Do we both need FP+ for rider swap?

[kcentury]

Okay while I'm all for the RS program, the PP's comment about the 4 adults and one child seems a little odd to me. I'm pretty sure it's not meant so 2 people can get fast pass + to two tier 1 rides at the same time. Maybe I'm figuring this wrong but it does seem a little off to me. especially because it's 4 adults to 1 child. But I guess if they let you....

With all due respect I was merely inquiring whether it was within Disney's rules, which I thought it was, not what anyone personally thought about our plan. Nevertheless, the intent of planning like this was not so that 2 people can get FP to two tier 1 rides, but I imagine there are people that book FP's with this intent and as I understand it is allowed by the rules.

 

[SomDayMyPrnceWillCom]

It's been different each ride for me. They asked to see the child once at RnR and I said my daughter is over there with my son and infant granddaughter that can't ride. Do I need to go get them? He said wasn't necessary and let us on. Sometimes my son is right there and no problem. One time, my then bf forgot to even get the rider swap and when we got to the line, the CM just told us to go ahead. He had sat and watched me deal with 2 screaming kids for about 30 minutes however while the others rode. When they returned my daughter took the kids and headed to the front of MK (we were at splash) and we got in line and they weren't there when we got to CM, but he let us through.

 

[Kathlita]

We are a group of 4 adults and a baby. We all have FP+ for FOP, but I think we will ask for the RS unless we arrive right at the beginning of our FP window. I think I read that it takes over 1/2 hour to do the pre-show and the ride. I don't want to miss out!

 

[SquashBanana]

We are a group of 4 adults and a baby. We all have FP+ for FOP, but I think we will ask for the RS unless we arrive right at the beginning of our FP window. I think I read that it takes over 1/2 hour to do the pre-show and the ride. I don't want to miss out!

I'd ask for one anyway. You never know how long the first ride will take and I've never been one to count on FP grace periods. Getting a RS will give you two options: Up to 3 of you can ride it again later that day or if you don't have time or don't want to ride again you could make a family's whole trip by giving it away. I've done this before when we've run out of time to use them all and I can tell you it gives me as much joy to give them away as it does the family who receives them. This would be especially true at a ride like FoP.

 

[Kathlita]

I'd ask for one anyway. You never know how long the first ride will take and I've never been one to count on FP grace periods. Getting a RS will give you two options: Up to 3 of you can ride it again later that day or if you don't have time or don't want to ride again you could make a family's whole trip by giving it away. I've done this before when we've run out of time to use them all and I can tell you it gives me as much joy to give them away as it does the family who receives them. This would be especially true at a ride like FoP.

Great idea! I used to do that with the old FP when we ran out of time and they didn't expire.

 

[Lost Yeti]

In the OP’s example, what is the benefit of having the child swap ticket if both parents have a fastpass? It sounds like both kids are too short to ride. So only 1 adult riding with the child swap ticket.

I’m asking as I have the exact same situation....

There most certainly IS a benefit to occasionally doing it this way.

My wife and I often have a FP for the same ride at the same time and we have a 2 YO. For certain rides, FoP is a great example, it is possible that the FP window could pass before the second person gets a chance to ride. I personally don't like to rely on CM discretion in allowing parent two to ride past the window with a new popular ride like FoP. Rare instance I know, but possible.

Also, while parent 1 is riding, our toddler has a propensity for going into full meltdown mode requiring a sudden change of plans or a need to leave the park and come back later. Hence, getting the RS is helpful so parent two can ride later since he wasn't able to during the designated FP time.

Basically, we use it as an insurance policy. Can this be abused? Absolutely. In our case, if we are both able to ride without the RS, we give it away (ideally to a party of 3) to a group who appears to be having a rough day and honestly most times that can be as fun as actually riding.

 

[SanderMC]

In our case we have 4 adults and one small child. 2 adults have a FP for FOP, and the other 2 and the child have a FP for Navi at the same time. We planned it intentionally this way so that all 5 of us could approach FOP, 2 ride FOP via FP while the other 2 adults and child have something to ride; and then afterwards the 2 adults who did not book a FP for FOP could still ride FOP using the FP line via the ride swap pass. It seems to me this is exactly what ride swap is supposed to do. Are there really cases similar to this where people have been denied ride swap by a rogue cast member because the entire party did not have a FP for FOP?

Yes that's exactly what I'm saying has been happening for FOP and SDMT. I have never had it personally happen to us since my daughter is tall enough to ride but there have been reports of multiple instances of this happening.

 

[marcyleecorgan]

Especially on the headliner rides, always make sure everyone has a FP+ otherwise, yes, the CM's reserve the right to not Ride Swap, due to high-capacity.

 

[Vitesse_Marie]

Especially on the headliner rides, always make sure everyone has a FP+ otherwise, yes, the CM's reserve the right to not Ride Swap, due to high-capacity.

How does that work if my four-year-old daughter is too short for a ride? If we have to get a FP+ for my husband, 6 year old and myself then will she just have to lose out on one of her fast passes since we won't have one available to go with her?

 

[whiporee]

Historically you don't need FPs for everyone in the party. There have been reports of that changing, so if you go without FPs for everyone, you might not get a RS pass for the people without FPs (if you go through the FP line. If you do the standard line it doesn't matter).

As for the 4 adults and one child situation, I'd be surprised if a CM gave or accepted two adults and a child with a RS pass. Clearly not the intent, and I could see them saying no without hesitation.

 

[Party.Of.4-NY>>>FL]

Especially on the headliner rides, always make sure everyone has a FP+ otherwise, yes, the CM's reserve the right to not Ride Swap, due to high-capacity.

I have been using Rider Swap extensively for several years and have never encountered this from any CM’s. I also have many friends and family that have frequently used Rider Swap over the years and they too have never had a CM demand that everyone has a FP.

Only ticketed guests (i.e. everyone age 3 and up) that enters the FP queue the first time has been required to have a FP.

 

[Party.Of.4-NY>>>FL]

Historically you don't need FPs for everyone in the party. There have been reports of that changing, so if you go without FPs for everyone, you might not get a RS pass for the people without FPs (if you go through the FP line. If you do the standard line it doesn't matter).

As for the 4 adults and one child situation, I'd be surprised if a CM gave or accepted two adults and a child with a RS pass. Clearly not the intent, and I could see them saying no without hesitation.

I often wonder if the occasional reports we see pop up from time to time on here of CMs demanding even the non-riders have FPs are nothing more than a tactic designed to discourage it’s use by those that disagree with current Rider Swap policies.

 

[Eccle]

We used Rider Switch a lot over the past 2 weeks, they did ask to see the child but never checked if the non riding adult had a FP (could they easily do this?)

On EE the cast member have my husband an additional rider switch pass when my son got nervous and they had to leave the queue, so that if he decided he did want to do it they could go back through Fastpass

 

[Party.Of.4-NY>>>FL]

How does that work if my four-year-old daughter is too short for a ride? If we have to get a FP+ for my husband, 6 year old and myself then will she just have to lose out on one of her fast passes since we won't have one available to go with her?

My family’s situation is very similar to yours in that we have 2 children, but only one of them meets the height requirement for many attractions.

We will book FP for one parent and the older child. Obtain a Rider Swap pass from the CM at the FP entrance while all four of us are present. While those two are riding, the other parent and the smaller child will have a concurrent FP booked for a nearby attraction that the little one can ride.

@Vitesse_Marie , if your younger child was required to have a FP for a ride in which they didn’t meet the height requirement it would, as you say, be a complete waste. My advice: book FP for only two of your family members on the height restricted rides that your youngest isn’t tall enough for. Like I mentioned in a previous post, our family has used Rider Swap extensively and we have never encountered a CM that demanded, or even asked, if everyone in our family had a FP. We’ve even requested, and recieved, a Rider Swap pass for attractions with no height restriction when our toddler was sleeping in his stroller.

Have a great trip!!!

 

[Vitesse_Marie]

My family’s situation is very similar to your’s in that we have 2 children, but only one of them meets the height requirement for many attractions.

We will book FP for one parent and the older child. Obtain a Rider Swap pass from the CM at the FP entrance while all four of us are present. While those two are riding, the other parent and the smaller child will have a concurrent FP booked for a nearby attraction that the little one can ride.

@Vitesse_Marie , if your younger child was required to have a FP for a ride in which they didn’t meet the height requirement it would, as you say, be a complete waste. My advice: book FP for only two of your family members on the height restricted rides that your youngest isn’t tall enough for. Like I mentioned in a previous post, our family has used Rider Swap extensively and we have never encountered a CM that demanded, or even asked, if everyone in our family had a FP. We’ve even requested, and recieved, a Rider Swap pass for attractions with no height restriction when our toddler was sleeping in his stroller.

Have a great trip!!!

Thank you! We'll definitely do this for our trip in August.

 

[whiporee]

I often wonder if the occasional reports we see pop up from time to time on here of CMs demanding even the non-riders have FPs are nothing more than a tactic designed to discourage it’s use by those that disagree with current Rider Swap policies.

Could be, though as one who does disagree the common interpretation of the RS policy, I don't think it's the case. When it's popped up it has come very organically -- someone asking a question about it being unusual.

Like I've said before, I believe WDW will discontinue this policy before much longer and require that if you're getting a RS from the FP line, then the parent benefiting from RS to have a FP as well. But I could be wrong.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

Could be, though as one who does disagree the common interpretation of the RS policy, I don't think it's the case. When it's popped up it has come very organically -- someone asking a question about it being unusual.

Like I've said before, I believe WDW will discontinue this policy before much longer and require that if you're getting a RS from the FP line, then the parent benefiting from RS to have a FP as well. But I could be wrong.

I believe rider swap currently in effect will go the way of ordering a cupcake for dinner and BOG.

What used to be used to help parents with children that are too short, is now being used by some to gain extra fastpasses for tier one rides.

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

I believe rider swap currently in effect will go the way of ordering a cupcake for dinner and BOG.

What used to be used to help parents with children that are too short, is now being used by some to gain extra fastpasses for tier one rides.

Yep. For every loophole that gets exploited, Disney finds a way to close it. Only a matter of time.

 

[Party.Of.4-NY>>>FL]

Yep. For every loophole that gets exploited, Disney finds a way to close it. Only a matter of time.

It can also be said that for every loophole that gets discovered, Disney finds a way to exploit it.

 

[DizneyMommy]

How could they even check to be sure the parent staying behind has a FP without scanning them in and effectively burning that FP so now they cannot use it to get entry when they come back? I mean I guess you no longer need it IF they give you the RS while you are standing there, but for a really hard to get one I’d be nervous about losing it or something going wrong.