FastPass tips

I find it hard to believe but if it’s true that’s a bummer. It will still be useful for your older kids to ride twice while only waiting once, but one of the adults is out of luck. The RS tickets are good for the entire month so it will help planning the other MK days knowing you have it.

So just to clarify because I want to make sure I am understanding how it works for rider swap. Provided we could still do it this way. I have 7 & 4 yo who are both tall enough to ride big thunder mountain and splash mountain. So if I were to book FP for 2 of us for Big Thunder Mountain and then 2 of us for Splash Mountain and use rider swap. The two of us that had the FPs could ride first and then the other two? Am I understanding it right? Essentially getting extra FPs for those rides?

Yes, correct. That’s the way we’ve always done it. The only thing I’d add is the RS works for up to three people, so whichever kid has the FP can ride twice if three of you can fit. Best chance to fit is Splash Mountain. BTMRR is smaller but might work (I don’t remember as my older kids are too big), no chance on 7DMT. I’d check with a CM first.

You can “earn” a Rider Swap pass from the stand by line, so I do not understand how they could police the 2nd party needing to have a FastPass+!

So this is my scenario - can someone help?

There are 4 in my family - me, hubby and 2 kids (daughter can go on everything. Son, who’s 7, is scared of all coasters (even Barnstormer!)).

What’s the best way to do a day at MK with all of us using this system? We want to do all the headliners, of course. Appreciate any help and advice offered. It’s our first trip and I want it to be perfect. So much to think about! We are staying off site (just FYI).

I’m thinking:
7DMT - FP for my hubby and daughter. (I do Rider Switch with daughter again)
Thunder - FP for me and son. (Hubby does RS with daughter again - and might have to swipe his Magic band as he has a FP on it that we need to use up).
Splash - Hubby/Son (I do RS with daughter again)
Space - Me/Daughter. Hubby does RS with daughter again.
Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin - All of us FP

Planning on doing Peter Pan’s Flight and other Fantasy Land rides at RD.

Do you think this will work?

Also, I just had this response from Disney on email.

"Rider Swap is when Guests take turns waiting with youngsters too small to ride a certain attraction or those that do not want to ride, then “swap” with another adult Guest from their party to experience the ride without standing in line twice.

Each person riding would need a Disney FastPass®+ ticket. So, if your husband and daughter have their Disney FastPass®+ and you have yours, you would wait with your son, then swap once your husband has completed the ride to be with your son while you ride. You may check with the cast member, but sometimes, they may let your daughter ride again with you."

I don’t get it…if we all need FP anyway, what’s the point of RIder Switch? Surely we would just take turns watching my son and as the rest of us have FP just use that line. I’m confused as to why I’ve been given this instruction???

That’s what our agent was saying - that they are supposedly cracking down on the system. It doesn’t make sense to me either. I am hoping that this isn’t the case b/c I already have FPs booked forb2 of us with the intention of swapping. Would LOVE to hear what recent experiences have been with rider swap & what is actually happening in the parks!!

The point of the rider swap is so the 2nd person riding does not have to ride alone. If you are a party of 5 with two adults and 2 riding children and one non rider, everyone has a FPP then the 2nd adult would just be riding alone. Rider swap allows the 2nd adult to still have a family experience without waiting in the line again. So I can understand why they want the whole party to have FPP. The 2nd adult uses their FPP the rider swap allows two others without FPP to join the 2nd adult. I am not surprised they are cracking down. Also keep in mind rider swapping just to get extra FPP means your family is separated (no whole family experience) and it can be a time stealer. Some attractions take 15-20 minutes for the whole experience so your party is doubling the time commitment.

If you are just wanting to get extra FPP you should listen to the backside of magic podcast about dummy bands. A lot easier and less time consuming than trying to use swaps when you don’t really need to. Plus then the family can experience the rides TOGETHER. I have used riders swaps when we truly had a non rider but I do it as a have to not a want to. It’s a family vacation. I want us to be together as much as possible.

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Where do I find the podcast? And what is it about?

And I am confused now. We do need rider swap b/c we have 2 smaller children that cannot ride ( 2 yrs & 3 mos at time of our trip) so we wouldn’t be able to ride some of the rides all together. So for those rides (e.g. Soarin) I have to book FP for the 4 of us that are riding?

It’s a pod cast about tricks and tips for Disney world.

My point is 7DMT and space in this example are the way the rider swap was intended to work.

Big thunder mountain rail road and splash is working the system and separating the family in order to get extra FPP.

@Kellbell827 I am not judging here. I am all for working the system but my choice would be ride together when we can, rider swap when we have to, and use another method to get extra FPP (dummy bands)

I would book FPP for all four of you. Kids ride twice once with each parent. First ride is parent and kids FPP. 2nd ride is other parent with FPP (although you might not need it) and both kids via the rider swap.

Yes, that is what I will do. Then at least my daughter gets to go twice.

I responded on the other thread as well. Isn’t the non rider being “punished” if they have to stand and wait and not have access to another attraction? In almost all cases those non riders are too small/young to ride alone and will need a scheduled FP on another attraction and an adult with them.

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I do agree that it seems like the non-rider is being punished, which is unfair. I would love to book FP for me and my son for Peter Pan and Winnie - or rides he would like to do.

But I will have to go into standby for those under these conflicting messages.

If your son is truly a non rider, I would definitely book you and he for PP or Pooh. My personal experience on the ground is the CM does not ask for the FPP on the adult non rider. Others have reported differently and honestly, I don’t use rider swap often. For the ones where your son would ride and you are trying to get extra FPP by rider swapping, I would ride as a family and get extra FPP a different way.

Yes, unless something major has changed since mid February this will work and reports of them ‘cracking down’ were in December. This is very similar to what we did with my kids and there was not even a question asked by cast members other than ‘where are the non riders?’ I pointed to my wife who waived and that was the end of it. If your son is scared of Barnstormer he’s not going to love BTMRR or Splash though. Or are you planning on him switching Magic bands with your daughter?

From our visit in August to our visit in February the only cracking down is that they were diligent about the whole party being there when the RS is given. You can’t say ‘my wife took my kid to the bathroom’ or something like that.

Thanks for the advice. The only reason I was going to get him FPs for Splash and Thunder were so that my daughter could ride again as I wouldn’t want his FP to go to waste - he will definitely NOT ride. He saw the one in DisneyLand, Cali and he freaked out. The CMs there were very helpful and never questioned us once. They could see the boy was clearly distraught.

But I would hate to waste an opportunity for him to go on something he would love (PP & Winnie) with a less wait time.

Again, if he truly is a non rider. I would book one parent with him for something he will ride and book one parent and your daughter for the other rides. Ask for a rider swap. I bet it will be fine. Although some have reported a few issues with certain cast members, most reports are no need for the 2nd group to have FPP and afraid to ride is still grounds to get the rider swap. Worse case would be one parent does not get to ride and daughter does not ride twice (via a swap). That would only be if they refused to give the swap, which i don’t think is likely. It would be awful for your son to not get to ride anything and just be sitting around waiting.