Can someone please explain the process for having one parent sit out with a toddler?

[wishonstars]

I know that Disneyland has some sort of system in place for this, don't they?

How does it work exactly - does it work well? Any tips or advice about the process? (btw - our son is 3 and clearly won't meet height requirements for rides like Space Mountain, etc. (although I'm sure he'd go if we would let him... lol!)

Thanks in advance!

 

[I'mNoPrince]

It's called child swap.

Go to the CM at the beginning of the ride and let them know you want to childswap. They will give you a CS fastpass for the second parent to use when the first gets off.

Now at WDW it's good for 2 additional people so if you had kids that wanted to ride they could ride with both parents.

 

[DisneyloverinWA]

This is also how I remember child swap working and when we used it last year at DL it was good for two people, which was great for DS 10 who could go twice in a row!

Good luck!

 

[got2travel]

Also, they don't care whether you actually swap parents or not. So if there is something that Mom and baby don't want to do, but child swap is available, get a swap pass then Dad and the other kids ride 2 times.

And Child Swap is only good for rides that have height restrictions.

 

[birdmom]

my six year old is tall enough to go on the rides but is to scared, will they give me a child swap for her?

 

[wishonstars]

Thanks everyone for your replies!

Birdmom - I don't know for sure, but I imagine they would give you one for that... wouldn't they?

 

[thunderbird1]

Think of the parent switch pass like a fastpass that never runs out and that you can use anytime. First you approach the CM at the beginning of the line, and display your obviously under-height preschooler, they hand you a little slip that looks like a fastpass, but says something like "rider switch" on it. One of you then gets in line (regular or fastpass return, if you have one), and the other takes your son to do whatever (snack, ride something else, etc.). When rider #1 finishes, the parents switch, and rider #2 can ride, usually by entering throught the fastpass return line.

Tips and advice: You don't have to use the rider switch pass immediately after rider #1 rides. If your son is bored/hungry/tired or you have reservations or the parade is about to start, you can go do something else and rider #2 can return any time that day to ride without waiting in line.

Because rider switch works just like fastpass, don't bother getting more than one fastpass for any attraction where you'll be using rider switch. For example, you can get one fastpass for Splash Mountain and one fastpass for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. When you show them your son and get the rider switch pass, it's just like getting a second, free fastpass.

Along those lines, you can also use your son's ticket to get a third fastpass for another attraction, then turn it into two by getting the rider switch. They don't care whose ticket was used to get the fastpass, or who uses the fastpass. The only time you'll need more than one fastpass for the same attraction is where you'll all 3 be riding together.

You also don't necessarily have to switch riders. If rider #1 is a thrill seeker, but rider #2 has no desire to ride California Screamin', rider #1 can ride first, and then use the rider switch pass to ride again.

Finally, though it doesn't sound like you have older children, rider switch is awesome for older siblings because, as someone else mentioned, the rider switch pass is good for 3 or 4 people. So dad rides with big sister while little brother sits out with mom, then big sister gets to ride again with mom while dad sits out with little brother.

Well, that went on a little long, but hope it helps!

 

[Alex2kMommy]

my six year old is tall enough to go on the rides but is to scared, will they give me a child swap for her?

Yes, they will, DH and DS6 got one for a ride while DS2 and I were elsewhere, so they don't even look for your child.

I also thought you had to use it right after the first parent rides, but you don't. We wound up leaving the park before using a pass for Indy, and I wasn't sure they'd honor it the next day, but they did.

 

[thunderbird1]

my six year old is tall enough to go on the rides but is to scared, will they give me a child swap for her?

Oops-forgot to comment on this. It depends on the CM. Although what you're trying to do sounds perfectly legitimate to me, there are less honest people in the world who would say that their child, though tall enough, doesn't want to ride just to get the rider switch pass. They could then take their child on the ride without waiting in line. The only way to guarantee this won't happen is to only allow rider switch passes for parents of children who aren't tall enough to ride. But I have heard of some CM's doing it anyway. It doesn't hurt to ask.

 

[wishonstars]

Thunderbird1 - thanks for all your tips!

My older daughter will be thrilled to hear about her getting to ride twice!!