Rider Switch Strategy along with fastpass

[DWeav]

I was looking into how the rider switch works. In our past few trips, we had no problems in our family on being able to ride together and such (me, my wife, 6 year old daughter). We also went during the year when crowds were not too crazy. So we would take turns riding with our daughter, not using the rider switch. Now that she is in school, we cannot go until the first of June, a busier time.

On top of that, we now have a baby boy! And he will be just a few months over 1 years old when we go in June.

So with the baby (we don't do vacations without the entire family!) and the fact that the crowds will no doubt be higher than what we are accustomed to, I am looking into the rider switch this time around.

It appears as though, if I understand it correctly, we all would go to the line (be it standby or fastpass) and ask for a rider switch pass from the cast member. I would then ride the ride with my daughter. Directly after the ride or anytime later that day, my wife could then take the pass and go to the fastpass line for that same ride with my daughter and ride the ride. So my daughter would then be riding it twice.

I believe I got that down.

But then I read about how a fastpass works with the rider switch. So I would again go to the line, this time the fastpass line in particular, with my daughter. We would both have scheduled fastpasses for the ride. We would get off the ride and again, my wife and daughter could ride with the rider switch pass.

I guess the grey area seems to be the strategies that I'm picking up on other websites that doesn't seem too ethically pleasant. That I could essentially get away with always just getting a fastpass for myself and daughter and my wife never needing a fastpass. My daughter basically doubles her fastpasses (for the same rides only, obviously). Then my wife could fastpass something separate if she wanted to. (not sure when this would actually occur, but an option I suppose)

I guess this is how it is designed, to help families that have different age groups so that they don't have to wait twice in a line. But also feels like I'm cheating other people...

Do I have things down correctly with how rider switch works? Are there other strategies for this?

Thanks as always everyone!

P.S. I see some rider switch passes that are good for the rest of the day and other rider switch passes that are good for many days. Any rhyme or reason for that?

 

[Gentry2004]

Rider switches are good until the end of the current month. This is a hot topic, but yes your understanding is all correct.

 

[ptlohmysoul]

Rider switch passes are generally good until the end of the calendar month. You are right in your thinking and you are not cheating the system when you use it as it was designed.

 

[ptlohmysoul]

The key is that your 6yo will only get 3 FP+ and those 3 need to have an adult with her. You could use your extra FP+ for mom or dad to ride something she is not tall enough or brave enough to ride or you could use it to have a ride/attraction and/or character meet with the baby while other parent rides with daughter.

 

[DavidNYC]

The key to that "extra" FP that your wife gets is one of two things:

1. If there's a ride that the adults want to ride that your daughter cannot your wife can use her FP for that ride and then you'll use the rider switch to ride it (basically you've gotten 2 FP rides using 1 set of your 3 FP). Only down side is the kids have to wait for both parents to ride.

2. If she uses it for a ride your daughter wants to ride, wife rides first and you ride with daughter. Unlike your first FP ride however, your daughter would only get to ride this one once with the 2nd parent. The daughter only gets the "added ride" benefit when she rides both initially with her own FP and the swap pass.

I get why some people feel this is wrong but in reality this is part of the design and parents travelling with under height kids or babies take a lot more time to do things and this just give those families a little extra ability to maximize their day. Trust me - I've gone with just my wife and I've gone with my 8-year old twins every year since they were babies. I still get on more rides in a day with just my wife then when I have my kids with me even taking advantage of every trick there is.

 

[asuburbanman]

Yup you are correct. Remember that the attendant will need to see the baby before issuing the rider swap lanyard or ticket.

For example you could do the following:

You and your daughter Fastpass 7 dwarves. All go to the Fastpass line and ask for rider swap. Wife could have a dumbo Fastpass at the same time and ride with your son while you do mine train. Then your wife could take your daughter on mine train again.

 

[binkee12]

I'm curious about the following siutation: two adults and two children go to the parks and everyone is over 44 inches and the ages of the kids are 8 and 6. Let's say one of the adult does not want to ride Seven Dwarfs train because they really hate all roller coasters and get sick. Could the other adult and the 8 year old get fast passes for the ride and then when they are done that adult takes the six-year-old on the train with the rider swap option? I think I heard the rule is that 7 year olds can go on a ride by themselves but that would mean our 8 year old would have to ride the train with a stranger or by herself. Basic question is do we need a FastPass for all three people or can we do Rider swap? Also does the cast member ask who is not riding.. for example if all four of us walk up to the ride it could be assumed that the little six year old doesn't want to ride and I plan on riding the train with the eight-year-old again so that I could go on when in fact I really do not want to ride this. Thank you

 

[ptlohmysoul]

I'm curious about the following siutation: two adults and two children go to the parks and everyone is over 44 inches and the ages of the kids are 8 and 6. Let's say one of the adult does not want to ride Seven Dwarfs train because they really hate all roller coasters and get sick. Could the other adult and the 8 year old get fast passes for the ride and then when they are done that adult takes the six-year-old on the train with the rider swap option? I think I heard the rule is that 7 year olds can go on a ride by themselves but that would mean our 8 year old would have to ride the train with a stranger or by herself. Basic question is do we need a FastPass for all three people or can we do Rider swap? Also does the cast member ask who is not riding.. for example if all four of us walk up to the ride it could be assumed that the little six year old doesn't want to ride and I plan on riding the train with the eight-year-old again so that I could go on when in fact I really do not want to ride this. Thank you

In that situation, they may require all of you to stand in line. When the first group of people ride, the other group stands in a waiting area near the loading area. Then, when the first party finishes the ride, the next group can get on. In which case, all need FP+. This is how a CM can handle it at their discretion, so if it's a ride you really all want to ride and don't want to wait in the standby line, you should secure FP+ for it.

 

[ptlohmysoul]

I'm curious about the following siutation: two adults and two children go to the parks and everyone is over 44 inches and the ages of the kids are 8 and 6. Let's say one of the adult does not want to ride Seven Dwarfs train because they really hate all roller coasters and get sick. Could the other adult and the 8 year old get fast passes for the ride and then when they are done that adult takes the six-year-old on the train with the rider swap option? I think I heard the rule is that 7 year olds can go on a ride by themselves but that would mean our 8 year old would have to ride the train with a stranger or by herself. Basic question is do we need a FastPass for all three people or can we do Rider swap? Also does the cast member ask who is not riding.. for example if all four of us walk up to the ride it could be assumed that the little six year old doesn't want to ride and I plan on riding the train with the eight-year-old again so that I could go on when in fact I really do not want to ride this. Thank you

Another alternative is that you can have both children sit together in front of you. That is available on most every ride, at the discretion of the CM (as long as they feel it is safe).

 

[siskaren]

I'm curious about the following siutation: two adults and two children go to the parks and everyone is over 44 inches and the ages of the kids are 8 and 6. Let's say one of the adult does not want to ride Seven Dwarfs train because they really hate all roller coasters and get sick. Could the other adult and the 8 year old get fast passes for the ride and then when they are done that adult takes the six-year-old on the train with the rider swap option? I think I heard the rule is that 7 year olds can go on a ride by themselves but that would mean our 8 year old would have to ride the train with a stranger or by herself. Basic question is do we need a FastPass for all three people or can we do Rider swap? Also does the cast member ask who is not riding.. for example if all four of us walk up to the ride it could be assumed that the little six year old doesn't want to ride and I plan on riding the train with the eight-year-old again so that I could go on when in fact I really do not want to ride this. Thank you

Rider swap isn't supposed to be for people who don't want to ride, in particular when that person is an adult. (I could see allowing it if the person who doesn't want to ride is a child who's tall enough to ride, but too young for the parent to feel comfortable with letting them wait alone.) What you could do though is book the FP for the adult who doesn't want to ride, and then let the other adult use that person's Magic Band to ride a second time with the other child.

 

[hiroMYhero]

Because the OP’s questions have been answered, closing.