Rider swap with ROTR

[Ariel620]

I would like to start a thread discussing if RS works the same way at ROTR as it does at other rides... meaning at other rides, I could have a FP with my 1 kid, and my DH and other kid do not have FP, but instead rely on RS (assuming there is also a baby who will not be riding), and everyone with RS is free to wonder anywhere else in the park while they occupy the baby while the first group rides.

I read a report, but I can't find it now, that for this ride RS is different, and the RS people have to wait in a gated area with the baby. This is not optimal since it will be about an hour that they wait there for the first group to ride ROTR, so I'm curious if others had any different experiences.

I am also curious if the one waiting parent and baby need a boarding group if they are relying on RS to ride (with FP, they do not need a FP to ride, only a RS).

Please let me know your experiences with ROTR and RS.

 

[Beamerball]

Anyone have any experience with this? Read one report where they had to stay in roped off section. Any other first hand reports? We will all have the same boarding group but with one that isn’t tall enough to ride will have to go separately. We have 2 kids that can ride. Anyone done this where it works the same way as a FP+? One adult goes with 2 kids, then the other adult can go with the same 2 kids?

 

[enr315]

My family used rider swap on mfsr in September. They added what is basically a fp to the second group’s mde. We did not have a specific return time it just said for that day. (We used it immediately after first group.)

 

[Jax1023]

We used it on 12/8. We were all in the park and obtained a boarding group. When that boarding group was called, they scanned all of our bands and we entered the queue area. Then we saw a seperate CM who scanned my band and my sons for the FastPass for rider swap. It was good for the rest of the day.

DH and DS rode. They waited in the regular line- at the point the ride had been down and it took about 1.5 hours total for them to wait and complete the ride. I took dd for a snack, diaper change and ride on alien saucers. Came back and waited for the first group to exit.

then DS and I went back and they scanned our rider swap fastpasses. We were directed to the fast past queue which had us basically walking into the preshow. Our total experience was just about 25 minutes.

up to 3 people can join the person who waited out the first ride on the second ride.

 

[enr315]

See this thread. Someone just told their experience. Doesn’t sound like they had to wait somewhere specific.

We used it on 12/8. We were all in the park and obtained a boarding group. When that boarding group was called, they scanned all of our bands and we entered the queue area. Then we saw a seperate CM who scanned my band and my sons for the FastPass for rider swap. It was good for the rest of the day.

DH and DS rode. They waited in the regular line- at the point the ride had been down and it took about 1.5 hours total for them to wait and complete the ride. I took dd for a snack, diaper change and ride on alien saucers. Came back and waited for the first group to exit.

then DS and I went back and they scanned our rider swap fastpasses. We were directed to the fast past queue which had us basically walking into the preshow. Our total experience was just about 25 minutes.

up to 3 people can join the person who waited out the first ride on the second ride.

 

[chicagodisfan]

I’m the one whose post you are probably referring to. I posted in the earlier (now closed) thread on boarding groups, so if you search for my name you’ll likely be able to find it. We used rider swap on 12/8 as well, but were told that we needed to wait in the stroller parking area that was being secured by CMs and security guards. DD and I waited about an hour for my husband and older sons to go through the ride. Both of my sons got to go with me a second time on my ride. The previous poster sounded like they had a more flexible experience. I am sure I could have left the area if we really needed to (bathroom, snack, etc) but we were so glad to just get a boarding group and go on the ride, I didn’t question it at all. I definitely got the impression that we could not tour the park during our wait time. Now, this was only the 4th day the ride was open and I think the cast members were all still learning procedures so I’m not terribly surprised in the different experiences. Maybe time of day mattered too. We went on around 12:30 pm and at that time there were about 5-6 families in the swapping/stroller area with me and we were all told that we’d need to stay there and it would probably be about an hour for our first group to get through. All 5 of us in my family were in the boarding group, even DD who was tall enough but had no intention of riding. There is really no reason not to get them for everyone in your group at this point, as it has no effect on your other Fastpasses.

 

[elsbit]

We rider swapped on Sunday. We were able to take the same two kids with us both times. First time through with me, we used stand by line. The rider swap with my husband got to use the FP line the 2nd time, which was nice and they processed through the line and ride in about 30 minutes that time.

 

[elsbit]

Also, we were not told to remain in the stroller area, as another poster thought they had to stay there.

 

[Ariel620]

We also used rider swap easily this week without remaining in the stroller area. It worked at ROTR exactly as it works at other rides. All of us had boarding passes. First group went through regular que with a half hour wait, while dad waited with baby and rode Saucers, then second group (dad plus two kids who get to ride a second time) went through expedited que and straight to Ray room with no wait.

 

[icesk8abc]

We did rider swap last Friday. We all went to the blockade of resistance and let them know we had boarding passes. We then were sent to other workers inside the ropes to obtain our rider swap passes. Just like other rides, 3 people can have them added to their bands. I was able to leave the stroller parking area with my too short daughter once they had scanned the swap passes onto my older daughter's and husband's band. We went to meet Olaf, Mickey/Minnie, and get the holiday Pop Tart from Woody's. We were picking up our tart when my husband texted to say they were done.

When we got back, I dropped my daughter who was too short with her grandparents who rode the first time and picked up my husband and tall enough daughter. We went back to where you let them know your boarding group was called and told them we had rider swap. They sent us back to the rider swap people in the ropes who scanned our bands. At this point my tall enough daughter freaked and didn't want to ride again, so they let me exit and take her to the grandparents waiting just outside the ropes. They then let me back in and we went through the fastpass line.

The resistance worker told us when they scanned our swap passes onto the band to plan for 45 minutes to an hour for the first group and about 30 for the second. This was our experience.