Rider Swap Questions

[Chicky331]

Hi!

We are heading to DIsney with our 16 month old so we will be utilizing rider swap so we can both ride coasters with our 5 year old. I know we all need fast passes if we are going to do the FP line, but do I have to take the baby out of her stroller to go in the line in order to get the ride swap ticket? I am just trying to plan Fast Passes and I guess I will avoid nap time if I have to do that b/c I don't want to have to take a sleeping toddler out of a stroller. Thanks for your help. First time using the rider swap!

15 days until our trip!

 

[DopeyDame]

Nope - no need to take the baby out of the stroller. You can just roll the sleeping baby up to the CM at the entrance - they just need to see the kid, and at 16 months there really isn't a question of the child actually being tall enough to ride. (If the baby were nearly 40 inches, then they might make you take her out to confirm she's not tall enough.)

Lately the reports are that only the people in the first group need FP, not the whole party.

 

[cakebaker]

Hi!

We are heading to DIsney with our 16 month old so we will be utilizing rider swap so we can both ride coasters with our 5 year old. I know we all need fast passes if we are going to do the FP line, but do I have to take the baby out of her stroller to go in the line in order to get the ride swap ticket? I am just trying to plan Fast Passes and I guess I will avoid nap time if I have to do that b/c I don't want to have to take a sleeping toddler out of a stroller. Thanks for your help. First time using the rider swap!

15 days until our trip!

First, you don't both need a FP+, just the person riding first.

The only problem you'll have is at Soarin'- If they insist on seeing the baby- and they usually do- you can't take the stroller with you. Was a real pia for us. Other than that, you get your swap at the entrance to the ride so no need to take the baby out of the stroller.

If you don't already know it, the rider swap is good for up to 3 people.

 

[kev97rach]

What if one of your children is actually tall enough to ride but just too scared to ride? Can you still get a RS? We have myself, husband and daughter, so can dad and daughter ride, then daughter and I with the RS?

 

[cakebaker]

What if one of your children is actually tall enough to ride but just too scared to ride? Can you still get a RS? We have myself, husband and daughter, so can dad and daughter ride, then daughter and I with the RS?

Yes, that's how it works.

I was just reading the website on rider swap and now it says only 2 people can ride on the swap. That's new- was 3 just a month ago.
So it would appear that if both people riding first would need a fp+ and then 2 can ride without a fp+ using the swap.

So actually, at this point I'm totally unsure of how many can ride using the swap. My swaps said up to 3- ymmv.

 

[Chicky331]

Thanks everyone! You made my day!

 

[DopeyDame]

What if one of your children is actually tall enough to ride but just too scared to ride? Can you still get a RS? We have myself, husband and daughter, so can dad and daughter ride, then daughter and I with the RS?

I am NOT positive about this, as we've only ever done rider swap with too-small kids, but my understanding is that it's handled differently in this case. Instead of getting a rider swap pass, you will all wait in line. Then the too-scared person (is there another kid you didn't list? If so, the kid and an adult) takes the chicken exit while the rest of the group rides. And then the waiting parent can ride again from the waiting area. Again, I'm not totally clear - hopefully someone who has done the chicken exit can explain.
I do know that they won't give you a normal baby swap pass unless you have a too-small child. (Obviously there's WAY too much room for abuse if they just gave out the passes to everyone who said they were scared.)

 

[ghtx]

What if one of your children is actually tall enough to ride but just too scared to ride? Can you still get a RS? We have myself, husband and daughter, so can dad and daughter ride, then daughter and I with the RS?

Officially (I think), RS is only for parties with guests who are TOO SHORT to ride a ride, not just TOO SCARED. So if a child meets the height requirement but is too scared, you cannot use RS. There is a chicken exit, but not RS.

However, I've also heard that this is often not enforced, and that RS is made available to parties with guests who are tall enough but scared to ride.

 

[MuddyTires]

As others have said, I thought RS passes were good for 3 people, but according to the information on Disney's website, it suggests the passes are only good for 2 people. Anyone know if there has been a recent change, or a change in the works?

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/rider-switch/

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.

EDIT: Just read on another board that the site has always explained it this way, but the passes have always still been good for three people.

 

[NicoleLarson]

As others have said, I thought RS passes were good for 3 people, but according to the information on Disney's website, it suggests the passes are only good for 2 people. Anyone know if there has been a recent change, or a change in the works?

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/rider-switch/

EDIT: Just read on another board that the site has always explained it this way, but the passes have always still been good for three people.

Just back from last week and the passes say good for rider AND 3 guests. That means 4 to me but since we only had 2 on each pass it didn't matter. Just want to add that now on some rides, space, splash and thunder mt, plus sorin. They now give you a lanyard and once you pass the second check point they will give you the rider swap then. You definitely DO NOT need FP for everyone. ....what would be the point of the pass?.....it's the same line

 

[cakebaker]

Officially (I think), RS is only for parties with guests who are TOO SHORT to ride a ride, not just TOO SCARED. So if a child meets the height requirement but is too scared, you cannot use RS. There is a chicken exit, but not RS.

However, I've also heard that this is often not enforced, and that RS is made available to parties with guests who are tall enough but scared to ride.

Not true-

From their website:
"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."

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/rider-switch/

It goes further to explain how it works in detail and like others have said, on the website it says there's a limit of 2 people to use the swap pass. Our passes said 3.

 

[Ava]

Just want to add that now on some rides, space, splash and thunder mt, plus sorin. They now give you a lanyard and once you pass the second check point they will give you the rider swap then. You definitely DO NOT need FP for everyone. ....what would be the point of the pass?.....it's the same line

Interesting, about the lanyard. I assume this is to prevent people from getting a RS pass at the entrance to a long stand-by line, then hopping out of line and using the RS pass to enter the FP line instead.

This will be my first trip using RS as well. Based on reports from over the summer of everyone needing FP if the first party is using it, I booked FP for all 3 of us who will be riding the height-restricted rides. But now it seems like that's not necessary. I just can't decide if it's worth it to change my FP ressies around, or if crowds are so low now that it doesn't really matter. Part of me is done with obsessing about planning for this trip - we leave in 12 days, I just want to get there already!

 

[lilbuddy88]

Interesting, about the lanyard. I assume this is to prevent people from getting a RS pass at the entrance to a long stand-by line, then hopping out of line and using the RS pass to enter the FP line instead.

This will be my first trip using RS as well. Based on reports from over the summer of everyone needing FP if the first party is using it, I booked FP for all 3 of us who will be riding the height-restricted rides. But now it seems like that's not necessary. I just can't decide if it's worth it to change my FP ressies around, or if crowds are so low now that it doesn't really matter. Part of me is done with obsessing about planning for this trip - we leave in 12 days, I just want to get there already!

The Lanyard thing bothers me because it never fails that my party who of course is more excited about getting on the ride than remembering good ole mom/aunti/sis is sitting outside with my two year old and when they walk off the ride the lanyard is still around their neck Okay I can't blame it all on them, I've done it a time or two before but thankfully a CM saw it and gave me the riderswap

I also just booked us all for the same fp's even though I wouldn't need one with the rider swap. Just to time consuming figuring out where I could go with little one and use the additional fp.

I used to love getting the legacy pass and then using the rider swap for me and my daughter and finding some unsuspecting guest who are getting ready to jump in a standby line and throwing some pixie dust their way with the extra fp.

 

[kev97rach]

Not true-

From their website:
"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."

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/rider-switch/

It goes further to explain how it works in detail and like others have said, on the website it says there's a limit of 2 people to use the swap pass. Our passes said 3.

This is great! But, can someone please clarify that only "Party 1" as they call it, the first 2 riders, need FP+? Then the adult who waited their turn does not need to have FP+, but simply use the RS?

 

[cakebaker]

This is great! But, can someone please clarify that only "Party 1" as they call it, the first 2 riders, need FP+? Then the adult who waited their turn does not need to have FP+, but simply use the RS?

The first riders need a fp+- the second riders ( and there's a limit of 3 in the second group) do not need a fp+. The second riders use the rider switch pass.

 

[kev97rach]

The first riders need a fp+- the second riders ( and there's a limit of 3 in the second group) do not need a fp+. The second riders use the rider switch pass.

Thanks!!

 

[NicoleLarson]

Interesting, about the lanyard. I assume this is to prevent people from getting a RS pass at the entrance to a long stand-by line, then hopping out of line and using the RS pass to enter the FP line instead.

This will be my first trip using RS as well. Based on reports from over the summer of everyone needing FP if the first party is using it, I booked FP for all 3 of us who will be riding the height-restricted rides. But now it seems like that's not necessary. I just can't decide if it's worth it to change my FP ressies around, or if crowds are so low now that it doesn't really matter. Part of me is done with obsessing about planning for this trip - we leave in 12 days, I just want to get there already!

What I do for our party of 4, 2 get a fp+ and I'll book the other for a nearby ride that my ds1 can do, like pooh, pan, etc. This works our well. If the baby is sleeping or cranky, I just won't use it or try to reschedule for later. We just went last week so yes, the crowds were super low but even if I saved 5 minutes in line that's a plus to me