Rider swap experience?

[lawgirl]

Just curious as to the inner workings of the child rider swap. I get the basic theory of it, but can someone who has utilized it and experienced it walk me through the steps, say for example, at Soarin?

We have 4 adults and 1 child, and would like to stay together as much as possible.

[Grumpy.]

It works great. Our 7 year old (at the time) tried ToT once, and that was it. No way he was getting on it again. We'd then tell the CM at the start of the line we wanted to do the kid swap. They directed one adult and the child to where the ride exits. Once the rest of the group had ridden, they allowed the adult that didn't ride, along with 3 others, to go on again, entering the ride through the exit while one of the adults that did ride stayed with the kid. My 3 daughters loved it, they'd all get to ride twice in a row.
It's not complicated to use. Just let that first CM know you want to use it.

[wdwfansince75]

We have always gotten Fast Passes first....then, at return time, approach the FP entrance....One adult, and up to 3 others, ride while one adult and the non-riding child do something else...After the ride, the non-riding adult and up to 3 others use the child swap ticket, and go back through the fast pass line.

As with fast passes, the child swap pass does not need to be used immediately...We got one for an early ride on EE at AK...did one ride, then met the rest of the family for Donald's Breakfast Safari...then, 4 of us rode EE again, using the child swap ticket.

[r4kids]

This will be our first time using this!! Great thread thanks

[Buttercup]

Okay so let's play with the scenario you presented: 4 adults, 1 child at Soarin'.

The "rider swap" or "baby swap" pass is good for up to 3 people -- so up to 3 people can go on the ride together. Here are the steps you take:

1. Your ENTIRE group goes up to the cast member at the beginning of the standby queue. Tell the cast member you'd like the baby swap pass -- they'll want to see you have a small child with you before they hand over the pass (which is why your group must go together).

2. Once you have the pass (it looks like a fast-pass but says something like "Rider Switch" on it), agree on a group meeting place in the general area -- maybe a particular spot in the Land Pavilion, a particular table, or wherever.

3. Adults #1, 2 and 3 get in the standby line for Soarin, while Adult #4 and Child go find something else to do... maybe grab some lunch in the Land Pavillion, go for a walk, ride "Living With the Land", whatever.

4. After a reasonable amount of time, Adults #1, 2 & 3 enjoy their ride, and come out to meet Adult #4 & Child at the pre-determined meeting spot.

5. Adult #4 PLUS Adult #1 & 2 who'd like to ride again (because remember, the pass is valid for up to 3 people!) take the pass up to the Fast Pass Queue and show the cast member. Adult #3 waits with the child this time around.

6. The pass will act like a fast pass from this point on, and you just hand it to the cast member as you normally would in the fp queue.

TA-DA! You've just used baby swap at Soarin'.

[wdwfansince75]

It works best with Fast Pass....Once the return time arrives, the entire crowd, including the child, approach the CM at the start of the FP queue. Tell the CM you will be doing the swap...then 3 proceed through the FP queue....the others wait.

[lawgirl]

Awesome guys! Thanks for the helpful info. Its our first time travelling with our infant son, and it was just a little hard to picture how it is going to work...and we're not wanting to waste time trying to figure things out when we get there...so much thanks!

[dumbo_buddy]

just one little thing to add: if any CM doesn't do as was described above, be sure to remind them of the rules. dh and i went to do baby swap with our 7 month old back in january.the the CM told us that we all had to wait in the line and then we'd just swap up in the loading area...NO! not correct. i explained to her how baby swap should work and she still didn't want to let us do it. i kindly asked her to ask her supervisor because dh and i had done baby swap all over the parks and never had to have the baby wait in the line. sure enough, we were right and she was wrong. she was probably new and just needed to be taught the rules

baby swap works so great! you get to do all the run rides! just make sure to use it!!

[Kenny1113]

Actually the cm might have been correct. In the past when we used baby swap someone would wait outside with the little ones while the others rode and then we would swap. However on our trip in Oct space mountain cm had us all stay together and one of us exited with the little one before we got to the last segment of the line and waited where the step out of the rocket. Then we switched there and went up a ramp and rode again almost immeadiately. I don't know if this is new procedure or if everyone messed up or of one cm messed up and everyone went along. I worked for us though.

[TexansInNY]

Have done it plenty with kids now 12 and 6 - exactly the way it works - low stress, efficient.

[Buttercup]

Actually the cm might have been correct. In the past when we used baby swap someone would wait outside with the little ones while the others rode and then we would swap. However on our trip in Oct space mountain cm had us all stay together and one of us exited with the little one before we got to the last segment of the line and waited where the step out of the rocket. Then we switched there and went up a ramp and rode again almost immeadiately. I don't know if this is new procedure or if everyone messed up or of one cm messed up and everyone went along. I worked for us though.

I have heard of this happening to a few people on Space Mountain as well, but every time I go there, we wait outside on the benches watching the Tomorrowland Speedway with the little ones. I don't think it's a new procedure (waiting outside) -- I actually think having to go through the whole lineup is the *old* procedure that some CM's haven't stopped using. You should be waiting outside so you can go get an ice cream, shop in the stores, etc. while you're waiting for your group.