Rider Switch changing (Started June 16th)

[Party.Of.4-NY>>>FL]

Why did you need RS if your mother was with you and not riding? Sorry if I'm misunderstanding, but this doesn't make sense to me.

Not the person you quoted, and I’m just taking a wild guess. Maybe it’s because there is no expectation, nor should it be a requirement of Grandma to babysit.

 

[WillowRain]

Why did you need RS if your mother was with you and not riding? Sorry if I'm misunderstanding, but this doesn't make sense to me.

And thats exactly why they need to ALL have a FP because this is a clear exploit of the system

 

[mom2rtk]

Disney does lots of things to be attractive to families with small children.

Up to and including letting those under 3 in for free.

 

[Boski]

You're not confused, you're just waaaaay too hung up on this for some reason.
Disney does lots of things to be attractive to families with small children.
Rider Swap is one of them. Relax.

- mom who loved using Rider swap with my two kids when they were little, and isn't the least bit worried about the miniscule percentage of people who may get an extra ride out of the system, while also dealing with toddlers in WDW.

I don't think the poster was saying there was anything wrong with rider swap. Unless I missed that post.

 

[DopeyDame]

And thats exactly why they need to ALL have a FP because this is a clear exploit of the system

You seem to think it's a clear exploitation of the system. Disney thinks it's something useful to let its youngest families have a good trip and encourage them to keep coming back year after year.
As PPs have said, Disney has plenty of data on who exactly is using rider swap and how they are using it.

 

[CT Disney]

You seem to think it's a clear exploitation of the system. Disney thinks it's something useful to let its youngest families have a good trip and encourage them to keep coming back year after year.
As PPs have said, Disney has plenty of data on who exactly is using rider swap and how they are using it.

Honest question...what is this data and where is it coming from? Disney handed out paper RS passes. Were they recording WHO was using the system and why? They saw the too short kid and they handed out the RS...were they recording any kind of data when they handed them out? As people handed them back in and used them...were they recording anything like how many people were riding on each pass, or what time they were used? I just don't recall seeing any data collection in the line as RS passes were handed out and collected.

At the most, Disney probably knows how many were handed out each day, and how many were handed back in. But, is it possible that we are overestimating how much real and viable data Disney actually has on RS?

 

[WillowRain]

You seem to think it's a clear exploitation of the system. Disney thinks it's something useful to let its youngest families have a good trip and encourage them to keep coming back year after year.
As PPs have said, Disney has plenty of data on who exactly is using rider swap and how they are using it.

All I am saying, is it worked great at Disneyland. I think IN ALL FAIRNESS TO EVERYONE, including those with small children (like me), all parties obtaining swap through FP line should be scanned in. The way they are saying it works now technically mom could ride twice and get a 2nd swap for party 1 too. That should not be allowed. Unless it's only 1 swap per party on MDE, then whatever, she most likely wouldn't have time to ride twice so that's fine, But she could.

 

[WillowRain]

@CT Disney right??? And now they will have all the datas. And they will see people abusing, and it too will be put to a stop. I really am giving this the benefit of the trial run and the real changes are to come. There just isn't any way they will allow it to play out with obtaining extra Swaps.

 

[WillowRain]

I do wonder if there is a team that monitors who makes what FP+ reservations. Like soon it will be where everyone in your party MUST make the same FP, no splitting. Just wait!

 

[Boski]

Honest question...what is this data and where is it coming from? Disney handed out paper RS passes. Were they recording WHO was using the system and why? They saw the too short kid and they handed out the RS...were they recording any kind of data when they handed them out? As people handed them back in and used them...were they recording anything like how many people were riding on each pass, or what time they were used? I just don't recall seeing any data collection in the line as RS passes were handed out and collected.

At the most, Disney probably knows how many were handed out each day, and how many were handed back in. But, is it possible that we are overestimating how much real and viable data Disney actually has on RS?

Agreed, and this is another reason why RS is now digital. Disney will be able to gather a lot of data doing it this way and I would imagine be tweaking the system as they gather more information.

 

[danikoski]

Why did you need RS if your mother was with you and not riding? Sorry if I'm misunderstanding, but this doesn't make sense to me.

Our family group that is going next year we will have my 19 month old with us. We will also have two first timers who will be teenagers, my husband, me, my mom, and my dad. My dad hates heights. There is no way he will ride Soarin. So technically, I could leave him with the toddler. However, I probably won't make him sit with his grandson alone, so we might RS. I will wait with him and the LO well the others ride and then I will ride, and if Disney CMs allow it, I will take the two first timers back on with me. Maybe we will do it that way, maybe we won't, but I like having the flexibility, especially with a toddler. One of the teenagers also will probably qualify for DAS, but I haven't decided if we will use that or not. But once again, I'm glad to have that flexibility. One of the reasons I'm even attempting to plan this trip with this group of people is because of the flexibility Disney allows.

 

[DopeyDame]

Honest question...what is this data and where is it coming from? Disney handed out paper RS passes. Were they recording WHO was using the system and why? They saw the too short kid and they handed out the RS...were they recording any kind of data when they handed them out? As people handed them back in and used them...were they recording anything like how many people were riding on each pass, or what time they were used? I just don't recall seeing any data collection in the line as RS passes were handed out and collected.

At the most, Disney probably knows how many were handed out each day, and how many were handed back in. But, is it possible that we are overestimating how much real and viable data Disney actually has on RS?

Ever since FP+ and MDE they should be able to have a good sense of who was "double dipping"
They know who is traveling together and they know the ages of the kids (which is a reasonable approximation of height). It's easy to see that mom has a FP for TT and dad has a FP for Soarin and the group has a 3 year old. They also have the longer distance FP scanners so they can see that dad went on TT through the fast pass lane even if it's not officially scanned. And, they have the data on how many RSs are given out and used each day. It won't be perfect data, but **if** they care about this oh-so-minor issue, they could certainly get a rough idea.

But here's my question: for those who want everyone in a party to have a fast pass before using Rider Swap, why do you want the 4 and 5 year olds to lose out on a fast pass?
Mom, Dad, and 9 year old want to ride Space Mountain
4 year old isn't tall enough (but does have a very expensive ticket and should be entitled to use her fast passes for which she's paid.)
In your scenario, here are the choices the family has:
Mom and 9 year old get fast pass for Soarin, Dad and 4 year old get fast pass for Living with the land.
Dad doesn't get to ride Soarin at all, because he had to use his fast pass accompanying 4 year old, and he isn't eligible for a rider swap because he never had a Soarin fast pass to begin with.
So now rider swap has lost benefits, and the family goes home and tells their neighbors not to bother going to WDW until their kids are all older.

OR...
Mom, dad, and 9 year old get fastpasses for Soarin. 4 year old doesn't have an adult with a fastpass to accompany her on any other ride, so she effectively doesn't get to use that fast pass. (And family also has to figure out how to "waste" her fast pass so she can move onto the 4+ fast passes with the rest of the family.)

 

[HopperFan]

Honest question...what is this data and where is it coming from? Disney handed out paper RS passes. Were they recording WHO was using the system and why? They saw the too short kid and they handed out the RS...were they recording any kind of data when they handed them out? As people handed them back in and used them...were they recording anything like how many people were riding on each pass, or what time they were used? I just don't recall seeing any data collection in the line as RS passes were handed out and collected.

At the most, Disney probably knows how many were handed out each day, and how many were handed back in. But, is it possible that we are overestimating how much real and viable data Disney actually has on RS?

Exact data, no but enough data to know a change is needed, yes.

Example with GAC, you had a piece of paper that you flashed at the CM and you proceeded through the line. Absolutely nothing was handed in and to the eye nothing whatsoever was kept track of ..... but it was. Very simplistic at the time but when Disney decided to evaluate the program .. for a long time CMs had clickers in their hands and they clicked for every person who rode using GAC. They know approx how many they roll through the rides so right there they had the percentage of riders who were using the GAC. End result was a very high number.

With RS paper, they can calculate how many were used (multiply it by the 3 allowed to ride) and likely when considering you are going through FP+ line and CMs can tap the screen to calculate , factor it into how many FP+ were used and how many SB they approximated and they again have a percentage of guests riding via RS. I imagine at that point the data combined with CM inputs and things we might not think of .... The system is entirely able to see which parties on MDE booked both Pandora rides, split E ticket FP+ at Epcot and DHS .. and honestly in a second will know if you had a young child/infant with you if a Disney hotel guest, and will know if your party has child tickets if an offsite guest.

MM+ had a major goal of Disney knowing you and your party well from dining, to shopping, to FP+ and if they want where you are at. It will continue to develop and they will continue to learn more and more about guests - adjusting their business model as they go. I imagine their goal is everything will process through MDE at some point.

 

[HopperFan]

But here's my question: for those who want everyone in a party to have a fast pass before using Rider Swap, why do you want the 4 and 5 year olds to lose out on a fast pass?
Mom, Dad, and 9 year old want to ride Space Mountain
4 year old isn't tall enough (but does have a very expensive ticket and should be entitled to use her fast passes for which she's paid.)
In your scenario, here are the choices the family has:
Mom and 9 year old get fast pass for Soarin, Dad and 4 year old get fast pass for Living with the land.
Dad doesn't get to ride Soarin at all, because he had to use his fast pass accompanying 4 year old, and he isn't eligible for a rider swap because he never had a Soarin fast pass to begin with.
So now rider swap has lost benefits, and the family goes home and tells their neighbors not to bother going to WDW until their kids are all older.

OR...
Mom, dad, and 9 year old get fastpasses for Soarin. 4 year old doesn't have an adult with a fastpass to accompany her on any other ride, so she effectively doesn't get to use that fast pass. (And family also has to figure out how to "waste" her fast pass so she can move onto the 4+ fast passes with the rest of the family.)

Comes up often and I always say ..... why is it that not using a FP+ or two impacts anyone's trip. A child that young won't even know they didn't use their FP+. Burn them up or use them in combo with second RS party to allow more taller ones to ride if group big enough. As soon as they are gone you can start using that 4th FP+ and roll it. Have done it at busy times and had no issues. My non-rider gets to go on everything they want by using the 4th FP+ or using standby as a group. And we do standby rides as well while others are using their FP+ on shorter lines so non-rider still does plenty of rides.

It's not like you get 3 rides only and you are done. If that is all people are doing, then they are doing it all wrong. We never do less than double digit number of FP+ each day and sometimes closer to 20 if hopping or at MK.

 

[DopeyDame]

Comes up often and I always say ..... why is it that not using a FP+ or two impacts anyone's trip. A child that young won't even know they didn't use their FP+. Burn them up or use them in combo with second RS party to allow more taller ones to ride if group big enough. As soon as they are gone you can start using that 4th FP+ and roll it. Have done it at busy times and had no issues. My non-rider gets to go on everything they want by using the 4th FP+ or using standby as a group. And we do standby rides as well while others are using their FP+ on shorter lines so non-rider still does plenty of rides.

It's not like you get 3 rides only and you are done. If that is all people are doing, then they are doing it all wrong. We never do less than double digit number of FP+ each day and sometimes closer to 20 if hopping or at MK.

And likewise, why is it that another party using an extra FP+ or two impacts anyone else's trip?
I just don't understand how people using rider swap within Disney's guidelines gets other people so very worked up.

 

[CT Disney]

It seems to be a pretty popular idea around here that Disney wants to allow families with little kids to ride twice because they want to make Disney an appealing place to vacation. In that same vein, I would like to take this opportunity to propose a RS for families with teenagers. Disney should want to be an appealing vacation destination for these families too, right??

Listen, I know that traveling with babies and toddlers isn't easy. They slow you down, they need to nap, they get cranky. But, let me tell you, traveling with teenagers has its stuff too. They sleep late, they get cranky, they like to nap, they eat frequently, and sometimes they roll their eyes at you and talk back. This is how it would work: For the teenager to pull a "Teenage RS" you would first need to approach a hokey and nostalgic ride and you would need to show your teenager to the CM. The teenager would then have to ride that ride with you (without their face in their phone). They would need to listen to your childhood memories of that ride and not roll their eyes. They would need to smile and thank you for taking them on vacation. Having fulfilled all of these requirements, the teenager would then get a Teenage RS to ride whatever they wanted.

In all seriousness...I have two teenagers...both of whom LOVE Disney and the family time we share there every year. My point is, Disney should want to be an appealing vacation destination for all families.

 

[the_grinch]

You're not confused, you're just waaaaay too hung up on this for some reason.
Disney does lots of things to be attractive to families with small children.
Rider Swap is one of them. Relax.

- mom who loved using Rider swap with my two kids when they were little, and isn't the least bit worried about the miniscule percentage of people who may get an extra ride out of the system, while also dealing with toddlers in WDW.

so you are saying you did cheat the system but you think that Disney want people like your family make up to be able
to cheat the system because Disney like your money more then familys who have no small kid am i getting that right?

 

[DopeyDame]

It seems to be a pretty popular idea around here that Disney wants to allow families with little kids to ride twice because they want to make Disney an appealing place to vacation. In that same vein, I would like to take this opportunity to propose a RS for families with teenagers. Disney should want to be an appealing vacation destination for these families too, right??

Listen, I know that traveling with babies and toddlers isn't easy. They slow you down, they need to nap, they get cranky. But, let me tell you, traveling with teenagers has its stuff too. They sleep late, they get cranky, they like to nap, they eat frequently, and sometimes they roll their eyes at you and talk back. This is how it would work: For the teenager to pull a "Teenage RS" you would first need to approach a hokey and nostalgic ride and you would need to show your teenager to the CM. The teenager would then have to ride that ride with you (without their face in their phone). They would need to listen to your childhood memories of that ride and not roll their eyes. They would need to smile and thank you for taking them on vacation. Having fulfilled all of these requirements, the teenager would then get a Teenage RS to ride whatever they wanted.

In all seriousness...I have two teenagers...both of whom LOVE Disney and the family time we share there every year. My point is, Disney should want to be an appealing vacation destination for all families.

My previously rider-swap kids are now entering their preteen years, and boy can my son roll his eyes like no one's business already!

The difference, of course, is that Disney has no rule preventing you from leaving your sullen teenagers so that you can watch the tiki tiki tiki room and they can go do whateveritisthatteenagersdo. While Disney, and the local law enforcement, get quite peeved if you leave your 4 year old on a boat in It's a Small World while you go ride Space Mountain.

 

[DopeyDame]

so you are saying you did cheat the system but you think that Disney want people like your family make up to be able
to cheat the system because Disney like your money more then familys who have no small kid am i getting that right?

Yup. (Although, I don't actually have any kids small enough for rider swap anymore. And when I did we almost never took full advantage of rider swap because... toddlers get tired. And parents of toddlers get tired.)
Disney wants young families to start a family tradition and come back year after year. It's definitely part of their marketing strategy. A family who shows up one time with some teenage kids is unlikely to come back again.

 

[DopeyDame]

The fastpass/double dip issue aside, I wonder why they are changing it to an hour window? It used to be one day (ie, you had to return that same day) and then for some reason they changed it all the way to the end of the month. Now instead of going back to same day they're limiting it to just an hour. I wonder if they were seeing a bunch-up of RS returns towards the end of the day or something and are trying to spread that out.