Visiting Disney World with kids of different ages and heights can be challenging. Bigger kids and parents want to do thrill rides, but smaller kids aren’t tall enough. Disney World rider swap is a great compromise in these situations, since it lets younger kids do something else while taller kids and adults ride exciting attractions.
What is Disney World Rider Swap or Rider Switch?
Rider swap and rider switch are two names for the same experience. Rider swap allows some guests to wait in line for an attraction, usually one with a height requirement, while at least one adult does something suitable for younger kids who aren’t tall enough to ride. After the first group rides the attraction they entertain little ones while the second group skips the standby queue to ride.
Who Can Use Disney World Rider Swap?
Anyone with small children can use Disney World rider swap.
How Does Disney World Rider Switch Work?
Disney World rider swap is easy to use. First, the entire group, including the non-riding child, goes to the rider switch attraction entrance. Before entering the standby queue find a rider swap cast member.
Next, the cast member scans tickets or MagicBands of the three guests who will return to ride later. A special Experience Access pass then appears for the attraction for those return guests in My Disney Experience.
The first group waits in the standby line for the desired attraction. The other adults entertain smaller kids until the first group is done riding. For example, while most of our group rode Soarin’ we took my toddler-aged niece on The Seas with Nemo and Friends plus Living with the Land.
Looking for tips on visiting Disney World with toddlers? Here are our best overall tips with toddlers plus the best rides for toddlers.
Finally, when the first group exits, the second group hands off responsibility of the little one to the first group. Now the second group skips the standby line, avoiding the majority of the queue, and gets to ride the attraction.
Disney World Rider Swap Tips
Make Sure You Know Which People Are Returning
Only three guests may return for rider swap. This means most of the party will do a traditional standby line. We had hoped that two adults and the two older kids could return for rider swap, which meant the older kids could go twice. Unfortunately, this was not the case.
Decide who is staying behind and which three will return before reaching the cast member to avoid confusion or slowing down the line. The cast member will only scan the bands or tickets of the three people who can skip the line later.
You Can’t Pile Up Disney Rider Switch Experiences
Each guest can only hold one rider swap return pass at a time. This means if you set up rider swap and then register for another rider swap without riding the first attraction, the earlier ride’s return passes are erased.
The Second Group Doesn’t Have To Immediately Ride When Using Disney World Rider Switch
The rider swap Experience Access pass remains on My Disney Experience until park close or until it’s replaced with a different ride. For example, this means the first group can ride an attraction, then everyone can have lunch together before the second group goes back to ride the attraction.
Which Disney World Attractions Have Rider Swap?
There are limited rides that have Disney World rider switch. Check here to make sure your desired attraction is on the Disney World rider switch list before your visit.
Magic Kingdom Park Rider Switch Attractions
- The Barnstormer – height requirement 35 inches
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad – height requirement 40 inches
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train – height requirement 38 inches
- Space Mountain – height requirement 44 inches
- Splash Mountain – height requirement 40 inches
- Tomorrowland Speedway – height requirement 32 inches
Epcot Rider Switch Attractions
- Frozen Ever After – no height requirement
- Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind (rider swap requires either virtual queue boarding group or purchase of Individual Lightning Lane – height requirement 42 inches
- Mission: SPACE – height requirement 40 inches
- Soarin’ – height requirement 40 inches
- Test Track – height requirement 40 inches
Disney’s Hollywood Studios Rider Swap Attractions
- Alien Swirling Saucers – height requirement 32 inches
- Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run – height requirement 38 inches
- Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith – height requirement 48 inches
- Slinky Dog Dash – height requirement 38 inches
- Star Tours – The Adventures Continue – height requirement 40 inches
- Twilight Zone Tower of Terror – height requirement 40 inches
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park Rider Swap Attractions
- Avatar Flight of Passage – height requirement 44 inches
- DINOSAUR – height requirement 40 inches
- Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain – height requirement 44 inches
- Kali River Rapids – height requirement 38 inches
- Na’vi River Journey – no height requirement
Final Thoughts On Disney World Rider Switch
Disney World rider switch is a great option for groups with a wide range of interests and heights. Rider swap lets adventurous parents and taller kids ride exhilarating attractions while another adult finds something fun for little ones before their turn to ride.
We found rider swap easy to use and recommend it for groups that don’t mind splitting up part of the time to do different rides. It worked out especially well for my older niece who got to ride fun attractions like Test Track and Soarin’ twice.
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