Rider Switch Question

[Cera1234]

Last time we were at DL we were 2 adults and a toddler so rider switch was easy. This time, we are 4 adults, a 5.5 year old and a preschooler. I’ve been reading about rider switch and I have a question. Do adults 1-3 and the big kid ride first and then adult 4 and the big kid ride second? Or can adults 1&2 ride with her first and then adults 3&4 ride with her second?

 

[dina444444]

Last time we were at DL we were 2 adults and a toddler so rider switch was easy. This time, we are 4 adults, a 5.5 year old and a preschooler. I’ve been reading about rider switch and I have a question. Do adults 1-3 and the big kid ride first and then adult 4 and the big kid ride second? Or can adults 1&2 ride with her first and then adults 3&4 ride with her second?

Either/or, the rider switch pass is good for up to 3 people.

 

[FeistyDisneyMom]

When we were there in 2016, hubby would take kids 1, 2 & 3 while I stayed with toddler, then we'd switch and I'd ride with 1, 2 & 3 (or fewer if not all of them wanted to go). It didn't seem like we were limited to 3 then, has it changed or did we just get lucky with the CMs? This year we will have 2 more adults with us, and 2 more kids. Is the limit on all riders or just the adult riders? So if 3 adults take 5 kids while 1 stays with the 2 who cant, can the 1 adult then take the 5 kids back through?

 

[jlynne]

Riders switches are now digital. Once verifying the child the CM can scan up to 3 tickets for the rider switch. The RW will be good for one hour. You can only have one at a time.

 

[Jaina]

Riders switches are now digital. Once verifying the child the CM can scan up to 3 tickets for the rider switch. The RW will be good for one hour. You can only have one at a time.

Jumping in here, because I've only used the non-digital system too. Would all of us get fastpasses for the ride first? Like can we scan 3 tickets even though several of them are about to use their current fastpass for it? (We are a family of 7, with just one under 40 inches, but two too short for Indiana Jones/Incredicoaster.

 

[FeistyDisneyMom]

This doesn't make a ton of sense to me compared to how it worked previously, where both parents could enjoy a ride with their larger child(ren), versus having to go by themselves. We will have a couple other adults joining us this time, so we should be able to rotate out who gets stuck in group 2, but RS seems pretty meh now compared to how incredible it made our last trip (my husband and I got to ride all the rides with our 3 bigger kids and they got to ride twice - except for a few where one of them didn't want to ride again).

I can understand limiting the number of people in the return group, but it really sucks for big families. We've got 5 kids, so if it was just us it sounds like one of the kids would only get to ride once, and the other 2 could go with each parent (the youngest 2 are too small for thrill rides). Or does it mean no one in the first group of riders can go in the second group?

*edited typo - had RW when I meant RS

 

[Jaina]

This doesn't make a ton of sense to me compared to how it worked previously, where both parents could enjoy a ride with their larger child(ren), versus having to go by themselves. We will have a couple other adults joining us this time, so we should be able to rotate out who gets stuck in group 2, but RS seems pretty meh now compared to how incredible it made our last trip (my husband and I got to ride all the rides with our 3 bigger kids and they got to ride twice - except for a few where one of them didn't want to ride again).

I can understand limiting the number of people in the return group, but it really sucks for big families. We've got 5 kids, so if it was just us it sounds like one of the kids would only get to ride once, and the other 2 could go with each parent (the youngest 2 are too small for thrill rides). Or does it mean no one in the first group of riders can go in the second group?

*edited typo - had RW when I meant RS

I just read through this thread, and it seems to answer some of our questions. https://www.disboards.com/threads/fast-max-pass-and-rider-switch.3712160/
It looks like any ride that they're really into, (for our family of 7) we can get 6 fastpasses, then DH and the 3 or 4 older kids (one is 42 inches, so he can get on most things) can ride while the 2 year old and I do something else (having obtained a rider switch), then I have 3 passes plus one fastpass still left (if we start at the beginning of our window) so 3 children and I can ride again. So I guess they'd just have to take turns on who has to wait off with the second group... The old system was so much more convenient, but it might be worth the hassle for a few of the more popular rides like RSR or Guardians, depending on timing I guess.

 

[Bluewild79]

We had a group of 8 - 4 adults, 3 big kids and a toddler. We would book all 7 fastpasses for say Radiator springs racers. 3 of the adults and the 3 big kids went on the ride using their 6 fast passes (and took up an entire car, great for photos!) We got the rider switch loaded onto any 3 tickets (doesnt really matter since they don't check names). I waited with the toddler and usually as soon as they were done our rider switch passes were able to be used. I'd use my fast pass from earlier plus our 3 rider switch tickets so I could take all 3 big kids with me a 2nd time. So while I technically didnt need a fastpass to ride it since we used rider switch having that extra fastpass meant no kiddo was left behind on the 2nd ride.

 

[FeistyDisneyMom]

I'm so glad you guys posted about using the FP that way. It wouldn't have dawned on me! So if we have 9 people, and 1 is a ticketed child who cannot ride and 4 are big kids, we get 9 FP. One adult stays with the little one, 8 can go on the ride. Then the adult who waited goes with 3 of the 4 kids? Can anyone think of a way all 4 kids could ride again? I've got 3, but we're bringing a cousin with us. I'm not actually sure how tall she is so she might actually have to wait out the big rides anyway (7 yr old).

We have two kids who definitely cannot go on the big rides. I guess we could just go as two separate groups with 2 adults staying back and getting 6 RS passes, and then not worry about favoring some of the kids over others, right? And chances are high not all of the big kids will want to do all of the thrill rides twice. I'm pretty sure my 11 yr old will, but the two 7 yr olds and the 9 yr old might not.

 

[dina444444]

I'm so glad you guys posted about using the FP that way. It wouldn't have dawned on me! So if we have 9 people, and 1 is a ticketed child who cannot ride and 4 are big kids, we get 9 FP. One adult stays with the little one, 8 can go on the ride. Then the adult who waited goes with 3 of the 4 kids? Can anyone think of a way all 4 kids could ride again? I've got 3, but we're bringing a cousin with us. I'm not actually sure how tall she is so she might actually have to wait out the big rides anyway (7 yr old).

We have two kids who definitely cannot go on the big rides. I guess we could just go as two separate groups with 2 adults staying back and getting 6 RS passes, and then not worry about favoring some of the kids over others, right? And chances are high not all of the big kids will want to do all of the thrill rides twice. I'm pretty sure my 11 yr old will, but the two 7 yr olds and the 9 yr old might not.

Get a fp for the child that’s too short to ride.

 

[Bluewild79]

I'm so glad you guys posted about using the FP that way. It wouldn't have dawned on me! So if we have 9 people, and 1 is a ticketed child who cannot ride and 4 are big kids, we get 9 FP. One adult stays with the little one, 8 can go on the ride. Then the adult who waited goes with 3 of the 4 kids? Can anyone think of a way all 4 kids could ride again? I've got 3, but we're bringing a cousin with us. I'm not actually sure how tall she is so she might actually have to wait out the big rides anyway (7 yr old).

We have two kids who definitely cannot go on the big rides. I guess we could just go as two separate groups with 2 adults staying back and getting 6 RS passes, and then not worry about favoring some of the kids over others, right? And chances are high not all of the big kids will want to do all of the thrill rides twice. I'm pretty sure my 11 yr old will, but the two 7 yr olds and the 9 yr old might not.

So for your group, you could book 9 fast passes - 7 people go on the (adults plus the big kids) and one adult plus the too-short kiddo stay behind. You'll get 3 Rider Switch passes plus you'll still have 2 regular Fast Passes for a total of 5. The adult that waited can now bring 4 big kids.

 

[FeistyDisneyMom]

So FP for adult & little one, plus 3 RS passes - I think I'm getting it now. But aren't the Fast Passes tied to the person's ticket now? All the digital changes are new to me and I thought I had it figured out but now I'm confused again.

 

[dina444444]

So FP for adult & little one, plus 3 RS passes - I think I'm getting it now. But aren't the Fast Passes tied to the person's ticket now? All the digital changes are new to me and I thought I had it figured out but now I'm confused again.

They are tied to a ticket but no picture or anything shows up so you can scan someone else’s ticket.

 

[FeistyDisneyMom]

Oh cool That makes sense. So it is definitely worth it to have lanyards for the tickets then? I previously had kept all the kids' tickets on me while in the park, but maybe it makes more sense to hang a lanyard on each kid so we can keep track of who's doing what?

 

[Bluewild79]

Yes! Lanyards are great. We kept our physical tickets in those waterproof holders, two in each with the bar code sticking out. It's super quick to scan for Fastpasses and for them to scan to add Rider Switch. Also, keep them all on your phone in the app so you can book them with MaxPass if you are getting it (and you should! It's so easy)