Ride Set-Up Reminder Please...

[deejdigsdis]

So it's been many years since I was last there and a lot has changed. I'm wondering what the seating situation is like on some of the faster-type rides. My 3 year old is 43 inches, so he'll be able to ride almost everything -- which blows my mind -- and I'm just wondering which rides I will be able to hold him close to me. Does the Matterhorn still have the kind of seat that I will be able to have him snuggle in right in front of me? Still a straddle kind of seat on Splash Mountain where I can just wrap my arms around him? What rides can I have him be "right there" with me?

Also... we are a Party of Five... will someone always be riding alone, or can you fit 3 people across in rides like BTMRR, HM, etc. I'd rather know beforehand what to expect so I can prepare the kids. And myself.

Thanks!

 

[leslie_537]

Matterhorn he can snuggle right up to you. I think splash has a back rest between the riders. I know on HM and BTMRR we have road with 3 before the middle one was like 3 or 4.

 

[Kayla's Mom]

Yes Matterhorn is nice because he can ride right between your legs. Splash does have back rests in between seats, but you could ride with him side by side if you sit in the back (there are two seats next to each other).

 

[Brady's Mom]

HM you can ride 3 people across. Toy Story you can too, but one person won't have a "gun", which could be a real bummer.

I love riding next to my littles on Splash in the back row. It is too hard to try to hold onto them when they sit in front of you since you have to reach around a back rest.

4 people can ride in one car on Mullholland Madness. If you have skinny people you should be able to ride 3 across on BTMRR (or kids).

We are a party of 5, also and sometimes that can be really hard. We try to switch up who is riding with whom, but it does take some planning. Sometimes we will child swap, even if our kids are tall enough to ride - just so we can ride everyone with a partner at least once.

Our 7 and 13 DS's love to single rider rides like Mulholland Madness, since the line is super short and I don't like to ride that ride. I just walk DS 7 up the stairs to the loading platform, he tells the CM that he wants to go Single Rider and they always ask him how old he is (you have to be 7), he gets on the ride, I go back down the stairs and watch him ride and wait for him at the exit. He loves it, I can see him and we don't have to wait in a super long line or waste a FP.

DS 13 will also single rider Screamin' and will do it several times in a row if he can. DS 7 is hoping to be tall enough to ride it when we go in Nov. But, we will still have to child swap since DS 5 is not tall enough.

 

[deejdigsdis]

Thanks for all the helpful info. It sounds like we will be able to be together for most things.

Child Swap? How does that work exactly?

 

[Kayla's Mom]

Thanks for all the helpful info. It sounds like we will be able to be together for most things.

Child Swap? How does that work exactly?

At the entrance to the ride, ask the CM for a child swap pass (some people report that they sometimes actually want to see the baby/child that is too young to ride, we have never had this happen). When you use the child swap pass, you will either enter from the ride exit (Space Mt for sure you do this on) or the fast pass line. The CM at each ride can direct you.

The best way to utilize Child Swap is also by combining it with Fast Pass. For example, if you all get a FP for Splash -- you and your child go on Splash first using a FP and picking up a child swap pass. If someone else in your party goes on with another child using the Child Swap pass, you would still have Fast Passes left for this ride. You guys could do the same process over again using the remaining Fast Passes.

Or, instead of riding the same ride twice (as above), 2 of you could have a FP for one ride and 2 of you could have a FP for a different ride at the same time. Hope that's not too confusing!

 

[deejdigsdis]

Wow. This is good to know. I didn't know anything about this. So...just to be clear. The first adult needs to stand in the regular line (if it's not a fastpass ride) or the fastpass line (if it is a fastpass ride and they do indeed have a fastpass), along with having the child swap pass. When they come out, they hand the child swap pass to the other adult and they go through the exit/fastpass line, whichever the CM directs for that particular ride. (And the 2nd adult doesn't need to use up a fastpass at all, right? The child swap pass is sufficient?) While the first adult is riding, does the second adult need to be right there waiting at the exit the whole time? Also, for the Indy example... I have 1 child who is tall enough to ride, and 2 who are not. After 1 adult goes through with the child who is tall enough, can that child just hop right back on with the second adult who is using the child swap pass? Now that I am thinking about this...can we get Indy Fastpasses for each person's ticket in our party, including those who are not tall enough to ride to begin with? And those of us who are tall enough can use those Fastpasses? So many questions, I know. I'm just so glad to be finding out all these little details before we go. I've never gone to DL as "the mom," so I've never thought about a lot of this stuff. Thanks!

 

[Kayla's Mom]

Wow. This is good to know. I didn't know anything about this. So...just to be clear. The first adult needs to stand in the regular line (if it's not a fastpass ride) or the fastpass line (if it is a fastpass ride and they do indeed have a fastpass), along with having the child swap pass. When they come out, they hand the child swap pass to the other adult and they go through the exit/fastpass line, whichever the CM directs for that particular ride. (And the 2nd adult doesn't need to use up a fastpass at all, right? The child swap pass is sufficient?) While the first adult is riding, does the second adult need to be right there waiting at the exit the whole time? Also, for the Indy example... I have 1 child who is tall enough to ride, and 2 who are not. After 1 adult goes through with the child who is tall enough, can that child just hop right back on with the second adult who is using the child swap pass? Now that I am thinking about this...can we get Indy Fastpasses for each person's ticket in our party, including those who are not tall enough to ride to begin with? And those of us who are tall enough can use those Fastpasses? So many questions, I know. I'm just so glad to be finding out all these little details before we go. I've never gone to DL as "the mom," so I've never thought about a lot of this stuff. Thanks!

Yes, the first set of people would use a FP and get the child swap pass. The next set of people do not have to be by the exit, they don't even have to use the child swap pass right away. You could come back later on if you want to. They will not need a FP, the child swap is sufficient.

The child swap pass allows 2 people to get on the ride (not sure how strict they are with this). So in your Indy example, your child could ride with the first adult, then go back on with the second adult using child swap. And yes, you can get a FP with all admission tickets and anyone can use them.

It's a great, great system to use. It worked out so well when my cousin and I went with 4 kids (2 of which were too little to ride the big rides).

 

[deejdigsdis]

Thanks, Kayla's Mom, for all the helpful info! Knowing this stuff ahead of time will make for a smoother trip for sure!