Rider Switch changing (Started June 16th)

[maxiesmom]

According to Doctor Disney rider swap is going digital. The entire party has to have their passes scanned, and the return pass will be good for a one hour time window. The starting date for this is given as June 19. After that date the paper passes will no longer be accepted.

 

[marcar12]

I saw that article too but I can't find it anywhere else on any other website. Seems like this would be HUGE widespread news. It would be a major change. And I think it all sounds reasonable EXCEPT for the one-hour return window. That is awfully restrictive.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I saw that article too but I can't find it anywhere else on any other website. Seems like this would be HUGE widespread news. It would be a major change. And I think it all sounds reasonable EXCEPT for the one-hour return window. That is awfully restrictive.

I agree. I can see them wanting to close the loop of people with small kids basically being able to double up on FPs (and I say this as someone with small kids) but the 1 hour seems restrictive - especially if they are also doing the “you can’t get another until you use this one”. If that is the case, what’s the difference if I use mine right away or two days later? I can’t get another until I use this one

 

[maxiesmom]

I agree. I can see them wanting to close the loop of people with small kids basically being able to double up on FPs (and I say this as someone with small kids) but the 1 hour seems restrictive - especially if they are also doing the “you can’t get another until you use this one”. If that is the case, what’s the difference if I use mine right away or two days later? I can’t get another until I use this one

My guess would be to stop people from accumulating a bunch of them for use later. I agree, a one hour window is very restrictive, seems like they could give a bit more leeway than that.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

My guess would be to stop people from accumulating a bunch of them for use later. I agree, a one hour window is very restrictive, seems like they could give a bit more leeway than that.

But you can’t get another until you use the first so you couldn’t accumulate a bunch for later use - only one. That is why I am surprised they have both elements - seems like one or the other would be sufficient

 

[ArwenMarie]

I could see them expiring at the end of the day, that would make sense to me.

But one-hour seems tight. Although, I guess the idea could be you ride and do the swap right after, which also makes sense

 

[Future_WorldPhonencian]

Oh man, we have certainly benefited from the old paper FP rider swap with our kids so i will definitely be interested to learn more details, to some the old system seemed unfair but factor in the time it takes to wrangle a small child and the unpredictability of a meltdown it was nice knowing we could use the paper swap later in the day or another day of the trip...we also liked giving our unused swaps to families before we left to “pass along some magic” i wld be ok with an electronic system that let you return within the day but an hour is pretty tough when u are managing toddlers and infants

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

I could see them expiring at the end of the day, that would make sense to me.

But one-hour seems tight. Although, I guess the idea could be you ride and do the swap right after, which also makes sense

The concept used to be, one parent rides then the other. No reason for it not to be an hour limit.

I'm sure if there is an hour wait through the fast pass line, they will accept them late.

 

[BuzzyBelle]

I can understand why they would want to do this but it would be nice if they gave people a little notice before making this large of a change. Our FP and ADRs have been made and our schedule is already set. I have time scheduled for later in the day to use our swaps. Limiting to only an hour makes it extremely prohibitive. What if you have your FP booked back to back or an ADR to get to?

This isn’t going to ruin our trip or anything, but a little heads up would be appreciated. Hope it’s just a rumor.

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

I'm so glad we used what is likely our last RS this May. DH and DD7 went on RnR at RD. We brought DS5 to get a RS and then went off to meet characters. DD got to go 3 times in the morning - 1 FP and 2 stby. Then the two of us went in the afternoon. There was no grabbing extras or anything like that. We just got to take the young one to do things he wanted while the older one rode the ride. It was really nice.

If the hour rule is true it's going to make that very difficult. It would really limit what you can do with the younger ones. There's nothing for little kids to do around RNR.

 

[Runnsally]

This always seemed like a system that would eventually be tightened up. What’s not clear to me is who gets to use the rider swap in this new system - everyone in the party that scans their bands initially or just members of the party who don’t ride the first time.

 

[HopperFan]

I could see them expiring at the end of the day, that would make sense to me.

But one-hour seems tight. Although, I guess the idea could be you ride and do the swap right after, which also makes sense

Yeah, that part could be purely operational. Universal has you go through the line and do an immediate swap inside. Disney used to do some swaps that way back in the day before FP+.

I think the only real question is if the group is going SB and that line is longer than one hour how will they handle the time on your pass. It could be it will be set up like DAS where they will take the SB time and factor it in to the ride time. The computers would automatically determine that and could be there will be more than an hour leeway. Maybe the system will automatically add the SB time to the hour.

No reason it can't work, it's up to guests to manage their time and party well while waiting. We all decide when we travel, what our party makeup is and it's our job to make the most of our trips. We always took waiting group to bathroom, get drink/snack, find some A/C, go on a shorter line ride .... then be back to the ride ready to swap when they got off.

We have to remember this service was offered BEFORE FP ever existed. It had a purpose then more than now. Disney never kept up the processes with the existing operation and maybe now they have decided to make it more functional for operations, and eliminate some of the loops and abuses.

 

[Future_WorldPhonencian]

i wonder if the new system will allow you to just have one person with a FP and then the other person or group with the small child gets a “freebie” FP... seems like the concept is designed to work with the standby line but it wouldn’t necessarily eliminate extra fastpasses for couples with a small child

 

[HopperFan]

i wonder if the new system will allow you to just have one person with a FP and then the other person or group with the small child gets a “freebie” FP... seems like the concept is designed to work with the standby line but it wouldn’t necessarily eliminate extra fastpasses for couples with a small child

I think that is a good question. There have been reports the last 6 mos of folks being required to have FP+ for all who ride for FoP, 7DMT and some BTMRR ... but not anything consistent. Could be they were testing the waters. Is the reason everyone riding has to scan is because they are looking for FP+ or to verify all would have been SB? Or is it simply that is the RS pass to get them back on? That leads to a further question ... will they limit how many come back like they do now? because if they don't it's open for a new abuse. That part of the equation - the party scan - is what I'm most curious about, how it will work.

 

[Nurse_Mommy4]

Yeah, that part could be purely operational. Universal has you go through the line and do an immediate swap inside. Disney used to do some swaps that way back in the day before FP+.

I think the only real question is if the group is going SB and that line is longer than one hour how will they handle the time on your pass. It could be it will be set up like DAS where they will take the SB time and factor it in to the ride time. The computers would automatically determine that and could be there will be more than an hour leeway. Maybe the system will automatically at the SB time to the hour.

No reason it can't work, it's up to guests to manage their time and party well while waiting. We all decide when we travel, what our party makeup is and it's our job to make the most of our trips. We always took waiting group to bathroom, get drink/snack, find some A/C, go on a shorter line ride .... then be back to the ride ready to swap when they got off.

We have to remember this service was offered BEFORE FP+ ever existed. Disney never kept up the processes with the existing operation and maybe now they have decided to make it more functional for operations, and eliminate some of the loops and abuses.

I agree that this was the system before FP+. They did the same thing at DL with the MaxPass system. Same restrictions, but they do still allow the child to ride with both parents.

 

[Future_WorldPhonencian]

on our last trip about a year ago with the current system, we were only rejected a child swap with a fp once at space mtn by a particularly cross looking CM... i would be willing to bet that they will start not allowing rider swap with fp except maybe to extend your grace period when both ppl have a fp... i would prefer the old “everyone is in line together” and then both adults ride one after the other... it can get hairy with the return window esp at longer fp lines like FoP

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

I think that is a good question. There have been reports the last 6 mos of folks being required to have FP+ for all who ride for FoP, 7DMT and some BTMRR ... but not anything consistent. Could be they were testing the waters. Is the reason everyone riding has to scan is because they are looking for FP+ or to verify all would have been SB? Or is it simply that is the RS pass to get them back on? That leads to a further question ... will they limit how many come back like they do now? because if they don't it's open for a new abuse. That part of the equation - the party scan - is what I'm most curious about, how it will work.

I bet they were testing both the public relations waters and looking to see what corner cased they might run into that they would want to account for technically.

There are abuses with the Universal system of waiting in a room too. We used RS on Forbidden Journey and say next to a woman holding a baby. She said her son had been on the ride 8 times so far while she waited. I'm pretty sure that wasn't universals intended use for the system. The TMs have to be paying attention to whose riding how often and be willing to confront those who go more than once.

 

[marcar12]

I still haven't seen this confirmed anywhere... the only place I can find it reported is on Doctor Disney. So until I see it in at least one other reputable place, I am going to take it with a grain of salt. How reliable is Doctor Disney usually?

 

[hiroMYhero]

I still haven't seen this confirmed anywhere... the only place I can find it reported is on Doctor Disney. So until I see it in at least one other reputable place, I am going to take it with a grain of salt. How reliable is Doctor Disney usually?

Doctor Disney has always had the most up to date and easy to comprehend Rider Swap info.

All the main bloggers were flown over by Disney to FanDaze at DLP. That’s why there may be the delay in this info being reported by other blogs.

 

[ArwenMarie]

So it sounds like what is already in place at DLR?

Makes sense that they are working on this before SWL opens.