Rider switch and fast pass

Yes. The rider swap will have its own window.

1 Like

They don’t scan the bands of the group going first. They scan the bands of the group going second.

Well the first group do scan their bands to use their FP, I think that’s what was meant.

1 Like

Bands can be switched very easily and without any trouble. The CM’s never ask.

2 adults, 4 kids and 1 is too scared to ride. But we have only 3 fastpasses for SDD. So DH takes 2 kids and asks for rider switch. I stay back with the scared one and 1 more kid. The extra kid would like to go using the RS, will they scan his band to add the rider switch even though he isnt riding this time? Or is it best to just have them scan my band plus the 2 kids that are riding first and switch the bands later?

No need to switch bands here. They will add an RS to anyone, kid or adult, party 1 or party 2, as long as there’s a kid who’s too short/scared and and adult waiting with them. One of the kids who rides the first time can also get an RS added and ride a second time.

1 Like

Don’t shoot the messenger here, but my recent experience was different. Ultimately, the CMs went along with it, but as you’ll see, there was no consistency among CMs. Examples:

  1. Showed up at Frozen with FPP for wife and daughter, son was not planning to ride. Asked for RS from CM at FPP line. He asked if all 4 of us had FPP. I said no. He said, “Well I’m not supposed to do RS unless everyone has FPP, but go ahead” and he scanned my band and my son’s band, and well all just rode together. Which was fine, but had not been our intention.

  2. Showed up at RnR, based on what we had been told by CM at Frozen, with all 4 of us with FPP. CM gave us RS as you would expect but I asked her to clarify whether we all truly needed to have FPP for that ride, and she said “No, but if you hadn’t you would have gone to standby line, not FPP line.” Now, I could see that being the case if NONE of us had FPP, so maybe I just didn’t ask my question clearly enough and she thought I was asking what we would do if NONE of us had FPP, as opposed to, say, 2 of us. There could have been a misunderstanding, but trust me, what I was asking seemed more clear in person than it does in print.

  3. Showed up a SDD with 4 FPP and went to the special RS umbrella for that ride. Had no trouble getting RS as expected, except that the CM granted my wife a RS as well. I wouldn’t have noticed this or thought anything of it…EXCEPT…earlier that day at ToT, I heard a CM telling a lady that she could not get a RS on her band since she already had a FPP. He said “Since you already have a FPP for this ride, I’m not giving you another one.” (those were his exact words, but it didn’t sound as rude in person as it looks in print). So my assumption based on that CM interaction was that someone with a FPP could ride but not gain a 2nd ride via RS. Which is apparently NOT the case.

Bottom line, we were there a week and used RS a few times, and I still couldn’t tell you what the real rule is. I think they’re trying to put a system in place to prevent abusing the system (we were guilty of a little bit of that with the old tickets that had month-long use), which is probably a good idea. And ultimately, the CM erred on the side of giving us the ride, so nothing here is intended to be a complaint. Just not sure if there will ever come a time where a CM digs their heels in and says no.

Thanks for the info Redscok24. My trip is 120+ days out so I will be following everyone’s experiences closely for the next two months before I book our fastpasses.

They only scan the bands and add the RS to the people who will be riding with the second group whether they were in the first group or not.

1 Like

We actually had a CM tell us to switch bands when I accidentally had the wrong person scan for RS (baby was strapped on to me so I was going to wait but then DH got his band scanned because I misspoke).

This is true, but important to note that you can only hold ONE RS at a time, so you can’t go around collecting them all day and then come back by yourself later and use them all or something. You have to use the first RS before you make a new one, or they will make you cancel the first.

Sometimes we forget that CM are just regular people and like all of us they also use common sense and not necessarily “follow the rules to the letter”.

Much has been said about the 5 minute tolerance to use a FP before your window. Well, on several occasions I have approached a CM and asked if I can go in sometimes up to 30 minutes before my FPP window and I have never been told no. Granted, it has been for low demand attractions like MS or POTC but still.

I accidentally went early to TSM - it was a 4th FP and I thought the window was earlier than it was - and they just waved us in.

Well, they’re mostly normal, but I’d say they’re a lot more patient than most :grinning:

2 Likes

Yes! very patient. Next time, ask them at what time is the 3pm parade?

You will be surprised by the answer. They never roll their eyes or answer “duh! at 3pm”. They always find unique ways of answering gently without making you feel like an idiot…

1 Like

In September it seems to be at 2 most days I’ve been there, so it’s a legit question

Would this work as a back up plan cause I’m a little concerned about increasing reports of all parties needing fast passes…

Book fast passes for both adults. Go up and scan 1st adult and ask for rider swap. Hopefully get 2nd adult band scanned to get rider swap loaded up. Then when 2nd rider goes in, they modify their unused fast pass for something else later on? Would that be possible?

2 Likes

Can’t wait to hear the answer. I am like you, I worry. But then I don’t want to waste “free” FP

Yeah I really don’t know what to do for the best. I was all set to just have FP for the 1st adult (apart from FOP) but now I’m not sure!

1 Like

All parties do NOT need fast-passes. Only the first group going on the ride need fast-passes, and that’s only if you’re wanting to use a fast-pass on that ride. Otherwise the first group goes in the standby line and the RS group will go in the Fast-pass line after the first group gets off the ride. It’s really not that complicated.

1 Like