Rider Switch Changes

Paper Rider Switch passes are now a thing of the past. Disney will scan park tickets instead of handing out the paper Rider Switch passes. This will make the system more controlled and help keep it from being abused.

 

Though not much is actually changing, we are excited that they are standardizing the process. It’s really confusing when certain rides give the rider swap at the beginning of the line and others would give it right before you got on the ride. Some wanted to see the child who couldn’t ride and other cast members didn’t care. We even had a cast member at the entrance to Mission: Breakout tell us that even though our daughter did not meet the height requirement and was not allowed to enter the building, we had to show her to the cast members at the loading platform to get the rider switch pass. These changes should make the whole process a lot less confusing and easier to use.

 

Here is Disney’s description of the steps found on the Disneyland Website.

 

To Use Rider Switch:

1. First check with a Cast Member to see if Rider Switch is offered at the attraction you’d like to experience.
2. Upon arriving at the selected attraction, approach the greeting Cast Member with your entire group. Members will be divided into 2 parties—“Party 1” includes those riding the attraction first, while “Party 2” consists of non-riders and their supervising Guests.
3. The supervising Guests of Party 2—which can include a maximum of 3 people— will have their admission media/tickets scanned and must wait in the designated area—usually outside the attraction—while Party 1 waits in line to experience the attraction.
4. After Party 1 experiences the attraction, they’ll assume supervision of the non-riding Guests.
5. The supervising Guests of Party 2 should then return to the appropriate attraction entrance (e.g., FASTPASS queue or attraction exit) to have their admission media/tickets re-scanned by a Cast Member for the Rider Switch entitlement. At this point, Party 2 may enter the appropriate attraction return line and board without waiting in the regular queue.

 

There has been some confusion regarding the “designated area” that Disney says the supervising party has to wait in. Children who are not tall enough to ride an attraction will not be allowed to wait in line. At this point, the waiting party can wait where ever they are comfortable, not in a particular place.

 

Here is a list of the attractions that use Rider Switch:

Disneyland

 

• Autopia
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
• Gadget’s Go Coaster
• Indiana Jones™ Adventure
• Matterhorn Bobsleds
• Space Mountain
• Splash Mountain
• Star Tours – The Adventures Continue

Disney California Adventure

 

• California Screamin’
• Goofy’s Sky School
• Grizzly River Run
• Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: Breakout!
• Jumpin’ Jellyfish
• Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters
• Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree
• Radiator Springs Racers
• Tuck and Roll’s Drive ‘Em Buggies
• Silly Symphony Swings
• Soarin’ Around the World

Magic Kingdom Park

 

• The Barnstormer
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
• Space Mountain
• Splash Mountain
• Stitch’s Great Escape
• Tomorrowland Indy Speedway

Epcot

 

• Frozen Ever After
• Mission: SPACE
• Soarin’
• Test Track

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

 

• Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
• Star Tours® – The Adventures Continue
• Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park

 

• Avatar Flight of Passage
• DINOSAUR
• Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain®
• Kali River Rapids
• Primeval Whirl