Ok gang…need some specific input on FOP and child swap. We’ll be doing the “get there early for RD” at AK for FOP since I couldn’t secure FP+. We’ll have my DGD who is too small. Here’s the rub…if DDIL waits with DGD and gets her rider swap time, what’s been anyone’s experience with how far out the 1hr10min window is? My concern is we’re riding at 9am and she’ll get a return time of 5pm given the cluster that’s FOP demand. I know, first world problems…T-minus four days till the blast off to MickeyWorld:stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:
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I believe the rider swap return time is unrelated to FP+ availability. Every report I’ve read says she will get a return time that starts around the time they expect you to finish the first ride. So if you get in line at 8AM and the expected wait is 30 minutes, the return time will be around 8:30AM for the start of the window.
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I just did this a few days ago so I can share my experience.
As you approach the queue look for a CM with a tablet on her hand and tell her you are doing rider switch. Next tell her who is coming back. No other information is needed. Remember older kids can return and ride twice!
Try to be on the right set of mind. People will pass you by as you are signing up, so you might feel that you are “wasting time”. Just deal with it, that is the cost of rider switch.
The CM will give you a return window based on the wait time. If for example the wait time is 60 minutes, she will give you are return time 75 minutes from now. I sensed that this was more of a rule of thumb than a set rule. My daughter was able to ride FOP a total of six times by also staggering our FPP so it is worth it.
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Great input. I also staggered our FOP FPs for this coming week for this reason. Glad to hear it should work!
I noticed that having an FPP is not a requirement for the waiting person. I tried this on top attractions like FOP, SDD, 7DMT, and FEA. So a good strategy is to stagger FPP selections using non overlapping window. Could be a morning FPP and another afternoon FPP and then the child can ride three times, first using her own FPP and the return FPP, and then again using the second return FPP.
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Can you elaborate on this staggering?
Is the return time independent of whether you used FP or standby? I mean, if I’m going through via FP+, it shouldn’t take me a full hour long to come out and be ready to swap, right?
Lets assume a family of four mom, dad, daughter (DD), and non-riding son (DS). Now assume the following FPP selections for FOP:
Dad, DD: 10:00am-11:00am
Mom: 2:00pm-3:00pm
The way FPP and RS work in tandem would be as follows:
Dad and DD ride using their FPP at 10:30am and request a RS.
Mom and DD ride using the RS, let’s say at 11:15am
Break and tour the park.
Mom rides using her FPP at 2:15pm and requests a RS
Dad and DD ride using RS, let’s say at 3:30pm
In the end everyone used 1 FPP, Mom and Dad rode twice and DD rode three times.
However, note that RS is a HUGE time commitment. You are riding with no lines and no FPP but at the expense of waiting to be reunited with your party. It really isn’t a “trick”. It is kinda boring actually. I recommend using it only for attractions that are truly worth it like FOP.
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The only thing I’m questioning in your above explanation is the part where Mom rides on her FPP and then generates a RS for Dad and DD…I thought DD would have also had to have a FPP to ride twice, no? Otherwise =only one person in a party would ever need a FPP and everyone else could piggy back via RS. I didn’t think it could work that way–did it work for you?
Yes, it works. I can confirm that the waiting party doesn’t need FPP.
The FPP is irrelevant to the RS system. The only effect FPP has is on the return window. CM don’t really care how many people come back for RS or if they have FPP at all, it’s a matter of just scanning the bands onto their devices for them. You won’t dirty looks or anything.
I’m not talking theory. I did this last week.
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Wow, so good to know! I was wondering whether adults can essentially double their rides by doing this. Do you know what happens if the FPP’s are closer together, i.e. only an hour apart? DH at 9, Me at 10, etc? Will a RS on DH’s 9 am FPP cancel out my 10 a.m. one? Unlikely?
I didn’t experience having FPPs close together first hand but I doubt they would cancel out. The RS shows up as a separate “FPP reservation” with particular redemption details and it can’t be modified. However, I don’t know which one would get used first.
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