When a child is tall enough but not brave enough..

[deedeetoo]

will they still let you do the baby swap?

I had always thought that once my youngest reached 40 inches we were home free. With a couple exceptions, we could all go on the rides together. Well it is not to be. My DS5 doesn't want to go on anything that goes fast, goes down, or even resembles a roller coaster. We were at WDW in July and we did manage to get him on Splash Mountain once but he wouldn't do it again. We didn't even try to get him on BTMRR, ToT, Star Tours etc. He was even afraid to go on POTC because he remembered from last summer at DL that there was a drop in it.

This trip we were lucky because my Mom was with us and she doesn't do those rides either so the two of them hung out while we went on, but next time we go she won't be there. What am I going to do next year with a 6 yo who won't go on anything like this? (And don't tell me he will change be next year - I'm pretty sure he won't)

 

[minniebeth]

will they still let you do the baby swap?

I had always thought that once my youngest reached 40 inches we were home free. With a couple exceptions, we could all go on the rides together. Well it is not to be. My DS5 doesn't want to go on anything that goes fast, goes down, or even resembles a roller coaster. We were at WDW in July and we did manage to get him on Splash Mountain once but he wouldn't do it again. We didn't even try to get him on BTMRR, ToT, Star Tours etc. He was even afraid to go on POTC because he remembered from last summer at DL that there was a drop in it.

This trip we were lucky because my Mom was with us and she doesn't do those rides either so the two of them hung out while we went on, but next time we go she won't be there. What am I going to do next year with a 6 yo who won't go on anything like this? (And don't tell me he will change be next year - I'm pretty sure he won't)

Absolutely!! That is why they call it child swap. My DS won't go on several of the rides and even though he is a little older, there is no way he is going to sit by himself. Disney is very accomodating with this.

 

[kstinw19]

Of course! My dh and I will be the child swap king and queen this trip with a 1 year old and two 4 and 6 yo chicken littles

 

[LuvOrlando]

Our DD& is a little reluctant too. Having spent many years sitting & waiting with DD I can sympathize with you 100%. Over the years we have managed a way to deal with her fears. Each year we SLOWLY & CALMLY coax DD into agreeing to try at least 2 new rides of her choice. This coaxing begins about 1-2 months before we leave. We lay heavy on the 'lets try to do stuff as a family' angle and grant her a choice of a new privledge as a gift for being brave AFTER she rides the ride. We select the rides by going through a list with her and she picks whatever sounds least likely to cause trauma, with our help of course.

I've found that by starting the discussion way off from the trip DH & I are calmer about our request to try somthing new. DD is more likely to say yes & get used to the idea of her new goal AND stick with it. I never try to trick her because that would backfire during the following years trip. So far she trusts us to guide her choices so every year things go a little easier.

Keep in mind this requires alot of patience because once it turns into a battle of wills it becomes a lose-lose situation. I am happy to report that , at this point we have been able to broaden her taste a bit. Even better, I get to enjoy my WHOLE family on more rides than before.

Good luck

 

[tjmw2727]

Unfortunately no Child swap is only available when the child dosen't meet the height restriction. The intent is to save a double wait because of a Disney imposed restriction.

Although some of the some of the attractions will let you all wait the line and then switch at the exit you won't get the "rider swap pass" for the second rider unless you have a child who dosen't meet the height restriction. Off hand I know for sure that TOT, Primeval Whirl and Star Tours will let you all wait the line and then switch at the exit. We used child swap in Feb and April and in our experience the CM's were very strict about seeing the baby/toddler/child who couldn't ride.

If your child is tall enough to ride but chooses not to then fast pass is your best bet. If you use fast pass you can split up and take the child who dosen't want to ride to do something else. We had a trip when my youngest was just over 40" but not interested in the mountains yet and we made use of FP instead.

Sorry to bear bad news, hope this helps your planning.

TJ

 

[minniebeth]

Unfortunately no Child swap is only available when the child dosen't meet the height restriction. The intent is to save a double wait because of a Disney imposed restriction.

Although some of the some of the attractions will let you all wait the line and then switch at the exit you won't get the "rider swap pass" for the second rider unless you have a child who dosen't meet the height restriction. Off hand I know for sure that TOT, Primeval Whirl and Star Tours will let you all wait the line and then switch at the exit. We used child swap in Feb and April and in our experience the CM's were very strict about seeing the baby/toddler/child who couldn't ride.

If your child is tall enough to ride but chooses not to then fast pass is your best bet. If you use fast pass you can split up and take the child who dosen't want to ride to do something else. We had a trip when my youngest was just over 40" but not interested in the mountains yet and we made use of FP instead.

Sorry to bear bad news, hope this helps your planning.

TJ

Thank you for the heads up that this may be a possibility....however, it must be one of those rules that are enforced at some times and not at others. We've done it many times... I guess it can't hurt to ask and to just be prepared to not be able to utilize it this way?! It seems kind of silly to me that they would make you do it this way, what is the difference if either the child is tall enough or doesn't want to ride the ride? It must be because of the few that abuse the system...as usual.

 

[I Love Pluto]

Deedee, you're a great parent! By not pushing your son into doing things he is reluctant to do, you are allowing him to be himself. If he is pushed into riding things he just isn't ready for - he will be frightened for the rest of his life. He will also develop feelings of inadequacy.

If you go to Guest Relations at the parks, wouldn't they be able to offer advice as to whether this qualifies for child swap?

Enjoy your trip.

 

[Schmeck]

The tricky part about WDW is that if you ask 20 CMs the same question, you're likely to get 20 different answers... So, asking at Guest Relations will get you one answer, and the CMS at each attraction will give you another, most likely...

 

[tjmw2727]

Thank you for the heads up that this may be a possibility....however, it must be one of those rules that are enforced at some times and not at others. We've done it many times... I guess it can't hurt to ask and to just be prepared to not be able to utilize it this way?! It seems kind of silly to me that they would make you do it this way, what is the difference if either the child is tall enough or doesn't want to ride the ride? It must be because of the few that abuse the system...as usual.

Yes - I totally agree!!, but on our two trips they were pretty consistant about it. The two CM's I talked with (conversation not argument!) said that there were many people of many ages that choose not to ride a ride so they just can't give out the rider swap pass to everyone who want one. One also said the reason they do the rider swap pass instead of switching at the exit now is to keep children who were too small out of the queue area completely.

When my nephew was with us - 41 or so inches we didn't get the swap pass but when my 2yo neice was we did get the pass.

Again, count on not using the swap pass if the child meets the height and you won't be dissapointed. I found the CM's to be very helpful and kind even when they couldn't give out the swap pass.

TJ

 

[tjmw2727]

Just in case someone finds this helpful:

Here is my child swap 101, very unofficial but based on my many years of using the various evolutions of babyswap/childswap most recently in Feb and April of 2006 with my 2yo neice and 4yo nephew.

My first advice on baby swap is to tell the CM at the attraction before you enter the line (Fastpass or Standby) that you want to use the swap and find out how they handle it. Do not wait until you are boarding!

The baby/child unable to ride must be with you to do a swap so everyone must approach the line together. Some CM's have you all wait the line together, then the first parent and older child(ren) ride and other parent and younger child wait at the exit and then switch via the exit allowing the older child(ren) to ride with both parents. Off hand I think only Star Tours and Primevil Whirl still do it this way.

Most rides now give you a rider swap pass. The rider swap pass works like a fast pass and allows up to 3 people total to return to that attraction anytime that day so the second parent can ride. You still all enter the standby line or use a FP in the FP line and ask to use parent swap. The CM will give you the swap pass and the parent riding second and the baby (or young child) can then leave to do something else while the first party rides. The second parent then returns to ride via the FP line with the rider swap pass and can bring 2 others along if they like. I prefer the rider swap pass because the baby or child that dosen't meet the height requirement dosen't have to wait the line for something he/she can't ride.

Just to clarify, the purpose of parent swap is to allow a family with a child who dosen't meet the height restriction to enjoy the attraction with only "1 wait", rather than "2 waits" not to expeidate the wait.

Hope this helps, if you have more specific questions ask away!
TJ

 

[deedeetoo]

Thanks everyone for the advice. I guess we will just have to wait and see what they allow us to do next year.

Originally posted by tjmw2727
The two CM's I talked with (conversation not argument!) said that there were many people of many ages that choose not to ride a ride so they just can't give out the rider swap pass to everyone who want one.

I don't buy this argument, btw. We aren't talking about an adult or teen that just chooses not to ride, we are talking about a young child that is still not ready for a ride and is too young to be left outside alone.

We would never try to force him to ride something he didn't want to go on. He went on Splash Mountain voluntarily and after lots of talking about it at home. We had been at DL last summer and he was tall enough to go on it then and didn't. He really regretted it after and kept talking about how next time he was going to do it. So this summer he bravely went on once, but then when the rest of the family went back for a repeat he elected to sit out with grandma.

Fast pass is an alternate way to do it, but it forces you to get fastpasses for all these rides even when it doesn't make sense from a touring perspective. I guess that is an option if they don't let us swap.

 

[traviesojmt]

We were at Disney the last two weeks of Aug. My DD3 was just 40 inches and super excited to ride almost everything, so we didn't need the child swap. We did, however, have to have her measured at the beginning of every ride that had a 40 inch requirement. On two different occasions while the CM was measuring her, I overheard someone ask if they could get do the child swap option because the child did not want to ride. On both occasions, the CM told them that the child swap was only for parents whose children were not tall enough to ride. I really have no information on the official policy, but I just wanted to share what I heard two different CMs telling parents who asked.
Hope you have a great trip.

 

[tjmw2727]

Thanks everyone for the advice. I guess we will just have to wait and see what they allow us to do next year.



I don't buy this argument, btw. We aren't talking about an adult or teen that just chooses not to ride, we are talking about a young child that is still not ready for a ride and is too young to be left outside alone.

We would never try to force him to ride something he didn't want to go on. He went on Splash Mountain voluntarily and after lots of talking about it at home. We had been at DL last summer and he was tall enough to go on it then and didn't. He really regretted it after and kept talking about how next time he was going to do it. So this summer he bravely went on once, but then when the rest of the family went back for a repeat he elected to sit out with grandma.

Fast pass is an alternate way to do it, but it forces you to get fastpasses for all these rides even when it doesn't make sense from a touring perspective. I guess that is an option if they don't let us swap.

Don't get me wrong, I agree with you especially in that a younger "just tall enough" child should be eligible for child swap but by your logic my youngest dd would also be eligible. She is tall enough but dosen't like the mountains and definatley not old enough to wait alone. I guess they have to draw the line somewhere and the height restriction is the logical way to go. My nephew was too scared to even wait in the line with us at TOT nevermind ride it so we used FP instead. It didn't change our touring strategy btw - not sure what you mean by that last paragraph.

I am definately not advocating you taking your son on a ride he dosen't want to ride I just meant take him in the line with you and switch at the exit or use FP this trip.

TJ

eta - Hi to my former neighbors in MA, we moved last August and I miss it!!

 

[crisi]

Don't get me wrong, I agree with you especially in that a younger "just tall enough" child should be eligible for child swap but by your logic my youngest dd would also be eligible. She is tall enough but dosen't like the mountains and definatley not old enough to wait alone. I guess they have to draw the line somewhere and the height restriction is the logical way to go. My nephew was too scared to even wait in the line with us at TOT nevermind ride it so we used FP instead. It didn't change our touring strategy btw - not sure what you mean by that last paragraph.

I am definately not advocating you taking your son on a ride he dosen't want to ride I just meant take him in the line with you and switch at the exit or use FP this trip.

TJ

eta - Hi to my former neighbors in MA, we moved last August and I miss it!!

Or my 70ish year old going senile aunt, who may wait on the park bench, or may wander off. And since you can't tell by looking at her, it opens up a situation that is primed for abuse. So they limit it to parties where someone can't ride do to a Disney imposed height restriction, not "doesn't choose to ride" regardless of the reason.

 

[deedeetoo]

What I meant in the comment on touring plans was that if you already have fastpasses for one ride, you can't get them for another. You will be stuck with either waiting until the first fast pass time comes up (or two hours whichever comes first), or standing in line twice for second ride. They don't let you get fast passes any time you want them in place of a child swap. Its not impossible to work around but adds another complication.

 

[tjmw2727]

What I meant in the comment on touring plans was that if you already have fastpasses for one ride, you can't get them for another. You will be stuck with either waiting until the first fast pass time comes up (or two hours whichever comes first), or standing in line twice for second ride. They don't let you get fast passes any time you want them in place of a child swap. Its not impossible to work around but adds another complication.

Gotcha - maybe I can help. If you want to ride say Splash Mtn you have two choices, all wait the standby line together and while one parent rides the other parent and the child stand at the exit. When the first parent is done you can then switch via the exit, if you have other children riding they can ride with both parents! There is still no double wait with the standby line. Or get a FP for every one who wants to ride and switch off, still no double wait. This is the same as the first parent using a FP and the second using the rider switch pass via the FP line.

Of course with just FP, yes you will now have to get two FP's one for you and one for dh and alternate via the FP line while the other waits or does something else with the child. You do loose the benefit of using the rider swap pass as a "freebee fast pass" but that would have happened sooner or later anyway when your son does decide he wants to ride. I don't see it as a penalty really but more of the loss of a little perk per see. Welcome to the world of strategic fast pass planning!

TJ

 

[Whosemom]

The best part of the whole situation is this (not so much at disney as at more coaster oriented parks)

you get to PAYPAYPAY full price so your 10 year old can enjoy kiddie land. Yippeeeeeee

Call me mean, I told the little booger she had to ride SOMETHING to justify her ticket. LOL. She researched and planned for a month before we went to wdw and finally chose Space mountain, which she loved enough to then decide to try everything. RnRC was too much though. SHE decided to ride but SCREAMED mommymommymommymommmy the whole time. AWWW

 

[Hope73]

I always wondered how this worked.

 

[Schmeck]

How can using FP not work, put a crimp in your touring, etc? Child Swap puts you in that FP line anyways - not a head of the line pass...

If you have 3 kids, and 1 doesn't want to ride, get FPs for everyone who wants to ride. One adult goes on with one kid while the rest wait. When they come off, reluctant child waits with them, other adult and other kid go on. This is the same time frame that would be involved with a childswap. The only thing you don't get is the extra second ride for the kids.

On our first trip to WDW, when one of our daughters didn't want to ride, that's what we'd do - we just tooks turns with older daughter on the rides!

 

[twinspluscade]

"How can using FP not work, put a crimp in your touring, etc? Child Swap puts you in that FP line anyways - not a head of the line pass..."

Not the OP, but I think she meant that you can only get fastpasses for ONE ride in a certain time frame. For instance, if they get FP's for Splash Mountain, they then can't get FP's for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad until the FP time on Splash is up. This means if they want to ride BTMR right after they're done riding Splash, their family will have to wait in stand by line twice (first mom in line, then dad while other parent stays with non-rider). This could take up a lot of time.