Rider swap if tall enough, but scared to ride?

I have 2 children, 8 & 5. Both are 44 inches or taller, but each is scared of different rides. The 5yo loves coasters and panics on simulators. The 8yo is the opposite - loves the simulators and is terrified of coaster or any fast ride. When I read the Disney websites rider swap info, it sounds like we should be able to use rider swap in these instances but everything I have read on the forum seems to refer only to the height requirement. Does anyone have any experience with using rider swap in this way?

I’ve read that you can still use it, but haven’t ever tried it.

We used it at Splash Mountain because my daughter was afraid. At first the cast member seemed confused because she was tall enough, but after I explained she was too afraid to ride there was no issue. It shouldn’t be a problem!

I would suggest you keep a copy of the official Disney World Rider Switch policy handy. There have been reports that some CMs won’t allow rider swap if the child is tall enough but is afraid to ride.

It shouldn’t be an issue. There was many times where I simply explained my wife was over there with our daughter and I’d need a ride swap. I just simply pointed and they handed me the pass. I wouldn’t stress to much about this.

My daughter was tall enough to ride 7DMT but was too scared. So my son was happy because he got to ride it twice while my wife and I did rider swap keeping our daughter off to the side.

This happened to me in December. Son was tall enough and was scared and CM looked at him smirked when I asked about the Rider Switch policy for him and how we would do it. She then said, yeah it’s called waiting in the regular line and then you switch with your spouse- no Rider Switch pass. :expressionless: So you’re saying we could have used the rider switch? I thought I had done something wrong!

I think the official policy is that the program is for children under the ridable height, and what the cast member told you is correct.
I can only tell you my experience, which is my wife and daughter were always over near the stroller parking and Id walk up and tell the cast member I’d need a ride swap pass because my daughter couldn’t ride and that my wife was going to stay with her. (Sometimes I’d have to point to where they were, but they never checked her height) They never question me at all, they just handed me the pass and I walked with the ride swap. I did this at animal kingdom for avatar and Everest, Hollywood studios at rockin roller coaster, and at magic kingdom for space my and dwarves mine trail. This was in early December this year.

To add to this I think all the cast members want to make the experience an enjoyable one for all so they don’t look to question or ruin your request for the ride switch, but if you walk up with the kid and they are clearly higher than the required height they have to follow the rules and tell you that you’re not eligible for the ride swap.

Here is the link to the rider switch policy. It’s not just for children under the height requirements.
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/en_CA/guest-services/rider-switch/ht .

This is from the link.

If a child does not meet the height requirement or a Guest does not wish to board a particular attraction, no problem! With Rider Switch, one adult can wait with the non-rider (or riders) while the rest of the party enjoys the attraction. When the other adult returns, they can supervise the non-riding Guests, and the waiting adult can board the attraction without having to wait in the regular line again!

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Thanks for the info! I’ll keep it with me for next time as my son doesn’t really love some of the scarier rides even if he does meet the height requirements. I thought I had misunderstood the system and was embarrassed to question it thinking maybe I looked like I was trying to cheat the system or something. I feel better knowing that I wasn’t wrong- thanks!

This is what I thought the policy said. I wonder why cast members would not honor the official policy? Perhaps they are told to do so unless the guest produces “evidence” of the policy?? It just seems counter to the service I would expect at Disney.