Rider Swap Question

[TwistGrl101]

Can someone tell me if I am understanding this correctly?

I am pregnant, so I cannot go on some of the rides. DH will have to ride with DD6 and DD4. I don't feel comfortable on a 2 seater ride (like Splash Mountain) having one of my DD ride alone.
So, if I walk up to the CM with DH, DD4, and DD6 and show him/her that I am pregnant, will they allow DH to ride twice, which each one of our daughters?

Please help me understand how this would work.

Thank you!

 

[ghtx]

That's an interesting question. No, that's actually not how baby swap works. Baby swap is if one of your kids is too short to ride, not if you can't ride. But they might let you use baby swap for your situation (in fact, it's the "baby" in your uterus that would be swapping out!)

BTW, there is a helpful site about riding with one adult and two kids here: http://blog.touringplans.com/2011/05/23/avoiding-the-odd-man-out-at-walt-disney-world-2/
You are right about Splash Mtn, according to this site: only two riders are allowed in a row, but your husband could sit with the youngest daughter and right behind or right in front of the older.

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

The previous poster is correct - "rider switch" is for families that have children that do not meet the height requirement. It allows each parent to experience the attraction separately while one waits with the under-height child.

I'm not sure if they've changed it since they added the lap bars to Splash Mtn, but I know I rode it with both of my sons all in the same row when they were 7 and 4. When we rode Thunder Mtn, I let the two of them sit together and I rode directly behind them. Some rides I would sit with my youngest while my oldest rode by himself (Toy Story Mania for one - but we were in the same car, just seated back-to-back).

If you don't want the children to sit together and your husband sit behind, your best option is to just get FastPasses for the attraction with all your tickets. Then, your husband would use 2 other them with one child and the other 2 to ride with the other child.

 

[ghtx]

If you don't want the children to sit together and your husband sit behind, your best option is to just get FastPasses for the attraction with all your tickets. Then, your husband would use 2 other them with one child and the other 2 to ride with the other child.

That's a good idea. But then you wouldn't be able to swap out right at the loading point on the ride; you would have to re-enter the start of the FP line after the first ride, which would take a few extra minutes.

 

[DisneyTopher]

With children, three people can sit in a row comfortably. In fact, three adults can ask to sit in the same row, and as long as you are "average" sized adults you can in fact do that, however it will be a bit of a tight fit.

When asking for a Rider Swap, the Cast Member is required (but does not always ask) to see the child that is not riding, before giving out the Rider Swap. This is because the purpose of the rider swap is to allow someone to wait with the guest who is NOT riding so they are not left alone, and then the attending person is able to go on with someone when another rider is back to wait with them. This is most often the case with small children and those with special needs. Additionally, they have to be a bit more strict now due to abuse by those who found out that these are essentially All Day Fastpasses for one person and two guests.

If you are really concerned, you can ask to speak to a Coordinator, who can address your issue in the event that the Cast Member is unable to.

 

[tjmw2727]

I travel alone with my kids and we fit 3 to a seat fine on everything!

 

[vankalker]

Last week, we put three people (one adult and two kids or two adults and one kid) on Dumbo, Tomorrowland Speedway, Splash Mountain, and Big Thunder. DD7 rode alone in the front of our Magic Carpet, but she could have fit with me and DS4. As long as your husband is average size, you shouldn't have any problems. It never hurts to ask a cast member outside the ride though. They'll work with you however they can.

 

[clanmcculloch]

Actually, the rider swap is not only for kids who are too short to ride. It is for people who can not ride for any reason and have to have somebody stay with the person who can not ride. This could include a 90 year old who can't be left alone, an adult with cognitive impairment who can't be left alone, an adult with a medical condition where they can't ride and also need a companion, an autistic child who can't cope with the attraction and needs a parent with them (we've done this one ourselves so that I could ride after DH rode with one of our kids) or many other situations. I can't see why you couldn't use rider swap for this situation as well.

That being said, ask at the various rides if you fit 3 in the seat. Splash you definitely can. Using rider swap will take more time than having the three of them ride together. I'm struggling to think of a ride where this wouldn't work of the rides where a 4 year old would fit (it wouldn't work for RnRC for instance but is a 4 year old tall enough for that anyway).

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

Actually, the rider swap is not only for kids who are too short to ride. It is for people who can not ride for any reason and have to have somebody stay with the person who can not ride. This could include a 90 year old who can't be left alone, an adult with cognitive impairment who can't be left alone, an adult with a medical condition where they can't ride and also need a companion, an autistic child who can't cope with the attraction and needs a parent with them (we've done this one ourselves so that I could ride after DH rode with one of our kids) or many other situations. I can't see why you couldn't use rider swap for this situation as well.

That being said, ask at the various rides if you fit 3 in the seat. Splash you definitely can. Using rider swap will take more time than having the three of them ride together. I'm struggling to think of a ride where this wouldn't work of the rides where a 4 year old would fit (it wouldn't work for RnRC for instance but is a 4 year old tall enough for that anyway).

There's a long thread on the Theme Parks Board reporting that they are being more strict about only issuing RSP to families with children that don't meet the height requirement. While you may have had other experiences, primarily, RSP is for such families. In all of the situations you described, the group could get FP for everyone and take turns going, one person using the non-rider's FP for a second turn as a companion. A family with an under-height child may not have that option, as a child under 3 does not have a ticket, thus, no FP issued (and most are under-height). I don't think the RSP are meant to be used in the OP's situation. There are other options, including using FP as I stated, or riding 3 to a seat where allowed, or having the kids sit together while the parent rides behind.

 

[ghtx]

Actually, the rider swap is not only for kids who are too short to ride. It is for people who can not ride for any reason and have to have somebody stay with the person who can not ride. This could include a 90 year old who can't be left alone, an adult with cognitive impairment who can't be left alone, an adult with a medical condition where they can't ride and also need a companion, an autistic child who can't cope with the attraction and needs a parent with them (we've done this one ourselves so that I could ride after DH rode with one of our kids) or many other situations. I can't see why you couldn't use rider swap for this situation as well.

That being said, ask at the various rides if you fit 3 in the seat. Splash you definitely can. Using rider swap will take more time than having the three of them ride together. I'm struggling to think of a ride where this wouldn't work of the rides where a 4 year old would fit (it wouldn't work for RnRC for instance but is a 4 year old tall enough for that anyway).

Are you sure this is true? There was a thread a while back about someone who wasn't allowed a rider swap pass for use with her 7-year-old, who satisfied the height requirement but just didn't want to ride.

 

[clanmcculloch]

This sort of thing has been discussed on the disabilities board in the past. Maybe the difference is that the situations I described all involve somebody being unable to ride rather than just choosing not to ride. OP is unable to ride.

 

[RachaelA]

This sort of thing has been discussed on the disabilities board in the past. Maybe the difference is that the situations I described all involve somebody being unable to ride rather than just choosing not to ride. OP is unable to ride.

But her husband and 2 children are all able to ride so there is no one to "swap." She can be alone by herself while they ride. No one needs to wait with her. Therefore there is no need for the rider swap.

An adult with a disability that needs to be supervised at all time is a different situation.

 

[treemi01]

That's a good idea. But then you wouldn't be able to swap out right at the loading point on the ride; you would have to re-enter the start of the FP line after the first ride, which would take a few extra minutes.

Every time I've ever done rider swap, I have entered through the fast pass line anyway. I have never loaded at the loading point. I think it used to be this way before FP existed, but now that it does exist on pretty much every ride with a height restriction, it has always been that I enter through the FP line.

I would talk to the operator. They might let you do a rider swap, or they might not. If not, I would do the FP thing. Get a FP for everyone in your family (including you) and have DH ride with each DD. That might be easier anyway than trying to find someone to ask, and it would accomplish the exact same goal.

 

[DisneyTopher]

But her husband and 2 children are all able to ride so there is no one to "swap." She can be alone by herself while they ride. No one needs to wait with her. Therefore there is no need for the rider swap.

An adult with a disability that needs to be supervised at all time is a different situation.

Well said!

 

[TwistGrl101]

Thank you for your input, everyone. I didn't realize that on most rides 3 people could fit in a row!