Rider swap changes

[SMD]

Some of us weren't "abusing" the system and couldn't sit and wait 45 minutes+ at Indiana Jones to "immediate swap" (haha) and had to leave to nurse a baby or put toddlers down for a nap while everyone else rode. That rider's pass was nice to come back later in the evening and have for the parent left behind to get to ride!

But yes, I'm know people abused the system also. But it is too bad for those in the above mentioned situations.

There are people here who have admitted using the switch passes on subsequent trips, someone a few weeks ago in this forum suggested pretending that you forgot to ask at the beginning if the queue to get one at the end, even if you don't actually have a kid and there's someone in this thread who was planning to get one, even though their whole party was going to ride the first time. The bottom line, is Disney says to wait outside the attraction, meet up, hand the pass over, take over supervision of the children and board the attraction. If someone leaves the immediate area to use the bathroom, feed kids, etc and returns around the time the ride is over, that's one thing. But the person with the issue subsequently pulled additional FPs and rode another ride and got an additional switch added to their ticket, which means they tried to re-ride much later. And they're blaming Disney for not telling them that they can no longer use the system in a way that it wasn't intended to be used and is not described as how it works in Disney's official information. Abuse, misuse, loophole, all it means is, no problem here, as long as you follow the instructions, which they didn't.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

Some of us weren't "abusing" the system and couldn't sit and wait 45 minutes+ at Indiana Jones to "immediate swap" (haha) and had to leave to nurse a baby or put toddlers down for a nap while everyone else rode. That rider's pass was nice to come back later in the evening and have for the parent left behind to get to ride!

But yes, I'm know people abused the system also. But it is too bad for those in the above mentioned situations.

Boy, you said it! Disney with a baby or toddler doesn't always go as planned. If I had to immediately ride every time we did a rider swap I simply wouldn't be able to ride a lot of the time. Being able to come back in a hour or later on in the day has always been very convenient when you are dealing with a diaper blowout or toddler meltdown or food emergency or whatever else can happen with a very young child. I prefer to rider swap immediately but things simply don't always go as planned! Maybe it's easier with older kids, I wouldn't know.

 

[onlyoneash]

There are people here who have admitted using the switch passes on subsequent trips, someone a few weeks ago in this forum suggested pretending that you forgot to ask at the beginning if the queue to get one at the end, even if you don't actually have a kid and there's someone in this thread who was planning to get one, even though their whole party was going to ride the first time.

Whoever this person is you were talking about - thanks a lot for ruining it for the rest of us and making a simple system more complicated because you cheated (same as now having 2 fastpass checkpoints because of line jumpers)

If someone leaves the immediate area to use the bathroom, feed kids, etc and returns around the time the ride is over, that's one thing.

Haha! If I could time my children that way, it would be great/perfect. Unfortunately, my baby will have a poop blowout exactly 30 seconds before my turn to ride. Then I will be going and cleaning up for an hour. Then she will be hungry. Then the other kids will be hungry. Yep, mom doesn't get to ride. No prob for you locals who just can come back next weekend, but for us once-in-a-lifers, we really loved the idea of a flexible child swap.

 

[SMD]

Haha! If I could time my children that way, it would be great/perfect. Unfortunately, my baby will have a poop blowout exactly 30 seconds before my turn to ride. Then I will be going and cleaning up for an hour. Then she will be hungry. Then the other kids will be hungry. Yep, mom doesn't get to ride. No prob for you locals who just can come back next weekend, but for us once-in-a-lifers, we really loved the idea of a flexible child swap.

Read the post that I responded to before the response above. The person who had an issue because they tried to use the switch pass later got a pass for GotG, then a switch pass for RSR, then tried to use the switch for GotG (and in between pulled an FP for GRR, which is not near either of those rides or between them, and didn't use Maxpass.) It wasn't a childcare issue. It was a choice they made to collect switch passes to use much later and it looks like Disney may have closed that loophole. Just like people used to hold FP until the end of the day clogging up returns late at night, it's easy to collect lots of switch passes in the morning. Later in the day it's a burden on the queues to have to honor them on headliners when they were collected in the morning when the lines were shorter. Most people don't have emergencies with prevent them from returning within an hour. Actually going to another land, riding another ride, collecting another switch and going back later proves this wasn't a case of an emergency.

 

[tnzzz]

Disney published description of rider switch has always been that you wait by the ride and the switch immediately. You want them to tell you that they've closed the loophole that you've been abusing in contradiction to their published instructions? Just follow the rules as they laid them out if that's what's causing your issue using the system.

It's a bit of a stretch to say not using a switch immediately is abusing the system. We learned of rider switch on our second day by a kind CM at city hall. Never mentioned the need to use it immediately. Never once told this when obtaining a switch at a ride, either. In fact, the ticket states it needs to be used on date issued, not immediately. So this rule is news to me.
We always use the switch right away, because we like to finish one land and move on anyway, so I'm fine with the way it looks to be programmed now, but I can understand the PP's frustration at not knowing you can't hold another fp and the switch at the same time.

 

[wenrob]

How can rider swap work with children with developmental issues? We will be there Wednesday, our niece is 16, but she has the mind of a much younger child. She is on multiple medications to prevent psychotic episodes, we just don't want to tax her too much, is rider swap something that could help her? I've never had to use it and not sure how it works.

Rider Swap is not dependent on age or height of a child to be used. It is for ANYONE who cannot or does not want to ride. Disneyland's official policy right here:
https://disneyland.disney.go.com/guest-services/rider-switch/

We used it for GoTG and Screamin with two kids who are clearly old enough and tall enough with no issues. They simply weren't comfortable riding those rides. My advice is to keep a link or print out of the policy and politely remind a CM of the official policy if you are turned away for height or age.

 

[Bossy22]

Its not that a parent can't, its that a parent shouldn't have to race to try and make it. This was the reason for riderswap. I have used child swap but we always only used it in the spirit it was created, so all adults could ride even though we had young children that couldn't. ITs a shame a few people that abuse ruin it for the rest but that is the way society is going. Not for me, oh well, I'll use it anyways because its all about me and my experience. Its plain out ridiculous!!!

 

[lcp9]

If Disney wanted people to immediately switch, they would have had a time stamp on rider switch. Some waits are also unpredictable (yes, 45+ in FP at Indy) and you know what? My kids 5, 3, and 1 are not going to sit in crowded Adventureland for 45 minutes waiting for us to switch, and frankly I didn't pay $100 to waste my whole day for each of us to wait 45+ for each other not being allowed to go on other rides. Is Disneyland not for children anymore? I don't get it.

 

[SMD]

It's a bit of a stretch to say not using a switch immediately is abusing the system. We learned of rider switch on our second day by a kind CM at city hall. Never mentioned the need to use it immediately. Never once told this when obtaining a switch at a ride, either. In fact, the ticket states it needs to be used on date issued, not immediately. So this rule is news to me.
We always use the switch right away, because we like to finish one land and move on anyway, so I'm fine with the way it looks to be programmed now, but I can understand the PP's frustration at not knowing you can't hold another fp and the switch at the same time.

The poster in this case didn't just not use it immediately. They obtained a switch for 1 ride, walked across 2 lands, rode and obtained a switch for another ride, walked across the park, obtained an FP for a 3rd ride, then returned at some later time to use the 1st switch. Now they're blaming Disney for not telling them they were enforcing the switch system as described, and not allowing that huge loophole.

Its not that a parent can't, its that a parent shouldn't have to race to try and make it. This was the reason for riderswap. I have used child swap but we always only used it in the spirit it was created, so all adults could ride even though we had young children that couldn't. ITs a shame a few people that abuse ruin it for the rest but that is the way society is going. Not for me, oh well, I'll use it anyways because its all about me and my experience. Its plain out ridiculous!!!

Things happen in life and that doesn't go away at Disney parks. What's the worst case scenario if a child (or anyone in the party) has an accident that requires going back to the hotel? You miss an FP time and wait in the standby line? You miss a ride and go on others instead? About half of the rides that offer switch passes also have single rider, and in the end that could be just as faster or faster than switching. Most of the time the reason that people aren't using the switch passes right away isn't that they had to leave the area for childcare related issues and couldn't get back. It's because they are trying to take their children on the ride multiple times and wait until it is more crowded later in the day to return.

 

[lcp9]

This actually irritates me the more I think about it. So if the FP line is 30 minutes at 2pm, we are eligible for new FP at 2pm, but one gets in line and waits 30 mins, and then the other parent has to wait 30 minutes, we wouldn't even be able to book new FP until 3pm, which kind of takes away from the value of MP and being able to immediately book new FP. That's ridiculous.

 

[SMD]

This actually irritates me the more I think about it. So if the FP line is 30 minutes at 2pm, we are eligible for new FP at 2pm, but one gets in line and waits 30 mins, and then the other parent has to wait 30 minutes, we wouldn't even be able to book new FP until 3pm, which kind of takes away from the value of MP and being able to immediately book new FP. That's ridiculous.

Couldn't you get one a 2:30? Even if you didn't use a switch, that's how it would work. Parent 1 scans FP at 2:00, after 30 minutes, parent 2 scans FP at 2:30, parents 1 can then use MP to obtain another FP. And, if Disney didn't offer switching at all, the alternative would be you wait twice. or 1 parent doesn't ride. It hasn't been determined that they require both parents to have an FP to switch, so if that's still the case you could pull for different rides. Either way, it's not the end of the world that you can't immediately pull another FP. People do things like enjoy shows or other rides without staring at their phone to get an FP at every possible second one could be available. If that devalues MP for you, that's really a personal choice.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

Things happen in life and that doesn't go away at Disney parks. What's the worst case scenario if a child (or anyone in the party) has an accident that requires going back to the hotel? You miss an FP time and wait in the standby line? You miss a ride and go on others instead? About half of the rides that offer switch passes also have single rider, and in the end that could be just as faster or faster than switching. Most of the time the reason that people aren't using the switch passes right away isn't that they had to leave the area for childcare related issues and couldn't get back. It's because they are trying to take their children on the ride multiple times and wait until it is more crowded later in the day to return.

When "things happen" (which with a 2 year old is quite frequently), what happens is usually I don't ride. Even when it was more flexible and I would try again later, a lot of time I just never make it on that ride. I'm a mom, I'm used to missing out on stuff, but it was nice to have the option to maybe try again later. Additionally, my 2 year old won't just hang out and wait with me near the exit while my husband rides something. I need to entertain him in some way. Feed him, change his diaper, take him somewhere he can run around (in which case I might have to move my stroller, then repark it when I come back it can take time to find new stroller parking). Also consider that I have no idea how long it will take my husband to get through the line and ride. On Indy and Space that can be considerable. On California Screamin, its great because it's usually fast and we wait right across the way at the carousel. I always ride immediately for Screamin. But not all rides are like that. The point is, having some flexibility is really valuable (for this mom anyway). I'm sorry people abused the system but for me, the old way was really helpful.

 

[onlyoneash]

This actually irritates me the more I think about it. So if the FP line is 30 minutes at 2pm, we are eligible for new FP at 2pm, but one gets in line and waits 30 mins, and then the other parent has to wait 30 minutes, we wouldn't even be able to book new FP until 3pm, which kind of takes away from the value of MP and being able to immediately book new FP. That's ridiculous.

I could be way off, but I wonder if the whole point of the new rider changes is to get rid the whole child swap option in favor of max pass? If ride swap becomes harder to use than maxpass anyways, then maybe it would push us all to use maxpass instead.

That is probably disney's plan all along + another $10 per ticket per day.

 

[ddwlms]

Rider Swap is not dependent on age or height of a child to be used. It is for ANYONE who cannot or does not want to ride. Disneyland's official policy right here:
https://disneyland.disney.go.com/guest-services/rider-switch/

We used it for GoTG and Screamin with two kids who are clearly old enough and tall enough with no issues. They simply weren't comfortable riding those rides. My advice is to keep a link or print out of the policy and politely remind a CM of the official policy if you are turned away for height or age.

A little OT, but this: ^^ is awesome. We've been turned down by CM when asking for a switch pass because our DD who was tall enough to ride ToT was not comfortable riding it. I wish I would have known this a long time ago. (I feel like we asked this question more than once, and were turned down each time.)

 

[starshine514]

I'm sorry but this is overly dramatic and if it takes someone an hour to clean up the baby and they can't figure out how to feed their children together, I don't think it's on Disney to solve any resulting problems. It's not that hard folks and if ya miss something, even on vacation, that's just part of parenting.

That said, allowing only one rider switch to be held at a time is perfectly reasonable imo. And would make further policies like time limits to use the pass unnecessary for those who want to use it much later in the day.

Walk to the baby center, change a poop blowout diaper, including full clothing change = 20 minutes
Let fussy baby nurse at the baby center = 20 minutes
Stand in line to get other kids food = 20 minutes (or more)
Wait for older kids to eat = 20 minutes
Take older kids to bathroom following meal = 10 minutes
Time elapsed since diaper blowout = 1 hour 30 minutes

That said, I don't think anyone has a real problem with the rider swap passes having to be used soon, rather than the rest of the day. However, that isn't what the CMs have been communicating. I know we often get a rider switch pass for me, but then I take the LO to a different area and we meet up with the group again on the other side of the park. I end up using the swap that evening, if at all. If that swap has to be used before obtaining another one, that is fine. However, it needs to be communicated as such.

 

[wenrob]

A little OT, but this: ^^ is awesome. We've been turned down by CM when asking for a switch pass because our DD who was tall enough to ride ToT was not comfortable riding it. I wish I would have known this a long time ago. (I feel like we asked this question more than once, and were turned down each time.)

For whatever reason they're extremely uptight for that ride when it comes to anything. It's the only ride where I've found the CMs to be consistently rude more than not, at least at the outside part of the queue. If you can, just politely stand your ground and ask to speak to someone else and point out Disney's own policy. Your DD not being comfortable riding is a valid reason.

 

[grnflash]

I hope you someday become a parent. Its mind boggling that you would say this. ANY parent would know that this can happen and does happen.

Your hope is reality Things DO happen, with or without children, some of us just don't think we're entitled even if we're on a once in a lifetime vacation because...well, it's life.

 

[DisneyKeepsUsYoung]

I have been told specifically by CM's that there is no need to wait around and that baby and I should go enjoy something else while others ride. And to come back when convenient for us. If we are all to wait right there, then they need to set it up like Universal does so I can at least spend time with my family-ie: the purpose of my vacation. Doing as directed by CM's is not abusing a loophole.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

Your hope is reality Things DO happen, with or without children, some of us just don't think we're entitled even if we're on a once in a lifetime vacation because...well, it's life.

It has nothing to do with entitlement. Disney obviously wants parents of little ones to be able to have just as much fun as adults without young kids. I have never once in my experience seen Disney CMs do anything but go completely above and beyond, especially as a mom of a toddler. It's like stepping out of reality for a while when you get the "special" Disney treatment while in the parks. I know Disney goes above and beyond for all guests, but as a mom with a young child, there is no where else I'd rather be right now than Disneyland and it's entirely due to that special treatment, which you so oddly keep referring to as entitlement. I truly don't understand what your issue with this and why you insist on acting so high and mighty about it.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

I have been told specifically by CM's that there is no need to wait around and that baby and I should go enjoy something else while others ride. And to come back when convenient for us. If we are all to wait right there, then they need to set it up like Universal does so I can at least spend time with my family-ie: the purpose of my vacation. Doing as directed by CM's is not abusing a loophole.

Agree. And the rider swap tickets specifically said that they are good for that day. They didn't say you have to use it immediately, only that you have to use it that day.