Rider Switch

[RamKat77]

I am so relieved I found this website. It's gonna help ease the overwhelming ness of our trip in May.

Anyways, my question may have already been covered...if so, I apologize. Our family of four is myself, my husband, and our kids, ages 5 and 2. My question is what happens if my 5 year old decides that the ride wasn't for him but the other parent wants to do it. Does the child HAVE to ride again in order for the rider switch to be valid? I know that it will seem like I'm just trying to bypass getting another FP for the other adult, but I'm not. My kid sometimes loves thrill seeking stuff and other times is very timid, so some of these rides are gonna be hit or miss.

If anyone has advice or knows one way or the other about the. Rider Switch policy I would appreciate it. Thank you!

 

[kcpinwdw]

Basically for certain attractions you tell the CM at the front of the line that you want to do rider switch, and after the adult goes on the ride, you meet up with the kids and other adult in a pre-arranged area and the other adult gets to go next. You both are supposed to have FP if you are using the FP line. BUt, if your 5 year old DOES want to ride, he can go twice, while one of you stays with the younger one. But he doesnt have to go again if he doesnt like it, just the adult can do it. I do not know what happens if your 5 year old changes his mind once you have entered the line with him, such as right before getting on. You can exit, but that is not where your family will be, so I dont think you will be able to jump on without him at that point. You'd likely have to exit completely. Please correct me, someone, if I am wrong about that part. The disney website has a list of the rides that rider switch applies to.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I am so relieved I found this website. It's gonna help ease the overwhelming ness of our trip in May.

Anyways, my question may have already been covered...if so, I apologize. Our family of four is myself, my husband, and our kids, ages 5 and 2. My question is what happens if my 5 year old decides that the ride wasn't for him but the other parent wants to do it. Does the child HAVE to ride again in order for the rider switch to be valid? I know that it will seem like I'm just trying to bypass getting another FP for the other adult, but I'm not. My kid sometimes loves thrill seeking stuff and other times is very timid, so some of these rides are gonna be hit or miss.

If anyone has advice or knows one way or the other about the. Rider Switch policy I would appreciate it. Thank you!

No. Rider switch's main purpose is to allow the person who could not ride due to caring for a person who cannot ride (your 2yo) an opportunity to ride. The additional riders is just a courtesy that prevents you from having to ride alone. But there has never been an obligation for riders who have ridden once to ride a second time for the pass to be valid.

So you can opt to ride by yourself if you were the one waiting.

Don't worry about the FP+. I think the reason it isn't required for rider switch has to do with the time restriction. Your FP+ may expire by the time the rest of your party exits the ride. That would cause logistical problems that are just better prevented by allowing rider switch.

 

[cakebaker]

No, he doesn't. The rider switch pass isn't just so that your 5 yr old can ride. It's so that the person(s) watching the child who can't ride is able to ride. In your case, if your 5 yr old doesn't want to ride, it would just be you or your husband riding second with the switch pass. In bigger groups, the switch becomes even more valuable because others can ride more than once. It's what the switch is meant to do so you're certainly not breaking any rules.

It does not matter who rides using the rider switch. It doesn't matter what your intent is. You're entitled to it, you get to use it as you see fit.
We get a rider switch pass anywhere they are available and use them however we choose to.

 

[cakebaker]

Basically for certain attractions you tell the CM at the front of the line that you want to do rider switch, and after the adult goes on the ride, you meet up with the kids and other adult in a pre-arranged area and the other adult gets to go next. You both are supposed to have FP if you are using the FP line. BUt, if your 5 year old DOES want to ride, he can go twice, while one of you stays with the younger one. But he doesnt have to go again if he doesnt like it, just the adult can do it. I do not know what happens if your 5 year old changes his mind once you have entered the line with him, such as right before getting on. You can exit, but that is not where your family will be, so I dont think you will be able to jump on without him at that point. You'd likely have to exit completely. Please correct me, someone, if I am wrong about that part. The disney website has a list of the rides that rider switch applies to.

There is no pre-arranged area for non-riders to wait. In fact, the switch pass doesn't even have to be used right away. It's basically an anytime fp+, ours was good for about 2 weeks. As I understand it, there are a couple of rides that the switch pass is given to the first rider(s) at the checkpoint inside the ride. But I've never experienced that- we always got the pass at the entrance. It works the same though once they give you the switch pass.

Only the first riders are required to have a fp+ to ride. Up to 3 people can use the switch pass.

 

[RamKat77]

Thank you ALL for the information.

 

[kcpinwdw]

There is no pre-arranged area for non-riders to wait. In fact, the switch pass doesn't even have to be used right away. It's basically an anytime fp+, ours was good for about 2 weeks. As I understand it, there are a couple of rides that the switch pass is given to the first rider(s) at the checkpoint inside the ride. But I've never experienced that- we always got the pass at the entrance. It works the same though once they give you the switch pass.

Only the first riders are required to have a fp+ to ride. Up to 3 people can use the switch pass.

I meant prearranged by the parties involved, not by disney.... you know, so you dont lose them

 

[RamKat77]

Ok, I have another question regarding this now that I have fast passes chosen for DHS:

I have 3 adults going now, my mom is coming too. We all have the same FP time for ToT. So let's say me, husband and son ride the first time and get the rider swap for my mom. We exit then she goes in to use her FP and since she doesn't want to go alone, either I or husband and son go with her using the rider swap. Would we be issued another RS pass for the the waiting adult? My mom has a valid FP, so I think it would be fine but I'm not sure... Just asking!