Rider Swap/Rider Switch/Child Swap: Digital System begins in late June

[hiroMYhero]

It is not one hour, it is just the same day. I am not sure if you can hold two at once either, it may be limited to one at a time. We always use ours immediately, so I’ve never tried that

Thanks for explaining!

We’ll just have to wait until it begins in WDW and reports start coming in.

 

[DizneyMommy]

Thanks for explaining!

We’ll just have to wait until it begins in WDW and reports start coming in.

If the rumored date is correct, it will start halfway through my trip in 2 weeks. So this will be interesting!

 

[KateB_UK]

It is not one hour, it is just the same day. I am not sure if you can hold two at once either, it may be limited to one at a time. We always use ours immediately, so I’ve never tried that

How does it work with FastPass? Is it still only group 1 of your riding party that need FastPasses?

 

[hiroMYhero]

If the rumored date is correct, it will start halfway through my trip in 2 weeks. So this will be interesting!

I think you’ll be okay especially if you’ve factored in an immediate ride using the Swap.

 

[hodad]

Does anyone know whether we can still do that? Or will all 4 of my riding party require a FastPass in order to ride?

I doubt Disney has the technological know-how to be able to digitize the rider swap system AND change policy so that rider swaps require an additional fast pass. But they can always choose to do so at any time. Caveat emptor.

Regarding "fairness," allowing people with babies or knowledge of loopholes to get extra fast-passes is no less fair than allowing people with extra money to get extra fast-passes. Disney has never been fair, and is always looking for ways to monetize babies and loopholes.

 

[yesdnil]

If you read my post it was replying to Someone asking me how Disneyland does it. I am aware of the rumor

Ha, my bad! I'm blaming this one on mommy brain

 

[DizneyMommy]

I doubt Disney has the technological know-how to be able to digitize the rider swap system AND change policy so that rider swaps require an additional fast pass. But they can always choose to do so at any time. Caveat emptor.
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They already do, this is not new. Several people including myself have emailed to ask and have been told that if using the FP line, all persons in the party must have a FP if you are going to request a RS.

 

[WillowRain]

We just got back from Disneyland where they have digital swap. So you all walk up to the podium, inform them which parent will be staying off, scan all FP's in, and then they add the swap back onto the parent who is staying behind, and 2 others in your party if you choose to do so. Yes, it's a 1 hour window from when you scan in, but if FP times are only 20 mins then you have spent 40 mins on one ride, and you are done. We just went and did other things nearby with the toddler. I went shopping, got a snack, rode something else with no wait time etc. It's not as bad as it sounds. Just budget about an hour per ride if you have a FP for it. Standby, no clue, we never had to wait in one because we got Max Pass. I would assume it's the same 1 hour window, however they cannot possibly ask that the baby wait in line, so I am going to assume you walk up and get the pass before you jump in line for standby.

 

[hodad]

They already do, this is not new. Several people including myself have emailed to ask and have been told that if using the FP line, all persons in the party must have a FP if you are going to request a RS.

Big if true!

 

[DizneyMommy]

We just got back from Disneyland where they have digital swap. So you all walk up to the podium, inform them which parent will be staying off, scan all FP's in, and then they add the swap back onto the parent who is staying behind, and 2 others in your party if you choose to do so. Yes, it's a 1 hour window from when you scan in, but if FP times are only 20 mins then you have spent 40 mins on one ride, and you are done. We just went and did other things nearby with the toddler. I went shopping, got a snack, rode something else with no wait time etc. It's not as bad as it sounds. Just budget about an hour per ride if you have a FP for it. Standby, no clue, we never had to wait in one because we got Max Pass. I would assume it's the same 1 hour window, however they cannot possibly ask that the baby wait in line, so I am going to assume you walk up and get the pass before you jump in line for standby.

Did you see the one hour window in your app? I have never seen a time window, I assumed it was all day. We use it all the time, but have not been since May 1st, maybe this is an update.

 

[WillowRain]

How does DL assign the Rider Swap hour-return window? Is it for the full hour after the initial party enters the FP entrance or ride entrance?

Yes, 1 hour from when they add the swap onto your pass.

They already do, this is not new. Several people including myself have emailed to ask and have been told that if using the FP line, all persons in the party must have a FP if you are going to request a RS.

Interesting. That's not really fair to those who don't get a FP, so if you don't have FP you can't get a swap???

 

[WillowRain]

Did you see the one hour window in your app? I have never seen a time window, I assumed it was all day. We use it all the time, but have not been since May 1st, maybe this is an update.

So it never actually said when it ended, but it gave a start time on the app. We did not use our Matterhorn one and eventually it just disappeared! I did not time it, but let's say with leeway it's 90 mins.

 

[brockash]

If you read my post it was replying to Someone asking me how Disneyland does it. I am aware of the rumor

We were at Disneyland in Dec. and we used rider swap often and every time it was an hr window. Sometimes (depending on the wait, the CM scanning the swap on the band would make our hr window for later so we had time to ride and do swap, but it was always only an hr window.)

 

[DizneyMommy]

So it never actually said when it ended, but it gave a start time on the app. We did not use our Matterhorn one and eventually it just disappeared! I did not time it, but let's say with leeway it's 90 mins.

Wow, ok that is shady. No CM has ever told us we only had an hour to use it, and it does not show an expiration. How on earth would someone know that? I would be so ticked if we got caught in a longer than usually FP line, had to make a bathroom break or had a child emergency and then went right back just past an hour to find I could not get on.

 

[DizneyMommy]

We were at Disneyland in Dec. and we used rider swap often and every time it was an hr window. Sometimes (depending on the wait, the CM scanning the swap on the band would make our hr window for later so we had time to ride and do swap, but it was always only an hr window.)

There are no bands at DL... did you mean WDW? How did you know it was an hour window? I have never seen an expiration time in my app.

 

[DizneyMommy]

Yes, 1 hour from when they add the swap onto your pass.



Interesting. That's not really fair to those who don't get a FP, so if you don't have FP you can't get a swap???

Technically, yes that is the policy. Not that you have to have FP t get RS, but if the first group in your party is going through with FP, those who want the RS must have a FP also. It apparently is not usually enforced, but people have been posting lately that they did have to have the FP to get the RS for some headliners like 7DMT and FoP

 

[WillowRain]

Oh okay, yes that makes sense. It was enforced at DL. That's why they had us all scan when we got in line. Once or twice they accidentally did not scan in 1 of them and we technically had an "extra" fp. But we didn't abuse it, just let them expire.

 

[DizneyMommy]

Oh okay, yes that makes sense. It was enforced at DL. That's why they had us all scan when we got in line. Once or twice they accidentally did not scan in 1 of them and we technically had an "extra" fp. But we didn't abuse it, just let them expire.

See, I guess I am just an anomaly. I did not even realize everyone had to have the FP or that there was an hour window at DL and we have gotten dozens and dozens of RS since it went digital. We always get FP for everyone and we apparently have never tried to come back after an hour (we usually either do it now or never, I don't like to backtrack all over the park with as many people as I usually have with me!). So basically WDW is just catching up to what DL does, and it has always worked just fine for us! It is not that bad!

 

[StacyStrong]

I doubt Disney has the technological know-how to be able to digitize the rider swap system AND change policy so that rider swaps require an additional fast pass. But they can always choose to do so at any time. Caveat emptor.

Regarding "fairness," allowing people with babies or knowledge of loopholes to get extra fast-passes is no less fair than allowing people with extra money to get extra fast-passes. Disney has never been fair, and is always looking for ways to monetize babies and loopholes.

Disagree.

Yes, allowing people with extra money to buy additional fast passes is unfair. Socioeconomics and all that. But at least here there is a burden on the buyer (having to pay)

But in my opinion, all things being equal - a family of 4 with two 16 year olds and a family of four with a ten year old and a two year old (same amount of money), results in a benefit without a burden to one family, and not the other.

Imo the change can help provide a benefit and accommodation to the family with small children while also recognizing that other families are negatively impacted.

The family with with small children can effectively get 6 free fast passes per person whereas the family without gets 3 free fast passes.

I get the reason for it, but putting a time limit and restrictions on it isn't somehow a burden. It's like saying "Wow Disney is helping me, but they aren't helping me ENOUGH". Ehhhhh.

Im not at all saying do away with rider swap fwiw.

I mean, universal has rider swap without digital or paper passes and they work just fine.

 

[StacyStrong]

See, I guess I am just an anomaly. I did not even realize everyone had to have the FP or that there was an hour window at DL and we have gotten dozens and dozens of RS since it went digital. We always get FP for everyone and we apparently have never tried to come back after an hour (we usually either do it now or never, I don't like to backtrack all over the park with as many people as I usually have with me!). So basically WDW is just catching up to what DL does, and it has always worked just fine for us! It is not that bad!

I also didn't think everyone needed a FP.....

That might change my mind! Haha