Hi Christopher!
Welcome to planDisney! We use Rider Switch with Lightning Lanes quite a bit with my family, so I’m happy to help you out!
First things first…when using
Rider Switch without a Lightning Lane, Group 1 will enter the attraction via the standby queue while Group 2 waits with whoever will not be riding. Once Group 1 is done, Group 2 will be able to enter the attraction via the Lightning Lane. That way, you don’t have two extended wait times.
If everyone (including those in Group 1) wants to enter the attraction via the Lightning Lane, then everyone riding will need to have a
Lightning Lane purchased and booked.
Now, here’s the great part! If Group 2 only has one person, then they can bring another person along with them, so they don’t need to ride alone. And that second person can be someone who just went on the attraction with Group 1!
Let me use my family as an example. We’re a family of 5, and my boys are 4, 7, and 9 years old. On our most recent trip, my husband, my 7-year-old, and I all wanted to ride
Guardians of the Galaxy at Epcot. So, I purchased Lightning Lane Single Passes for the 3 of us. Before heading through the Lightning Lane, we chatted with a Cast Member near the entrance to the queue, and they got us all set up with Rider Switch.
First, my husband and 7-year-old went on the ride while I took the other two boys to the
Advanced Training Lab play area nearby. Then, once they were done riding, I was able to take my 7-year-old with me on the ride, while my husband hung out with our other two boys. So, my 7-year-old got to enjoy the attraction twice, even though we had only purchased one Lightning Lane Single Pass for him. He was VERY excited to say the least (and my husband and I were very grateful that we both got to experience the attraction with him)!
I hope that all makes sense! If you have any other questions, feel free to come back and visit us. We’re always happy to help!
I hope you and your family have the most magical vacation!
Jenn J.