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If you’re visiting the happiest place on earth with your kids soon, you need to know about rider switch at Disneyland! Also known as rider swap, child swap, or parent swap. This option can save you tons of time waiting in long lines! Plus, when you use rider switch at Disneyland everyone in your group will have a chance to ride the thrill rides because it enables you to take turns waiting with the kids who are too small to ride.
One adult waits with the little ones, while the first group rides the attraction. Then, the person waiting with the smaller children can “swap” places with the first group and the second adult can ride the attraction along with 2 other guests. Plus, the second group gets to skip the regular line and enjoy a shorter wait time when it’s their turn! Sound pretty great, right? It really is! In this post, I’ll explain everything you need to know about rider switch at Disneyland and how to use it!
I’ve got an episode on my podcast about rider switch at Disneyland that you won’t want to miss!
If you’re looking for Disneyland planning tips, and the latest Disneyland park news you’re in the right place! I also talk about Disneyland park history, the storytelling behind the attractions, and my latest Disney park adventures. I’m here to help you plan your Disney vacation with a little extra magic mixed in. Join me!
So much is discussed on this episode! I talk about the Food & Wine Festival and how to save time waiting in line for food. I talk about height requirements at Disneyland and Rider Switch. I also talk about brining food and beverages into Disneyland! What you can and can’t bring and my recommendations. Enjoy!
Food & Wine Festival info and free printable: https://mixinsomemagic.com/disney-california-adventure-food-wine-festival/
Height Requirements At Disneyland: https://mixinsomemagic.com/disneyland-height-requirements-guide/
Outside Food At Disneyland: https://mixinsomemagic.com/can-you-bring-outside-food-into-disneyland/
Saving Money At Disneyland: https://mixinsomemagic.com/saving-money-at-disneyland/
Saving For Your Disney Vacation: https://mixinsomemagic.com/saving-for-your-disney-vacation/
Beaded WindMill Disney Height Chart: https://rstyle.me/+CHg6tLUbE1KaU7S1DFb0Og
Discount Disney Tickets: https://www.getawaytoday.com/tickets/disneyland-resort/?referrerid=7842
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In This Post
Discount Disney Park Tickets
Please be aware, that Disney theme parks all require park tickets and reservations. Make sure you have both! Please don’t pay full price for your Disney tickets or hotel. My partners at Get Away Today have the very best deals on tickets and hotels. Their customer service is top notch and they even have layaway plans. You can find them here or call 1-855-GET-AWAY. Make sure you tell them Melissa from Mix In Some Magic sent you for the best deal! If you book a package with park tickets and a hotel room you can use my code MIX10 to save an extra $10. That’s more churro money, friends!
I have a bunch of hotel reviews that might be helpful for you if you’re still trying to decide where you’d like to stay. I prefer to stay at a hotel within walking distance of the Disney parks. This is a great option for our family because I love being able to just walk over to the parks and walk back to the hotel when the day is over.
Disneyland Planning Help
I’ve got bunches of information on planning a Disneyland trip that will be so helpful for you! Start with my complete guide to visiting Disneyland. It’s a step-by-step guide for planning your vacation that will be helpful. Check out my top 10 Disneyland tips and my guide to when to visit Disneyland to help you pick the best time for your vacation! I’ve also got a post on rope dropping at Disneyland that’s very helpful.
Make sure you check out my downloadable touring plans if you’d like a step-by-step guide to the parks!
I have a planning phone call that’s super popular! In this phone call, I can answer all of your Disneyland vacation questions and give you lots of tips and info tailored just to you and your group!
Rider Switch At Disneyland
If you have young children who are too small for an attraction or don’t wish to ride then rider switch is going to be your best friend! The Rider Switch program(also known as Rider Swap) is designed for groups who have small children(or bigger kids who don’t want to ride) so that everyone who wishes to can experience the attraction.
With Rider Switch, one adult or supervising Guest (14 years or older) will wait with non-riders while the rest of the party enjoys the attraction. Then, they simply switch places to allow the supervising guest to experience the attraction without waiting in the regular queue again. It’s a genius system!
To Use Rider Switch:
1. Check with a Disney Cast Member to see if Rider Switch is offered at the attraction you’d like to experience.
2. Upon arriving at the selected attraction, approach the greeting Cast Member with your entire party. Members will be divided into 2 parties—“Party 1” includes those riding the attraction first, while “Party 2” consists of non-riders and their waiting adult.
3. The supervising Guests of Party 2—which can include a maximum of 2 people— will have their admission media/tickets scanned and must wait in the designated area—usually outside the attraction—while Party 1 waits in line to experience the attraction.
4. After Party 1(first group) experiences the attraction, they’ll assume supervision of the non-riding Guests.
5. The supervising Guests of Party 2 should then return to the appropriate attraction entrance (e.g., attraction exit or lightning lane entrance) to have their admission media/tickets re-scanned by a Cast Member for the Rider Switch entitlement. At this point, Party 2 may enter the appropriate attraction return line and board without waiting in the regular standby line.
Attractions Offering Rider Switch
Rider switch is only available on select attractions. Check with a cast member if you have any questions about which attractions utilize rider switch pass. Here’s a list of rides that offer rider switch at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park.
- Autopia
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
- Grizzly River Run
- Goofy’s Sky School
- Guardians of the Galaxy- Mission: BREAKOUT!
- Incredicoater
- Indiana Jones Adventure
- Jumpin’ Jellyfish
- Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters
- Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree
- Matterhorn Bobsleds
- Millenium Falcon: Smugglers Run
- Radiator Springs Racers
- Silly Symphony Swings
- Soarin’ Around the World
- Space Mountain
- Splash Mountain
- Star Tours: The Adventures Continue
- Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
Measure Your Kids
Do you know how tall your kids are? It’s a good idea to measure your kids before you arrive at the theme parks. Many of the rides and attractions have a minimum height requirement and it’s nice to know ahead of time what your child can and can’t ride. Grab your tape measure and measure your child’s height. Measure them with their shoes on. Preferably the shoes they’ll be wearing to the parks. Now that you have their heights, here’s a handy list of Disneyland height requirements so you can see which rides they’ll be able to enjoy.
I love that the Disneyland Resort offers the rider switch system. It’s such a great help to families! We used it all the time when my children were little. It was a huge help for our family! My husband would wait with my little girls who were too small to ride. I would take my two boys on one of the bigger rides. Then, we would switch places and I would wait with the little girls while my husband took our boys on the ride again, this time with a shorter wait time! The best part was my two boys got to ride the attraction two times in a row! Once with each parent. I loved that my husband and I both got to experience the attraction with our kids. We used rider switch at Disneyland to our full advantage!
I hope my guide to rider switch at Disneyland was helpful for you! It is a great service that Disney offers to its guests. You need to take advantage of rider switch at Disneyland on your next visit! Disneyland rider switch is a free service and you don’t have to sign up for it at all. Just talk to the cast member at the entrance to any of the attractions listed above about using rider switch at Disneyland and they can get you started with the rider switch option.
Make sure to check out my podcast for lots of Disney planning information! You can find it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Just search for “Mix In Some Magic” Follow me on Instagram for more Disney tips and lots of Disney fun!
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I'm Melissa, your Disney vacation aficionado and full-time mom to four. Whether it's sipping Diet Dr. Pepper or sharing unbeatable Disney planning tips, I'm all about adding a touch of magic to everyday life. Let me help turn your Disney dreams into reality with insider advice and customized planning strategies. Join me on this magical journey and make every Disney adventure unforgettable! Read more...
