Hi Anna, and welcome to planDisney! With just a few more days until you’re walking down Main Street, U.S.A., I’d be happy to help with your Rider Switch question!
Everyone three years of age or older will need a
Lightning Lane Pass if they want to use the Lightning Lane entrance for an attraction. But with
Rider Switch, no one has to ride alone, even if they were waiting with the little ones. This means that one person in your crew might be able to ride an attraction twice. And if one of your kiddos is riding, this can be a nice opportunity for them to ride once with each parent (or in my nephew’s case, once with my sister and once with me!). Now, let’s chat about how this all works.
When using Rider Switch, your party will split into two groups. Group One goes on the attraction while Group Two waits with the little one(s). Once Group One is done, you’ll switch. They’ll wait with the kiddo(s) while Group Two rides. If there’s only one person in Group Two, they can go with someone from Group One so they don’t have to ride alone.
To set up Rider Switch, take everyone in your crew to the entrance of the attraction and talk to a Cast Member about using Rider Switch. They’ll scan the
MagicBand or Key to the World Card of the people in Group Two (or, if there’s just one person in Group Two, they’ll scan that person and the person riding again from Group One). Group One will scan into the Lightning Lane entrance to ride first. Then, Group Two and the little ones can go somewhere nearby to wait. When I’m with my nephew, some of our favorite spots are the drum area close to
Flight of Passage in Animal Kingdom and the playground that’s sometimes open between
Creations Shop and
Test Track in EPCOT (this one is also fairly close to
Guardians of the Galaxy).
Don’t forget that all four theme parks have
Baby Care Centers if you need somewhere quiet to change a diaper, warm bottles, feed little ones, or pick up essentials you left at home, like wipes and formula. These centers have been a lifesaver when I’m at the parks with my nephew!
I hope you have a magical time at Disney World next week! And if you have any other questions, you’re always welcome at planDisney.
JoAnna