Rider Swap/Rider Switch/Child Swap: Digital System begins in late June

[DGsAtBLT]

WOW, I have never picked up on the terminology. You are right. Which it is how it was set up before FP+, it should have continued how they set it up once FastPass came - guests just now have two options.




What Is Rider Switch and How Does It Work?
If Guests in your party can’t or don’t want to board an attraction, you don’t have to miss out!

If a child does not meet the height requirement or a Guest does not wish to board a particular attraction, no problem! With Rider Switch, one adult can wait with the non-rider (or riders) while the rest of the party enjoys the attraction. When the other adult returns, they can supervise the non-riding Guests, and the waiting adult can board the attraction without having to wait in the regular line again!

Rider Switch is available at select attractions at all 4 Walt Disney World Resort theme parks.

To Use Rider Switch:

1. First check with a Cast member to see if Rider Switch is offered at the attraction in question.

2. Once at the attraction, approach the greeting Cast Member with your entire party. At least one adult member of your party and the Guests who are not riding will be given a Ride Switch pass and asked to wait in a designated area (usually outside of the attraction). This group is “Party 2.”

3. The other party members (“Party 1”) ride the attraction.

4. After riding the attraction, Party 1 locates Party 2 and gives the Rider Switch pass to the adult member who will be riding. Party 1 takes over supervision of the non-riding children or Guests.

5. Party 2 enters and boards the attraction without having to wait in the regular queue a second time. The Rider Switch Pass must be presented to a Cast Member at this time.

If the person in Party 2 waited alone with the child, he or she may bring one other Guest back to ride the attraction with him or her. Please note that only 2 Guests are allowed per Rider Switch Pass.

I don’t think the website trumps the actual practice in the parks, especially because they clearly state the passes allow 2 guests total to ride, when that is not the case.

 

[DizneyMommy]

WOW, I have never picked up on the terminology. You are right. Which it is how it was set up before FP+, it should have continued how they set it up once FastPass came - guests just now have two options.




What Is Rider Switch and How Does It Work?
If Guests in your party can’t or don’t want to board an attraction, you don’t have to miss out!

If a child does not meet the height requirement or a Guest does not wish to board a particular attraction, no problem! With Rider Switch, one adult can wait with the non-rider (or riders) while the rest of the party enjoys the attraction. When the other adult returns, they can supervise the non-riding Guests, and the waiting adult can board the attraction without having to wait in the regular line again!

Rider Switch is available at select attractions at all 4 Walt Disney World Resort theme parks.

To Use Rider Switch:

1. First check with a Cast member to see if Rider Switch is offered at the attraction in question.

2. Once at the attraction, approach the greeting Cast Member with your entire party. At least one adult member of your party and the Guests who are not riding will be given a Ride Switch pass and asked to wait in a designated area (usually outside of the attraction). This group is “Party 2.”

3. The other party members (“Party 1”) ride the attraction.

4. After riding the attraction, Party 1 locates Party 2 and gives the Rider Switch pass to the adult member who will be riding. Party 1 takes over supervision of the non-riding children or Guests.

5. Party 2 enters and boards the attraction without having to wait in the regular queue a second time. The Rider Switch Pass must be presented to a Cast Member at this time.

If the person in Party 2 waited alone with the child, he or she may bring one other Guest back to ride the attraction with him or her. Please note that only 2 Guests are allowed per Rider Switch Pass.

Nowhere here does it say party 1 must use the standby line. And Disney will confirm if you email them that they do offer RS for parties with FP IF everyone has it. Think of it more of an extention of your FP time to make sure both parties can make it through.

 

[DizneyMommy]

Seriously, you guys insisting that parents should not be able to use RS with FP when we all have a FP... how would you feel if you waited back with a child and then your FP window expired before you could get on, and you then had to choose to either wait in the standby line or just skip the ride. Why would you want to make things more difficult for someone who is just following the rules? That is unsettling to me :-( I would want that parent to get to experience the ride too, without making his party wait an hour for him, or having to separate from his family.

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

Seriously, you guys insisting that parents should not be able to use RS with FP when we all have a FP... how would you feel if you waited back with a child and then your FP window expired before you could get on, and you then had to choose to either wait in the standby line or just skip the ride. Why would you want to make things more difficult for someone who is just following the rules? That is unsettling to me :-( I would want that parent to get to experience the ride too, without making his party wait an hour for him, or having to separate from his family.

Agreed, I don't see any issue with using RS and FP in conjunction as long as all members of the party have a FP. It really isn't much advantage aside from the timing issue you mentioned, but otherwise shouldn't be a problem.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

Seriously, you guys insisting that parents should not be able to use RS with FP when we all have a FP... how would you feel if you waited back with a child and then your FP window expired before you could get on, and you then had to choose to either wait in the standby line or just skip the ride. Why would you want to make things more difficult for someone who is just following the rules? That is unsettling to me :-( I would want that parent to get to experience the ride too, without making his party wait an hour for him, or having to separate from his family.

Don’t let it get to you, Disney obviously intends for it to be used in conjunction with FP, evidenced by them giving rider switch passes to anyone in the FP one who asks and qualifies for one.

People can believe what they choose to.

 

[MrInfinity]

I think it’s important they allow RS with FP (and I know they are, just explaining for those confused) because otherwise families with small children are restricted to the beginning of the FP window for arrival time except for a select few attractions that will move you through faster.
Even if you arrive at the very beginning of the window, in some circumstances you still might not get that 2nd group in during your window. That’s what RS is for.

This is where the confusion comes from. People have come to do it so commonly that it's treated as normal and people are "explaining it" as if it's the right use.

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

With Rider Switch, one adult can wait with the non-rider (or riders) while the rest of the party enjoys the attraction. When the other adult returns, they can supervise the non-riding Guests, and the waiting adult can board the attraction without having to wait in the regular line again!

5. Party 2 enters and boards the attraction without having to wait in the regular queue a second time.

 

[DizneyMommy]

This is where the confusion comes from. People have come to do it so commonly that it's treated as normal and people are "explaining it" as if it's the right use.

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

With Rider Switch, one adult can wait with the non-rider (or riders) while the rest of the party enjoys the attraction. When the other adult returns, they can supervise the non-riding Guests, and the waiting adult can board the attraction without having to wait in the regular line again!

5. Party 2 enters and boards the attraction without having to wait in the regular queue a second time.

Nowhere there does it say that party one MUST wait in the standby line. Only that the RS allows party 2 to not have to wait in the standby line. The devil is in the details. If they only wanted to allow it for standby, it would explicitly say “Party 1 must wait in the regular queue”

 

[MrInfinity]

Don’t let it get to you, Disney obviously intends for it to be used in conjunction with FP, evidenced by them giving rider switch passes to anyone in the FP one who asks and qualifies for one.

Look if you, wife, child, and baby show up to ride at 10:50 for a 10-11 FP window, no CM is going to tell you sorry you're out of luck. They will have DH ride with child while baby waits with DW. Then they'll honor / extend the FP window for the other guest. Even taking child again would be fine by me.

But that's not how they use it. Currently DH and DS get a FP. DW and Baby book a FP for the other Tier-1 ride. DH and DS ride, get a RS. Give that to DW who never even had a FP+. Then DW and DS both ride it. Then they repeat at the other Tier-1 ride in reverse with DW and Baby's bands. You see the abuse.

Nobody is legitimately trying to prevent you from using your FP if you arrive toward the end of your window and need to wait with your baby. The abuse methods should be stopped.

Nowhere there does it say that party one MUST wait in the standby line. Only that the RS allows party 2 to not have to wait in the standby line. The devil is in the details. If they only wanted to allow it for standby, it would explicitly say “Party 1 must wait in the regular queue”

Oh my. Yes -- Read those details. "Party 2 then enters and boards the attraction without having to wait in the regular queue a second time." It says you avoid waiting in the regular queue a second time. Not without waiting in the regular queue at all. ROFL.​

 

[JohnneeO]

Again, I disagree.

UNLESS MY UNDERSTANDING HAS BEEN INCORRECT AND EVERYONE NEEDS A FAST PASS TO GET RIDER SWAP (WHICH I REALLY DIDNT THINK WAS THE CASE)- AND IF IT IS, THEN THAT WILL CHANGE MY OPINION:

Childswap family of 4
Mom and DS1 Book fast pass for Space (gets swap)
Mom and DS1 book fast pass for SDMT (gets swap)
Mom and DS1 book fast pass for Splash (gets swap)
Dad and DS2 Book fast pass for BTMR (gets swap)
Dad and DS2 Book Fast pass for Space (different time) (gets swap)
Dad and DS2 Book Fast pass for SDMT (different time) (gets swap)

12 experiences on rides total

Non Childswap family of 4:
Whole Family book fast pass for Space
Whole book fast pass for SDMT
Whole family book fast pass for Splash

3 experiences on rides total


So yes, they have to go through the ride cycle twice, but they also get 12 total experiences as a family, while the nonswap family gets 3. 12 total experiences/2cycles = 6. Effectively getting 6 fast passes. On top of that, the other half of the swapping family can ride something else WHILE they are waiting, upping the number of ride experiences the family gets.

Three problems with this scenario:

- 12 "ride experiences" take a lot longer than 3, so the time element shouldn't be ignored. What is the non swap family doing after their three "ride experiences"? Over time, they are likely having a similar experience to the swap family, especially if they are using MDE to select additional FP's.

- If the swap family is a family of four, and if both DS1 are DS2 are tall enough to ride the rides booked with FP, then I do not even see how any swaps passes are being issued.

- Assuming either DS1 or DS2 actually is too short, then the only way all of the FP's are used is if the taller older DS takes the smaller's MB to ride the original FP's. This means that none of the 12 "ride experiences" would be experienced together as a family. Each "ride experience" would include only one parent and the taller DS, while the other parent is with the smaller DS.

 

[ArwenMarie]

Right it manages the line, but doesn't open the availability to those who may actually want the FP. So I book my FOP FP+ for 60+7 which happens to be someone's 60+3 (or +2 or +4). When they go to book, there is one fewer because my non-riding 4 year old has one.

Yes, but right now if the parents are doubling their FPs via RS, then Disney has to account for that amount anyway by taking some FPs out of the pre-booking pool. So I think it comes out in the wash

 

[DizneyMommy]

Look if you, wife, child, and baby show up to ride at 10:50 for a 10-11 FP window, no CM is going to tell you sorry you're out of luck. They will have DH ride with child while baby waits with DW. Then they'll honor / extend the FP window for the other guest. Even taking child again would be fine by me.

But that's not how they use it. Currently DH and DS get a FP. DW and Baby book a FP for the other Tier-1 ride. DH and DS ride, get a RS. Give that to DW who never even had a FP+. Then DW and DS both ride it. Then they repeat at the other Tier-1 ride in reverse with DW and Baby's bands. You see the abuse.

Nobody is legitimately trying to prevent you from using your FP if you arrive toward the end of your window and need to wait with your baby. The abuse methods should be stopped.

That is not how we use it and never was. Many people actually do stick to the rules/spirit of the FP. I don’t like the assumption that every parent is cheating the system and we should all be punished. What a mess if CM’s had to give special permission, research the FP, listen to explanations all day, that is dumb sorry. All they have to do is issue a digita RS to extend our return time, just like DL has been doing for months and there was no uproar there.

It never occurred to me to save RS for another time honestly. We just don’t tour that way, and we don’t feel put out for having to ride twice in a row. We appreciate the accommodation and take it for what it is.

 

[MrInfinity]

That is not how we use it and never was. Many people actually do stick to the rules/spirit of the FP. I don’t like the assumption that every parent is cheating the system and we should all be punished. What a mess if CM’s had to give special permission, research the FP, listen to explanations all day, that is dumb sorry. All they have to do is issue a digita RS to extend our return time, just like DL has been doing for months and there was no uproar there.
It never occurred to me to save RS for another time honestly. We just don’t tour that way, and we don’t feel put out for having to ride twice in a row. We appreciate the accommodation and take it for what it is.

I never said you abused it. I'm sure many people use it just fine. But the abuse is out there. No one made any assumption that every parent is cheating, unless you're making that? I don't know. Nobody I see here made any such generalization. Just pointing out that people are reading the rule as if you're allowed to use this to get extra Fast Passes and you're not. It's not for that at all. It's to avoid having to wait in the standby line twice because you have a baby in tow. That's all. People are getting worked up and it's a non-issue really, just Disney choosing to enforce what should have been enforced all along.

There was as much outrage when Disney shut down the extra bands thing. People did it for years so it became "right". Until they decide enough is enough. The alternative was to cancel the RS program, so I'd much rather see them fix it than cancel it!

 

[Bound and Rebound]

When we had a kid too short to ride a ride but old enough to have a ticket we would get FP+ for every ticket, parent 1 and son would ride, then my son and (too short) daughter would trade tickets and my son could go again with parent 2. We did utilize RS when we had to, but it was before every ride got FP, made more sense then.

Just an idea there for those of you who have an even number of tall enough and too short kids, you WILL have to watch your time management and show up closer to the beginning of your FP window so you can fit 2 rides in that one hour window, but as we do know after years of FP+ there is a little bit of time before and after the stated window where you will get that joy inspiring green Mickey light

 

[SJSloan]

We’re at 60 days next week, so currently thinking about which FastPasses to book!

We are a party of 5; 2 adults, 2 kids and a toddler and so will need to use child swap for all of the rides with height restrictions.

Originally planned to split our party into groups of 1 adult and 1 kid. Planned to book FastPasses for the initial party of 2, then use child swap to allow the other party of 2 to ride.

Does anyone know whether we can still do that? Or will all 4 of my riding party require a FastPass in order to ride?

Many thanks

I am having the same issue, but I booked by FastPass+ several weeks ago. Not going to lie, for a couple attraction, I took advantage of the fact that I could book 3 people on 1 attraction and 2 on the other and use FastPass+ and then we would use rider swap. So for 2 park I booked 4 FastPass+ instead of 3, I didn't book 6, and I didn't feel like I was abusing the system.

With these changes, I am going through and changing all of our FastPasses to include all of us. But do you know how hard that is to do with the popular rides. Finding a FastPass for Slinky Dog Dash on 7/12 at this point is next to impossible. I then had to change our Seven Dwarf Mine Train FP+ from noon to 7pm.

I am making assumptions as to what changes will be made, but I'd rather change my plans now rather than wait for reports to come back and have 2 weeks to change them.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Guys - there has already been at least one request to stay on topic. TPAS as a whole is about trip planning and the purpose of the thread is to discuss the reported new Rider Swap system so we can collectively understand the new setup and how it may or may not impact future trips, not to rehash how the system has been used in the past, ways people did/did not abuse it, etc (a topic which 8 times out 10 has resulted in closed threads because of excessive arguing). History can be helpful to provide context sometimes, but let's please try to keep the discussion forward looking to the extent possible.

Thanks.

 

[Boski]

I never said you abused it. I'm sure many people use it just fine. But the abuse is out there. No one made any assumption that every parent is cheating, unless you're making that? I don't know. Nobody I see here made any such generalization. Just pointing out that people are reading the rule as if you're allowed to use this to get extra Fast Passes and you're not. It's not for that at all. It's to avoid having to wait in the standby line twice because you have a baby in tow. That's all. People are getting worked up and it's a non-issue really, just Disney choosing to enforce what should have been enforced all along.

There was as much outrage when Disney shut down the extra bands thing. People did it for years so it became "right". Until they decide enough is enough. The alternative was to cancel the RS program, so I'd much rather see them fix it than cancel it!

Excellently put.

 

[jwolfpack]

For context...I have used RS + FP in combination for years. I am of the opinion that the waiting parent + too short child (who may actually be a 5 year old with very strong opinions of their own and not necessarily a sleeping infant) should not be required to have a FP with the 1st group of riders. They should be able to have their FP for something else that the too short child can ride. I am also of the opinion that using FP + RS system to double up on Tier 1 attractions is unfair, and I've never personally used it this way.

For me, I am anxious to better understand...
1) If the 1 hr return window will come to pass - this seems unnecessarily restrictive in combination with a 1 RS at a time limit
2) If they will actually require all members (including too short children) to have a FP - this would take away from pool of FP's available to others who might actually want them (either booked ahead of time or to grab in real time as a 4th+ FP)

The 1 hr thing really bugs me. We often get the swap pass, split up for a bit, and then circle back later in the day or after a meal or break to let the 2nd group ride. Though I suppose that instead of taking the too short child to do something else while the 1st group rides, we'd just do that instead when the 2nd group rides. It would be manageable, just a lot less flexible given the mood of your group and the other things you have planned for the day.

 

[Jennasis]

Seems fine to me. You use rider swap right then (within he hour is pretty generous)....no saving for later. Looking forward to using this tons with my young niece and nephews in the years ahead.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

I’m curious to see how they plan to handle an hour (if that’s the true limit) when standby is well over an hour, or when total experience time even using FP approaches an hour.

Unless somehow the clock starts when the first party is boarding or close to it, it seems like a time limit would overly complicates things for front line CMs. Limiting to one pass per account seems so much less prone to issues. Same rule for everybody. I can’t see why anybody cares if a family rides immediately or 2 hours later.

 

[CMNJ]

It’s interesting that the reports say it will have a 1 hr window and only allow you to obtain 1 at a time. It seems like not allowing you to obtain a second until the first was used would limit any potential abuse issues. I wonder if the 1 hour thing is more about managing the FP que through out the day. There have been times when I thought a FP que seemed incredibly long. I always assumed it was because many people all came at once rather then spread over the hour (for example a ton of people in the 5:30-6:30 showed up at the end of the hour and a lot of people in the 6:15-7:15 showed up in the beginning of their hour). Since we know disney likes to track data perhaps their data shows that while many rider swaps are issued early in the day they are redeemed later in the day leading to extended FP wait times (and therefore lengthing the stands by wait significantly as well). I’ve experienced long waits like this at 7DMT and TOT. They actually made an announcement once about the standby line wait time may be longer than originally stated due to a “high number of guests with reservations” (ie the long FP line)