Someone please explain "kidswap"?

[Dsny1sttimer]

I think there will be a few rides that my DS might not be able to go on (height restrictions), that the rest of the family will not leave without riding.
On our trip to WDW, we were getting in line for Expedition Everest. The CM stopped us and said my son was too small to ride. We said, we know, but we'd like to swap out riders, can't he go through the line with us? The CM said no, you and DD can go through line to ride, and then I can give you a fast pass to ride DH and DD together. So, we had to separate and couldn't go through the line together, which totally bummed DS and DH out!
I thought "kidswap" was that everyone is in line together, DW and DD ride together, while DS and DH wait, then when the ride comes back, DH and DD can ride, while DW and DS wait at the exit??
Am I totally mistaken?

 

[got2travel]

Sorry, but no, you don't wait in line together. The child (or children) who are not tall enought to ride need to wait outside with an adult. The ones who can ride, go on through the regular line. When the first group is finished riding, the other parent can then enter through the exit.

You don't actually have to swap. For instance if Mom doesn't want to ride at all, then Dad and the taller child can go back and ride again.

I know other amusement parks do allow the whole family to wait in line, then one group wait at the exit while the others ride. But its done differently at Disney.

 

[Dsny1sttimer]

Thanks for replying. That kind of stinks about not being able to wait in line together. But, I guess there's not much we can do about it. At least they let you trade off.

So, do we need to let a CM know we will be "swapping" before we enter the ride?

 

[mindylovesmickey]

I like to mention it to be sure we are waiting in the right place, but you don't always need to I don't think. We swapped on POTC and all my MIL and DD did was go in the exit after dh and I had come out and they told the CM we had just done child swap and they let them on the next boat.

You can also parent swap on rides. I watched a set of parents do it on Dumbo. The dad rode with the daughter and the CM gave the Mom at the exit a feather and when the ride was over the daughter stayed in the elephant the dad exited and the mom got in and rode.

 

[party-five]

YES you need to tell them you will be doing a child swap! Sometimes they give you an actual "ticket" that you will need to give to the operator/loader when you get on - usually you go through the exit, but sometimes it's a little different, so you need to know this as well! Also, I have had some CM's want to see my stroller DH and my DS stading there to prove that I need stroller pass (obviously some people abuse it or they wouldn't do this) so don't let the person with the baby leave until you have the pass!

This is my advice as someone who has used stroller pass/kid swap EVERY time I have been there (I can't wait for next year - I think everyone will be tall enough FINALLY!!! )

 

[party-five]

I like to mention it to be sure we are waiting in the right place, but you don't always need to I don't think. We swapped on POTC and all my MIL and DD did was go in the exit after dh and I had come out and they told the CM we had just done child swap and they let them on the next boat.

You can also parent swap on rides. I watched a set of parents do it on Dumbo. The dad rode with the daughter and the CM gave the Mom at the exit a feather and when the ride was over the daughter stayed in the elephant the dad exited and the mom got in and rode.

Wow! I have never seen the parent swap - and regarding the POTC - when it's a ride that anyone can ride, they typically do not give you a stroller pass/baby swap, cause everyone can ride it - they wouldn't give us one for Buzzlightyear, even though the baby was sleeping, cause he could go on it! That is why I ALWAYS ask first! just in case!

 

[nun69]

I think the reasoning behind the child swap is so that the smaller child and adult do not have to wait in a long line. This worked great for us because DD was 15 months and so one of us would wait with her and entertain her {things that are hard to do in line} and then when DH got off the ride, I went back and he entertained her while I rode. And yes, you shol djust have to ask the CM right at the entrance to the where the line starts for a child swap ticket {we always had to have a ticket to go back and get head of the line priveleges} and FYI, you can go back and ride anytime during the day with that pass...and I agree, I don't think that rides that everyone can ride {POC/It's a Small World, TEacups/etc} have ride swaps.