6 Adults One Baby-Maximixing Child Swap?

[jsmla]

Most specifically for Flight of Passage.

We will be visiting WDW with DD/DSIL and DS/DDIL and DGD (21 months) and the “kids” will only be there for a few days. The plan right now is to take the baby to MK one morning then AK the next. Each day PawPaw and Nana will return with our granddaughter for lunch and naps while the kids continue on in the parks.

How do we make the best use of the child swap? I’m not sure about how to book FPs to make the most of it. I’m fairly sure we’ll use our MK day FPs to all ride together. At AK the kids would like to get as many rides on FoP as they can. PawPaw and I really don’t mind missing it.

Thanks!

 

[sethschroeder]

Person A stays with baby, Person B + everyone else rides, everyone finishes ride, Person B stays with baby, Person A brings up to 2 others on the ride. /end

Meaning 2 people could ride 2 times.

 

[LongLiveRafiki]

The way mentioned above is the simplest and would give everyone (including you and PawPaw) a ride and 2 people a second ride. The only other way you could do it is also for all 6 of you to get FP. The 4 "kids" ride using their FP (and make sure you get rider swap added to your band and 2 of theirs). Then when they get back, the 2 "kids" that don't have the rider swap can use your band that has a rider swap and PawPaw's which still has his FP, while the other 2 "kids" have the rider swap on their own bands, and then all 4 could get a second ride. Neither you or PawPaw would get to ride in that scenario.

 

[jsmla]

Thanks for the replies. My head is spinning!

PawPaw doesn’t want to ride FoP, not even if there was no line at all, not even if you paid him. I have an AP and don’t mind skipping-I have August, October and December trips booked at the moment. My only must do is taking our granddaughter to the MK. I really don’t care about the big rides this trip. DS and DDIL (baby parents) haven't been since FoP opened and it will most likely be years before they return after this. I’d like to use any child swap advantages for them.

I think the “kids” (everyone is 30+) are planning on going for AM EMH at AK. DH (aka PawPaw), Dilly (aka DGD) and I will meet up with them later that morning. We’ll also leave lunchtime to take Dilly back for a nap. If we leave our Magic Bands with the kids they can use whatever FPs are on them, correct?

 

[CT Disney]

So, you and PawPaw are willing to stay with the baby and have no intention of actually riding FOP? And, you want to put together a "baby-maximizing" child swap so that a group of thirty-somethings can get as many near-impossible-to-get-tier-1 fast passes as possible?

This is not the intention of baby swap. You aren't "swapping", so a child swap is not warranted. This is why so many people get annoyed at the system in its current iteration.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

Thanks for the replies. My head is spinning!

PawPaw doesn’t want to ride FoP, not even if there was no line at all, not even if you paid him. I have an AP and don’t mind skipping-I have August, October and December trips booked at the moment. My only must do is taking our granddaughter to the MK. I really don’t care about the big rides this trip. DS and DDIL (baby parents) haven't been since FoP opened and it will most likely be years before they return after this. I’d like to use any child swap advantages for them.

I think the “kids” (everyone is 30+) are planning on going for AM EMH at AK. DH (aka PawPaw), Dilly (aka DGD) and I will meet up with them later that morning. We’ll also leave lunchtime to take Dilly back for a nap. If we leave our Magic Bands with the kids they can use whatever FPs are on them, correct?

with grandson about same age as your granddaughter going back to nap didn't work for us as he fell asleep on way back to resort and would not go back to sleep. even with car you will have the drive and then the walk to room. you could leave your bands with the kids but you will not be able to meet back up with them in a park. with out baby they will not be able to use rider swap

 

[sponica]

If the adults want as many rides on FOP, I would suggest they get there for EMH, and book an early morning FP and then get in line JUST before park close at the end of the night.

 

[westie55]

We’ll also leave lunchtime to take Dilly back for a nap. If we leave our Magic Bands with the kids they can use whatever FPs are on them, correct?

Yes, but be mindful that you will not be able to re-enter the park without your magic bands. Not sure if you were planning to return to AK, but if you want to get back in, the "kids" would have to exit the park entirely to return the bands to you.

Incidentally, leaving for nap breaks never worked with my kids. If they were tired, they would fall asleep in the stroller or on the bus before we even got to the resort. It was a bigger hassle than it was worth and sometimes we didn't have any energy to return. It was easier for us for them to nap in the stroller at the parks while we did as much as we could handle for the day, then head back to the resort to relax for the rest of the evening.

 

[jsmla]

So, they would need the baby to use rider swap return passes and not just for getting the pass?

We both have several MagicBands and have left them with DD/DSIL for FadtPasses in the past. (DH is not a theme park person and hits the wall by lunchtime.) Would our MBs work the same way with rider swap or would the two of us need to be there? Does the baby have to be there for the return? I remember reading about others gifting someone with unused rider switch passes.

I have zero say-so with the schedule.

 

[emilyrachael]

So, they would need the baby to use rider swap return passes and not just for getting the pass?

We both have several MagicBands and have left them with DD/DSIL for FadtPasses in the past. (DH is not a theme park person and hits the wall by lunchtime.) Would our MBs work the same way with rider swap or would the two of us need to be there? Does the baby have to be there for the return? I remember reading about others gifting someone with unused rider switch passes.

I have zero say-so with the schedule.

When we were there, we didn't need to have the baby there to use the rider swap return passes. Our rider swap passes worked the same way as FastPasses. (although I've heard they can be a lot pickier about rider swap at FoP - we never did rider swap there.)

 

[Countrywife45]

I would hope that you would need a baby for rider swap, otherwise, what would be the point?

 

[emilyrachael]

I would hope that you would need a baby for rider swap, otherwise, what would be the point?

You need the baby there to get the passes, but not necessarily to use them.

 

[westie55]

So, they would need the baby to use rider swap return passes and not just for getting the pass?
Would our MBs work the same way with rider swap or would the two of us need to be there? Does the baby have to be there for the return? I remember reading about others gifting someone with unused rider switch passes.

The baby only needs to be present when the initial request for rider swap is made. She does not need to be present for the riders to return. You can no longer "gift" unused switch passes as you used to be able to do in the past before they became digital. You used to get a piece of paper just like an old school paper fastpass stating 3 riders could return at any time. Now the fp are added to 3 specific magic bands, so people returning would need to be wearing those 3 bands. If you and Paw Paw have rider swap on your bands and you leave those bands behind when you exit the park, your kids can wear them to get back on the ride during the return window.

 

[westie55]

I would hope that you would need a baby for rider swap, otherwise, what would be the point?

You need to show the baby to a cast member to get the rider swap passes, but not for the riders in the 2nd group to use their return passes.

 

[sponica]

You mentioned EMH, so I gather you're staying on site...but FOP can be a hard FP to get if you're there less than 4 days, at least with a group as large as yours. Unless they're coming towards the end of your trip and you can book them FPs at 64+ days out.

I'm just not sure combining FP and RS is a realistic way to get more rides on the same ride especially at FOP, I've heard they can be bizarro when it comes to FP and RS.

 

[tjmw2727]

So, they would need the baby to use rider swap return passes and not just for getting the pass?

We both have several MagicBands and have left them with DD/DSIL for FadtPasses in the past. (DH is not a theme park person and hits the wall by lunchtime.) Would our MBs work the same way with rider swap or would the two of us need to be there? Does the baby have to be there for the return? I remember reading about others gifting someone with unused rider switch passes.

I have zero say-so with the schedule.

Once the CM confirms you have a child two short to ride and loads the RS onto the appropriate MB's there is no need for the child to be present. However, if you leave a MB for someone else to use and then use an alternate MB to enter another park your account could (probably will) be locked.

I have also read mixed reports regarding the length of time the 2nd party to ride has to return with the RS.

When the RS was paper - it was pretty much a paper FP for 3 people but that isn't the case with the digital switch now in effect.

 

[LongLiveRafiki]

When rider swap was switched to digital, it was advertised that rider swaps would only be valid for one hour. There's been a lot of mixed info on whether or not it's actually working that way in practice and I don't know if we've gotten a clear answer about that here on the boards. It seems like I've read that some people have said you don't see an end time on MDE for the rider swap and some have claimed they've been able to use it later than the hour, but others have said they couldn't. Maybe someone else who has used it recently can give more info on that. I wouldn't go into it with the expectation that you can rack up a bunch of rider swaps in the morning while the baby is there and that they can use them later after you've left. Also remember that each person/magic band can only have one rider swap attached to it at a time.

They can use FPs on your band as long as you have entered that same park that day. If the baby is not there, they will not be given a rider swap. They check for someone too short before they put the rider swap on magic bands, but once that is done, the baby does not need to be present to use that rider swap. If you are trying to give the kids extra rides using yours and PaePaw's FPs after you've left with the baby, they would only get 2 extra FPs per ride (yours and PawPaw's), so only one couple would get to ride an extra time for each ride. If the FPs were scheduled for the same time, then they'd also have to ensure they checked in early in the FP window in order to be done riding and able to check in a second time to use yours and PawPaw's FPs before they expire, remember to switch magic bands, and debate over which couple gets to have an extra ride each time. Honestly, it seems like a lot of extra work just for one couple to have one extra ride and the second to have 2 using your 3 pre-scheduled FPs. It would probably be more worthwhile for them to take advantage of park-opening crowds, as well as hit up headliners right before close, use single rider for the rides it's available on, and keep refreshing for additional FPs throughout the day.

 

[jsmla]

Thanks for the replies!
DH and I will not be going to a park after leaving with the baby. We’ll be heading back to Ft Wilderness for downtime. DH doesn’t really like theme parks and everyone in the family (including our pediatrician daughter) thinks it better not to overdo it. This trip Dilly will only do mornings in MK and AK.

One night will be Halloween and we’re having friends over for trick or treating at Fort Wilderness. On the other DH and I will take Dilly to the campfire/singalong program.

Her parents don’t get the chance to travel often right now (new baby=new house + new car + nanny) and I know they’ll love Flight of Passage. DD and DSIL have APs and go often. I’d like for DS/DDIL to do as much as possible. There’s a good chance they’ll ditch one morning for a SWGE on their own.

 

[sponica]

@jsmla good luck! I went with a 20 month old and I'm pretty sure she would have screamed bloody murder if we left the park midday. To each their own. I understand not wanting to die on that hill though.

If it's just DS/DDIL you're concerned about, give them your bands for a reride. That would be the easiest.