How Awkward is the "Baby Swap?"

[disneykid@hrt]

I have read the general descriptions on here and in a few guidebooks, but I still feel really nervous to utilize the "baby swap."

I tried to look for people who were doing it, so I could check out how it's done- but never saw anyone doing it!

When I try to imagine how it will be done I picture these horrible scenarios. For example- Rock N Roller Coaster- my daughter standing by the "curb" as I fly off into the darkness- leaving her in a dark alley... OR ToT: after the creepy preshow, mommy gets on a death elevator and leaves me in a creepy sewer looking thing. I know it's not "that" traumatic- but I know it would be stressful for DH to be standing in a busy area holding a freaked out 2 year old!

So, how much of the pre-shows do they have to see? And is it awkward? Will my 2 year old be scared? Will we say why bother?

Thanks!:mickey:

[Buttercup]

I think you're confused - it sounds like you think you, your DH and your daughter all go into the lineup & preshow together. Yeah, that WOULD be scary, for a little girl to watch Mommy get on some creepy elevator!

In reality, your family will be waiting OUTSIDE the ride. You'll be lining up BY YOURSELF. :) They don't go into the lineup or see the pre-show at all.

This is what we do:
ALL of us go up to the cast member at the entrance of either lineup (you can go to the CM at the Fastpass Return, or you can go to the CM at the Standby Entrance - both generally have the passes).
They'll want to see your whole family in order to give you the pass.

Then Mommy (you) will go into the standby lineup and get on the ride all by yourself, while Daddy and Daughter go have a mickey ice cream. :) We usually say "I'll meet you at the exit of the ride."
So they enjoy some ice cream right around the exit of wherever Mommy will be coming out from.

When you come out, you sit down and enjoy the ice cream that Daddy bought you while you were on the ride ;) and Daddy goes around to the Fast Pass lineup and uses the Baby Swap Pass essentially like a Fast Pass.

No need to bring your daughter into the ride lineup or pre-show at all and frighten her.

I hope that explains it clear enough! It basically works like that for every ride that offers Baby Swap. We've been using it for years. It's wonderful... :)

[Buttercup]

PS - you might have noticed that at the exit of these rides, a lot of families sitting around on park benches. Chances are, they're waiting for one family member to come out so they can take their turn with the Baby Swap. :)
Tower of Terror has some lovely stone benches in the shade right outside of the gift shop. There are also benches inside right around where the ride photos are shown that we sometimes wait at as well.

Hope that helps!

[disneykid@hrt]

Okay, yeah, I was completely picturing something else! That explains why I never saw anyone doing it! HA. Okay... well, I feel silly now. :secret: That sounds great! Thanks!

[disneykid@hrt]

Sorry- I was replying when you were... I have seen people waiting, I just assumed they were waiting for the shoppers... That was my dad and brother waiting on my mom and I 15 years ago! LOL. Thanks again.

[Buttercup]

Does it make sense then? It's hard to explain sometimes...
I guess another way of putting it is, you get the Baby Swap Pass before you even enter the lineup.

That's the same with all the rides with Baby Swap. Splash Mountain even has a little playground for toddlers right near the exit so that they can keep busy while Daddy's waiting his turn for Baby Swap. :mickey:

[Gator]

It's really easy. A lot easier than what you were thinking. We've done it for 3 Disney trips and love it. It makes it better when at least one of the kids is sleeping. I feel that when they're awake, we should be riding things together.

[gerald72]

I think you're confused - it sounds like you think you, your DH and your daughter all go into the lineup & preshow together. Yeah, that WOULD be scary, for a little girl to watch Mommy get on some creepy elevator!

In reality, your family will be waiting OUTSIDE the ride. You'll be lining up BY YOURSELF. :) They don't go into the lineup or see the pre-show at all.

This is what we do:
ALL of us go up to the cast member at the entrance of either lineup (you can go to the CM at the Fastpass Return, or you can go to the CM at the Standby Entrance - both generally have the passes).
They'll want to see your whole family in order to give you the pass.

Then Mommy (you) will go into the standby lineup and get on the ride all by yourself, while Daddy and Daughter go have a mickey ice cream. :) We usually say "I'll meet you at the exit of the ride."
So they enjoy some ice cream right around the exit of wherever Mommy will be coming out from.

When you come out, you sit down and enjoy the ice cream that Daddy bought you while you were on the ride ;) and Daddy goes around to the Fast Pass lineup and uses the Baby Swap Pass essentially like a Fast Pass.

No need to bring your daughter into the ride lineup or pre-show at all and frighten her.

I hope that explains it clear enough! It basically works like that for every ride that offers Baby Swap. We've been using it for years. It's wonderful... :)

I have never used the baby swap, and I can say I don't fully understand it, either.
So, using the scenerio you just explained, could daddy use the baby swap pass BEFORE mommy waited in standby?
And what's the prevent mommy from never waiting in standby to begin with?
What I mean is, couldn't a family go from ride-to-ride getting baby swap passes, riding them solo, but never waiting in line?

[wdwfansince75]

I have never used the baby swap, and I can say I don't fully understand it, either.
So, using the scenerio you just explained, could daddy use the baby swap pass BEFORE mommy waited in standby?
And what's the prevent mommy from never waiting in standby to begin with?
What I mean is, couldn't a family go from ride-to-ride getting baby swap passes, riding them solo, but never waiting in line?

I am one grandpa that really loves Child Swap....I am usually one of the 3 people who get to ride twice....For Child Swap rides....If you don't have a fast pass, you get the swap pass at the entrance to the standby queue.....and the second ride, using the Swap pass also uses the standby queue.....No advantage to the approach you proposed.....If you have a fast pass (advised approach), you get the Child Swap pass at the entrance to the Fast Pass line, and one person (or party of up to 3) enters the Fast Pass queue. Note that all members of the party, including the "player to ride later" must have a fast pass to use the FP entrance. The person with the child and the Swap pass waits...For SM, sometimes the waiters do TTA, to see if they can spot Mommy (or Daddy) waiting for the ride.... Upon exiting the ride, the parents swap off, and the party does a second ride. For certain rides, DW (aka "DGM") sits out one or both rides, with the Child (aka "DGD" or "DGS"), allowing the parents to ride together...
In the past, we have taken breaks after the first ride, and returned later...Only seems to work for FP line if the person with the Swap pass also has a FP.
While we have seen people use the FP entrance with a Swap pass and no FP, we have been told several times that at least one FP must be surrended with the Swap pass. Those riding twice only need the FP for the first ride. Without a FP, you must use the standby queue.

[Buttercup]

I have never used the baby swap, and I can say I don't fully understand it, either.
So, using the scenerio you just explained, could daddy use the baby swap pass BEFORE mommy waited in standby?
And what's the prevent mommy from never waiting in standby to begin with?
What I mean is, couldn't a family go from ride-to-ride getting baby swap passes, riding them solo, but never waiting in line?
Yes, I suppose people *could* abuse the system and just use the Baby Swap passes as fast passes and riding solo. Although the CM's want to see that you actually HAVE a family of young children with you before they give out the passes, so it's not like a single person could get the pass. So I guess it would be families abusing the system. But that's a big no-no. :nono:

[magicofdisney]

I have never used the baby swap, and I can say I don't fully understand it, either.
So, using the scenerio you just explained, could daddy use the baby swap pass BEFORE mommy waited in standby?
And what's the prevent mommy from never waiting in standby to begin with?
What I mean is, couldn't a family go from ride-to-ride getting baby swap passes, riding them solo, but never waiting in line?
Even with the baby swap, someone is waiting in line. With a baby swap, the second adult goes through the fast pass line which is right next to the regular entrance. The CM would not hand off a baby swap pass and then allow the adult to jump in that line immediately (at least in theory).

Also, the current procedure requires the CM to actually see the child that is being left behind, so to speak, and both adults before issuing the pass.

[Buttercup]

The CM would not hand off a baby swap pass and then allow the adult to jump in that line immediately (at least in theory).
Hmmm... I know in the past, we've all gone up to the standby CM, asked for a baby swap pass, and then gone to find a park bench to get the kids settled before one of us goes and waits in the standby line.
So in theory, one of the parents could easily take the baby swap pass over to the Fast Pass lane and walk right on (without anyone ever doing the standby lineup) because the Fast Pass castmember is far enough away from the Standby castmember who gave out the pass.

But I think we're drifting into bad territory here - Intercot doesn't look kindly on people figuring out how to break the rules.
:rocks:

[disneykid@hrt]

So let me get this straight- you get one Swap Pass per group. The first person waits in stand-by while the kids and dad go wander. And after the first rider, the person with the swap pass can get in the FP line? So the family would be wise to go and do other attractions if the wait is a pretty long one? But we all need to go and get the swap pass together. In my family- it would be wise for ME to stay with the kids for the long wait- haha.

[MaxPower]

Can someone clarify:

If all you have is your baby swap pass, do you then go to the standby line or the Fast Pass line?

[tys_mommy]

Can someone clarify:

If all you have is your baby swap pass, do you then go to the standby line or the Fast Pass line?

Once you have obtained the baby swap ticket and the 1st part of your party has completed their ride the 2nd part of your party will enter through the fast pass line to complete the baby swap process.

[Nascfan]

Can someone clarify:

If all you have is your baby swap pass, do you then go to the standby line or the Fast Pass line?

Ok, so you are the 2nd adult to ride. You've waited with Junior while your spouse rode. You now have the baby swap pass. You get in the Fast Pass line, NOT the Standby. (although I always thought you got to go in the exit side, but I could be wrong about that).
But regardless, the whole point of baby swap is both adults ride with only ONE wait (the first one, in the Standby line). That way parents without a "babysitter" are not punished by having to wait twice. Make sense?

The other nice thing (unless they've changed recently) is that if you've got two kids, say a 10 yr old and a 2 yr old, the 10 yr old can ride with both parents, getting two rides in while waiting just once. Kind of a neat little deal for older bro or sis.

[Belster]

I think you're confused - it sounds like you think you, your DH and your daughter all go into the lineup & preshow together. Yeah, that WOULD be scary, for a little girl to watch Mommy get on some creepy elevator!

In reality, your family will be waiting OUTSIDE the ride. You'll be lining up BY YOURSELF. :) They don't go into the lineup or see the pre-show at all.

This is what we do:
ALL of us go up to the cast member at the entrance of either lineup (you can go to the CM at the Fastpass Return, or you can go to the CM at the Standby Entrance - both generally have the passes).
They'll want to see your whole family in order to give you the pass.

Then Mommy (you) will go into the standby lineup and get on the ride all by yourself, while Daddy and Daughter go have a mickey ice cream. :) We usually say "I'll meet you at the exit of the ride."
So they enjoy some ice cream right around the exit of wherever Mommy will be coming out from.

When you come out, you sit down and enjoy the ice cream that Daddy bought you while you were on the ride ;) and Daddy goes around to the Fast Pass lineup and uses the Baby Swap Pass essentially like a Fast Pass.

No need to bring your daughter into the ride lineup or pre-show at all and frighten her.

I hope that explains it clear enough! It basically works like that for every ride that offers Baby Swap. We've been using it for years. It's wonderful... :)

This is exactly how it is done. :mickey:

[phillydan]

It is a very smooth process and not awkward at all. In most cases, the transaction happens at the stand-by entrance, but you sometimes have to wait in line just to get to the enterance.

However, on 2 separate occasions, we had to bring our son through the pre-show for Tower of Terror and then they had a separate (normal) elevator that took us from the basement to the exit area where we waited for the swap. Other times, we just got the pass at the enterance. Never understood why that happened.

[SoaringEpcot]

For us this past week it worked like this:
If a ride had a fast pass the child swap ticket holder would go through the fast pass line. If a ride did not have a fast pass the child swap ticket holder went through the exit to board the ride.

[Nascfan]

For us this past week it worked like this:
If a ride had a fast pass the child swap ticket holder would go through the fast pass line. If a ride did not have a fast pass the child swap ticket holder went through the exit to board the ride.

Ah, so I wasn't completely wrong about the exit. Thanks for the clarification.

[Joannelet]

I really appreciate this being explained. I was wondering however I know you mentioned if you have an older child they can ride 2x's while a parent waits with a younger one. I was wondering if the same goes for grandparents?
I was wondering if my mom and I waited with the baby while my dad and husband went on the ride could my mom and I both use the baby swap after we switch off to get on the ride together?

[magicofdisney]

I really appreciate this being explained. I was wondering however I know you mentioned if you have an older child they can ride 2x's while a parent waits with a younger one. I was wondering if the same goes for grandparents?
I was wondering if my mom and I waited with the baby while my dad and husband went on the ride could my mom and I both use the baby swap after we switch off to get on the ride together?
Yes, you can because the baby swap pass allows you and up to 3 other guest access to the ride. :mickey: