Riderswap issue today at SDMT

[Mrs~Incredible]

When we’ve gone with our small child too young to ride, we each had FPs, and then just rode by ourselves while the other adult stayed with DD.

I also had no idea people used this to score extra rides by only booking one FP. That honestly doesn’t even make sense to me- to book one FP and expect to have 2 adults ride. You’re getting 2 coveted FPs for 1.

Maybe I can rent my kid out for people who want to use this system... (kidding!!!!)

 

[HopperFan]

Does the FP line NOT have a person handing out rider swap too? Parties who all have FPs with one who is too short will need rider swap too! (This will be us next month!) Did Disney REALLY not account for that possibility and only offer RS in the stand by line???

If you all have FP, you don't need a rider swap.

The only time I think they need to consider a rider swap for FP+ line is those rides that the FP+ line is long like FoP, Soarin', FEA .... but even then they hand you a swap/proof of party one being on time .. that party two can use if they miss their FP+ window.

 

[tbre1982]

I'm surprised to see comments questioning the legitimacy or ethics of this strategy. This is my first time at Disney with kids, and this fastpass/rider swap strategy is something I learned about right here on the DISboards. .. and it is widely published on other commonly used planning sites -- see http://wdwprepschool.com/how-to-child-swap-rider-switch-at-disney-world/

I honestly thought this was the norm and didn't even realize this was somehow considered "gaming the system".

 

[srwarden1928]

When we were using child swap in October with three adults and a less than 35 inch child, to use PP's example, it took us over two hours to do Test Track and Soarin. Today I went to Epcot, and in the first two hours did Soarin, Living with the Land, Test Track, Journey into Imagination, and the Disney Pixar Short Film Festival. Some people may disagree, but this is NOT gaming the system; this is attempting to give the family with a small child a chance to experience what Disney has to offer. I will honestly be thankful when the smallest child doesn't NEED child swap and can ride with everyone else. We will certainly use the system Disney allows, but being able to ride everything together can't come soon enough. (Also some of the rides I really don't WANT to ride twice, although I don't want anyone to HAVE to ride alone. Riding Star Tours twice in a row had me feeling a little ugh!)

 

[Skallywag Steph]

I'm surprised to see comments questioning the legitimacy or ethics of this strategy. This is my first time at Disney with kids, and this fastpass/rider swap strategy is something I learned about right here on the DISboards. .. and it is widely published on other commonly used planning sites -- see http://wdwprepschool.com/how-to-child-swap-rider-switch-at-disney-world/

I honestly thought this was the norm and didn't even realize this was somehow considered "gaming the system".

You're right. The question comes up all the time on here and I hardly ever see anyone say everyone has to have a fast pass.

 

[Wubar]

When we’ve gone with our small child too young to ride, we each had FPs, and then just rode by ourselves while the other adult stayed with DD.

I also had no idea people used this to score extra rides by only booking one FP. That honestly doesn’t even make sense to me- to book one FP and expect to have 2 adults ride. You’re getting 2 coveted FPs for 1.

Maybe I can rent my kid out for people who want to use this system... (kidding!!!!)

You're REALLY surprised people will find a way to game the system? I'm more surprised when I learn that people AREN'T doing so.

Oh, and by the way...my kid is available for rent too if there are rider swap gamers. Should I start a thread where we can post pictures and other info? Ha!

 

[tbre1982]

You're REALLY surprised people will find a way to game the system? I'm more surprised when I learn that people AREN'T doing so.

Yeah...I mean...this site has an entire thread dedicated to "Throwaway Rooms" which are used for the explicit purpose of getting early FP and free parking. Totally condoned by admin and even made a "Sticky Thread" for goodness sake.

Clearly a large # of people who frequent this site are looking for tips and tricks to maximize their experience and minimize wait time and cost. I personally have learned a lot and planned a much better trip thanks to all the tips and advice I received here. I don't see why we shouldn't utilize advantages that are available just because some people might not have done enough research to know about them.

And I don't see how discussing a loophole for riderswap/FP is any different than the Throwaway room thread.

 

[Skallywag Steph]

Yeah...I mean...this site has an entire thread dedicated to "Throwaway Rooms" which are used for the explicit purpose of getting early FP and free parking. Totally condoned by admin and even made a "Sticky Thread" for goodness sake.

Clearly a large # of people who frequent this site are looking for tips and tricks to maximize their experience and minimize wait time and cost. I personally have learned a lot and planned a much better trip thanks to all the tips and advice I received here. I don't see why we shouldn't utilize advantages that are available just because some people might not have done enough research to know about them.

And I don't see how discussing a loophole for riderswap/FP is any different than the Throwaway room thread.

Have you gotten this response from any other ride?

 

[ArwenMarie]

They know exactly how many spots are being used by RS. If they feel a need to put limitations on it, they will, just like they did Disneyland recently (return times that expire relatively soon after you get the pass, you can only hold one RS at a time, and it is electronically tied to your ticket)

I don't think anyone is wrong for using it the way it is now. It is what it is.

 

[Jasten]

Wow, I had no clue this was possible. They should shut this down immediately. The intent seems very clear, if you have a small child and need to take turns, you both book a fast pass and use rider swap to not lose put on the second persons window. We are taking dd3 in a few weeks and we booked all our fps together, i cant even fathom having booked seperate and still expecting each adult to get to ride on each individual fp. Just because a loophole exists doesnt mean you should use it. Is it really fair to others to use your child to double your fast passes? Everyone else pays the price with longer wait times....

 

[Betty Rohrer]

I'm at WDW right now. This am we went to SDMT. Me and DD (5) had FP. My son (2) is too short to ride. We went up to FP entrance and asked for rider swap for grandma and grandpa who did not have FP.

Cast member said they also were supposed to have
FP. he ended up giving us the rider swap to use anyways. But he said next time we should all make the FP.

This is not what I have read anywhere else about using rider swap and all the strategies to maximize your FP by mixing and matching FP with rider swap.

Did I screw something up? Or Was this cast member just wrong?

last year at SDMT was the only ride that did RS like this.

 

[MickeyWaffles]

We don’t use rider switch because both my kids are too small for most things with a height restriction yet. DH and I have decided to only do the things they can do for now.

I don’t doubt that people are abusing the system. But I do believe there is a potentially legitimate way to use rider switch in a FP line.

SDMT. 2 parents. 2 kids. 1 is tall enough 1 is not.
-Mom gets FP+ to ride SDMT with older child. Gets rider switch for Dad.
-Dad gets FP+ for PP so that the younger child has a 3rd FP like everyone else. Then uses rider switch to get on SDMT.

Yes, that means Dad got an extra ride on PP so he could bring the younger child who is too small on.

To me, that scenario is not gaming the system. It’s allowing the kid that is too small to have a 3rd FP and Dad to ride the one that the smaller child is too little for.

It’s too bad that people probably abused this for different reasons and to get many family members extra FP.

When we are in this scenario in the near future, it won’t be the end of the world - one of us will just skip SDMT so our younger child can have a FP for something else. It would have been nice to be able to both ride SDMT with our oldest, though. Oh well!

 

[KrazeeK120]

If you all have FP, you don't need a rider swap.

That’s your opinion.

I still think that no one should have to ride alone unless there’s no other option (such as my family, 2 adults and 1 too-short kid).

 

[anomamatt]

If you all have FP, you don't need a rider swap.

The only time I think they need to consider a rider swap for FP+ line is those rides that the FP+ line is long like FoP, Soarin', FEA .... but even then they hand you a swap/proof of party one being on time .. that party two can use if they miss their FP+ window.

There are two cases where I would disagee: 1) the second group might miss the FP window due to queue or ride length (e.g. FOP unless you arrive right when the window starts) and 2) when there is an odd number of people so no one has to ride alone. It’s usually the tall enough kid who is riding twice.

I would have no problem if to get a rider swap everyone in the party had to tap in a FP. But I hope they keep rider swap available starting with FPs.

 

[lovethesun12]

Disney is not going to close this "loophole" because if they did kids wouldn't be able to use all their fastpasses (unless parents told older kids to suck it up and ride dumbo - a scenario where no one is happy and complains to Disney). Disney wants parents to pay $100 for 3 year olds who can't ride everything and wants them to be happy about it. They also don't want older kids to leave mad about having to ride dumbo/teacups/magic carpet instead of splash/space/7DMT. Enter rider swap. Family is happy. Disney makes money. Disney is happy. Everyone is happy.

Our last trip would have been so much more disappointing without RS. These are the little things Disney does best and really highlights their awesome customer service =)

My daughter is *almost* tall enough for 7DMT but we aren't sure she will be when we leave. Trust me I will MUCH more prefer this trip if she can ride with us and we can all experience it together rather than having to waste time in line twice so we can experience it with our son. I will book 4FP+. But if she isn't I will cancel mine and hers and do - sigh - it's a small world or something instead and fortunately still be able to do 7DMT with my son.

 

[MIndy S]

We don’t use rider switch because both my kids are too small for most things with a height restriction yet. DH and I have decided to only do the things they can do for now.

I don’t doubt that people are abusing the system. But I do believe there is a potentially legitimate way to use rider switch in a FP line.

SDMT. 2 parents. 2 kids. 1 is tall enough 1 is not.
-Mom gets FP+ to ride SDMT with older child. Gets rider switch for Dad.
-Dad gets FP+ for PP so that the younger child has a 3rd FP like everyone else. Then uses rider switch to get on SDMT.

Yes, that means Dad got an extra ride on PP so he could bring the younger child who is too small on.

To me, that scenario is not gaming the system. It’s allowing the kid that is too small to have a 3rd FP.

It’s too bad that people probably abused this for different reasons and to get many family members extra FP.

This is exactly what we are doing and I feel no guilt. DH and DS will ride FOP via FP+, I have a FP+ with DD for Navi at the same time. Then I will ride FOP with RS, with DS if he wants. RS makes it possible for me to enjoy the ride with my DS, and DD doesnt lose out on a FP.

I don't see this as gaming the system at all. Having 2 kids that straddle the height limits is a pain in the butt, and we would love it if we didn't have to use RS at all.

 

[KCF1216]

We just returned from a trip last week. (Family of 5- 2 adults, 2 children tall enough for most rides, 1 baby).

We used the rider switch a lot. It was available in both the fast pass and standby lines.

I booked the same fast passes for everyone so when we went up to the line we all had one but they never wanted everyone to scan their band. So I might scan in and the 2 kids and then when my husband went back with the kids using the paper rider switch pass it left the fast pass on his band. (You go in the fast pass line with the paper switch pass even if you rode standby the first time)
I only noticed it because I tried to book additional fast passes on the app and there would always be one that I had to cancel to book for all of us together.

I see others saying maybe we could have each taken one kid at a time and not used it at all. I suppose that is true but we both really loved taking them on and seeing their reactions. Until everyone can go together letting each parent take the kids on is the best!

 

[Wubar]

You wait, instead of closing the loophole, Disney will now CHARGE for it. Always looking to make extra money from new avenues, the mouse house...

 

[sweetmama17]

Exactly. There are many times when by the time we are swapping we are outside the original FP window.

I think if you have never toured with young children you don't understand the time it takes. We skip swapping a lot too because we just don't want to take the time.

I like the way they have it set up now and I like that they don't give the rider swap ticket until you have gone through the line.

 

[hiroMYhero]

I like the way they have it set up now and I like that they don't give the rider swap ticket until you have gone through the line.

And for those who don’t know what the wording is on a Swap Pass - FastPass: