Rider Switch Functionality

[rexmism]

Hello everyone,
I've been reading some conflicting information about how rider switching works. I believe I'm prepared to accept that the non-riders DO NOT have to wait in the standby line - I've heard enough people say that you get a pass at the entrance to the line that can be used anytime that day. However, I've heard some people say the pass allows 2 total riders and some say it allows 3. Can someone who has used it fairly recently confirm this? All pictures I've seen online for WDW passes say 3 (those for Disneyland say 2) but none are very recent. Does it vary at all by ride? Also, I gather that you can also get switch passes when everyone is using the FP+ lane? I've seen one or two people say no, but most have said yes. Thanks so much for any details you can give!
Matt

 

[Disvillain63]

It does vary by ride. Most rides will let your riding child(ren) ride with both adults...the adults will switch. Most rides are using the FP lines, a couple still use the exit to do the switch.

 

[rexmism]

By my FP question, I meant can you get a switch pass when everyone is using a FP but one has to stay out, so you can stlil ride with one or two others? Any idea if there are any details available for how each ride works, how many riders the pass is good for, etc.? I haven't been able to find one, but it would be so helpful as I'm very detail oriented and this is a trickier trip to plan with kids, in-laws, the new FP+, etc.

 

[Disvillain63]

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/rider-switch/

 

[docdebbi]

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/rider-switch/

wow, that is a change
thanks for sharing that update

in the past, it was 3 guests could return with the rider, last time i was there in december, four us went, the CM said it was only supposed to be three (rider and 2 more). knowing that in the past, the paper pass said "and three guests", i checked the back of the pass. it now said "and 2 guests"
guess it has changed even since then

that would explain why the poor original poster was getting so much conflicting information- it keeps changing
thanks for the link to the most current info

 

[CMBmommy]

For me they wrote the number of people riding first on the swap paper and an equal number can swap. I hope that makes sense. We had 3 people wait in line and two stayed with the baby. So 3 got to use the fast pass line when they returned.

 

[msteel]

I don't know how long that written policy has been in effect. I can only say what we did when we were there a month ago (while paper Fastpass still existed most places).

We were allowed to use rider swap even when using the Fastpass queue. It was often obvious to the CMs that we were doing this. The paper rider swap passes were printed on Fastpass stock, even at AK where paper Fastpass had been discontinued. They said they were good for "up to 3 people" (which IS different than the current written policy). The passes had the date on them but no time, so sometimes the ones who waited came back later to ride.

I find it noteworthy that the policy does not use the term "standby queue" or "fastpass queue" but rather uses the generic term "normal queue." To me that suggests a desire to have a concise, easily understood policy that applies to all attractions regardless of how people are riding, or even whether FastPass+ is available. I expect that for those with Fastpasses the "normal queue" is the Fastpass queue while in other cases the "normal queue" would be standby.

 

[alissafalco]

Does anyone know if they will still be using paper? Now that all the paper fast passes have been removed.

 

[MickeyisMyBestFriend]

I heard it was up to 3 riders and that you can use a rider swap even using FP.

 

[Joey Jurado]

we went last november to disneyland, and used child swap. it was a total of 3 adults an 8 yr old girl and my 1yr old baby. with child swap you can actually do some awesome cheating with the fast pass. you can double the fast passes, I asked a Disney representative and he assured me we could get twice the fast passes.
in our case 1 would stay with the baby while who ever had fast passes rode it and ask for child swap, we would switch and again 3 of us would ride it again. they allow that so you dont have to ride by your self.

its a great thing!

 

[Mouse_Trap]

That published policy makes things a lot fairer. Baby swap is a facility to cater for non-riders not a way to abuse the system to get additional rides.

I really hope everywhere is enforcing this policy.

 

[boilerpicc]

We went in Sept 2013 and Sept 2014, and used rider swap both times. The only rides that offered rider swap were ones with height restrictions, and they all had the same rules.

Rule 1 - they generally had to see the non-rider to give us the pass. This was especially enforced with Space Mountain.
Rule 2 - The pass was good for 3 people. We were a party of 6 adults plus one baby. Generally, four people would go on the ride first. Then the other two would go when they returned, though sometimes one of the people that just rode would go again since the pass was good for 3 people.
Unspoken Rule 3 - You can double dip on fast passes, or at least you could when we went. We would get fastpasses for half of the group, and then we would get a rider swap ticket. The first half would use their fastpasses for the ride, and the second half would use the rider swap. We only did it a few times, but no one ever challenged us. This was all before FP+. I don't know how that will change things.

We actually didn't end up using the rider swap as much as I thought we would. We mostly used it during nap times. The one ride that does not have rider swap that should is Toy Story Mania. That one is really hard to take a child on, but they don't have it since there is no height restriction.

 

[Joey Jurado]

We went in Sept 2013 and Sept 2014, and used rider swap both times. The only rides that offered rider swap were ones with height restrictions, and they all had the same rules.

Rule 1 - they generally had to see the non-rider to give us the pass. This was especially enforced with Space Mountain.
Rule 2 - The pass was good for 3 people. We were a party of 6 adults plus one baby. Generally, four people would go on the ride first. Then the other two would go when they returned, though sometimes one of the people that just rode would go again since the pass was good for 3 people.
Unspoken Rule 3 - You can double dip on fast passes, or at least you could when we went. We would get fastpasses for half of the group, and then we would get a rider swap ticket. The first half would use their fastpasses for the ride, and the second half would use the rider swap. We only did it a few times, but no one ever challenged us. This was all before FP+. I don't know how that will change things.

We actually didn't end up using the rider swap as much as I thought we would. We mostly used it during nap times. The one ride that does not have rider swap that should is Toy Story Mania. That one is really hard to take a child on, but they don't have it since there is no height restriction.

I spoke to customer service and they assured me this can still be done and it's totally fine, double up the fast passes.. ooh by the way, how is it that you went on sept 2014? :O

 

[Sariviea Ellsworth]

Hope you don't mind me posting my question to this post! I'm new to Disney and am in the process of planning our First trip for August. I as well have read many conflicting articles about Child Swap. Now that the new Fastpass+ system is up and running is Disney still offering the Rider Switch Ticket or does the whole group (including the non-riding child) have to wait in line. This post was started in Feb so I'm just hoping that info is still current with all the changes. I just cant imagine making my 2 year old wait in line so both Mommy and Daddy can enjoy the ride. My plan is that my mom and I will hang out with my daughter then when the other 4 adults in our group are finished my mom and I will use the child swap option and "skip" the line. All while my daughter gets to enjoy playing!!

The next question...What is doubling up fastpasses??? I've seen this phrase a few times and would love some clarification. Any hints will be helpful!!

Thanks!

 

[Joey Jurado]

Hope you don't mind me posting my question to this post! I'm new to Disney and am in the process of planning our First trip for August. I as well have read many conflicting articles about Child Swap. Now that the new Fastpass+ system is up and running is Disney still offering the Rider Switch Ticket or does the whole group (including the non-riding child) have to wait in line. This post was started in Feb so I'm just hoping that info is still current with all the changes. I just cant imagine making my 2 year old wait in line so both Mommy and Daddy can enjoy the ride. My plan is that my mom and I will hang out with my daughter then when the other 4 adults in our group are finished my mom and I will use the child swap option and "skip" the line. All while my daughter gets to enjoy playing!!

The next question...What is doubling up fastpasses??? I've seen this phrase a few times and would love some clarification. Any hints will be helpful!!

Thanks!

Child Swap is still operating as it always has. lets say there are 4 adults and a child in your party. (I will go ahead and explain the "doubling" here as well) 2 of the adults program fast pass for splash mountain at 2:00 PM, the other 2 adults do it for Space Mountain at 2:30; the 2 adults with FP for Splashmountain go in and ask a cast member for a child swap pass (for the other 2 adults waiting outside with the kid who did not get a fast pass for splashmountain) after riding splashmountain switch, or even better, only 1 stays with the kid this time, and the other 3, the ones that did not get a FP and the other who already went on it, ride it without havig to make any line. Now it's 2:30 and its time to do the same all over again on Space Mountain, with the fast passes first, asking for child swap pass, and then switching.

hope I cleared it up for you!

 

[Sariviea Ellsworth]

Thank You!!! I assumed that was the plan but it seems so many people have been confused with the new system. I really appreciate the quick response!! This will make life so much easier!

 

[LilB]

Child Swap is still operating as it always has. lets say there are 4 adults and a child in your party. (I will go ahead and explain the "doubling" here as well) 2 of the adults program fast pass for splash mountain at 2:00 PM, the other 2 adults do it for Space Mountain at 2:30; the 2 adults with FP for Splashmountain go in and ask a cast member for a child swap pass (for the other 2 adults waiting outside with the kid who did not get a fast pass for splashmountain) after riding splashmountain switch, or even better, only 1 stays with the kid this time, and the other 3, the ones that did not get a FP and the other who already went on it, ride it without havig to make any line. Now it's 2:30 and its time to do the same all over again on Space Mountain, with the fast passes first, asking for child swap pass, and then switching.

hope I cleared it up for you!

Okay, so, I'm still a bit confused, so I was hoping someone can tell me an example of what to do with the example above but using my own family's names so I can understand it better. Sometimes I can be a da dee di dee, lol. Going June 18.

It's me (Lynette), my husband (Mike), my adult sister (Emily), my two older boys that meet height restrictions (Eric who's 12 and Victor who's 10),and my two year old (Kaitlyn). So if I'm planning on doing splash mountain at 2pm and space mountain at 2:30pm, what do I do with regard to fast passes? Who gets what?