FP+ and rider swap

[WDWPolyFan]

Hello everyone! First, I'm sorry if this question was posted already, but I can't seem to find the information I need.
I'm traveling to WDW in August with my husband and two children (ages 9 and 1). This will be the first time we are going to use the rider swap and I'm not sure how it works with FP+.
Can anyone give me tips on using FP+ along with the rider swap pass? Do I have to reserve a FP for my husband, 9year old, and myself then ask for the rider swap pass when we arrive at the FP+ line? Will my 9 year old get to ride a second time without another FP because of the rider swap pass? Does my 1 year old need to wait in line with us to get the rider swap pass or can she sit with my husband while we ride?
We have been to WDW MANY times but this will be the first with the baby and I'm just not sure how to manage. Any tips or tricks would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

 

[MomForFrozenAddicts]

I have the same question too. In the old days, u would walk up to the cast member at the FP with ur young one and ask for a child swap pass. Wonder if it works the same now.

 

[practicallyperfect77]

I've read a few posts about rider swap and it appears to depend on the CM regarding whether all of you have to have a FP+ ressie or not. You will need to bring the 1 year old with you and the 9 year old will get to ride twice (even tho only one FP+). It's my understanding the swap passes are good for a certain number of days too...they don't have to be used immediately.

 

[aimes0105]

Just used a rider swap on Wednesday 6/4 at mine train. Walked up to CM with my entire party (including two year old) and asked for one. She asked who was riding now and who was waiting with child to ride after. My dad and husband had FP for it so told her they were riding now and she had them scan their bands then she handed me the pass for later. I meant to take a picture of it but it said fast pass across the top, rider switch under that and then specified it was for the mine train, valid for up to three guests and expired June 30th. My dad and I used it to ride several hours later through the fast pass line without any problems. Hope that helps!

 

[mggeary]

Last Nov all our rider swap passes expired same day except barnstormer (good for 1 week). If 7dmt rider swaps don't expire for weeks, this would be a great bonus for us. Anyone else confirm this? Any other rides?

 

[practicallyperfect77]

Just used a rider swap on Wednesday 6/4 at mine train. Walked up to CM with my entire party (including two year old) and asked for one. She asked who was riding now and who was waiting with child to ride after. My dad and husband had FP for it so told her they were riding now and she had them scan their bands then she handed me the pass for later. I meant to take a picture of it but it said fast pass across the top, rider switch under that and then specified it was for the mine train, valid for up to three guests and expired June 30th. My dad and I used it to ride several hours later through the fast pass line without any problems. Hope that helps!

? Did you have a FP+ for 7DMT too or just you DH and dad? Reason I ask is b/c this makes a difference in my opinion for parks like Epcot with tiers. 2 could make FP+ for Soarin' and the other FP+ for TT but both groups could ride both rides without waiting in standby. I have heard it depends on the CM tho on what rules are followed. I am not sure if the exact wording on this from Disney tho.

 

[aimes0105]

I did not have a booking for a fast pass for SDMT for myself. I have seen a lot of discussion about if that's needed with a rider swap or not so that's why I pointed out that the top of my swap pass said fast pass. I showed my rider switch to the first CM at the beginning of the line working the band scanner and then the CM at the second band scanner collected it from me as I passed through. I was never asked to scan my band.

 

[WDWPolyFan]

So are most people reserving FP for everyone in their party to be sure they all get on the ride? Like another poster said before, what about at EPCOT? Has anyone used the rider swap at EPCOT recently?

 

[practicallyperfect77]

I did not have a booking for a fast pass for SDMT for myself. I have seen a lot of discussion about if that's needed with a rider swap or not so that's why I pointed out that the top of my swap pass said fast pass. I showed my rider switch to the first CM at the beginning of the line working the band scanner and then the CM at the second band scanner collected it from me as I passed through. I was never asked to scan my band.

I think in a cases I've read the actual swap pass always lets you in the FP+ line. BUT in order to get the swap pass, I have heard all members have had to have the FP+ set up. Not always the case...I've read here it depends on the CM. I would love to know how it is supposed to work tho. I'll have to Google and see if Incan find official language.

 

[DisneyObsessed87]

I think in a cases I've read the actual swap pass always lets you in the FP+ line. BUT in order to get the swap pass, I have heard all members have had to have the FP+ set up. Not always the case...I've read here it depends on the CM. I would love to know how it is supposed to work tho. I'll have to Google and see if Incan find official language.

Has anyone found out for certain how this is suppose to work? Don't make fast pass reservations until September but just curious.

 

[Bigmo]

This is how it worked for us on RnRC. Me my wife and DS had FP+ set up for RnRC. My DD is too small so she was not set up for it. We went to the FP+ return CM and he gave us a paper FP+. My wife and son rode with thier FP+ while I waited outside the queue with my daughter. Then me and my son rode using my FP+ for me and the paper FP+ so my son got to ride twice. The paper FP+ expired that day. I hope this helps.

 

[Bigmo]

I think in a cases I've read the actual swap pass always lets you in the FP+ line. BUT in order to get the swap pass, I have heard all members have had to have the FP+ set up. Not always the case...I've read here it depends on the CM. I would love to know how it is supposed to work tho. I'll have to Google and see if Incan find official language.

No one physically checked our party to see if everyone had FP+ reserved for that attraction. I guess technically only one person would need one and the person who stays out with the non riding child can ride it with the paper return FP+ when the other person came back or even later in the day if they wanted to.

 

[MiamiMere]

We were there in May and I used riderswap at BTMR, SM, EE, and Mission Space...so 3 different parks. DH and DS(older) both had FP+ and myself and DS(younger) did not. We just asked for babyswap card for younger DS, while older DS and DH went through scanners like normal. I am pretty sure that all of our FP cards expired at the end of May, not the same day.

So, I think it's a CM dependent thing but it worked out for us to make FP+ ressies for a different ride for the little one and myself as it wasn't necessary for us all to have FP+ for the ride we were doing the swap on.

 

[DisneyObsessed87]

No one physically checked our party to see if everyone had FP+ reserved for that attraction. I guess technically only one person would need one and the person who stays out with the non riding child can ride it with the paper return FP+ when the other person came back or even later in the day if they wanted to.

That is what I am wondering. Thank you for your response!

 

[DisneyObsessed87]

We were there in May and I used riderswap at BTMR, SM, EE, and Mission Space...so 3 different parks. DH and DS(older) both had FP+ and myself and DS(younger) did not. We just asked for babyswap card for younger DS, while older DS and DH went through scanners like normal. I am pretty sure that all of our FP cards expired at the end of May, not the same day.

So, I think it's a CM dependent thing but it worked out for us to make FP+ ressies for a different ride for the little one and myself as it wasn't necessary for us all to have FP+ for the ride we were doing the swap on.

Also thanks for this response! Will keep this in mind when it is time to choose fast passes.

 

[amcc]

Last Nov all our rider swap passes expired same day except barnstormer (good for 1 week). If 7dmt rider swaps don't expire for weeks, this would be a great bonus for us. Anyone else confirm this? Any other rides?

In mid-May, Thunder Mountain, Splash Mountain, and Space Mountain rider swap passes didn't expire until May 31.

 

[larie21]

We just came back from a week at Disney. We used rider swap in conjunction with our FP+s on many rides: BTMRR, Splash, Space, SDMT, Soarin, TT, RnRC, ToT, Primeval Whirl.

Sometimes I had scheduled FP+s for our whole party & sometimes I split the FP+s so I could ride something with our 2 yo. Not once were we asked to prove that everyone in our party had a FP+ to get the rider swap. In fact, they handed the rider swap over no ?s asked at every ride. When we returned to use our rider swaps, no one was ever asked to scan their bands for FP+s.

All of the rider swaps were good for 3 people & expired at the end of the month. One time at Splash they had run out of rider swaps, so they gave us a "freebie" fastpass good for any attraction (except SDMT, fairy tale hall & parades I think).