Let's talk Ride Swap!

[cherbear]

I don't have any experience with ride swap, so I need help navigating the ins and outs. I have read a couple of threads but I'm still a little uncertain.

From what I read, the baby swap pass allows up to 3 riders? So do the other riders have to be children?

The reason I ask this is because we are taking a trip in July where my (now 10 months) 12 month old will be the only child. My parents and sister will be going along with my husband and I. We all like the thrill rides and I am hoping to use child swap to be able to all have a chance to ride everything. Presumably, one person would wait with my daughter (we'll take turns I suppose) and then use the pass to ride after the others return. However, if more than one person can ride using the pass, I would prefer to have another adult to ride with.
ie. DH and I wait with DD, while DM, DDad, & Dsis go ride Rock n Roller Coaster
When they are done, the three of them stay with DD while DH and I go ride RnRC with the child swap pass.

Before anyone starts groaning, I am really in the dark and just asking. I did not find any details about how it would work when using baby swap with all adults in the group and just one child who doesn't meet height requirements.

 

[SweetMissy]

If I remember correctly, the ticket just says up to 3 riders. It doesn't specify age groups, so I don't think it matters.

 

[wiigirl]

If I remember correctly, the ticket just says up to 3 riders. It doesn't specify age groups, so I don't think it matters.

 

[Mama Who]

From what I read, the baby swap pass allows up to 3 riders? So do the other riders have to be children?.

No age requirement. When my family goes it's 2 adults, 1 teen and 1 little one. We rotate who gets to double dip, which means sometimes the teen hangs out with the baby while DH and I go on a ride with our RS pass.

 

[4HppyCamprs]

When we go we have 3 adults 2 children and a baby so we pull fast passes for all of us with tickets and get a baby swap so all of us typically ride at least twice and some three times

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[wallskm]

Here's how we did the rider swap:

We had 5 adults and 2 kids on our trip. What we would do was 2 or 3 of us would get fastpasses to the ride and when our time came up we would all head up to the fastpass entrance and ask for a rider swap. We had to have the kids with us to get the swap ticket. They'd give us the ticket and the ones that had the fastpass would go first, then we'd swap the kids and the others could go through the fastpass line. It was super easy.

By only having a couple of us get the fastpasses, that freed up the others to get fastpasses for something else, basically allowing us to ride two rides in a short amount of time. We really could maximize our fastpasses that way. If there were two "adult" rides close together we would split up and get fastpasses, then return and do both rides pretty quickly.

It was nice this way- we got to do our "adult" rides but the kids weren't stuck waiting around for us for long. In fact we usually would find a good play area or smaller ride that they could go on while we were waiting for the others to do the ride. Then it was back to the rides they could do!

 

[quagmire0]

Last time it was myself, my wife, our daughter (4) and son (18mo). We found the ride swap to be freakin' fantastic.

Here's what we did: On most rides, you can pick up the ride swap ticket from the person manning the Fastpass lane. Just walk up, show them your child that cannot ride (point them out) and get your ticket. It usually allows you to come back at any time during the day (unless they've changed that?) with up to 3 people - can be anyone. So, the way we did it is we would get our regular fast passes for the ride in question, show up at our fastpass time and get the ride swap ticket. One of us would go on with DD using our fastpasses, they would get off and then the other one would go on with DD using the childswap pass. So, DD got to ride twice and both adults got to ride as well. You also have the option of just using the ticket later as well.

 

[amybug1]

Are there certain rides where you would take the younger child through with you before you swap riders? If so, are they stroller friendly? I was wondering about some of the Epcot rides that have the indoor/interactive queues. I saw something about a small play area around Mission Space. Just trying to get an idea of what my 2 yr old can do when we ride some of these rides.

 

[JenDett]

Do your kids put up any protest about not being able to ride? My child will be 4.75 at the time of our visit, but I am anticipating he will only be around 41" at the time of our trip. I simply cannot imagine telling him "You need to wait while we all ride" will go over well.

 

[diamondpixienc]

Do your kids put up any protest about not being able to ride? My child will be 4.75 at the time of our visit, but I am anticipating he will only be around 41" at the time of our trip. I simply cannot imagine telling him "You need to wait while we all ride" will go over well.

Maybe you could just prepare them by showing them some you tube videos of the rides where they would have to be "this" tall or tall like big brother or sister to ride it. That is working for us now actually as our local amusement park is now open and once we explained to our 3yo DD that she can't ride the really big coasters because she has to be tall as her brother she was just fine. We have been back 4 other times and now it's " I have to big like my brother to ride that one!" No tears and no drama when DH and I have to switch off. Also, be sure to focus on what they CAN ride knowing that there are more kid friendly rides at Disney is always a plus. Good luck but I think they would get over it rather quickly though.

 

[cherbear]

I really appreciate all the responses, and the great 'examples'! I now have a better understanding of how it works. I'll have to get together with the whole group and come up with a grand plan on how to best approach the child swap for our specific situation.

 

[Teresa Pitman]

Do your kids put up any protest about not being able to ride? My child will be 4.75 at the time of our visit, but I am anticipating he will only be around 41" at the time of our trip. I simply cannot imagine telling him "You need to wait while we all ride" will go over well.

Sometimes the cast members will give them fastpasses for a ride they can do (that you can take them to afterwards) or stickers or something else - once when my grandson was upset because he couldn't go on Primeval Whirl the CM gave him come coupons to play some of the carnival games in that area.

TP

 

[quagmire0]

I second showing the kids videos of the rides beforehand. Did that with my daughter when she was 4 and with my daughter (now 6) and son (now 3) for our upcoming trip. Worked great last time and DD even rode on things she swore she wouldn't when she saw the videos.

As a previous poster alluded to, you should have a rough idea of how much of a 'fighter' your kid is - or at least you'll get one after the first ride you try to go on.

When we went two years ago with a 4yo and an 18mo, we never had a situation where we went all the way up to the attraction and then they slammed on the brakes. Had a couple instances when either was frightened during the ride, but they stuck through it. So, I can't really speak to good techniques in that case. I believe for many rides you could either 'hand off' to an adult and step aside at that point or they would have an exit you could walk over to and exit the attraction altogether.

 

[Mama Who]

Do your kids put up any protest about not being able to ride? My child will be 4.75 at the time of our visit, but I am anticipating he will only be around 41" at the time of our trip. I simply cannot imagine telling him "You need to wait while we all ride" will go over well.

Why make him just wait? He and the adult waiting with him can go ride something else.

 

[JenDett]

Why make him just wait? He and the adult waiting with him can go ride something else.

Are you allowed to leave the immediate area? I thought you would have to stay there in order to swap as soon as the other parent is done riding.

 

[snoopy5386]

Are you allowed to leave the immediate area? I thought you would have to stay there in order to swap as soon as the other parent is done riding.

Nope, the rider swap passes are good for the whole day. You can return to ride whenever. Great to save them for nap time.

 

[JenDett]

Nope, the rider swap passes are good for the whole day. You can return to ride whenever. Great to save them for nap time.

Awesome info - thanks!!

I think I will also utilize the YouTube suggestions for prepping him. Between that and distracting him with something new to see, hopefully it will not be much of an issue!

 

[wallskm]

To address the question of what the younger kids can do while the adults ride:

We always took the kids to do their own thing while we rode. So at magic kingdom, we took them to do the people mover while the others rode space mountain and to Tom Sawyer island while we did splash mountain and big thunder mountain railroad.

At animal kingdom, we took them to the dig site while we did dinosaur, we could have also done primeval whirl that way too. There wasn't much by expedition Everest so we made that snack time!

At DHS there wasn't much by tower of terror and rockin roller coaster so we made that snack time too and got smoothies. They did the honey I shrunk the kids playground while we swapped off for star tours.

At Epcot there is a playground near test track and a play area at the end of mission:space. For soarin we took them on living with the land.

We usually had fast passes for the ride as well as rider swap so they never had to wait long.

We tried our best to keep the kids entertained while we rode! They were happy to get out of the stroller and run around!

 

[DopeyDame]

Are you allowed to leave the immediate area? I thought you would have to stay there in order to swap as soon as the other parent is done riding.

Nope! That's the beauty of baby swap. The baby has to be there when you get the swap pass (to prove the kid actually exists) but after that, the kid doesn't need to be anywhere near the ride.
So you walk by Space Mountain, explain that it's a "grown up ride" and quickly get the baby swap. Mom and baby then go get ice cream/ride Buzz for the 8 billionth time/meet Mickey, etc., etc. and the baby doesn't have any idea they are missing out on anything.

Have fun!

 

[lilbrimomma]

I have a question also!! after you get your child swap pass, when you go get in line.. do you go through the fast pass line or regular line? My DS is almost 4 and may be adhd.. I don't know how he will handle the long lines :/