Fast Pass+ and Rider Switch Program

How does Fast Pass+ and Rider Switch work? It will be me, my husband and our 1 year old son. Would my husband and I need to make the same FP+ selections on rides my son can't ride? Let's say we both made Space Mountain FP+ selections, would we each get to ride two times (in a row) while the other one waits with our son? Not trying to double dip or "beat" the system but trying to figure out the best way to plan. Some of our selections will be on rides that our son will be able to ride so I know in that instance, we both need to use our FP+ selection.

Two issues, normally the rider swap is so that one adult can go with the remainder of the family while the other adult stays with the child that is too small to go on the ride. In your situation, if it is only the one child, there is really no need to use the rider swap as you and your husband would be each doing it alone anyway. In your situation you'd probably be best served using the single rider lines.

2nd, I don't know if the Rider Swap works with FP+. I thought, and I could be totally wrong, but I thought that you did stand by the first go round with rider swap, and then the CM would give the other parent a FP for themselves plus two more for other members of the family. I don't know that they allow you to FP the ride intially, and then FP it again because of rider swap. I think if they allowed that, then people would play the system. If you had an infant, you would get your family FP+ for 7dMT and then rider swap it, giving the family essentially two FP rides to a premiere attraction and I don't see them allowing that, but I could be wrong.

I would simply FP your 3 most important rides that you want, then do single rider on the ones you don't FP (assuming they don't allow rider swap).

Taken from the mom's panel on the disney site

In order to use Rider Switch with FastPass+ selections, those in the party riding the attraction first would need to reserve a FastPass+ selection using My Disney Experience. You can ask for a Rider Switch pass at the FastPass+ entrance. The waiting adult would not need a FastPass+ reservation to ride afterwards, just the Rider Switch Pass. So technically you only need a FastPass+ selection for two members of the party and, yes, your daughter can ride twice. I usually like to reward non-riders (like myself) with a Mickey Ice Cream Bar for their patience.

The procedures for using the rider switch (or "baby swap") option have not changed due to the implementation of FP+. The idea is that most family members will go on the ride using the standby queue (or the FP queue if you have made a FP reservation for those people). One or more persons stays behind with the non-riding child. The CM at the ride entrance issues a Rider Switch card to those remaining behind. This is a small pasteboard card that looks similar to the old paper fastpasses. After the first group has been on the ride, the child is passed to them and those who had previously remained behind enter the FP+ queue using their own FP+ reservation or using the Rider Switch card as a FP (its good for up to three persons).

So, if everyone in the family (or in your case, both of you) already have a FP+ reservation, then the only value of the pass is to allow up to three persons to ride twice using the FP queue.

If no one in the group has a FP+, then the first group of riders will wait in the standby queue to go on the ride, and the value of the pass is to allow the second group of riders (up to 3) to use the FP queue.

So, in your case, only one of you has to have a FP+ reservation because the second person will use the pass. Or, if you both have a FP+ reservation, then the pass will allow one of you to ride twice (but not both).

I know it's complicated, but that's how it works.

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Originally Posted by WDWdriver

So, in your case, only one of you has to have a FP+ reservation because the second person will use the pass. Or, if you both have a FP+ reservation, then the pass will allow one of you to ride twice (but not both).

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Exactly, only one of you needs a FP if you're using rider switch. One will line up in the FP line, while the other gets a rider switch card, then you'll switch after. If you both get FPs, then there's no need for the rider switch at all, as you aren't really skipping the line, just getting a "free" FP.

Rider switch is only supported at rides with height requirements. If there's no physical reason for the child to not ride, then there's no rider swap card to provide guests.

Thanks so much everyone!!