Fast Pass and Rider Swap

[LauraWDW2017]

Hello,

We are going to WDW, for the first time in a few days and I did not do a good job of planning our trip. I was oblivious to all that needs to happen before a WDW vacation. I am hoping that we still have an enjoyable trip. I am trying to understand fast pass and rider swap. There will be 4 adults, 2 kids that meet height requirements, and a toddler. Can fast passes be shared? So, grandparents are coming and I don't see my mother going on some of the rides, can I make a fast pass selection for her but allow one of my kids to use the fast pass selection?


Fast Pass Selection Ride Selection 1 Using Fast Pass Like to Ride

Adult 1 X X

Adult 2 X X

Adult 3 X Fast Pass Used by Kid 2

Adult 4 Wait (rider swap)

Kid 1 X X X (Ride 2x using Rider Swap)

Kid 2 X (use FP from A3) X (Ride 2x using Rider Swap)

 

[my2lovedisney]

I'm not sure how you'd work that..when you go through the fast pass line you scan your magic band. I would assume if the child swaps bands with your mom then it would be ok..but I could be wrong.

 

[kreckl]

Confused- why wouldn't your Mom just wait outside the ride with your baby? Or walk around a bit nearby?

 

[KrazeeK120]

I'm not really following...the purpose of rider swap is so that all adults can ride, even if there's a too-short child in the party. If your mom isn't going on the rides, she can stay with the too-short child, correct? If that's the case, there isn't a need to swap,

 

[Fosteringaprincess]

No each person has their own fast passes. Therefore if she doesn't want to ride that ride make her a different fast pass selection. When u scan your band for each fast pass your name pops up on the screen. So I'm not sure I would try that with switching bands....if the child was the same gender then maybe it could work, but I wouldn't try. Just make your mom her own fast passes that she does like....don't waste ones! Those are like gold to my family.
As far as rider swap it sounds like if there is an adult that doesn't want to ride then why take the extra time to wait twice? Sure it's a plus for your kids to ride twice if it's needed, but personally I would rather as many of my family members that can ride together once then split it up for them to do it twice, because both parents love to see their 1st ride! My mom travels with us and if she doesn't want to ride then she stays back with the youngest....if she wants to ride we use rider swap. Hope you have a great trip

 

[DopeyDame]

OK, I'm not going to get into the "what should you do" or "how should you" use the rider swap and fastpasses, but instead just answer your question.

Yes, someone else can use your moms fastpass as long as your mom gives her the magic band. So kid and grandmom just switch magic bands before getting in line for the ride.

I couldn't really follow your chart, but hopefully this helps:
Rider swaps are good for up to 3 people and expire the end of the month.
The people using the rider swap passes do not need a fastpass for the same ride.
They do need to see the toddler before giving the fastpass.
So your whole crew would approach the line and tell the CM you want a riderswap pass.
CM looks at toddler and confirms she's too small and gives you a pass.
Grandmom and toddler go ride a different ride or get ice cream or whatever.
Parents and big kids ride the ride.
Sometime later, any 3 people can use the riderswap pass to ride the ride again (with or without grandmom)

This can be especially useful in tiered parks.
For example:
Mom and kid #1 get FP for test track and use rider swap to ride soarin later
Dad and kid #2 get FP for soarin and use rider swap to ride test track later.
Now your whole party has gotten to ride both of those rides using your one tier one fastpass.

I will say, as a PP said though, that we usually ended up doing the vast majority of rides as a family and just skipping the big kid stuff.

 

[brockash]

Hello,

We are going to WDW, for the first time in a few days and I did not do a good job of planning our trip. I was oblivious to all that needs to happen before a WDW vacation. I am hoping that we still have an enjoyable trip. I am trying to understand fast pass and rider swap. There will be 4 adults, 2 kids that meet height requirements, and a toddler. Can fast passes be shared? So, grandparents are coming and I don't see my mother going on some of the rides, can I make a fast pass selection for her but allow one of my kids to use the fast pass selection?


Fast Pass Selection Ride Selection 1 Using Fast Pass Like to Ride

Adult 1 X X

Adult 2 X X

Adult 3 X Fast Pass Used by Kid 2

Adult 4 Wait (rider swap)

Kid 1 X X X (Ride 2x using Rider Swap)

Kid 2 X (use FP from A3) X (Ride 2x using Rider Swap)

You can def. switch bands...we do it all the time. What do you currently have fastpasses for and for how many ppl.? I can try to explain to you how to use those fastpasses with baby swap to get as many ppl. the ability to ride. Either way you can DEF. swap magic bands - it's done many many times every day by many many guests. No one cares...even if they did (which again I've spoken to CM, they don't care) but even if they did...they're not going to ask for an id lol.

We have a 15 year old, 10 year old and 2 year old and we never skip the big kid stuff. We just use fastpasses and babyswaps accordingly.

 

[brockash]

No each person has their own fast passes. Therefore if she doesn't want to ride that ride make her a different fast pass selection. When u scan your band for each fast pass your name pops up on the screen. So I'm not sure I would try that with switching bands....if the child was the same gender then maybe it could work, but I wouldn't try. Just make your mom her own fast passes that she does like....don't waste ones! Those are like gold to my family.
As far as rider swap it sounds like if there is an adult that doesn't want to ride then why take the extra time to wait twice? Sure it's a plus for your kids to ride twice if it's needed, but personally I would rather as many of my family members that can ride together once then split it up for them to do it twice, because both parents love to see their 1st ride! My mom travels with us and if she doesn't want to ride then she stays back with the youngest....if she wants to ride we use rider swap. Hope you have a great trip

You can 100% swap bands and DS could use Dgrandma's fastpass on her band. Doesn't matter gender, age, etc. It's about the fastpass, not the person it's assigned to.

 

[Fosteringaprincess]

Learn something new everyday I guess! Thanks for correcting me.

 

[jeepnjudy]

Ditto on what everyone else said. We swap magic bands all the time. Disney only makes sure there is a Fast Pass on the band when you scan it.

 

[Lvsdisney]

Last year, DD was too small for 7DMT, so I scheduled FP+ for DH and DS to go on, and a RS pass for me. I scheduled FP+ for DD and I to go on Winnie the Pooh at the same time. So you could also do that for grandmom, especially if there is something nearby that she and the toddler can go on. Then, like PP said, you can use the RSP at a different time.

 

[monica9]

How does Rider Swap work? Can't seem to find a thread about it. myself, DH and DD(9) will want to ride some rides that our DD (13 months) won't be able to. Do I just book the fast passes for us older 3 and get in line like we would if we didn't have little DD and when we get to the front, one adult goes with DD9 and the other waits until they get off and goes on alone? Is there a designated area?

 

[Lvsdisney]

How does Rider Swap work? Can't seem to find a thread about it. myself, DH and DD(9) will want to ride some rides that our DD (13 months) won't be able to. Do I just book the fast passes for us older 3 and get in line like we would if we didn't have little DD and when we get to the front, one adult goes with DD9 and the other waits until they get off and goes on alone? Is there a designated area?

At your FP+ time, you go to the FP line and there is a castmember there who checks to make sure the FP+ is valid. He or she will then give your party a rider swap pass (looks like the old paper FP). It usually is good until the end of the day. The CM will need to the see your little DD to issue it.

Example: You book FP+ for Space Mountain. Your whole party will walk over to the FP+ line, your DH and DD9 will scan their magic bands that shows they have an FP+ for that time. Your DH mentions to the CM that you would like a RS pass. CM looks over and see you with your little DD and hands your DH a RS (we've gotten plastic cards that we need to turn over to another CM further down the line for a paper pass OR just have received the paper pass right at the front - either way is fine). When your DH and DD9 get off the ride, you can get on again with DD9 through the FP line using the RS pass. OR you can wait til later in the day to use it (whatever the expiration on paper pass states). If you have more members of your party with you, I believe up to 3 people can use on RS pass (at the same time). So say you have an additional kid (DS 11 for example). He'd be able to ride with you on the pass along with your DD9.

I hope all of this makes sense!

ETA: If you don't have an FP+ for a ride, your can still do the RS. Just make sure the CM at the beginning of the standby line sees you. You should still be able to return using the FP line with your RS pass.

 

[monica9]

At your FP+ time, you go to the FP line and there is a castmember there who checks to make sure the FP+ is valid. He or she will then give your party a rider swap pass (looks like the old paper FP). It usually is good until the end of the day. The CM will need to the see your little DD to issue it.

Example: You book FP+ for Space Mountain. Your whole party will walk over to the FP+ line, your DH and DD9 will scan their magic bands that shows they have an FP+ for that time. Your DH mentions to the CM that you would like a RS pass. CM looks over and see you with your little DD and hands your DH a RS (we've gotten plastic cards that we need to turn over to another CM further down the line for a paper pass OR just have received the paper pass right at the front - either way is fine). When your DH and DD9 get off the ride, you can get on again with DD9 through the FP line using the RS pass. OR you can wait til later in the day to use it (whatever the expiration on paper pass states). If you have more members of your party with you, I believe up to 3 people can use on RS pass (at the same time). So say you have an additional kid (DS 11 for example). He'd be able to ride with you on the pass along with your DD9.

I hope all of this makes sense!

ETA: If you don't have an FP+ for a ride, your can still do the RS. Just make sure the CM at the beginning of the standby line sees you. You should still be able to return using the FP line with your RS pass.

Wow thank you for the thorough explanation. I really appreciate it. So if we wanted to go on Space Mountain, when booking FP's 60 days out I will only get one for DD9 and DH and I won't need one? I will just need to be seen with my baby and they will give me the rider swap ticket?

 

[Lvsdisney]

Wow thank you for the thorough explanation. I really appreciate it. So if we wanted to go on Space Mountain, when booking FP's 60 days out I will only get one for DD9 and DH and I won't need one? I will just need to be seen with my baby and they will give me the rider swap ticket?

I'm not sure what the actual rules are, but I did not need an FP+ when we did the RS last year. I don't know if some CMs would make you scan your band before they issue an RS. I have not encountered that, but I think it is what they are supposed to do. Last year, I made FP+ for DH and DS to ride 7DMT and then made an FP+ for D and I to go on Winnie the Pooh at the same time. The CM at 7DMT never asked me to scan my band and we still got the RS pass.