SDMT: CM measured child before giving rider switch

[merina888]

I'm going to disagree with someone who said it's gaming the system. My family of 4 is going to Disney is August. My son will be 6 and is about 44 inches tall. My daughter will be 3 and is only 35 inches. She is too short for most of the popular rides that require fastpass (BTMRR, Spash, Space, etc.) She may not be tall enough for Barnstormer depending on how the measurement goes. What do we do with her 3 fastpass entitlements? She can't ride alone since Disney's policy is you have to be 7 (and what parent would let their child ride alone at WDW when they are that young). So will probably split the group in 2 with one parent in each and have one parent fastpass the rides with my son and get a Baby Swap for the other parent to ride with my son so that my daughter can use her fastpasses and be able to ride with a parent. We are trying to be fair to both kids not game the system.

 

[robinb]

And before the flames start flying.... It was easily done on FP- system too. It is a loophole that they are quite aware of...but like I said before it isn't as advantageous as one might think and I can't wait until our rider switch days are behind us!

No flames from me! We did the exact same thing when my DD was younger. It still took us twice as long as a family with kids that were tall enough.

 

[rastuso]

That is exactly what we are doing. We have 3 adults, DS8 and DS2 (35"). For all the height restricted rides we have 2 people booked on 1 ride and 2 on another. Everyone will get to ride both rides with the rider switch ride. It is a way to get around tiering in DHS/Epcot but other than that it isn't a huge advantage to anyone but DS8 (who can ride twice each time). Some of the rides take a long time to get through even with rider switch. So it takes a lot of time for both sets to get on...plus it's no picnic waiting with DS2 if there is nothing nearby to take him on. And before the flames start flying.... It was easily done on FP- system too. It is a loophole that they are quite aware of...but like I said before it isn't as advantageous as one might think and I can't wait until our rider switch days are behind us!

What do you mean it isn't an advantage? Everyone is getting a minimum of double the FP+ rides.

I think Disney has really screwed this up, and would expect they will fix this loophole soon, especially on Dwarf Hill. With FP- it wasn't as big a deal, since you could get lots more of those.

I foresee this getting WAY out of hand once folks figure out they can get double FP+. Hopefully they just stop, and the people planning on doing this get a nice slap of reality when half their family gets denied a ride on Dwarf Hill.

-Jason

 

[Mainemama]

Anyone concerned about flaming the system probably isn't touring with a small child! Look at it this way... Hopefully you avoid being around unhappy children. I am sure anyone using rs is doing way fewer rides than those with kids above height limit. And children under 3 (who are the largest number of folks not meeting the height requirement) don't get FP.

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

What do you mean it isn't an advantage? Everyone is getting a minimum of double the FP+ rides.

I think Disney has really screwed this up, and would expect they will fix this loophole soon, especially on Dwarf Hill. With FP- it wasn't as big a deal, since you could get lots more of those.

I foresee this getting WAY out of hand once folks figure out they can get double FP+. Hopefully they just stop, and the people planning on doing this get a nice slap of reality when half their family gets denied a ride on Dwarf Hill.

-Jason

I agree. It is an unfair advantage. I mean, it's not against the rules so they really aren't breaking the rule, but I do think that it is an unfair advantage and something Disney should fix.

Anyone concerned about flaming the system probably isn't touring with a small child! Look at it this way... Hopefully you avoid being around unhappy children. I am sure anyone using rs is doing way fewer rides than those with kids above height limit. And children under 3 (who are the largest number of folks not meeting the height requirement) don't get FP.

My daughter is 4. I have been traveling to WDW with her since she was 2. She still isn't tall enough to ride everything. I have never and will never think that it is acceptable for me to do this (morally, not necessarily rule-wise).

 

[rastuso]

Anyone concerned about flaming the system probably isn't touring with a small child! Look at it this way... Hopefully you avoid being around unhappy children. I am sure anyone using rs is doing way fewer rides than those with kids above height limit. And children under 3 (who are the largest number of folks not meeting the height requirement) don't get FP.

So? So if you bring a short kid, you get double FPs? Should you get to walk right in to Chef Mickeys, since you kid might be really hungry? Or possibly you should get front row seats for Fantasmic, since you r kid can't see over anyone.

This is no different than all the abuse of the GACs.

-Jason

 

[merina888]

I'm sure that Disney is aware that this happens and has been happening for a while. Truthfully we aren't going to get double fastpasses. Each person is allowed 3 passes. At most we might get one or two extra rides and truthfully we'd prefer to all ride together. If my son uses a fastpass for Mine Train and BTMRR (which is probably what will happen). He gets one other choice. We aren't eligible for baby swap for him. So if my daughter chooses 2 completely different fastpasses, she is only going to get to ride with one parent. Both parents can't ride with her as they could with my son who meets the height requirement. If my son wants to also ride those rides, he and one of his parents will have to go through the standby line. So we're really not going to come out much ahead. And honestly it's more of a pain in the *** than a pleasure to do stuff this way.

 

[chloelovesdisney]

I don't think most families want to ride all the rides with height restrictions leaving the baby/toddler behind. I'd guess most folks do what we do, we choose maybe one ride per day my son can't go on and rider swap that choice. He would not be a happy camper or agreeable to spending that much time hanging around while we all swap around again and again. 99% of what we do has to include everyone.

 

[asmit4]

That is exactly what we are doing. We have 3 adults, DS8 and DS2 (35"). For all the height restricted rides we have 2 people booked on 1 ride and 2 on another. Everyone will get to ride both rides with the rider switch ride. It is a way to get around tiering in DHS/Epcot but other than that it isn't a huge advantage to anyone but DS8 (who can ride twice each time). Some of the rides take a long time to get through even with rider switch. So it takes a lot of time for both sets to get on...plus it's no picnic waiting with DS2 if there is nothing nearby to take him on.

And before the flames start flying.... It was easily done on FP- system too. It is a loophole that they are quite aware of...but like I said before it isn't as advantageous as one might think and I can't wait until our rider switch days are behind us!

Hmmm....I see how this is allowed at DW- so not breaking the rules--- but to me it sounds like people might be using their toddlers to gain an advantage. In this case- you have 3 adults, an 8yo and a toddler. IMO- the toddler should only be 'used' once....so you send 2 adults and the 8yo on the ride, then ride swap and let the other adult ride. ONE ride, ONE toddler freebee....in this instance you are using your toddler twice to gain the advantage. Then you go to the next ride and do the same thing....booking 2 FPs on 1 ride and 2 FPs on another ride close by and using the toddler twice as a way to gain an extra ride pass more quickly seems kinda like an unfair advantage....

However, I"m also one who is booking an onsite room and not staying overnight in it- so I'm not one to bash those who are looking for advantages

And since I have a 2yo- I can see how big of a PIA this ride swap thing is in the first place so I can sympathize.

 

[wench]

I'm going to disagree with someone who said it's gaming the system. My family of 4 is going to Disney is August. My son will be 6 and is about 44 inches tall. My daughter will be 3 and is only 35 inches. She is too short for most of the popular rides that require fastpass (BTMRR, Spash, Space, etc.) She may not be tall enough for Barnstormer depending on how the measurement goes. What do we do with her 3 fastpass entitlements? She can't ride alone since Disney's policy is you have to be 7 (and what parent would let their child ride alone at WDW when they are that young). So will probably split the group in 2 with one parent in each and have one parent fastpass the rides with my son and get a Baby Swap for the other parent to ride with my son so that my daughter can use her fastpasses and be able to ride with a parent. We are trying to be fair to both kids not game the system.

I'm sorry that you're daughter is too short, but you are "gaming the system" by doing this. My mother is traveling with us this October. She is 73 & doesn't enjoy most of the rides that we'll make our FP reservations for. Does that mean our group is entitled to double the FPs, so that we can go on the set of rides that we want, as well as the ones that she would like? Just because you can technically get away with something, doesn't mean that you're not scamming the intended use of the system by doing it.

 

[arihillfarm]

That is exactly what we are doing. We have 3 adults, DS8 and DS2 (35"). For all the height restricted rides we have 2 people booked on 1 ride and 2 on another. Everyone will get to ride both rides with the rider switch ride. It is a way to get around tiering in DHS/Epcot but other than that it isn't a huge advantage to anyone but DS8 (who can ride twice each time). Some of the rides take a long time to get through even with rider switch. So it takes a lot of time for both sets to get on...plus it's no picnic waiting with DS2 if there is nothing nearby to take him on.

And before the flames start flying.... It was easily done on FP- system too. It is a loophole that they are quite aware of...but like I said before it isn't as advantageous as one might think and I can't wait until our rider switch days are behind us!

I agree with this. We are going in a week and a half and my 3 year old son will miss the 40" rides by less than an inch. :-( I'm a Disney specialist travel agent and my boys live and breathe WDW every day around my house because of what I do. All my 3 year old talks about is riding Star Tours and Test Track and he won't be able to do it this trip. Sure, the other two will get to ride those rides twice, but dealing with the rider switch takes a lot of time and we'd much rather be able to ride all together as a family and be done with each ride with one ride through.

Truth be told, what I'm REALLY looking forward to is next summer (2015) when my 13 year old will be 14 and old enough to ride with the (then) 4 year old and my 6 year old will be 7 and old enough to sit by himself. That means that my husband and I will actually be able to sit next to each other on a thrill ride (as mild as some of them at WDW may be). That hasn't happened in almost 15 years, LOL!

-Astrid

 

[TowMater92]

So? So if you bring a short kid, you get double FPs? Should you get to walk right in to Chef Mickeys, since you kid might be really hungry? Or possibly you should get front row seats for Fantasmic, since you r kid can't see over anyone.

This is no different than all the abuse of the GACs.

-Jason

I don't get all the people that think its wrong they don't get a rider swap even though there kid is tall enough but doesn't want to ride. We have people in our group that don't want to ride and thats fine they can wait for everyone that wants to ride we don't ask for a riders swap and cheat the system. Why should you get one because your child that is tall enough doesn't want to ride but a group with an adult that doesn't want to ride doesn't get a rider swap. WDW isn't only for people with kids. When we had babies and toddlers with us we used rider swap and we always brought the baby/toddler up and had no problem doing that since its not that hard to do.

 

[Anonomom]

I don't get all the people that think its wrong they don't get a rider swap even though there kid is tall enough but doesn't want to ride. We have people in our group that don't want to ride and thats fine they can wait for everyone that wants to ride we don't ask for a riders swap and cheat the system. Why should you get one because your child that is tall enough doesn't want to ride but a group with an adult that doesn't want to ride doesn't get a rider swap. WDW isn't only for people with kids. When we had babies and toddlers with us we used rider swap and we always brought the baby/toddler up and had no problem doing that since its not that hard to do.

If you think it's unfair that families with adults who don't want to ride can't get rider swap, think you're missing the point of the system. It's meant for families with a kid too young/too scared to ride and also too young to be left alone. An adult who doesn't want to ride a particular ride can go to a shop, choose a different ride, sit on a bench, get a snack, etc. They're fine. A 3yo can't be left while the rest of the family rides, no matter how tall she is.

I know WDW lets 7yos ride by themselves, but I think you're supposed to be 14 to be allowed around the parks alone. So it makes sense to me that they'd offer a swap system for any kid under 14 who is too scared or too small to ride. After that, the kid can be left while the rest of the family rides.

FWIW, we use rider swap frequently. It's great for the older kids, but it still kind of sucks for the parents and the smaller child. Some few rides have activities nearby for smaller kids, but many don't. The toddler gets to spend up to an hour hanging out near the ride with nothing to do. Big fun. I don't think there are a ton of families champing at the bit to use it if they don't have to, even if it might mean one or two "extra" fastpasses.

 

[puffkin]

I also think that the perceived rider switch "advantage" for too small children (and again I don't think it is much of an advantage) is that it is only for a FINITE period of time. Basically those couple of years until the child is big enough to do the rides. I think that a majority of families would much prefer riding together than splitting up constantly with a too small child. With an adult that doesn't want to ride, that can go on indefinitely....and as other posters have pointed out, there are plenty of non-riding activities an adult can engage in that a child just cannot.

 

[delmar411]

If you think that rider swap is really this huge advantage then you either haven't travelled to WDW with small children or have the best behaved and most patient babies and toddlers ever. Rider swap was nice for some rides but the reality is that I rarely got to use my rider swaps because the littles had enough waiting by the time my DH and the older kids were done. I have a stack of old FPs and rider swap passes at home from our trips that I never got to use because the kids were done waiting.

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

I don't have a problem with rider swap for a child who is too short. My family and I used this when we did our 4 generation trip in 2012. I don't even have a problem with rider swap for a child who doesn't wish to ride because he is either afraid or suffers from motion sickness, if the child is too young to be alone in the park. My issue is people who use it to gain extra fast passes by only having 2 in their family of 4, 5, or whatever book fast passes for one ride, and then use rider swap allowing for all of the members in that family (except for the child that they are using the swap for) getting to take advantage of the fast pass. If you are going to rider swap and the first two riders are going to be going through the fast pass line, then all parties need to have a fast pass for that ride. Otherwise, you are getting more fast passes than other guests who do not have small children. That's not right.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

I was wondering if it wasn't about abuse... there's going to be someone who pushes it to get rider swap when their 14 year old doesn't want to ride, or even for adults who don't want to ride.

 

[AmyB2006]

That makes it pretty crappy for families with kids who are afraid of some of the rides.

Whatever WDW does, they should make their published description of the rule match the practice or vice versa.

Agreed. We don't use RS but if I did, you'd bet that I'd walk around with a printed version of that, and make an issue of it. That's ridiculous that they're going to measure a child in a stroller. I mean, I can see if I'm walking up with a teenager on a new ride, but even still, their written policy as it stands now says if you don't want to ride, you can use RS.

They need to change it if that's what they're gonna do.

 

[rastuso]

I don't have a problem with rider swap for a child who is too short. My family and I used this when we did our 4 generation trip in 2012. I don't even have a problem with rider swap for a child who doesn't wish to ride because he is either afraid or suffers from motion sickness, if the child is too young to be alone in the park. My issue is people who use it to gain extra fast passes by only having 2 in their family of 4, 5, or whatever book fast passes for one ride, and then use rider swap allowing for all of the members in that family (except for the child that they are using the swap for) getting to take advantage of the fast pass. If you are going to rider swap and the first two riders are going to be going through the fast pass line, then all parties need to have a fast pass for that ride. Otherwise, you are getting more fast passes than other guests who do not have small children. That's not right.

EXACTLY!!! the fact that people are purposely only getting teh FP+ they need to then use the maximum number of people for the swap pass is absolutely gaming the system with calculated effort to maximize teh gaming.

For them to then say it's no big deal shows their entitlement mentality.

-Jason

 

[morethananyonex]

Rider swap is similar to the DAS, in that it's only an advantage when you don't truly need it. When you do truly need it (a too short child), it just equalizes things a bit more. Now, do I think Disney owes it to me to make things easier for me because I have a toddler? Of course not, but it's nice it's there.

Take Epcot for example, when FP+ and RS are used together to get around the tiers. Family A has 2 adults and a toddler. Family B has 2 adults and a 10 year old. Family a has 1 FP+ for each Soarin' and TT. Family B has all 3 of their tier 1 choices at Soarin'. Family A goes to the entrance of Soarin, Dad uses FP, Mom gets swap. Dad waits about 20-30 mins to ride. Next they repeat at TT, mom waits 20-30 mins to ride. At some point in the day they use their rider swap passes, waiting about the same for each to ride. That's 80-120 minutes of wait times. Family B uses their FP to ride Soarin'. 20-30 minute wait. They then use the TT standby line, when we went in February it was around 60-80 minutes at the worst parts of the day. That's a 80-110 minute wait for them, but much less if they do TT at rope drop. All that is also ignoring the 4th FP.

So what does that show? Having to send 2 groups through the line tends to suck up so much time it negates any advantage RS provides. And that's the point, the advantage is only there when you don't have to split off to begin with.