Here Now! Rider Switch Update!

[Yooperroo]

Those don't offer Rider Switch. I think it's only rides with height requirements Here is a link to the list: https://disneyland.disney.go.com/attractions/#/rider-switch/

Most of the rider switch rides also offer FP. On those, given the inconsistent changes to the system, you may be better off just trying to hit the FP time at the beginning of your hour window so the swapper can do an immediate switch.

Thanks so much for the clarification!

 

[ExcitedMama]

We will be heading to DL for the first time since having our daughter who is 2. There's lots of chat on this thread about doing a rider swap for attractions with fast passes, but in confused as to how this is going to work for the rides without them. We also have an 8 year old who will want to go on everything, but our 2 year old might be terrified of the dark rides. How does the rider swap work for rides like Snow White and Alice in Wonderland?

Kids are unpredictable so you might be surprised at what she likes. My DD at 2 was terrified of the stuffed characters and would cry at the sight of them but loved the Pooh characters. She hated POTC and HM but enjoyed Toad and Peter Pan. They had just repainted Alice on our last trip when she was 2 and it was bright and fun for her. I think if you do some of the easier fun rides first to help her have good expectations she could enjoy some of the darker rides. I took DD on everything she could go on once since there were so many times we had to split up because of the height restrictions and you can't swap on the ones without them. It sounds like the new version of RS is hit or miss so you might want to take turns being the one to take the older child on rides so if the swap time ends up beig too late for you to use neither parent would miss out on all the rides or fun with your oldest. It also helps to have a plan for meeting up later. I had a lot of fun taking DD on rides she could do like It's A Small World when my DH did the height restricted rides. We also used that time for things that can have long lines she would enjoy like meeting Tinkerbell.

 

[smartlabelprint]

Thanks so much for the clarification!

My 2 yo did fine on the dark rides. We did outdoor rides first like dumbo and the carousel, etc.

We also watched LOTS of YouTube videos before we left. Meet n greets, rides, etc. We were prepared. My kiddos are disabled so we had to do the prep or it would have been a disaster. But I think it's good to prepare all little ones.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

My 2.5 year old loves every ride he's been on and that is every ride he is allowed to ride in both parks. We did start with Dumbo and the carousel, then did Little Mermaid and Pirates of the Caribbean, but he has loved every single ride. Some kids get scared but some do great. Other good starter rides would be Small World, Storybook Land Canal Boats, Casey Junior Circus Train, Teacups, and all the rides in A Bug's Land.

 

[agamble]

My son is more timid of the dark rides at 4 than he was at 2. Even now he isn't afraid of the dark rides (but he doesn't like Haunted Mansion), he's just aware that they are dark and meant to be a bit scary. My oldest daughter never thought anything was scary except TOT, and the new Guardian's ride is her favorite ride ever. Our younger daughter turns two on our next trip and so far she isn't afraid of the rides (we went in May, June, & July/August).

 

[PirateRedhead]

We just returned from our trip. We used Rider Switch constantly and were always given immediate return times. We encountered zero issues with it, so it would seem that the CMs have gotten used to the new system and are now consistently issuing sensible return times.

The only tricky thing for us (and it wasn't a big deal) was that we would book 3 FPs with Maxpass (one for me, one for DH, one for DS), use only two of them, and get two RS return passes. Then, when the next two riders scanned in, it would use up the 3rd FP and one of the RS passes. We would end up with a leftover RS that could not be canceled, and once in a while, a CM at the next ride would have to cancel it out in order to issue our next RS. The obvious solution to this would be to book just two FPs, but we encountered a couple of CMs who made us show all three of our FPs in order to issue our RS passes, so we didn't want to risk appearing like we were trying to game the system. We always just went ahead and booked 3 FPs and dealt with the weird leftover thing as we went along.

 

[Glynis4]

we encountered a couple of CMs who made us show all three of our FPs in order to issue our RS passes, so we didn't want to risk appearing like we were trying to game the system. We always just went ahead and booked 3 FPs and dealt with the weird leftover thing as we went along.

Really?? I thought it was ok to pull just 2 FP if you were doing RS. (Ie for the first 2 riders, then the person switching didn't need one). Is this technically not allowed?

 

[PirateRedhead]

Really?? I thought it was ok to pull just 2 FP if you were doing RS. (Ie for the first 2 riders, then the person switching didn't need one). Is this technically not allowed?

I have no idea what the actual rules are. Wish I did! All I know is, we used Rider Switch 30+ times during our trip and only encountered two CMs who asked to see all three FPs. Maybe they were in the wrong, but the first time it happened was early in the trip so I decided just to book 3 FPs every time. Also, we encountered plenty of CMs who were willing to bend the rules for us (like when we got just one FP for DH for Screamin' but didn't pull one for DS because he said he was too scared to go, then as we approached the FP entrance he changed his tune. The CM understood and let him go through the FP entrance with DH anyway, which was super nice). I think we would have been fine booking just 2 each time - or at least, the vast majority of the time, it would have been fine.