DIGITAL Rider Swap/Rider Switch/Child Swap: In Effect as of June 16th

For this to be successful they need to take most the control away from the CMs. All they really should do is select the persons involved in the swap and get it on their MB. Let the system do the rest. It's already there, just needed some alterations.
Yup. I tell you it works so seamlessly at DL, I actually did not even know we had a time limit. There is no messing. They just scan and you go. Two seconds.
 
There's definitely some kinks left to work out with this system. On the surface it seems ok- everything stays pretty much the same as before (show the littles who aren't riding, get passes good for up to three people to ride including ones who already rode, etc.) but the devil is in the details. From what we saw, scanning the bands was actually a pretty quick process, it's just that most people weren't aware that they needed to have everyone there to get scanned or even how the digital system works so there is a lot of holdup just from trying to explain things. My main complaint is with the restraint on the return time. If you already have FPs that are on a different side of the park for the same time frame as your return slot, that could cause some problems. We were actually in that boat this morning. We rope dropped FoP, but our return slot was at 9:45 when we already had FPs for EE, so the other side of the park. Fortunately the CMs were gracious and let us use the return swap earlier, but it seems like they should have foreseen that sort of conflict. I also don't love having to wheel the younger ones right up to the FP stand for them to see and for me to get scanned. Whereas my wife or I would usually stand at a short distance before, now it really rubs it in the face of the younger child that they're missing out. More than that, though, the extra people and strollers seemed to cause way more congestion around the FP return line and tap points, which is pretty annoying for everyone trying to get on the ride. Just some things that could be ironed out a little better.
 
There's definitely some kinks left to work out with this system. On the surface it seems ok- everything stays pretty much the same as before (show the littles who aren't riding, get passes good for up to three people to ride including ones who already rode, etc.) but the devil is in the details. From what we saw, scanning the bands was actually a pretty quick process, it's just that most people weren't aware that they needed to have everyone there to get scanned or even how the digital system works so there is a lot of holdup just from trying to explain things. My main complaint is with the restraint on the return time. If you already have FPs that are on a different side of the park for the same time frame as your return slot, that could cause some problems. We were actually in that boat this morning. We rope dropped FoP, but our return slot was at 9:45 when we already had FPs for EE, so the other side of the park. Fortunately the CMs were gracious and let us use the return swap earlier, but it seems like they should have foreseen that sort of conflict. I also don't love having to wheel the younger ones right up to the FP stand for them to see and for me to get scanned. Whereas my wife or I would usually stand at a short distance before, now it really rubs it in the face of the younger child that they're missing out. More than that, though, the extra people and strollers seemed to cause way more congestion around the FP return line and tap points, which is pretty annoying for everyone trying to get on the ride. Just some things that could be ironed out a little better.
Yeah, I was really surprised there was a "start" time for the window. The time limit is making you ride back to back, but then they might make you wait to actually ride back to back, hopefully that gets changed.
 
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I'm confused... So they give you a start and end window that you have to return in for RS now? For instance, group A could get done riding but group B might have to wait 30 mins for their hour to start?
 
There's definitely some kinks left to work out with this system. On the surface it seems ok- everything stays pretty much the same as before (show the littles who aren't riding, get passes good for up to three people to ride including ones who already rode, etc.) but the devil is in the details. From what we saw, scanning the bands was actually a pretty quick process, it's just that most people weren't aware that they needed to have everyone there to get scanned or even how the digital system works so there is a lot of holdup just from trying to explain things. My main complaint is with the restraint on the return time. If you already have FPs that are on a different side of the park for the same time frame as your return slot, that could cause some problems. We were actually in that boat this morning. We rope dropped FoP, but our return slot was at 9:45 when we already had FPs for EE, so the other side of the park. Fortunately the CMs were gracious and let us use the return swap earlier, but it seems like they should have foreseen that sort of conflict. I also don't love having to wheel the younger ones right up to the FP stand for them to see and for me to get scanned. Whereas my wife or I would usually stand at a short distance before, now it really rubs it in the face of the younger child that they're missing out. More than that, though, the extra people and strollers seemed to cause way more congestion around the FP return line and tap points, which is pretty annoying for everyone trying to get on the ride. Just some things that could be ironed out a little better.


Did you have to scan every ones band or just the one that will RS? My DH uses a wheelchair at Disney. There are rides he can't ride, but yet also can't be the one in charge of the shorties. Would he also be wheeled over for his MB to be scan?

I agree with the small kid getting right up to the FP point. My DGD 2 1/2 yrs old, didn't have a ticket, didn't need a MB , but wanted to tap in just like anyone else. He would not be happy getting right up there and not going on. Much easier to wave from a short distance on the way to checking out the fountain, getting ice cream, following a duck.....you get the idea.
 


See, the back-to-back aspect just makes it all the more necessary in my view that they allow the non-riding parent to get a different fastpass to take the little one on something else while the first group rides. Pandora is HOT, and while I could maybe chill in Saluti or a gift shop with my toddler for the 30 minutes it takes one group to ride, it is a bit much to just ask toddler to sit around for the hour it would take both groups to do back-to-back rides. And there would not be time for me to take him on standby to Navi and still be back in time for a 1-hour rider swap window.

I've currently got Navi for myself and little one while the others have FOP for our August trip. Fingers crossed they will still allow ride swap so I can finally get to experience FOP!!!
 
Ok, so we are leaving today and thought I would update a little while on the DME bus. Yes, kids (or anyone, really) are allowed to ride twice, as long as your second part doesn’t exceed 3 guests. They let DH ride with me and ODD while my mother stayed with the littles. They just told us to choose 2 of our party to accompany DH for the swap.

And yes, the digital system seems to be up and down. We used digital at FOP on the 14th and then on the 16th when we went back, they gave us a paper. No idea if it was a battery issue with the scanners or what. We rode TT yesterday and she said they went live at Epcot at noon, but then when we went to soarin an hour later, they were using paper.

And yes, there is an hour window, but as the CM explained to me, they add the standby time to that hour for standby guests and a half hour to the time for FP guests, to account for lines and ride Time, as well as finding your family and returning to the queue. When it was working, it didn’t seem to create excessive chaos anywhere except FOP, but even when we rode it with paper switch tickets, there seemed to be mass chaos at the FP entrance. Not sure what it is about that spot that makes so much craziness but it was insane there both times we rode. I will be happy to answer any other questions as much as I can, I know this change has thrown a wrench into the plans of anyone traveling soon, the lack of info from Disney is sooooo frustrating!
 
See, the back-to-back aspect just makes it all the more necessary in my view that they allow the non-riding parent to get a different fastpass to take the little one on something else while the first group rides. Pandora is HOT, and while I could maybe chill in Saluti or a gift shop with my toddler for the 30 minutes it takes one group to ride, it is a bit much to just ask toddler to sit around for the hour it would take both groups to do back-to-back rides. And there would not be time for me to take him on standby to Navi and still be back in time for a 1-hour rider swap window.

I've currently got Navi for myself and little one while the others have FOP for our August trip. Fingers crossed they will still allow ride swap so I can finally get to experience FOP!!!

DH and the littles did this EXACT thing 3 days ago with absolutely no issues. I got him a FP for Na’vi while we went on FOP and then he met us in the gift shop, we swapped and he got to ride, no problems. I think you have an excellent plan, and it kept the babies happy and cool since the queue/preshow for FOP takes foooooorever.
 
DH and the littles did this EXACT thing 3 days ago with absolutely no issues. I got him a FP for Na’vi while we went on FOP and then he met us in the gift shop, we swapped and he got to ride, no problems. I think you have an excellent plan, and it kept the babies happy and cool since the queue/preshow for FOP takes foooooorever.
Oh my gosh, you have no idea how happy this news makes me!!! I hope this continues to be the practice in august when we go, but this definitely gives me hope! Thanks for the reply.
 
And yes, there is an hour window, but as the CM explained to me, they add the standby time to that hour for standby guests and a half hour to the time for FP guests, to account for lines and ride Time,

Not consistently.

We rode 7DMT yesterday (6/20) and they had just started digital that day. The CM did have to manually select the time window we would get, it is not automated. We had FP for 10:10-11:10 and it was 10:10 when we walked up. She gave us 10:10-11:10 as a RS. I asked if she should have adjusted it to account for the line and ride time, and she said no, the FP line is very quick and that’s the time we should have. Which is not how that should work, if you are supposed to have an hour. But it was also day 1 for them.
 
Oh my gosh, you have no idea how happy this news makes me!!! I hope this continues to be the practice in august when we go, but this definitely gives me hope! Thanks for the reply.

We were all asked to scan our FP, just FYI. If it is important to you to ride FoP I would consider making it the first FP of the morning, get one for everyone, and then have the waiters walk on NRJ. The line should still be pretty short.
 
We were all asked to scan our FP, just FYI. If it is important to you to ride FoP I would consider making it the first FP of the morning, get one for everyone, and then have the waiters walk on NRJ. The line should still be pretty short.
Interesting...this is the first report I've heard of everyone needing the FP....
 
Interesting...this is the first report I've heard of everyone needing the FP....
It was only FoP for us. 7DMT did not SAY she was scanning everyone’s FP, BUT we all did have one, and after she scanned us in for the RS and the first party went on the ride, all of the FP had cleared so I was able to immediately get another one before we used the RS. So that tells me the digital RS process is scanning in the FP when it issues a RS.
 
Hi everyone! Newbie here so be patient with me please! :-) The more I read the more confused I get...Heading to Disney at the end of July with my husband and 2 1/2 year old. If I book a fast pass for slinky dog for my husband only would he go through the fast pass line with my son and ask for rider swap, and then I could go with my husband and son during our time frame? Or would the rider swap just be for myself and my son? Trying to figure out if hubs and I will get to ride together. Thanks in advance!
 
Hi everyone! Newbie here so be patient with me please! :-) The more I read the more confused I get...Heading to Disney at the end of July with my husband and 2 1/2 year old. If I book a fast pass for slinky dog for my husband only would he go through the fast pass line with my son and ask for rider swap, and then I could go with my husband and son during our time frame? Or would the rider swap just be for myself and my son? Trying to figure out if hubs and I will get to ride together. Thanks in advance!

Rider swap is for families who have a child who cannot ride. You need to get everyone FP’s and go together. No rider switch ;-)
 
Hi everyone! Newbie here so be patient with me please! :-) The more I read the more confused I get...Heading to Disney at the end of July with my husband and 2 1/2 year old. If I book a fast pass for slinky dog for my husband only would he go through the fast pass line with my son and ask for rider swap, and then I could go with my husband and son during our time frame? Or would the rider swap just be for myself and my son? Trying to figure out if hubs and I will get to ride together. Thanks in advance!
Is your son tall enough to ride? If so, no RS needed.
 
Hi everyone! Newbie here so be patient with me please! :-) The more I read the more confused I get...Heading to Disney at the end of July with my husband and 2 1/2 year old. If I book a fast pass for slinky dog for my husband only would he go through the fast pass line with my son and ask for rider swap, and then I could go with my husband and son during our time frame? Or would the rider swap just be for myself and my son? Trying to figure out if hubs and I will get to ride together. Thanks in advance!

Slinky dog has a height requirement. Your son needs to be at least 38" tall to ride. If he isn't and you and your DH still want to ride it, you will need to use rider switch.
 

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