OK--1 last question before our first trip (I think!!:) ) While reading posts about fast passes, someone said to ask a CM for a "parent swap pass" for the other parent/child so their wait isn't as long. My questions: is this a standard thing? Can I ask for 1 at every ride or are there limited numbers? Are CM generous with these or are they hard to get? And, after getting 1, how do we go about getting to the front of the line?

I appreciate all this info--I just don't want to break any DL rules!!:D

"Rider Switch Pass"

Available on some rides. Ask the greeter CM for one. In most cases, all people in the group must be present when it is given. People will abuse the system and just ask for passes when they don't really need them, so you have to have the whole party present now. They are generally used for the faster rides such as Splash, BTMR, TOT etc. Soaring has them too.

I'm sure that somebody else can go into greater detail. It saves you from waiting in line twice, but you need to wait once or get a FP.

It's technically called a Rider Switch or Rider Swap pass.

In theory, it should be available for any ride. In practice, it's only available for rides with height restrictions.

Here's how it works:

When your group wants to ride, say, Big Thunder, everyone goes to the ride together. For this example, we'll have Group #1 - the first group to ride Big Thunder and Group #2 - the adult and child(ren) not riding.

Group #1 gets in line. The adult in Group #2 asks the Cast Member at the entrance for a Rider Switch Pass, with the too small/too young child present. The CM may ask you to point out the rest of your group, so it's helpful to have Group #1 nearby.

The CM gives Adult #2 a pass and tells you how to use it (For example, at Big Thunder, you use it in the Fast Pass line, in lieu of a Fast Pass. Meanwhile, at Matterhorn, you use it to enter at the Wheelchair Access entrance/Exit gate.)

While Group #1 rides, Group #2 watches the Mark Twain float by or hangs out on the bridge to watch for Group #1 to go by on the ride or buys a churro or shops for souvenirs or changes a diaper - Whatever you want to do while Group #1 ride the ride together.

When Group #1 comes off the ride, Adult #2 and one other person can use the Rider Switch Pass to ride. It can be a second person who waited with Adult #2 or it could be a person from Group #1 who gets to ride a second time.

The Passes are coded so they must be used the day you get them. You can't save them for later in the trip. It's totally "legal". I can't say that I've had any problem getting them from the CMs, unless you consider having your whole group present a problem, which I don't. I just smile and ask nicely. :)

Adrienne

Much better description than I could have given.

Just for fun, though, I'll let you know that for the Indy ride, Group #2 will go in the exit (which is also the handicap entrance, i *think*), and I was reading a guide book that said it's the single-rider entrance too (if they still have that). It's VERY weird to walk all that way while others are exiting, thinking you are being sneaky by going in the out. And with Indy you can still end up in a long-feeling line because they put you into the room where they show the "backstory"/safety presentation movie and there's still quite a bit of line after that.


There are those who combine Fast Pass with the child swap thing, but I can't begin to describe that (easier to just do it, LOL).

There are those who combine Fast Pass with the child swap thing, but I can't begin to describe that (easier to just do it, LOL).

Here's the FastPass combination thingie (it's easier to explain if I know how many people are in a group and their ages, but...):

A rider switch is good for 2 people. So if you get fast passes for an attraction, you do not need FastPasses for the 2 people who will use the Rider Switch.

If you have 4 ticketed people in your group, you can get 2 Fast Passes for Space and 2 FastPasses for Thunder, without waiting for the next "Window" for Fast Passes.

Alternatively, instead of riding once, everyone can ride twice! (Again assuming a scenario of four people with one child 3 or older but too short for the rides.)

Get Four Passes and Two Rider Switch...

Person #1 and 2 use Fast Passes.
Person #2 and 3 use Rider Switch
Person #1 and 3 use the other Fast Passes.

Adrienne

Alternatively, instead of riding once, everyone can ride twice! (Again assuming a scenario of four people with one child 3 or older but too short for the rides.)

Get Four Passes and Two Rider Switch...

Person #1 and 2 use Fast Passes.
Person #2 and 3 use Rider Switch
Person #1 and 3 use the other Fast Passes.

AdrienneOK, now I am confused (this happens a lot so if I overlooked something, sorry...) You said above, scenerio of 4 people plus child, yet in the description we only have person's 1-3. When does person 4 ride?

OK, now I am confused (this happens a lot so if I overlooked something, sorry...) You said above, scenerio of 4 people plus child, yet in the description we only have person's 1-3. When does person 4 ride?

Sorry, it's not clear - I meant 4 people and one of the four is over the age of three. So three adults and one child that's 3 (so he/she has a ticket but is too short to ride.) Or Two adults, an older sibling who wants to ride and a younger sibling who can't.

Four people total, not five.

Adrienne

Ok, I have been wondering about this... there are 5 in my family: me, dh, ds 12, dd 9, and dd 2. We will have 4 tickets so can we get 2 fast passes for let's say Indy and then 2 fast passes for Space... and then we only really get to each ride once because I would go with dd and then dh would go with ds, but because of rider switch we only need 2 fast passes per ride?
I hope that made sense :confused:

This is first time we have gone to DLR with just our family. Usually grandma stays with the littlest one.

Ok, I have been wondering about this... there are 5 in my family: me, dh, ds 12, dd 9, and dd 2. We will have 4 tickets so can we get 2 fast passes for let's say Indy and then 2 fast passes for Space... and then we only really get to each ride once because I would go with dd and then dh would go with ds, but because of rider switch we only need 2 fast passes per ride?
I hope that made sense :confused:

Yes, you are correct, yes, that makes sense.

You only need four of anything at the restricted rides. The Rider Switch is two so you only need two more fast passes.

(This won't work at Matterhorn because they don't have FastPass, but it works at all restricted rides that have FP.)

Adrienne

Thanks, that is really great news... it will save us lots of time!

I used the Rider Switch this past weekend. I really loved it. I used it on Soaring and my party got in line which was about a 40 minute wait and I went and sat to the right of the entrance where they have a little waiting area. I used that time to give my daughter lunch.

When my party was done, I went on with one person from my party and we went in the fast pass line. We walked right on and in fact heard a CM say how they were waiting for people!

I used it later on at Haunted Mansion and a CM escorted us right up to the elevator and down we went.

I really liked this feature, I used the time that my party was on rides to feed my daughter or take her to the bathroom. I felt like I didn't slow my party down.......

I used it later on at Haunted Mansion and a CM escorted us right up to the elevator and down we went.

How'd it work at Haunted Mansion??? They don't have a restriction on this ride so they don't have an official pass? I've been told that, in theory, they could do it, but I've never seen them actually DO it. When I've asked, they've said no.

Adrienne

Thanks so much for all the info! :)

I used the rider switch on Haunted Mansion because my daughter fell asleep and so the rest of my party went on without me. I stayed behind with her. Then we did the switch....