Is rider swap time consuming?

[Kelly014]

Hi all! We will be visiting Disney in October. It will be me, DH, DD (5 years) and DS (9 months). I'm just trying to get a feel for how time consuming rider swap is. Did it work well for you? You go through the fast pass line the second time, correct? If you used it with a baby was it a pain to sit around with baby while the other group rode?

I'm just trying to figure out how practical it will be to use it on multiple rides. We were at MK last year so there are some rides there I don't mind to let DD and DH ride and I'll just skip it, but there are some rides at the other parks (Expedition Everest, Star Tours) that we will definitely both want to experience. Any thoughts or tips are appreciated!

 

[puffkin]

It can be very time consuming. Especially on rides with a movie or "pre show" area. Some that come to mind are RnR, ToT, Star Tours, Soarin, Mission Space, Test Track, Dinosaur.

If you have more than one day in the park, what we usually do is save the rider swap passes (they are paper fast pass and good til end of current month) and used them on another day or later that night so we weren't waiting in one area too long. It might not be too bad with a 9 month old, but with a toddler we liked to keep moving.

You can also split your FP and use them in conjunction with rider swap. Works great to get more FP's booked. We did this all the time. (Like Parent A booked FP for Test Track and Parent B booked for Soarin, then did rider swap on both so the other parent could ride). Some will say it is an unfair advantage, but I don't think it is. Now that my DS2 hit 40" on our last trip and we didn't have to do many rider swaps it was soooooo much better of a trip than before when we could do the split FP's.

 

[MommyMK]

It does take a while, especially at certain attractions like Test Track. The great thing about rider swap passes is that they don't have to be used at the time that you get them, they can be used any time that day or even on subsequent days (they have an expiration on them). So you can go back when baby is napping. You don't have to sit around while the first group rides, you can go do another attraction with the baby, eat, shop, etc. We have been using it for 9 years now and it can be great while also being a bit of a pain sometimes.

 

[Kelly014]

I had no idea they could be used later on! That's pretty helpful. I'm trying to have realistic expectations, we went with just DD last year and ran around the park all day, so I know this time will be a different experience. I don't want to use rider swap on everything it's an option for, DH is more excited about rides than me so I'm okay sitting out on some of them, but I refuse to miss Star Tours!

 

[jtowntoflorida]

I had no idea they could be used later on! That's pretty helpful. I'm trying to have realistic expectations, we went with just DD last year and ran around the park all day, so I know this time will be a different experience. I don't want to use rider swap on everything it's an option for, DH is more excited about rides than me so I'm okay sitting out on some of them, but I refuse to miss Star Tours!

You should still get the rider swap passes, which will give your DH extra rides!

 

[JimmyBean42]

I actually don't mind the extra time in between. Gives me a little time to see some sites I would miss when my older child is dragging me from spot to spot.

 

[Baklava]

We tended to use rider swap times for bathroom trips, baby changing, snacks, watching random entertainment... sometimes there's a nearby ride with a short line, too. I was still nursing the little one when it was relevant, so that was a good use of time!

 

[chloelovesdisney]

We get the rider swap but very rarely use it. I think on our last week long trip we only ended up using one of the passes. I like to get them so there is the option to use it but always end up preferring to move on to the next attraction.

 

[azarine]

They were awesome for us. First, we were able to get FP+ for Soarin and Test Track on the same day (each parent got a FP for one of them, then the other parent rode with rider swap). And our DD got to ride lots of things twice which she loved. While DH & DD rode "big kid" stuff, DS & I often found a toddler-suitable play place for him to run around, or I found an air-conditioned place to take a break and get some coffee

 

[Writer325]

I think that I would use them during a different day if you plan on going more than once to a park. I kind of treat them as doubling my fp, but I always go with two other adults. If you are just going with two adults, I could definitely see that taking a lot of time, but I would not pass up the opportunity to ride Seven Dwarfs! I briefly read over people's responses, but it is important to note that if your DH and DD ride, then you can ride with your DD. Each time some gets a swap pass they can take up to two other guests.

 

[Kathryn777]

Yes, yes and yes.

To me btmrr and splash was the worst. We were in that little "playground" forever.

Other ones weren't as bad, there were silly rides nearby you could do. Like carousel for 7dmt, peoplemover for space mtn, the end of ride area for test track, mission space. But it takes the ride time x 2 plus the time to hand off, and the time to go through the fp line again

 

[Kelly014]

Thanks for all the feedback! I think we will use it but try to keep it at a minimum. We only have one day at each park, but we were at MK last year and have a Halloween party our first night this year, so the only rider swap ride I'm set on riding there is space mountain (DD was too short last year so we skipped it). At HS I only want to ride Star Tours. At AK and Epcot there are multiple rides we both want to ride though so maybe we can split our fast passes accordingly to make it go a little quicker.

I'm guessing since there's no fast pass at MHSSHP that there's no rider swap?

 

[bumbershoot]

It's less time-consuming than having each adult go through the entire line.

If you used it with a baby was it a pain to sit around with baby while the other group rode?

Don't just sit around! DO something! Walk, ride something, see things, meet characters...DO something. Rookie mistake, to just sit around waiting... (a rookie mistake I made at DL. Once.)

 

[mummabear]

I'm guessing since there's no fast pass at MHSSHP that there's no rider swap

I hadn't thought of that i'm not sure.

 

[gatormom2tots]

NEVER thought of it as time waster.....you show up at cast member at entrance of line with the child and get the paper pass. Then me and the extra child go and ride something else or whatever- I guess you could sit and wait- but we dont ever do that while some members are riding anyway-child swap or not. We are off riding another ride, getting something to eat, running to the bathroom, or maybe even heading back to the resort while the other parent stays a little longer.
Many times we use the child swap on another day or after we come back from naptime. I can honestly say I don't think we have ever used it for a consecutive ride after the first parent is done.

 

[lynch34]

Some people will complain about anything. The kids get to the ride the ride twice.

My wife goes with my two oldest while I entertain the youngest. They come out and either I go again immediately with them or I go later with them. How in the world could anyone see anything negative in that?

 

[CarolynFH]

I'm guessing since there's no fast pass at MHSSHP that there's no rider swap?

Rider swap is not tied to FP at all (the first set of riders can go through the standby line if they don't have a FP) so any ride that has height restrictions will have rider swap during the party.

 

[Kelly014]

Rider swap is not tied to FP at all (the first set of riders can go through the standby line if they don't have a FP) so any ride that has height restrictions will have rider swap during the party.

Awesome, thank you!

 

[Kelly014]

It's less time-consuming than having each adult go through the entire line.



Don't just sit around! DO something! Walk, ride something, see things, meet characters...DO something. Rookie mistake, to just sit around waiting... (a rookie mistake I made at DL. Once.)

Makes sense! I'm just not sure what to do with a 9 month old. I'm happy to people watch and give my legs a break part of the time, but I'll have to make sure to check out some shops or grab myself a snack!

 

[kelmcg]

Collect a rider swap for any ride your DD may want to ride again. This way you always have the option to re-ride or go back at a later time. Try to time most of the rides so that while your DH and DD are riding you are feeding your DS or changing a diaper or just getting him out of the stroller and into an air conditioned building for a little while. OR find a comfortable place to sit and use the time to relax.