I know how Rider Switch works and I know how Lightning Lane works. I’m curious about the details when you try to mix them together. I’m assuming that the answer to my question is agnostic as to whether it’s a Single Pass or Multi Pass Lightning Lane reservation.
My family and I will be traveling to Disney World very soon, in early December! My 7 year old is tall enough to ride everything, but my 4 year old is tall enough to ride most things yet too short for one or two rides per park.
Let’s say that I’m running late (say Seven Dwarfs had a very long standby queue or lunch ran late), but still within the 119min grace period. Let’s say I arrive at Tron with 3 Lighting Lanes for my 7 year old, wife, and myself at 3:45pm. We talk to the cast member there for Rider Switch. I know that in order for all 3 of us to get to use the Lightning Lane, all 3 of us have to have a Lightning Lane (I need a purchased Lightning Lane for myself too, I can’t not have one, then receive a free trip through the Lightning Lane from the Rider Switch). I watch my 4 year old who can’t ride Tron while my wife and 7 year old ride.
Let’s say that it passes the end of the grace period (so after 3:59pm) before I can get back to Tron (let’s say it’s after 3:59pm because my wife’s ride of Tron took a little while, or even say I take my 4 year old to Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin so he’s not bored waiting and Buzz had a 30 minute standby line). It’s now my turn to ride Tron and my 7 year old can ride a second time, now with me.
Since it’s after the 3:59pm grace period for my original Lightning Lane reservation, is that not allowed (I lost my Lightning Lane)? I.e. the Lightning Lane scanner Mickey head won’t turn green, and I won’t be allowed to ride (unless the cast member happens to take pity on me)? Or does setting up Rider Switch when all 3 Lightning Lanes are still valid (in my example, at 3:45pm) make it so that Rider Switch gives me (and 7 year old for a second ride) access to the Lightning Lane essentially anytime, even after the 3:59pm original Lightning Lane reservation grace period is over?
I once asked a CM this question and was told that you have an hour from the time the Rider Swap LL is added to your account. And while I don’t have any official confirmation, that would seen to make logical sense since LL windows are typically an hour.
Note #1: The 119 grace period is not an official rule so while I have made use of it from time to time, I try not to rely on it, especially for high demand rides. If the LL line for an attraction gets really backed up, I could see the 119 grace period not being followed … just a guess on my part.
Note #2: All your reasons for being late for LLs sound pretty reasonable to me and if for some reason the CM at an attraction did not let you in, I suspect (but can’t guaranty) that speaking with a blue umbrella (guest relations) and politely explaining the situation would result in guest relations honoring the LL, especially a LLSP like Tron.
I don’t know if you will find a definitive answer, but the most recent time I used RS with LL, they scanned the MBs of both riders who were going to ride the second time. And it is very possible that by doing so, they are lengthening the end time of the LL. I tend to think something like this is happening cause I’ve never had an issue.
Also, I have used a RS pass much later than 1 hour. Sometimes we move on to the next ride and use the RS later. It usually only lists an “after” time, IIRC. However, each guest can only have only RS pass at a time, so you have to use one RS pass before getting a new one. (You can alternate which adults / re-riders use the RS pass so your party could have more than one at a time collectively.)
I should preface this with the caveat that I haven’t had to use RS since 2021 (so happy those days are over!)
But if it’s any reassurance, back when I did use it I also often kept the RS pass for later in the day, as @Jeff_AZ described - one day, we got the RS at rope drop at FoP, and didn’t use it until park closing.
My guess would be that - since RS is open to everyone and not just those who are using LLs - the RS pass effectively replaces the LL time window and just remains valid until used. Just keep in mind, as Jeff said, that the same adult can’t then get another RS pass at another ride as you can only hold one RS at any given time.
I feel like I have almost never ridden within an hour of using the RS. I believe that all of the RS’s I have ever seen on my account have no end time.
I am using it less and less but I still have used it on a few rides with a “scared but tall enough” kid (who is now 7.) 7DMT offered us an internal rider swap twice. I did not take advantage because I was caught off guard, but that is one where I think you should think about it if it’s offered. It will just be much faster for everyone. I know DS4 may be annoyed, but the ride is so short that it’s probably worth him just waiting rather than trying to go off and do something else.
Also, Space Mountain once tried not to scan me (as a returning rider) for the Rider Swap and it screwed up us getting more LLs. The guy kept saying that they would just let me through with an expired LL later. But I wanted to get another one! This was years ago so maybe they are more savvy now, but I would definitely insist that they take your LL right away and change it with a RS.
Thanks for all of the insight, everyone! Ok so it seems that setting up the Rider Switch initially probably replaces/supersedes the original Lighting Lane reservation, so the Rider Switch could likely be used even if the original LL window expired before I got to use my new Rider Switch pass.
I used to keep a photo of the official WDW Rider Switch rules from their website on my phone because I had so many issues with CMs not understanding the rules.
Ok, new question: my original question was about mixing Lighting Lane with Rider Switch, but how about the opposite:
Can I hold a separate Rider Switch and a separate Lightning Lane for the same ride at the same time? Let me give a concrete example:
Goal: ride Avatar Flight of Passage twice in one day. Let’s say my family walks into Animal Kingdom with an 11am FoP Lightning Lane. But in addition, we join the fray and rope drop FoP. When we get to the entrance (standby queue) of FoP, we ask for a Rider Switch–my wife and 7 year old ride FoP immediately, and I watch my 4 year old. Can I hold a separate Rider Switch for FoP concurrently with a separate Single Pass Lightning Lane? Ideally then I could redeem my Rider Switch at say 9am and use my normal LL at 11am, getting to ride it twice.
Yes you can, as long as when you go to get your RS you tell them you’re waiting standby, and also it helps that your LL window is not close to when you’re planning to get the RS pass. Otherwise they might try to get you to use your LLs instead of waiting standby.