"milking" baby swap

[amyren]

And like someone else said, if people think you are getting away with something that they are missing out on, then clearly they have not traveled with little ones in tow.

Um... 9 trips in 6 years and I've only ever traveled with little ones! I'd honestly never thought about booking separate FPs than my husband so that we could get up to 6 using baby swap but I still wouldn't do it. I'm fine with the 3 guaranteed with my ticket.

I'd agree with you based on my own experience. Most families travelling with small children are not able to move at the pace of families with older children or families with no children. Additionally you find yourself wanting to do more things as a family anyway, so you end up doing more parades, meet and greets, and non-thrill rides, etc. so the rider swap doesn't get used as much as you might think. While its theoretically possible to abuse it, I can't see too many parents wanting to put their own needs ahead of the family unit.

Ding-ding-ding! This
Sure we do attractions that our older DD wants to do that DS can't do but we spend the majority of our time all together so 6 fps for rides that DS can't do is kinda overboard

Now I have a question....is there a limit to the party size? Let's say a family of 7 came, but 1 kid doesn't want to ride....does that mean that 5 get to ride each time while mom and dad take turns waiting with the 1 kid? Or does only mom/dad get to go 2nd time?

The baby swap pass is for up to 3 people.

 

[Crystal824]

I could be next in line and now I have to wait PLUS I don't get 6 FP+ a day.

They don't either. They get three per person just like you. If they want to book something with a height requirement, they can use that one to book and then use rider swap. However, they have to wait in line twice so it takes them twice the time for both to ride. Further, if they both booked FP, it is quite possible the hour would be up prior to the first person finishing the ride, which is why riderswitch still exists. Again, for the majority of the attractions (no height requirements), this "loophole" won't work because everyone can ride together and you both need a FP).

For the most part parents generally put their kids and their wants first. I'm more likely to be found on the Winnie the Pooh than Space Mountain. I've been to WDW 5 times in the past 4 years (since I've had kids). You know how many times I've ridden Soarin during all those trips, once. You know how many times I've ridden Space Mountain during all those trips, once. I've ridden Everest numerous times but only because of the single rider line, which anyone can use.

 

[smiths02]

I kept hearing different things, that both people had to have FP+ before they would issue rider swap. But that isn't so?

I'm so confused about how to plan my trip now.
We are going with a 9 year old and twin 2 year olds.

 

[Crystal824]

Now I have a question....is there a limit to the party size? Let's say a family of 7 came, but 1 kid doesn't want to ride....does that mean that 5 get to ride each time while mom and dad take turns waiting with the 1 kid? Or does only mom/dad get to go 2nd time?

Yes, riderswitch is good for three people. It will allow your older children if you have them to ride twice essentially (provided you booked a FP for them). To ride the first time, you have to have a FP. It doesn't work if the child doesn't want to ride. The kid HAS to be too short to ride.

 

[Crystal824]

I kept hearing different things, that both people had to have FP+ before they would issue rider swap. But that isn't so?

I'm so confused about how to plan my trip now.
We are going with a 9 year old and twin 2 year olds.

I would just book the FP+ for everyone in your party. If the 2 year olds are too short for some attractions, you can get RS and the 9 year old can ride twice, once with each parent. That is what we are doing. We have a 4 1/2 year and a 10 mo old on our trip. This "loophole" really only works if you ONLY have children under 3 and you are still focused on doing rides with height requirements. Otherwise, you need FPs for everyone in your party to ride together.

 

[Oodalally13]

ok maybe what I'm seeing isnt child swap at all. I have seen this several times and that's what I thought it was. Mom/dad and kid(s) would exit ride, other parent was waiting right where you get out of vehicle, parents would swap and the entire family would go load the vehicle from the exit side. Sometimes it would be a parent and 1 kid riding, sometimes a parent and 4+ kids. Sometimes I've even seen them switch again, this time taking the kid that "didnt" want to. Maybe it's bad cms, I dunno but it sure ticked me off. I
Understand disney is FOR kids and families, but I don't condone line cutting for any reason.

 

[Crystal824]

ok maybe what I'm seeing isnt child swap at all. I have seen this several times and that's what I thought it was. Mom/dad and kid(s) would exit ride, other parent was waiting right where you get out of vehicle, parents would swap and the entire family would go load the vehicle from the exit side. Sometimes it would be a parent and 1 kid riding, sometimes a parent and 4+ kids. Sometimes I've even seen them switch again, this time taking the kid that "didnt" want to. Maybe it's bad cms, I dunno but it sure ticked me off. I
Understand disney is FOR kids and families, but I don't condone line cutting for any reason.

I'm not sure what you saw. Riderswitch is when two people approach the line FP line or regular line and show that they have a child too short to ride. One person goes thorugh the line (FP or not). The other person get a rider switch pass that allows them to go through the FP lane later (it is good usually for anytime that day). That person leaves with the child and goes wherever.

 

[Oodalally13]

I'm not sure what you saw. Riderswitch is when two people approach the line FP line or regular line and show that they have a child too short to ride. One person goes thorugh the line (FP or not). The other person get a rider switch pass that allows them to go through the FP lane later (it is good usually for anytime that day). That person leaves with the child and goes wherever.

Thanks for the clarification! If I'd known that then I would have said something to a cm, but apparently it wouldn't have helped as I saw it at various rides at all 4 parks! Man now I'm really angry!

 

[amyren]

ok maybe what I'm seeing isnt child swap at all. I have seen this several times and that's what I thought it was. Mom/dad and kid(s) would exit ride, other parent was waiting right where you get out of vehicle, parents would swap and the entire family would go load the vehicle from the exit side. Sometimes it would be a parent and 1 kid riding, sometimes a parent and 4+ kids. Sometimes I've even seen them switch again, this time taking the kid that "didnt" want to. Maybe it's bad cms, I dunno but it sure ticked me off. I
Understand disney is FOR kids and families, but I don't condone line cutting for any reason.

We actually did this once. It was called an "internal rider swap" on Test Track. The CM set it up bc the park was closing soon and queue to attraction was likely to close before DH exited the attraction. I waited at the exit and was able to switch with DH when he exited. It's not the norm though normally the first parent exits then the second parent gets in the FP line.

 

[tzolkin]

Oodalally13- I'm not sure what you were seeing, but that's definitely not how RS works. They give the non-riding parent a paper pass at the entrance and will not allow them or the too-short child to even enter the line.

Only scenario I usually see guests board from the exit side is with someone in their party with a disability.

The one exception to this was my own family on test track many years ago. CM at the entrance measured my youngest and said he was tall enough, then after much debate between two CMs at the loading area it was decided that he was too short and could not board. I rode with my two DDs. Then when we were done the CM let my DDs stay in the vehicle and DH hopped in with them from the exit side while I got out to wait with DS.

 

[DopeyDame]

ok maybe what I'm seeing isnt child swap at all. I have seen this several times and that's what I thought it was. Mom/dad and kid(s) would exit ride, other parent was waiting right where you get out of vehicle, parents would swap and the entire family would go load the vehicle from the exit side. Sometimes it would be a parent and 1 kid riding, sometimes a parent and 4+ kids. Sometimes I've even seen them switch again, this time taking the kid that "didnt" want to. Maybe it's bad cms, I dunno but it sure ticked me off. I
Understand disney is FOR kids and families, but I don't condone line cutting for any reason.

My guess is that was a party with someone with a disability. Definitely wasn't baby swap. Youd never even know baby swap was going on unless you happened to see them give the CM the pass instead of scan their MB at the entrance.
And it's only available at rides with height requirements and only with kids under the height req. and the pass is good for up to 3 people.
as for renting out babies to milk the system....
I've never met a parent willing to rent their kid to a perfect stranger, but I guess you never know.

 

[Raenstoirm]

as for renting out babies to milk the system....
I've never met a parent willing to rent their kid to a perfect stranger, but I guess you never know.

And it has to be a little kid to really get the most out of the rental . And with a little kid you need to change their diapers and give them bottles and deal with the crying. Thats called babysitting. If anyone wants to give me money to babysit my twins for the day so you can use baby swap I am all for it! Dh and I can ride the headliners the normal FP+ way and be perfectly happy.

 

[MommyMK]

Yes that's how it is supposed to work. Rider swap intent is that both parents will be able to ride a ride without having to wait in line twice just because they have a too short child. If you have other taller children or other adults with you, then yes up to two of them can also ride with you on a rider swap pass, which means they can either ride twice or ride once without using a FP+ entitlement. No it is not milking the system. It takes twice as long to experience an attraction, which even with fast pass can take quite some time. It can easily take almost an hour to ride test track twice with a fast pass and a rider swap pass. Milking the system would be for each of you to take twin and separately ask the CM at the entrance for a rider swap pass and end up with 2 of them.

 

[MomTo3PrincessesInNJ]

I just want to point out that RS can be used for kids that are too short OR who just don't want to ride.

Directly from Disney's website:

What Is Rider Switch and How Does It Work?
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.


https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/rider-switch/

 

[tinklvsu]

Hmm, I personally feel that is definitely milking the system. Getting to go on double the amount that's allotted for everyone else. You'd think they would have already came up with something to prevent this. If not yet, I'd bet anything they will!

I do have a question though, while I frequent Disney World at LEAST once a year. We haven't really took part in the baby swap. This past October trip, my husband and myself had fastpass+ for a FEW certain things my three year old wasn't tall enough to ride yet. For example: Expedition Everest. We simply went one at a time using our fast pass's. We tried to enter the ride together, thinking we would both wait in line with the child, and swap once we got to the front, but they wouldn't allow him to even wait in line with us (which is understandable) ..I though that's how it worked though, getting to wait in line together.

How do I obtain the child swap pass, and how would this be any different than waiting in line separately with the fast pass's? I would obviously like to wait together, so that it doesn't take twice as long, or does the swap pass work the same? We are planning another October or December trip this year, he's measuring at 43 inches now. So while he may get to ride most things, there will still be a few he cannot.

 

[MomTo3PrincessesInNJ]

How do I obtain the child swap pass, and how would this be any different than waiting in line separately with the fast pass's? I would obviously like to wait together, so that it doesn't take twice as long, or does the swap pass work the same? We are planning another October or December trip this year, he's measuring at 43 inches now. So while he may get to ride most things, there will still be a few he cannot.

IMO this was designed for families with more than 1 child where 1 child is tall enough to ride and the other is not. So parent 1 & 2 are able to ride these rides with their children.

All 3 of you walk to the ride together. You tell the CM that you need a RS pass because your child can't/won't ride the ride. Your H will enter the FP line (if he has a FP) or the Stand by line. You and your child can do whatever you want while your H waits in line/rides. **There were 2 rides where H couldn't get my RS pass until he had gotten to the end of the line. Everyother place gave me the pass before he even got in line. ** You can't wait in line together.

You can then use the swap to enter the FP line -- and NOT use one of your own FPs -- anytime during your trip.

 

[Crystal824]

Hmm, I personally feel that is definitely milking the system. Getting to go on double the amount that's allotted for everyone else. You'd think they would have already came up with something to prevent this. If not yet, I'd bet anything they will!

I do have a question though, while I frequent Disney World at LEAST once a year. We haven't really took part in the baby swap. This past October trip, my husband and myself had fastpass+ for a FEW certain things my three year old wasn't tall enough to ride yet. For example: Expedition Everest. We simply went one at a time using our fast pass's. We tried to enter the ride together, thinking we would both wait in line with the child, and swap once we got to the front, but they wouldn't allow him to even wait in line with us (which is understandable) ..I though that's how it worked though, getting to wait in line together.

How do I obtain the child swap pass, and how would this be any different than waiting in line separately with the fast pass's? I would obviously like to wait together, so that it doesn't take twice as long, or does the swap pass work the same? We are planning another October or December trip this year, he's measuring at 43 inches now. So while he may get to ride most things, there will still be a few he cannot.

The reason they do this is so the child who can't ride doesn't have to just sit around and wait for the parents to ride. They do rider swap like that at Universal. MY DD doesn't really care for just sitting there while we ride Harry Potter. Not much fun for the kiddos. The non-riding parent can take the child somewhere else. To a meet and greet, another attraction, snack, diaper change, whatever. The reason you don't just book two FP is that potentially the FP time could expire before the second person uses the FP meaning that you wasted a FP. I suppose they could make you both book FP+ selections and try to figure out the timing. Little ones don't always abide by our timing, which is why FP+ scares me a bit.

 

[jennilouwho]

Also, with FP+ and rider swap, if you have a 3 year old with a paying ticket that is too short, it doesn't seem fair that they would have to waste their FP on a ride they can't even go on. I emailed Disney about this issue to see if I could book a FP+ for me to take the baby on something while my husband and other two did Splash Mountain. So I booked Splash for my husband, DS8 and DS6 and then a separate FP+ for me to take the baby on Winnie the Pooh. That kept him busy for some of the time. Then we saved the rider swap pass for when he was sleeping and I got to ride with the kids during that time. I was told it was how things were supposed to work by a cast member that called my house and then gave me her direct line to call if there were any problems. It was when there was a big debacle going on about 7DMT asking for all parties to show them. She said they were getting the word out to CMs that both parents didn't need one and it was about a week later I read on here that people weren't being asked for all members to scan anymore. If cast members are saying it's the way it should work, I don't understand how it's milking the system. I know others have had the same experience I have in writing or calling. I realize not all the phone/email CMs know what they are talking about, but when she gave me her direct line, she seemed to be a bit higher up in the totem pole. Maybe not???

 

[tinklvsu]

IMO this was designed for families with more than 1 child where 1 child is tall enough to ride and the other is not. So parent 1 & 2 are able to ride these rides with their children.

Hmm, I see what you are saying there. Even only having one child I would still recommend it. My husband and myself still like to take part in the rides (Space Mountain, Rock N Roller Coaster...etc.) Not using a pass would mean we would both be standing in the stand-by line individually for the full length of the time (assuming we didn't get a fast-pass...)... Not having more than one child myself, and he still being on the younger side, I've thought it to be more of a "baby swap" type thing. Too young, not tall enough to ride, therefore the parents can swap out so they can enjoy it also. I do see how it would benefit those with more than one child though.

 

[Feberin]

The only time my husband and I "milked" the system was I made a FP+ reservation for Soarin' for myself and his for Test Track. I got a rider swap for Soarin' so he didn't have to wait in standby. He got one for me for Test Track but the kids were getting fussy so I never used it. It took us awhile to ride using the baby swap. In some cases I think it was longer then the standby line since you had to double it. Also most of the time I just made both of us FP+ reservations. When we go back again I'll definitely schedule a FP+ for one of us do to something with the kids during the same time frame as the other ride. That's a really great idea. We only did a total of five rides over five park days that had height restrictions so it wasn't like we were running from headliner to headliner causing those without kids to wait.
And for us we were totally doing it for us not for any older child. My son was tall enough for some rides but he scares easily and didn't want to go on them. However since Disney World isn't a trip we're able to make every year or couple of years there were some rides that my husband and I wanted to ride that our children were too small or not interested in riding. We also were both in high school for our last trip so there were lots of rides that we'd never ridden before. We also missed a lot of thrill rides because we mostly spent time together as a family doing things the kids wanted to do not us.