Hi Bailey, welcome back to planDisney. I see that your trip is just around the corner, hooray! As a mom of two little Mouseketeers, I appreciate the added flexibility that
Rider Switch provides our family when it comes to thrilling attractions. I'm happy to help you with this.
Rider Switch allows adults to take turns enjoying an attraction and staying behind with a child who is unable or unwilling to ride. Here's how it generally works: the entire party would approach a Cast Member at the entrance of a
participating attraction and request the service. They'd then be split into two groups. Group 1 would wait in the queue and ride while Group 2 waits outside the queue. After Group 1 returns, Group 2 (two people maximum) would enter the attraction through a shorter queue.
There are a few criteria for using this service. Many families use Rider Switch because a child doesn't meet the height requirement or doesn't want to ride, and is too young to wait outside the queue alone.
If a child meets the boarding requirements for an attraction, is able to experience the queue, and is eager to ride, Rider Switch might not be granted. The Cast Members at the attraction would use their discretion to determine that.
Let me share Rider Switch story from one of our own magical adventures. One hot summer day, my family wanted to brave the roaring waters of
Grizzly River Run. My six-year-old loves this ride, but my three-year-old was one inch short of the height requirement. We used Rider Switch, and my husband and oldest daughter went on the ride while I waited with our little one. After they were done, he stayed back since it was my turn to go on a rafting adventure. Since Group 2 for Rider Switch has a maximum return size of two people (so no one has to ride alone), I was able to take my six-year-old again. She loved this and ended up with mostly dry clothes despite going twice. I, on the other hand, ended up drenched! And my three-year-old started eating her broccoli in hopes of growing that last inch so she could ride next time, in which case we'd all wait in the queue together.
Now, Bailey, have you considered purchasing the
Lightning Lane Multi-Pass for your February visit? It grants access to the Lightning Lane entrance at several attractions, leading to shorter queues. You'll be able to fit more magic into your day thanks to the shorter wait times. With this pass, your family could select return times for participating attractions using the
Disneyland mobile app. You'd save time and also stay together. There are other benefits to this pass, too, like unlimited digital downloads of
PhotoPass photos.
Remember, you can use the Disneyland app or the tool on the
Rides and Entertainment page on the website to filter attractions based on height, thrill level, and more. I like checking this every now and then to see which attractions my growing kids may be interested in riding.
I hope this information has been helpful to you, Bailey! Please drop us a line if you have any other questions ahead of your trip. We are happy to help!
Wishing you a trip full of smiles, joy, and unforgettable core memories,
Kriss