I am quite confused as to how this baby swap thing works as there seems to be a few variations. We are two families of five coming from New Zealand for our long awaited Disneyland trip in May. Each family has a toddler who won't be able to go on some rides. I really want to be able to go on a ride as a family i.e myself, husband and two daughters, so that we can both see their excitement as they experience a ride for the first time. I'm pretty sure my sister and her husband would be wanting that too. So I had assumed that we could all (10 of us including the two toddlers) wait in line for a ride together. When we got to the boarding area, the four riders in my family would get on and my sister with her family would wait behind and hold our toddler. When we got off the ride and exited, we would take back our toddler and also take their toddler so that the four of them could then ride together. Will this work?

I think your confusions stems from the fact that baby swap works differently at DLR than it does at WDW. What you described is how it works in WDW, Orlando.

So, here it is, again, how it works at DISNEYLAND in Anaheim:

1- Your entire party approaches the queue (line) for the ride for which you need the swap pass.

2- The person staying with the baby asks the Cast Member at the end of the queue for a Rider Swich Pass.

Note: If you want two passes, one for each baby, you'll need to divide the group up into two. If you're all together, they'll only give you one pass.

3- Whoever is taking care of the children DOES NOT GET IN LINE. That person or group takes the children and sits on a bench, waits at the exit, goes to get some popcorn, takes the children to change a diaper, whatever, while the first group to ride the attraction gets in the line and waits to ride the attraction.

4- After the first group gets off the ride, two people can return with the Rider Switch Pass, to ride with a shorter line. If it is an attraction such as Matterhorn, which does not have a Fast Pass Line, then the group will return through the wheelchair entrance (the exit of the ride). If it is a ride like Space Mountain that has a Fast Pass line, then you will return through the Fast Pass line but you will not need the Fast Pass, the Rider Swap Pass will serve as your fast pass.

The Cast Member will explain to you how the Rider Swap Pass works for that particular ride when you get the pass.

Does that clarify the process?

Adrienne

Thanks Adrienne, yes that does clarify the situation for me. I guess it is a much better option when it means the toddler does not have to wait in line at all. However it seems that it won't be possible for both my husband and I to ride with our girls for the first time as one of us will be holding the toddler with a switch off pass. If my sister and her family stayed behind with the toddler, only two of them could go and get on the ride quickly after we had finished, which would not be fair to them. Oh well, this way one of my girls will get to ride again with the parent who missed out so they will be happy! Now I will have to search for the threads with rides that seat 3!

4- ...If it is a ride like Space Mountain that has a Fast Pass line, then you will return through the Fast Pass line but you will not need the Fast Pass, the Rider Swap Pass will serve as your fast pass.


When I got a FP for SM when it was the second person to go the CM sent us through the exit. Which I think was the wheelchair entrance also.

However it seems that it won't be possible for both my husband and I to ride with our girls for the first time as one of us will be holding the toddler with a switch off pass

Here's how we've dealt with this issue:

When we had just two kids, Doc rode with M the first time he went on Thunder Mountain. I rode the second time using the rider switch with M!

Then I rode with M the first time he rode Soarin' Over California.

Now that we have three, we could adjust it so that Doc rides with M on Matterhorn, then when he gets off, I can ride with S on Matterhorn using the Rider Switch. Each of us could ride the first time with one child at least.

You don't say how long you'll be at the park? One day? More? If so, you could also trade off babysitting? You and your husband could take the toddlers on the Mark Twain while Sister's family rides Big Thunder using Fast Passes. Then you and husband can ride Big Thunder later while Sister's family takes the toddlers to get a snack.

If you're visiting on a weekday, you may be surprised by the lines. When my mom and I took my sons on a Thursday in November, the line was so short that M went on Big Thunder with my mom and then later in the day, Doc and I took M and S on Big Thunder again for S's first time to ride it! The lines were short enough that it wasn't a big deal to 'ride it again'.

Adrienne

Fast pass is a family friend

Another padder has this worked out to a fine science and I'm sure if he were around he would give you a much better version but here is a short attempt at his plan and it works.

IF you guys want to ride the rides with fast pass such as Indy or Big Thunder or Space...you have two groups two toddlers, that means at the end 4 people can ride... you said you have 4 in your group plus the baby, the sister has 4 plus the baby...here's the way to make it work... you go get fast passes with half your tickets at two different attractions....then you go to the one that matures first...at the front of the line both of you get a baby pass....decide which family will sit off with the two babies...the other family goes on the ride with the fast passes..comes off, the mom and dad each take a 'child' with the rider switch passes and they go on the ride while group A stays off with the toddlers...it's totally legal and cuts the wait by a signficant amount of time and each of you get to see your older childrens reactions to rides.

Oh wow, that is brilliant! Adrienne and MammaSliva, you have both been a wonderful help! Thanks so much!

Ok, I think this will solve your problem:

1. Pick up 4 Fastpasses.
2. At FP return time, your family of four gets into queue - you and your child ask for a rider switch pass - point to auntie and toddler #1, dh and your other child does the same and points to uncle and toddler #2. Voila, you've got two switchpasses now.
3. When you've finished your ride, you give the switchpasses to the other family members and they can all go at the same time.

The beauty of the FP plus rider switch pass is that you only need to get half the amount of FPs that you normally would, and you can have another set of FPs for the same time period for another ride. Gotta love that.

Ok, I think this will solve your problem:

1. Pick up 4 Fastpasses.
2. At FP return time, your family of four gets into queue - you and your child ask for a rider switch pass - point to auntie and toddler #1, dh and your other child does the same and points to uncle and toddler #2. Voila, you've got two switchpasses now.
3. When you've finished your ride, you give the switchpasses to the other family members and they can all go at the same time.

The beauty of the FP plus rider switch pass is that you only need to get half the amount of FPs that you normally would, and you can have another set of FPs for the same time period for another ride. Gotta love that.I was trying to figure out how to word that.. You said it perfectly!!!

So just let me get this right. You can still get rider switch passes even if you are in the fastpass queue?

yes, you can use a FP and Child Switch at the same time. The lines both start at the same point for most of the rides and the CM stands between them at the entrance. The only ride I can think of off the top of my head that doesn't do this is Splash Mtn. So technically when you get the Child Switch Pass you aren't in either line yet. Hope this is clearer than mud...:) ;)

Oh and you get your FP before you ask for the child switch which you do as you are getting into line. MAKE SURE YOUR WHOLE GROUP GOES TO ASK FOR THE PASS, CM's must see the kids you are swaping.

Okay so...



2- The person staying with the baby asks the Cast Member at the end of the queue for a Rider Swich Pass. Adrienne
--The end of the queue (line) as in the start of the ride or end of the line as of you're the last one in line (is there always a cast member at the end?)

4- After the first group gets off the ride, two people can return with the Rider Switch Pass, to ride with a shorter line. If it is an attraction such as Matterhorn, which does not have a Fast Pass Line, then the group will return through the wheelchair entrance (the exit of the ride). If it is a ride like Space Mountain that has a Fast Pass line, then you will return through the Fast Pass line but you will not need the Fast Pass, the Rider Swap Pass will serve as your fast pass.Adrienne
--so if we 2 hours previous had gotten Fast Passes for everyone in the group then the other fast pass would just be good for later in the day, am I assuming correctly?Adrienne[/QUOTE]

Does that clarify the process? Adrienne
--And so when the first parent gets off and exits then the other parent would just go directly to the fast pass line and stand back in line (shorter I know but still a line) or through the exit on the Matterhorn...any others that you enter the exit?

--The end of the queue (line) as in the start of the ride or end of the line as of you're the last one in line (is there always a cast member at the end?)

It depends on how busy it is that day. I should actually say the "entrance to the line queue." For example, at Matterhorn, the CM is standing in front of the little building where the line starts to switchback, not necessarily the 'end' of the line. You might have to look around a bit, but it's usually the same person measuring children to see if they're tall enough to ride the rides.


--so if we 2 hours previous had gotten Fast Passes for everyone in the group then the other fast pass would just be good for later in the day, am I assuming correctly?

Yes. But here's another option: Let's say there are 4 people in your group. Two people can get Fast Passes for Space Mountain and without waiting for that window to open, two people can get fast passes for Indiana Jones. Then if you use Child Swap for each attraction, all four adults can ride both rides without having four fast passes.

--And so when the first parent gets off and exits then the other parent would just go directly to the fast pass line and stand back in line (shorter I know but still a line) or through the exit on the Matterhorn...any others that you enter the exit?

It depends. Sometimes rides that have fast pass don't use it. For example, we were at DLR last November one day when the Big Thunder Fast Pass machines were turned off. When you get the Fast Pass, the CM will tell you how to use it at that particular attraction. They're usually very helpful.

Adrienne

Okay, I'm new to this business about bringing little ones to DL. Could someone please explain in lay terms what the baby swap is? Do you get a pass to use from a CM? What literally do you do? How old does the baby need to be to still do it? DH and I are bring DD to DL soon, and I never heard of it before. Thanks so much!!!

Okay, I'm new to this business about bringing little ones to DL. Could someone please explain in lay terms what the baby swap is? Do you get a pass to use from a CM? What literally do you do?

Post #2 should answer these questions. Please feel free to ask a clarifying question if it doesn't.

How old does the baby need to be to still do it? DH and I are bring DD to DL soon, and I never heard of it before. Thanks so much!!!

Generally "too short" to ride, although I've been with children who were tall enough to ride but not willing to ride because they were still scared or intimidated by roller coasters, and the CMs allowed the party to use Rider Switch/Baby Swap.

Adrienne

thank you so much adriennek for merging the two threads - I didn't see the first one and it really helped clarify the procedure.

You're welcome.

Adrienne

I think your confusions stems from the fact that baby swap works differently at DLR than it does at WDW. What you described is how it works in WDW, Orlando.

So, here it is, again, how it works at DISNEYLAND in Anaheim:

1- Your entire party approaches the queue (line) for the ride for which you need the swap pass.

2- The person staying with the baby asks the Cast Member at the end of the queue for a Rider Swich Pass.

Note: If you want two passes, one for each baby, you'll need to divide the group up into two. If you're all together, they'll only give you one pass.

3- Whoever is taking care of the children DOES NOT GET IN LINE. That person or group takes the children and sits on a bench, waits at the exit, goes to get some popcorn, takes the children to change a diaper, whatever, while the first group to ride the attraction gets in the line and waits to ride the attraction.

4- After the first group gets off the ride, two people can return with the Rider Switch Pass, to ride with a shorter line. If it is an attraction such as Matterhorn, which does not have a Fast Pass Line, then the group will return through the wheelchair entrance (the exit of the ride). If it is a ride like Space Mountain that has a Fast Pass line, then you will return through the Fast Pass line but you will not need the Fast Pass, the Rider Swap Pass will serve as your fast pass.

The Cast Member will explain to you how the Rider Swap Pass works for that particular ride when you get the pass.

Does that clarify the process?

Adrienne

OK, I am familiar with how it works as above at DLR.....who does it work at WDW??? Very curious as I described the above to my brother who is going to WDW with his family next week. Did I tell him wrong?

OK, I am familiar with how it works as above at DLR.....who does it work at WDW??? Very curious as I described the above to my brother who is going to WDW with his family next week. Did I tell him wrong?

I haven't been to WDW :eek: (I know, I know....)

But as I understand it, at WDW, everyone stands in line together and when they get to the front of the line, the adult taking care of the children stands where the CMs tell them to wait while the rest of the party rides. Then the adult takes his/her turn riding while someone else watches the child(ren).

Adrienne

so being new to that this was an option.....

want to make sure this is correct

If there are 5 of us and one is too small for the ride we have 3 go on the ride and one stays behind.....when that person goes on the ride after the others with the pass do they have to go by themselves or can they take someone.? I assume I read correctly that they can't go with someone else....that sucks because I would rather wait in line than go alone

The pass is good for the parent that is switching and one other rider. So a lucky person gets to go with the first group and the switcher! We always used the fast pass/rider switch to our advantage. We had 5 tickets to obtain fast passes and a little one unable to ride(not anymore). One of our 5 wasn't big enough for IJ. So we would get 2 fast passes for that and 3 to say... BTMRR. Two would go on IJ and the other two that could ride would go on with the rider switch pass. Then we would head over to BTMRR and 3 would ride that and 2 would use he rider switch. It worked so great, we really got a lot in during a day.

so being new to that this was an option.....

want to make sure this is correct

I assume I read correctly that they can't go with someone else....that sucks because I would rather wait in line than go alone

I know at DL you can get a pass that will allow 2 people to go even though only one stays behind (I would not want to go alone either). It could even be one of the others who went on it first. I know some CM's at some of the rides gave me 2 so 4 people could go. Most of the rides I only was able to get one pass but we had extra fast passes so we could have more than 2 go on.

I can not remember how it all worked at WDW. I think on some rides we got a pass that would allow up to 4 people to go on. Other rides would do like Adrienne said, all of us went in line and half of us would wait at the exit while the others went on then we would switch. But I am not 100% on this. It was over 3 years since I have been to WDW.

I hope this helped a little.

ah thanks my brain is mush and I missed that...wooo hooo I am so glad I read this thread