Rider Switch is a great system used at Disney Parks so that people do not have to miss out on attractions when a member of their party can’t ride. But – just like most Disney systems, people have figured out a way to cheat the system causing the system to change.
It is my understanding that over time many have used the Rider Switch system to get a higher number of FastPasses to use throughout the day. I’m not really sure of how they accomplished it. I’m assuming it goes something like this – two adults and kids visit the parks. Each adult gets FastPass reservations for 3 different attractions. Adult No. 1 books three FastPasses and Adult No. 2 books three different FastPasses. When they arrive at the attraction, they then ask for a Rider Switch pass which gives each adult the ability to ride that attraction that only one of them has a FastPass for.
What Is Rider Switch and How Does It Work?
If a child does not meet the height requirement or a Guest does not wish to board a particular attraction, no problem! With Rider Switch, one adult can wait with the non-rider (or riders) while the rest of the party enjoys the attraction. When the other adult returns, they can supervise the non-riding Guests, and the waiting adult can board the attraction without having to wait in the regular line again!
Rider Switch is available at select attractions at all four Walt Disney World Resort theme parks.
- 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
To Use Rider Switch: Current Procedure
1. First check with a Cast member to see if Rider Switch is offered at the attraction in question.
2. Once at the attraction, approach the greeting Cast Member with your entire party. At least one adult member of your party and the Guests who are not riding will be given a Ride Switch pass and asked to wait in a designated area (usually outside of the attraction). This group is “Party 2.”
3. The other party members (“Party 1”) ride the attraction.
4. After riding the attraction, Party 1 locates Party 2 and gives the Rider Switch pass to the adult member who will be riding. Party 1 takes over supervision of the non-riding children or Guests.
5. Party 2 enters and boards the attraction without having to wait in the regular queue a second time. The Rider Switch Pass must be presented to a Cast Member at this time.
If the person in Party 2 waited alone with the child, he or she may bring one other Guest back to ride the attraction with him or her. Please note that only 2 Guests are allowed per Rider Switch Pass.
New System as of June 19
- System will be entirely digital
- The entire party will need to be present to receive a Rider Switch as ALL MagicBands/park tickets will be scanned (whether there will be a limit or not remains to be seen)
- Rider Switch passes will be valid for one-hour return windows
- Only one Rider Switch return time can be held at a time – The system will not allow Cast Members to distribute a second until the first has been used, cancelled, or time has passed
All paper forms of Rider Switch passes will be going away entirely and not accepted after this new system begins. Cast Members have been advised to deny them if presented.
Time will tell how this new system will affect those using the Rider Switch system to manipulate additional FastPasses.
