Disney Child Swap

[mummyroo1]

We are long past needing rider switch thank goodness but I would have not been able to ride any of the thrill rides if I had to get a fast pass aswell as DH to use rider swap. I used to make a fast pass for DS1 and Hubby for the thrill ride and then one for me and DS2 at the same time for a tamer ride to distract him as he really wanted to ride the thrill ride but wasn't quite tall enough. I had to use my fast pass to take him on something else good, otherwise he would be the one missing out on a ride. If both parents need a fast pass then that means the none rider has a fast pass they can't use. I'm glad they didn't enforce this when we were using it. I think they may have forgotten that not all rider switching is because of babies who wont realise they aren't riding. My six year old who was 1cm too short for RnR on one trip would have been devastated if I hadn't been able to distract him with a fast pass for TSMM. I had a trip abit like that at Universal one year as their child swap was rubbish and I refused to make my youngest wait in line for a ride he wanted desperately to ride but not quite big enough for, so I just didn't get to ride any of the big rides.

[DisneyFoodie]

Originally Posted by Nimbus

Here's the info on Disney website regarding their Rider Switch system:

disneyworld.disney.go/en.../rider-switch/


Unfortunately the above doesn't address what happens when you mix fastpasses and Rider Switch. Disney Mom's Panel does address this but it does so inconsistently:

disneyparksmomspanel.disney... -go-fp-373883/

disneyparksmomspanel.disney... -first-391924/

"If the members of the first group to ride have a FastPass+ for that particular attraction, they may enter the FastPass+ line... Therefore, the members of the second group to ride do not need a FastPass+ to bypass the Standby line; the Rider Switch entitlement will gain them entrance to the FastPass+ line".

"...keep in mind that for attractions you want to use Rider Switch for, only the first adult who goes through the queue needs to have a FastPass+ assigned to them if they want to use one. The second rider will be given a Rider Switch entitlement and they can enter the attraction through the FastPass+ line that way!"

Whereas elsewhere it implies something different:

disneyparksmomspanel.disney... t-pass-395406/

disneyparksmomspanel.disney... t-need-394206/

"I recommend that you make a FastPass+ reservation for all Guests who will be riding. Cast Members may check the entire group's FastPass+ reservations, not just the first Guest riding"

"If, however, you would like to use FastPass+ for any attraction all members of the party wanting to ride are required to have a FastPass+ for that attraction."

It's inconsistent although it does seem that the more recent responses state that everyone needs a fastpass, not just the first group.



I'm not sure whether it's changed or whether it's just that the rules are being inconsistently applied by the CMs. I've seen some say that both parents require fastpasses if the first rider wants to use the fastpass queue whereas others say that only the first rider requires a fastpass if the first rider wants to use the fastpass queue.

For groups consisting only of 2 parents and 1 child, if both parents have fastpasses for the ride then there is no point in getting the Rider Switch pass. All the Rider Switch pass does in this case is allow the second rider to enter using the fastpass queue; if that second rider already has a fastpass then there's no need for a Rider Switch pass. There can however be a benefit for larger groups.

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Really helpful, thank you! What we have done is mostly just get a FP for rider 1 but for hard to get rides like FOP or SDMT we’ve both got one. I can report back on how it goes next month?