Rider Swap makes me feel dumb

[Aunt Dani]

I've read every thread I can find about how rider swap works with Fast Pass and I just can't seem to wrap my head around it. This is our first trip with kids, and first time booking Fast Passes, and our 60 day mark is coming up next week and I want to make sure I do it right.

We are a group of 6...4 adults, my 5 year old niece who is almost 41 inches tall in bare feet, and my 20 month old nephew. We're not big thrill ride people, so mostly I'm looking at 7D, BTMRR, Test Track and Star Tours that the baby can't go on.

If I want to FP+ BTMRR (or any of the above), do I do it for all 5 of us, so then 2 adults ride with my niece, then on the rider Swap the other 2 adults can go with my niece again?

I've read things here that seem to say I only need to book the FP+ for the first 3 riders, the others just automatically follow up on the Rider Swap. I could be totally reading that wrong. I think I'm getting that there's also some inconsistencies in how the CMs handle it, which isn't helping.

Any guidance is appreciated...TIA!

 

[ChloesDaddy]

There has been in the past a strategy that maximizes FP and rider swap, which I explained in this recent thread:

http://www.disboards.com/threads/fastpass-rider-swap-best-strategy.3488576/

The problem arises when you have the CM inconsistencies you've read about and/or the possibility that they've just changed the practice. The safest plan is to book FP for everyone who plans to ride. The good news is the 5yo can ride everything twice -- once on FP with 2 adults, once on rider switch with the other two.

 

[rsagusti]

A riders swap will allow the swapping adult plus 2 (I think) people ride with (Without fastpasses) we usually double up by doing something like this:

Adult 1
Adult 2
Adult 3 (we usually have a family member with us)
Kid 1 (tall)
Kid 2 (short)

Get FP1 for Tier 1 ride for A1, A2, K1, go to ride, get a swap pass. next round on same ride the A3 + K1 and A1 ride again no fast passes.
Get FP2 for Tier 1 ride (2) for A3 K2, go to ride and K1 takes K2 band, rides and gets a riders swap, then A1 and A2 + K1 gets to ride ride. Kid 1 gets to ride all the rides 2 times this way, and all adults get to ride at least 1 time or twice.

 

[krm222]

A rider swap pass is good for three riders.

If you book for three then the other two can use the swap. The five years old can use the FP then the swap to ride twice. (Or anyone can do this: doesn't have to be the five year old that goes twice).

It's very confusing and the CM don't even really seem to get it. We had a few CM make us scan our bands AND take the swap card before we realized that was double charging us! Just make sure not to do that!

The good thing about the swaps is that they expire much later. So use up all your FP scans and they you can even use the swap to ride another day or spread them out to other guests if you aren't going to use it. We got an extra 7DMT swap from someone leaving the park early and it made my son's day!

 

[larryz]

Whatever happened to "you stand there until they come back, then you switch places with your DX"?

 

[rsagusti]

another thing to note is some of the rides (like tower of terror) will give the shorter kids a 'return when' pass, when you get that you can save it for future years when they are old enough and you get to go in the fast pass line without fast passes. We have a couple of them saved up. because we have a very small 5 year old.

 

[ChloesDaddy]

Whatever happened to "you stand there until they come back, then you switch places with your DX"?

That was before the advent of ball bearings. It's all ball bearings nowadays.

 

[DavidNYC]

Here's the best plan for your group (particularly for the rides where the older child can ride). I'll explain this using 1 of your 3 FP slots but you can do this for each of the three.

Three of the riders book a FP for Ride #1. The other two book a FP for Ride #2.

At Ride #1 - the three riders go to the FP line and ask for swap pass. The other two wait with the baby. Once the three get off the ride, the two waiting can use the swap pass to ride. But because the pass allows three to ride, one of the first group can ride again.

At Ride #2 - the two with the FP go first, and the remaining three use the pass. No one gets to ride twice for the second ride since you already have 3 waiting.

So if you do split up, I'd make Ride#1 something that the older child would want to ride twice and Ride #2 something that everyone is fine with riding once.

Since you have 3 FP - you can get up to six rides this way (or if there's a ride you LOVE, you can have all 5 book a FP for it by making it Ride #1 for one of your three FP and then Ride #2 for a different FP). That way you'll all get to ride 2 or 3 times.

As you noted - you may not have 6 rides you'll need to do this for but it's a good tool if you want to book 2 rides all together and then save 1 FP to split it up like this.

 

[Reddog1134]

I just got back a week and a half ago and found a lot of inconsistencies in the Rider Switch. The overall end result was always the same, though. Some people went in the line while others waited with the children. Later, someone else would use the Rider Switch to enter the FP+ line.

The inconsistencies were with HOW the pass was obtained. CM's at most rides required to see the child that would not be riding (others did not). The CM at the Expedition Everest line immediately gave us the pass. Most other rides gave you a lanyard at the beginning of the line and then the actual pass at the loading area. Some CM's gave the pass without question. One CM almost gave me a hard time because "it's the beginning of your FP+ time so your wife should have plenty of time to make it back here". (NOte: she was taking care of our 4 year old and 1 year old twins. She didn't make it in time.)

 

[AngieInOH]

Just wait until you actually try to do it!! We tried it at Everest. Got the pass, rode once, exchanged and hubby got in FP line with the pass. When he got up front they told him he wasn't supposed to use the FP line. What?!?! The CMs seem very confused about the whole process. Good-luck!!

 

[ChloesDaddy]

I just got back a week and a half ago and found a lot of inconsistencies in the Rider Switch. The overall end result was always the same, though. Some people went in the line while others waited with the children. Later, someone else would use the Rider Switch to enter the FP+ line.

The inconsistencies were with HOW the pass was obtained. CM's at most rides required to see the child that would not be riding (others did not). The CM at the Expedition Everest line immediately gave us the pass. Most other rides gave you a lanyard at the beginning of the line and then the actual pass at the loading area. Some CM's gave the pass without question. One CM almost gave me a hard time because "it's the beginning of your FP+ time so your wife should have plenty of time to make it back here". (NOte: she was taking care of our 4 year old and 1 year old twins. She didn't make it in time.)

I thought part of the practice on rider switch was to make sure kids not tall enough to ride didn't enter the line. I hope they're not making people carry babies through lines.

 

[jawa7400]

This whole process confuses me too! I think I'm going to start small for my first try. 7DMT is the only ride we will do that DS3 won't be big enough for. I will take DD5 first, and get the rider swap for DH, then DH will go through with DD using the swap. Is that right?

 

[DavidNYC]

I thought part of the practice on rider switch was to make sure kids not tall enough to ride didn't enter the line. I hope they're not making people carry babies through lines.

No - you don't do that. The other people still wait outside. The new method basically does a check at the entrance that you are eligible for the swap pass. You then get a lanyard that you give to the person at the 2nd turnstyle or loading to get the pass. I believe this was changed to combat people who would go up with a child to get a ridersswap pass but then never actually enter the line and just hold the pass to use later.

 

[DavidNYC]

This whole process confuses me too! I think I'm going to start small for my first try. 7DMT is the only ride we will do that DS3 won't be big enough for. I will take DD5 first, and get the rider swap for DH, then DH will go through with DD using the swap. Is that right?

Yes.

AND - what you should do is only have you and the 5-year old get a FP for 7DMT. Have DH and the 3-year old get a FP for Pooh or Ariel or some other ride close by at the same time. While you're riding 7D first - they can ride the other ride. They won't need the 7D FP to enter the FP line using the rider swap pass. So this way the 3-year old won't be waiting for two sets of people to go - she'll get to ride something for one of the waits.

 

[ChloesDaddy]

This whole process confuses me too! I think I'm going to start small for my first try. 7DMT is the only ride we will do that DS3 won't be big enough for. I will take DD5 first, and get the rider swap for DH,then DH will go through with DD using the swap. Is that right?

Pretty close. In our experience our entire family goes to the FP entrance and the CM hands the rider swap to the adult staying with the small child while those riding enter the line. Then, as you say, when the first group finishes the waiting adult gets in line (with up to two other riders, regardless of whether they rode on the first pass through).

 

[ChloesDaddy]

No - you don't do that. The other people still wait outside. The new method basically does a check at the entrance that you are eligible for the swap pass. You then get a lanyard that you give to the person at the 2nd turnstyle or loading to get the pass. I believe this was changed to combat people who would go up with a child to get a ridersswap pass but then never actually enter the line and just hold the pass to use later.

Ahhhhh... I see. That makes sense.

 

[Aunt Dani]

Oh my, thank you so much to everyone, so much great advice. I'm going to plan out my Fast Passes this weekend...with all your notes in front of me.

Last question though...in terms of "eligible for the swap pass"...is that just about making sure there's a kid too small to ride? I'm just worried about not everyone having the FP+ reservation...they don't check everyone for that?

 

[brockash]

Oh my, thank you so much to everyone, so much great advice. I'm going to plan out my Fast Passes this weekend...with all your notes in front of me.

Last question though...in terms of "eligible for the swap pass"...is that just about making sure there's a kid too small to ride? I'm just worried about not everyone having the FP+ reservation...they don't check everyone for that?

Yes, they're just looking to be sure there's a big person staying with a too short person. They don't check to see if you all have fastpasses. - We've done it many times.

 

[tinkerbella16]

Man this is confusing. Only because this is the first time we are going to need it, being with an 18 month old this year. There are 5 of us adults and an infant. I think I understand what everyone is saying about fastpasses for only part of our party and fps for something the baby can go on at the same time, so they don't have to wait for two sets of people to ride. But are FP's required to get a rider swap? Or is that just a suggestion to utilize it better that way? We still have a while to make our FP's (July 5th) for our Sept trip... so I just want to make sure I understand how it works completely beforehand, being this is our first time having an infant on a trip with us.

 

[larryz]

That was before the advent of ball bearings. It's all ball bearings nowadays.

Sometimes, technology is not the solution...