Rider Swap- confusing myself

[khmoorefield]

I've been looking into rider swap and I sort of understand it for families who have multiple kiddos. My husband and I will be taking our almost-3 year old this Spring! DS and I are going to FP+ Slinky Dog and my husband will FP+ Smugglers Run at the same time. Would we be able to use Rider Swap for either of these rides? Not trying to "get over" on anyone, just want our wait times to line up and it occurred to me that maybe we could ride swap for both of these? At the very least I'd like for my husband to ride Slinky Dog with DS too!

 

[KayaWildfire]

Rider swap is for families with children who are too short to ride certain rides. You would not be granted a rider swap at Slinky because your DS is tall enough, but you could for instance use rider swap at something is too short for, like Rockin Roller Coaster. One of you would wait in the standby or fastpass line and the other would wait with your DS. Once one parent finishes, the other goes on the ride through the fastpass line.

 

[khmoorefield]

Rider swap is for families with children who are too short to ride certain rides. You would not be granted a rider swap at Slinky because your DS is tall enough, but you could for instance use rider swap at something is too short for, like Rockin Roller Coaster. One of you would wait in the standby or fastpass line and the other would wait with your DS. Once one parent finishes, the other goes on the ride through the fastpass line.

Okay, so it would work for Smugglers Run? (If they even allow it?)

 

[KayaWildfire]

Okay, so it would work for Smugglers Run? (If they even allow it?)

Yes, it would work if your DS is too short to ride.

 

[Tink9721]

Okay, so it would work for Smugglers Run? (If they even allow it?)

Yes, it would work if your DS is too short to ride.

If he's tall enough for Slinky, he's tall enough for Smugglers Run. They have the same height requirement. So no, it wouldn't work for Smugglers either.

 

[KayaWildfire]

If he's tall enough for Slinky, he's tall enough for Smugglers Run. They have the same height requirement. So no, it wouldn't work for Smugglers either.

My apologies, thought the requirements were different.

 

[lpereira]

Except that everyone using rider swap myst initially be able to use the same method to enter the line but for the fact they are prevented from doing so by the shortie. So you'd both need an fp to use rider swap with an fp line or both use standby. The rider swap then allows the second rider and up two others to join them.
In practice many rides dont follow this policy. For Smugglers Run/Slinky Dog/ other high demand Etickes they will follow policy.

 

[tjmw2727]

Honestly in your situation I would leave things as is -since SDD is only a 2 seater and either you or your DH would be sitting with a stranger anyway. If you also want to ride Smugglers run then try the single rider line, my kids used it late January and found it very quick.

Rider Switch has nothing to do with party size but more to do with guests who don't meet the height requirement. In that case the entire party approaches the line - tells the CM you want to rider switch, CM checks that the child can't ride and issues the parent riding 2nd a rider swap to be used via the FP line when the first parent is done riding. Parent riding 2nd can then leave and do something else with the child while waiting and return in the designated time to ride.

Its a nice perk in that you don't have to wait twice but it still takes up a good amount of time. When my kids were small DH and I would only RS if it was something we both really (really!) enjoyed. Otherwise we split FP+ and took turns doing rides with the kid(s).

 

[Ashleybs]

So is rider swap ONLY for if your child does not meet the height requirements? For example, if our 7 year old does not want to ride something?

 

[lanejudy]

So is rider swap ONLY for if your child does not meet the height requirements? For example, if our 7 year old does not want to ride something?

There are 2 methods of Rider Swap. If the child is too short to enter a queue, the swap is digital and added to your MBs. For a child/adult who meets the height requirement but chooses not to ride, the swap typically occurs at the boarding area. The whole party goes through the queue together, then 1 adult and the non-rider wait near boarding while the rest ride, and when they return the waiting adult gets to ride, usually with another family member getting a second ride.

Enjoy your vacation!