using child swap

[MyKidsMom1820]

I was wondering if all rides that have child swap had small playground areas like the one I have seen pictured at splash mountain?? or does the non riding adult just kinda wait around with the toddlers til it's time to switch off???? how exactly does this work? I don't want to bore my kids to death while my husband and I are enjoying rides...But I know we will use this child swap thing atleast a few times. Also can you use child swap in conjuction with a fast pass?

Thanks!

 

[SandrainNC]

No, there aren't playgrounds at most of the attractions while you wait. I can't think of any other than Splash Mountain actually (near an attraction with a height requirement anyway). Maybe somebody else can think of one. I always go up to the first CM we see at the entrance and say we want to do a baby swap. Then they tell us what to do. What usually happens is they give a child swap ticket to whoever is riding first and they go ahead in the line. The other waits outside of the attraction with the child. Then when the first person comes back, they give the ticket to the other person and then that person enters through the FP line.

Sandra

 

[Texasmomof3]

We do child swap all the time. The only other ride that has a play area that I can think of is Space at Epcot. But warning you may never get them out of there. Seriously my kids would have spent the rest of the day there. Some of the rides have a single rider line and the first parent could use that to cut some time. We usually get the pass and I take the kids to do something else while he rides then he will call when he is off and we meet up. It works great for our middle child who loves all the rides her older brother won't go on so she gets to ride twice once with each of us. There is usually always something to do in the same area.

 

[mrstomrice]

As for the fast pass, it is my understanding that you only would need a fast pass for the first group to ride the ride. They are given a pass that allows 3 (?) more people to ride with them after the swap. If it is planned well, it seems as if you can get more fastpasses to more rides. We plan to do this when we are there in Aug. We didn't realize this little fact on our last visit, plus we were traveling with family, so it wasn't as necessary.

 

[tjmw2727]

WE have used rider switch (babyswap) often over the past several years. The party approaches the line together as the child who isn't tall enough must be present to get the swap pass. The CM will give you a rider swap pass that is good for up to 3 people to return to that ride anytime that day. (Some are good for a few days)

Then the first party rides and the parent riding second and the child who isn't riding are free to go an do anything else - you don't have to wait and ride right away if you don't want to. We travel with extended family so we often separate to do something fun with the littler ones and return to ride later. We use cellphones to keep in touch and have an idea of where and when we will be meeting up later.

Here are a few of the fun things we have found to do close by the height restricted rides.
MK
Splash Mtn/BRMR - has a playground or we take a trip to tom saywers island while the others ride BTMR and Splash.
Space Mtn - usually a ride on the TTA and or the tea cups.
Epcot
Mission Space - great playground in the exit area, not to be missed
Soarin - usually a ride on figment next door and then playing in the kodak area, or if you want to stay inside the Land you can have a snack or see the circle of life show. There is also a kidcot stop upstairs where you can make or add to your lanyard and color a bit.
Test Track - there is a kidcot stop at the exit and we usually head to innoventions, lots of fun stuff to do. Sometimes if the entire party is heading to WS after we head to mexico for the ride there and the kids start the kidcot masks while we wait on the others. (margheritas for the mom's and masks for the kids!)
Studios
TOT/RnRC - we usually combine these as well and take the kids to see B&TB stage show, get an ice cream or sometimes head for the playhouse disney character autographs.
AK
Expedition Everest - we haven't found anything close by so we usually head to EE and get the RSP and then while the first party rides the rest head to Dinoland which is fairly close.
Primeval Whirl - while in dinoland you can do the triceratops spin or play the carnival games.
Dinasour - usually head to the boneyard while waiting on the first party.

I think I hit most of the height restricted rides. We really don't like having the little ones wait around for something they can't ride so we do separate more than some folks would like to but it works for us.

Hope this helps
TJ

 

[MyKidsMom1820]

WE have used rider switch (babyswap) often over the past several years. The party approaches the line together as the child who isn't tall enough must be present to get the swap pass. The CM will give you a rider swap pass that is good for up to 3 people to return to that ride anytime that day. (Some are good for a few days)

Then the first party rides and the parent riding second and the child who isn't riding are free to go an do anything else - you don't have to wait and ride right away if you don't want to. We travel with extended family so we often separate to do something fun with the littler ones and return to ride later. We use cellphones to keep in touch and have an idea of where and when we will be meeting up later.

Here are a few of the fun things we have found to do close by the height restricted rides.
MK
Splash Mtn/BRMR - has a playground or we take a trip to tom saywers island while the others ride BTMR and Splash.
Space Mtn - usually a ride on the TTA and or the tea cups.
Epcot
Mission Space - great playground in the exit area, not to be missed
Soarin - usually a ride on figment next door and then playing in the kodak area, or if you want to stay inside the Land you can have a snack or see the circle of life show. There is also a kidcot stop upstairs where you can make or add to your lanyard and color a bit.
Test Track - there is a kidcot stop at the exit and we usually head to innoventions, lots of fun stuff to do. Sometimes if the entire party is heading to WS after we head to mexico for the ride there and the kids start the kidcot masks while we wait on the others. (margheritas for the mom's and masks for the kids!)
Studios
TOT/RnRC - we usually combine these as well and take the kids to see B&TB stage show, get an ice cream or sometimes head for the playhouse disney character autographs.
AK
Expedition Everest - we haven't found anything close by so we usually head to EE and get the RSP and then while the first party rides the rest head to Dinoland which is fairly close.
Primeval Whirl - while in dinoland you can do the triceratops spin or play the carnival games.
Dinasour - usually head to the boneyard while waiting on the first party.

I think I hit most of the height restricted rides. We really don't like having the little ones wait around for something they can't ride so we do separate more than some folks would like to but it works for us.

Hope this helps
TJ

thank you all for the great suggestions, I was alittle confused about how the whole process work, but this clears it up a lot and will help me plan better!

 

[PrincessAtta]

What an awesome reply by tjmw2727!

 

[brymolmom]

Keep in mind that Soarin' babyswap even with FP can take a LONG time - so definitely plan to take the kids on a ride or to the Character connection or something. We've tried just haning out with a snack outside and waiting and it takes way too long. I would say at the low end 20 minutes and high end 35 even with child swap - just due to the way they load the rides themselves and the length of the ride.

Don't forget buying Mickey ice cream bars as an option while an adult is riding.

 

[tzolkin]

As for the fast pass, it is my understanding that you only would need a fast pass for the first group to ride the ride. They are given a pass that allows 3 (?) more people to ride with them after the swap. If it is planned well, it seems as if you can get more fastpasses to more rides. We plan to do this when we are there in Aug. We didn't realize this little fact on our last visit, plus we were traveling with family, so it wasn't as necessary.

i was wondering about this. if dad and DD used fastpass to get on the first time that would really cut down on our wait times, but i didnt know if that would be abusing the system. it would be nice if they could do that and then i could ride with DD with the childswap pass thus avoiding the regular line altogether. we could just all get fastpasses for the ride, but then the second adult would have to ride alone.

 

[tjmw2727]

thank you all for the great suggestions, I was alittle confused about how the whole process work, but this clears it up a lot and will help me plan better!

Your welcome - glad to help

Tj

 

[SmallWorld71]

i was wondering about this. if dad and DD used fastpass to get on the first time that would really cut down on our wait times, but i didnt know if that would be abusing the system. it would be nice if they could do that and then i could ride with DD with the childswap pass thus avoiding the regular line altogether. we could just all get fastpasses for the ride, but then the second adult would have to ride alone.

This is not abusing the system - this is being smart! We always use fast pass whenever we need to use a baby swap. It cuts down tremendously on time lost! Also, for rides that are quick, (EE, R&R etc...) we find it very easy to entertain the little one in the gift shop (think air conditioning!) Plus, it's a great bonus for those families with older children - they get to ride 2x without a wait.

 

[Mikailova]

i was wondering about this. if dad and DD used fastpass to get on the first time that would really cut down on our wait times, but i didnt know if that would be abusing the system. it would be nice if they could do that and then i could ride with DD with the childswap pass thus avoiding the regular line altogether. we could just all get fastpasses for the ride, but then the second adult would have to ride alone.

Actually I hate to be a negative nelly, but as a former CM it is considered abusing the system. The idea of Child Swap is not to make it so that you never have to wait in a line, it is to try to be nice to the adult who has to wait with the small child.

If a CM catches you doing it that can at least, take you CS pass and not let you use it on the ride or, worst possible, have you ejected from the park.

Please don't shoot the messenger, I just remember how it was when I worked there. Also if you look it from the point of view that if the FP line, which is what CS goes through, gets overloaded from people going this route, it will cease to be a fast line.

 

[Tara8595]

I don't think she meant she was getting two child swap passes. I think she meant she was getting one child swap and one set of fast passes. She shouldn't be excluded from using fast passes just because of the child swap. I don't think that's unfair at all. She'd still have to wait for her fast pass time to come up. Makes perfect sense.

 

[mrstomrice]

This is what I had hoped to do...please let me know if this is allowed and appropriate:
I am traveling with 4 people total: me, dh, ds 4 and ds 20 months
I was thinking that for Splash Mountain we would only need to get 2 fast passes, since ds 20 mo can't ride. We would use the child swap so we wouldn't need the 3rd FP. This would free up another pass for a different FP which we would use for a different ride...likely something ds 4 could not ride yet. Sound correct?

 

[SmallWorld71]

I don't think she meant she was getting two child swap passes. I think she meant she was getting one child swap and one set of fast passes. She shouldn't be excluded from using fast passes just because of the child swap. I don't think that's unfair at all. She'd still have to wait for her fast pass time to come up. Makes perfect sense.

I agree! One child swap with your fast passes is definitely O.K. with Disney and the smart thing to do for the family!
We get our fast passes, wait until our time, and then the CM's have always happily given us a child swap for the child who was too short to ride.

 

[SmallWorld71]

This is what I had hoped to do...please let me know if this is allowed and appropriate:
I am traveling with 4 people total: me, dh, ds 4 and ds 20 months
I was thinking that for Splash Mountain we would only need to get 2 fast passes, since ds 20 mo can't ride. We would use the child swap so we wouldn't need the 3rd FP. This would free up another pass for a different FP which we would use for a different ride...likely something ds 4 could not ride yet. Sound correct?

If I'm reading it right, it sounds O.K. However, it might be more trouble than it is worth, as the only FP ride that DS4 couldn't ride if he is going on Splash, is Space Mountain on the other side of the park. JMHO