Are you traveling to Walt Disney World with little ones who aren’t quite big or brave enough to ride some of the bigger rides? We have great news for you! There is no need for everyone in your party to miss out on a ride just because someone else isn’t able to ride it. You can utilize Rider Swap on your next vacation!
Rider Swap allows for the majority of your group to get in line for a ride with a height requirement while someone from your group waits, and hangs out, maybe even grabs a close-by snack with the person who cannot ride.
First things first, before you even get in line you are going to look for the Cast Member holding an iPad either under a blue umbrella near the ride or standing near the Rider Switch sign usually by the entrance for the ride. That Cast Member is going to swipe the MagicBand/Phone/ Key to the World card of the adult that is staying behind with the non-rider and issue a return time for that person that equates to about the same amount of time that the current wait time for the ride is.
For example, if the line for Slinky Dog Dash is 70 minutes and your party gets in line at 9am your return time for the second group would be from 10:10am to 11:10am. Don’t worry you won’t have to miss out on all of the fun, one of the initial riders will also get to ride again with you, so their MagicBand, phone or Key to the World card will also be swiped with that same return time.
Once you have met with a Cast Member, your party will get into the Standby line for the ride. The person waiting with the non-rider is free to grab a snack, check out the gift shop or do whatever they would like while waiting in the same general area for the rest of the party to get off of the ride.
One the rest of the group is off the ride, the non-riding adult along with the person who will be riding a second time will head over to the Lightning Lane (Genie+) entrance. When they walk up to the MagicBand reader, it will register that they have a Rider Swap return time. Those two people will be free to enter the Lightning Lane queue without having to wait in the Standby line like the rest of the party did.
Commonly Asked Questions about Rider Switch
Do I have to use my rider switch return time immediately after my group gets off the ride?
You do have a little bit of a buffer when it comes to returning to ride (one hour), if you wanted to grab a snack or drink or peruse the gift shop, however you will not be able to hold a second rider switch while you already obtain one.
Can I use Rider Swap with a Genie+ or Lightning Lane reservation?
Yes, you can! However everyone riding the ride must have purchased Genie+ for that day.
Can I use Rider Swap on a ride with a Virtual Queue such as Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind?
Yes you can, but similar to with Genie+ everyone but the non-rider must have reserved a Virtual Queue to ride the ride.
What is the difference between Rider Switch and Rider Swap?
Rider Switch is the exact same thing as Rider Swap. When Walt Disney World transitioned to Genie+ there was a slight change to the Rider Switch program. Previously, the person waiting with the non-rider could bring up to 3 guests on the ride with them for a second turn on the ride. As of July 16, 2021 - the person who waits with the non-rider is limited to only bringing one guest on the ride with them.
What rides in each park have a Rider Switch?
Everything with a height requirement has Rider Switch capability along with some extras.
Magic Kingdom
The Barnstormer
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
Space Mountain
Splash Mountain
Tomorrowland Speedway
EPCOT
Frozen Ever After
Mission Space
Soarin’
Test Track
Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind
Hollywood Studios
Alien Swirling Saucers
Slinky Dog Dash
Rise of the Resistance
Millenium Falcon: Smugglers Run
Star Tours
Rock “n” Roller Coaster
Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
Animal Kingdom
Avatar Flight of Passage
Na’vi River Journey
Dinosaur
Expedition Everest- Legend of the Forbidden Mountain
Kali River Rapids
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