parent swap? explain?

[lyndeah]

We have a 2 yo, 7yo and almost 9yo. A friend of mine just got back and said that there is a way I can do fastpasses (and rides?) so that my husband and i no longer have to choose who gets to ride with the older 2 kids now? we can switch without standing in line twice or fastpassing twice and both ride? but she wasnt sure how it worked? can someone explain to me how? or what i need to do? do i need to set up fastpaases differently?

 

[Robo]

We have a 2 yo, 7yo and almost 9yo. A friend of mine just got back and said that there is a way I can do fastpasses (and rides?) so that my husband and i no longer have to choose who gets to ride with the older 2 kids now? we can switch without standing in line twice or fastpassing twice and both ride? but she wasnt sure how it worked? can someone explain to me how? or what i need to do? do i need to set up fastpaases differently?

http://wdwuntangled.com/rider-switch/

 

[cakebaker]

The rider swap pass is good for up to 3 people. Only those riding first need a fp+. I don't know of a way not to have to enter the fp+ line twice though, not sure that's what you meant.

If what you're asking is, is there a way for you and your husband each get to ride with both of the older children using the swap, the answer is yes. Ex: You would ride with them and you each would need your fp+'s, then your husband could use the baby swap and ride with them and none of them would need fp+'s, just the swap pass.

The kids get to ride twice! It's a neat little perk to the rider swap pass.

 

[lyndeah]

AWESOME -- yes this is exactly what I was looking for as I was fast passes the same ride on 2 different days for at least 3 diff things so I now have some free spots to go on some other popular things...Thanks Disney

 

[lyndeah]

ALso, theres nothing i need to do ahead of time right? Just get fastpasses for all 4 of us now and then when i get there and get the rider swap at the actual attraction?

 

[cakebaker]

ALso, theres nothing i need to do ahead of time right? Just get fastpasses for all 4 of us now and then when i get there and get the rider swap at the actual attraction?

Well if you're doing as I described it, you'd actually only need 3 fp's. Just the people riding first will need a fp+. Those riding on the swap pass do not need one.
But yes, that's all you have to do.

 

[matheke]

From the WDW site:

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.

Rider Switch is available at select attractions at all 4 Walt Disney World Resort theme parks. See a Cast Member at the attraction for more information.

To Use Rider Switch:

1. Check that Rider Switch is offered at the attraction in question by asking a Cast Member.

2. Enter the normal queue with your entire party. At least one adult member of your party and the Guest who will not be riding will then be issued a Rider Switch Pass and asked to wait in a designated area. This group is “Party 2.”

3. The remaining party members, “Party 1,” ride the attraction.

4. After riding the attraction, Party 1 locates Party 2. The non-rider is then “switched” to Party 1.

5. Party 2 enters without having to wait in the regular queue a second time and boards the attraction. The Rider Switch Pass must be presented to a Cast Member at this time.

If the person in Party 2 waited alone with the child, he or she may bring one Guest back to ride the attraction with him or her. Please note: Only 2 Guests are allowed per Rider Switch Pass.

 

[cakebaker]

From the WDW site:

That's what it says, but she doesn't have to enter the queue, just the entrance to the queue. There may be a ride that will require them to enter the queue itself, not 100% sure there isn't, but none that we've used required entering the queue.

The website says 2 return guests, the switch pass says 3. Not sure why that is, but since the switch pass says 3, she won't have a problem. Be aware op, they could change the switch pass wording at any time. As of yet, they have not.

 

[jahber]

We've never been allowed to enter the queue with the baby when we've done rider swap (my son is only 6mo, so I don't know how it used to work). What happens is, we walk up to the person at the little desk/FP+ tapstiles and tell them we want to baby swap. They give us the ticket (which says 3 people, as PP mentioned), and then the first riders enter the FP+ line (if they have FP+) or the regular line. Then we swap baby and the three of us return via the FP+ line. Simple. But it would be better if we were allowed to wait together in line and swap when they came off the ride. Even if we had to exit after the first group boarded, it would be fine.

 

[snayak]

We've never been allowed to enter the queue with the baby when we've done rider swap (my son is only 6mo, so I don't know how it used to work). What happens is, we walk up to the person at the little desk/FP+ tapstiles and tell them we want to baby swap. They give us the ticket (which says 3 people, as PP mentioned), and then the first riders enter the FP+ line (if they have FP+) or the regular line. Then we swap baby and the three of us return via the FP+ line. Simple. But it would be better if we were allowed to wait together in line and swap when they came off the ride. Even if we had to exit after the first group boarded, it would be fine.

Its basically like that. For Big Thunder and Splash Mountain you don't get the rider swap ticket until the merge point with FP+, they give you a lanyard/badge (sort of like the one they use to estimate wait times, the card on the lanyard) and you give that to the CM at the merge point and they give you a Child Swap card there, to cut down on shenanigans I'd assume.

We found the cards good for 3 people, they expired like a week later (so not the same day or hour), and you can go right into the FP+ line if you have a FP+ you don't have to wait standby on the first go-round. Also, they did ask to see the child every time, so bring them/stroller with you to the entrance to get the card.

Also, the people swapping do NOT need FP+, we found this frees up FP+ slots for that parent to do 3 extra things geared towards the smallest child if they don't have a ticket/magic band (like M&G, etc) if the party doesn't mind separating for a bit.

 

[jahber]

Its basically like that. For Big Thunder and Splash Mountain you don't get the rider swap ticket until the merge point with FP+, they give you a lanyard/badge (sort of like the one they use to estimate wait times, the card on the lanyard) and you give that to the CM at the merge point and they give you a Child Swap card there, to cut down on shenanigans I'd assume. We found the cards good for 3 people, they expired like a week later (so not the same day or hour), and you can go right into the FP+ line if you have a FP+ you don't have to wait standby on the first go-round. Also, they did ask to see the child every time, so bring them/stroller with you to the entrance to get the card. Also, the people swapping do NOT need FP+, we found this frees up FP+ slots for that parent to do 3 extra things geared towards the smallest child if they don't have a ticket/magic band (like M&G, etc) if the party doesn't mind separating for a bit.

This was our experience with FP+s,as well. But at Big Thunder we weren't allowed to enter the line. They gave us a return card at the first FP+ tapstile.

 

[Kathryn777]

Also you can get the pass at either line. Fp is often easier than the standby line. The only tricky-ish part is the non riding parent with non riding child has to be "shown" before the pass gets issued. Which totally makes sense but wasn't always convenient

 

[snayak]

This was our experience with FP+s,as well. But at Big Thunder we weren't allowed to enter the line. They gave us a return card at the first FP+ tapstile.

I think we're saying the same thing...only riders got into the FP+ queue, the child & parent always stayed outside after being presented to the CM and getting the ticket. However, we never wanted to bring the child/stroller into the queue so keeping the party together wasn't a big deal. We did have to walk to the FP+ queue twice though.

With FP+ we were in and out so quick it didn't even matter (5-10 minutes), and we never did Child Swap using Standby. The kid got a kick out of seeing the parents on the ride vehicles and waving to them.

 

[jahber]

I think we're saying the same thing...only riders got into the FP+ queue, the child & parent always stayed outside after being presented to the CM and getting the ticket. However, we never wanted to bring the child/stroller into the queue so keeping the party together wasn't a big deal. We did have to walk to the FP+ queue twice though. With FP+ we were in and out so quick it didn't even matter (5-10 minutes), and we never did Child Swap using Standby. The kid got a kick out of seeing the parents on the ride vehicles and waving to them.

Oh, ok. I was thrown off by your mention of the lanyard thing. I probably just read it wrong. Wouldn't be the first time

 

[snayak]

Oh, ok. I was thrown off by your mention of the lanyard thing. I probably just read it wrong. Wouldn't be the first time

So, for whatever reason we were given a rider switch lanyard at Splash & BTMRR - I guess because people would try and game the system and not actually ride standby/FP at all, just take the card and ride once (instead of using a FP+).

So at the standby entrance we were given a lanyard, which you carry through the queue (FP+ or Standby) and present to the final CM - in our case at the at the 2nd tapstile @ Splash. At that point we were given the small ride swap card, similar to an old FP- card.

At Splash we did have to go to the standby entrance to get the lanyard (the FP+ CM directed us to do so), then we just walked up to the FP+ queue and used our FPs, we did not have to wait in the standby queue. I suspect this was only cause they ran out of the lanyards at the FP+ queue for the moment.

 

[jahber]

So, for whatever reason we were given a rider switch lanyard at Splash & BTMRR - I guess because people would try and game the system and not actually ride standby/FP at all, just take the card and ride once (instead of using a FP+). So at the standby entrance we were given a lanyard, which you carry through the queue (FP+ or Standby) and present to the final CM - in our case at the at the 2nd tapstile @ Splash. At that point we were given the small ride swap card, similar to an old FP- card. At Splash we did have to go to the standby entrance to get the lanyard (the FP+ CM directed us to do so), then we just walked up to the FP+ queue and used our FPs, we did not have to wait in the standby queue. I suspect this was only cause they ran out of the lanyards at the FP+ queue for the moment.

Huh. I understand why they would do that, now that you mention it. There have been times when we got the rider swap card and then didn't actually do the swap. I could have just given the card to a friend who could use it later that week.

The card does say it's valid for a few days, though, which is nice. It's not like we always have the time to wait through the line twice. At Test Track last week my family took a full 45 minutes to get through the ride using FP+. That's a loooooong "fast" pass experience to do twice.