many people are doing that then end up spoiling it for the rest of us who use it right. But I like the different colored lanyard idea.

What happens if standby line is 10 mins when adult1 asks for the swap? Will CM still give out the swap pass or do they give it out no matter what?

Would it be better to do the single rider line, one at a time, if we plan on adult2 riding it as soon as adult1 is done? Do they have the wait times posted for the single rider line?

Jumping in with another question...our youngest is just under 42", so there will be several things he can't ride. There are only a few of those that all of the rest of us will ride (you won't see me on ToT or RnRC, lol) so right now I have fast passes for all 9 of us for Space Mountain, for instance, that the little guy can't ride. So from the rider swap discussions I'm seeing today, it would appear that I could change my (or DH's) and the little guy's FP+ to a nearby ride at the same time, go with the group to Space Mountain so the one adult can get a rider swap, and then take the little guy to the other FP+ attraction. Then the other adult goes to Space Mountain later. My question--is that scenario frowned upon or "gaming the system", since that effectually means the 2nd adult gets an extra FP+, or it is generally acceptable to take the too-short child to do another attraction that also requires FP+ rather than sitting around waiting? That option hadn't occurred to me before reading the 2 rider swap threads going on today--we were just going to wait it out.

My son is 43" now so we need the swap pass for some rides. But you have a good question.

 

[CMNJ]

OP here, thanks for all the explanations then I started reading the "gaming the system" part and it took my brain one day to process and understand that part. I really hope not too many people are doing that then end up spoiling it for the rest of us who use it right. But I like the different colored lanyard idea.

What happens if standby line is 10 mins when adult1 asks for the swap? Will CM still give out the swap pass or do they give it out no matter what?

Would it be better to do the single rider line, one at a time, if we plan on adult2 riding it as soon as adult1 is done? Do they have the wait times posted for the single rider line?

Only 3 rides at WDW have single rider lines-TT, EE, and RnRC. TT has wait times posted outside-have seen anywhere from 10 min to 30 min (when standby by wait time is REALLY long)
Not sure about RnRC can't recall -it's been a while since I rode it but EE definitely does not. However EE single rider line has always been really short when I have been on it and you can see the entire line before getting in it to see how many are waiting in front of you.

 

[juliekzp]

Jumping in with another question...our youngest is just under 42", so there will be several things he can't ride. There are only a few of those that all of the rest of us will ride (you won't see me on ToT or RnRC, lol) so right now I have fast passes for all 9 of us for Space Mountain, for instance, that the little guy can't ride. So from the rider swap discussions I'm seeing today, it would appear that I could change my (or DH's) and the little guy's FP+ to a nearby ride at the same time, go with the group to Space Mountain so the one adult can get a rider swap, and then take the little guy to the other FP+ attraction. Then the other adult goes to Space Mountain later. My question--is that scenario frowned upon or "gaming the system", since that effectually means the 2nd adult gets an extra FP+, or it is generally acceptable to take the too-short child to do another attraction that also requires FP+ rather than sitting around waiting? That option hadn't occurred to me before reading the 2 rider swap threads going on today--we were just going to wait it out.

I don't think that's gaming the system. That's just how it works. If they wanted to make sure the second adult had a FP+, they could just require him/her to scan her band when the first adult goes in. But they don't require that. So for those rides, definitely change your FP and your son's to do something else!

BTW, at Disneyland, they only ask to see the child at RSR. On everything else, you didn't even ask for the switch pass until the CM close to where you got on the ride, and obviously by then the little one can't be seen. It was nice (and we did have a little one not riding any of the big kids rides, so we were legit), but could easily be abused by anyone who knows to ask for one.