Although child swap at Disney, Universal, Busch Gardens and Sea World is available now, they all have different rules and regulations to abide by. Have you ever wanted to get on a ride at an amusement park that your child was too young to ride?
Child Swap, Rider Swap, or Rider Switch is a system that allows parents with younger children, who don’t meet the height requirements, to take turns riding on a ride. The way it works is that the first adult gets on the ride, while the other sits out with the child. Once the ride is over, they switch places so that the other adult can also enjoy the ride. This allows parents to avoid waiting in the line twice.
Many times, parents are faced with this problem and end up missing out on some of the most amazing rides. For years, my wife and I have encountered the same dilemma, until we learned about the child swap system.
Many theme parks in Florida, such as Disney World, Universal Studios, Busch Gardens and Sea World, all offer child swap for parents with younger children who don’t meet the height requirements for a ride.
Insider Tip 1
Keep in mind, every theme park has a different approach when it comes to child swap. So, it’s a good idea when visiting an attraction to check beforehand what their rules and regulations are regarding their own method.
Table of Contents
Rider Switch or Child Swap At Disney
What I’ve noticed about the child swap or the rider switch system at Disney World is that it’s not available at every ride. In fact, many of their attractions were designed for younger children to enjoy.
I’ve even seen parents carrying babies onto some of the rides with them. Which is great for many parents, but what about the children that don’t want to ride?
Unfortunately, if the attraction doesn’t offer rider switch then parents will have to take turns and wait in the lines a second time.
How To Use Child Swap At Disney
If your planning to get on a ride that does offer rider switch, remember to first go to the front of the main entrance of the attraction and let a Disney Cast Member know that you want to use the rider switch service. They usually will ask how many people are in your party and who plans to ride first.
Next, they will hook up the rider switch to your park tickets or magic bands. Then, they will direct the parent and child where they need to wait, while the others get in line. When the ride is over both parents switch places allowing the other parent to now enjoy the ride without waiting in the lines a second time.
Can You Ride Multiple Times Using Child Swap
What my family and I love about the rider switch system, is that my children can usually ride twice. For example, we arrive at an attraction, such as a roller coaster that my son is too small to ride.
My wife sits out first with him, while I get on the ride with my other two older children. After the ride is over, my wife and I switch allowing her to now ride with our children.
This allows my kids to ride twice, once with me, then another time with her. This is only possible because Disney allows a total of three guest per switch.
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Insider Tip 2
Keep in mind, Disney’s Child Swap or Rider Switch System only allows three guests per switch at a time. So, if you have a larger party, make sure to decide in advance who will be the ones standing in the line first, while only three others can wait to switch.
Rides That Have Child Swap At Disney
Magic Kingdom
| Ride | Height Requirement | Ride Type |
|---|---|---|
| Space Mountain | 44 inches | Roller coaster in the dark |
| Seven Dwarfs Mine Train | 38 inches | Indoor/Outdoor roller coaster |
| Big Thunder Mountain Railroad | 40 inches | Western theme roller coaster |
| Splash Mountain | 40 inches | Indoor/Outdoor water-flume ride |
| The Barnstarmer | 35 inches | Smaller roller coaster |
| Tomorrowland Speedway | 32 inches | Go Karts |
Epcot
| Ride | Height Requirement | Ride Type |
|---|---|---|
| Test Track | 40 inches | Automobile test track |
| Soarin’ | 40 inches | Flight simulator |
| Frozen Ever After | N/A | Adventure boat ride |
| Mission Space | 40 & 44 inches | Flight simulator |
Hollywood Studios
| Ride | Height Requirement | Ride Type |
|---|---|---|
| Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster | 48 inches | Rock music theme roller coaster |
| Tower of Terror | 40 inches | Sci-Fi indoor thrill ride |
| Slinky Dog Dash | 38 inches | Mid-size roller coaster |
| Alien Swirling Saucers | 32 inches | Spinning saucers |
| Millennium Falcon | 38 inches | Flight simulator |
| Star Tours | 40 inches | Flight simulator |
Animal Kingdom
| Ride | Height Requirement | Ride Type |
|---|---|---|
| Expedition Everest | 44 inches | High speed roller coaster |
| Avatar Flight of Passage | 44 inches | Flight simulator |
| Dinosaur | 40 inches | Dark simulator ride |
| Primeval Whirl | 48 inches | Spinning coaster |
| Kali River Rapids | 38 inches | Whitewater raft ride |
Child Swap At Universal
Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure are both great places for using child swap or rider swap, because many of the attractions there are designed for much older guests.
What my family and I enjoy the most about this system at Universal is that most attractions have child swap rooms which are equipped with changing tables. Some even have TV screens and air conditioning in them, which makes waiting around much more enjoyable.
Sometimes while we are waiting, we will enjoy some snacks or leftover food from lunch that we had at one of Universal’s awesome restaurants.
How To Use Child Swap At Universal
If your planning to get on a ride at Universal, remember to first go to the front of the main entrance of the attraction and let an employee know you want to use the rider swap service. They usually will tell the guest to walk through the line together until they reach near the child swap room.
At that point, the party then splits up. The first adult and the child who is not riding will sit in the child swap room, and the other adult rides the ride with the rest of their party. When the ride is over both will switch places allowing the other adult to now enjoy the ride without waiting in the line a second time.
Insider Tip 3
Keep in mind, there are three guests per switch at a time. So, plan ahead which adult and two others will wait first in the child swap area.
Another Way To Use Child Swap At Universal
If you’re not able to walk through the lines with the non-riding child, then ask an employee at the front of the attraction if you can go straight to the child swap room, while the rest of your party walks through the line.
Explain your situation to them, usually they will direct you to where the child swap room is, so you don’t have to wait in line. This option has worked many times with my family because our little one won’t stand still if the line is too long.
Insider Tip 4
Remember, you may encounter an employee that will insist that you walk through the line. This has happened to us before. Just be patient, because some of the employees are new.
All you have to do, if you absolutely cannot stand in the line, then go to another attraction nearby and try that ride again later. The employees usually switch places and someone else may be able to assist you better next time.
Rides That Have Child Swap At Universal
Universal Orlando
| Ride | Height Requirement | Ride Type |
|---|---|---|
| Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit | 51 inches | High speed roller coaster |
| Harry Potter Escape From Gringotts | 42 inches | Indoor ride & roller coaster |
| Revenge of the Mummy | 48 inches | Dark ride & roller coaster |
| Fast & Furious | 40 inches | Simulated car chase |
| Transformers | 40 Inches | 3-D dark ride |
| Jimmy Fallon: Race Through New York | 40 inches | Comedic simulator |
| Men In Black | 42 inches | Interactive dark ride |
| The Simpson Ride | 40 inches | Simulator ride |
Islands of Adventure
| Ride | Height Requirement | Ride Type |
|---|---|---|
| The Incredible Hulk Coaster | 54 inches | High speed roller coaster |
| Harry Potter & The Forbidden Journey | 48 inches | Motion simulator dark ride |
| Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike | 48 inches | Roller coaster |
| Skull Island: Reign of Kong | 36 inches | 3-D ride |
| Amazing Adventures of Spider Man | 40 Inches | 3-D simulator ride |
| Doctor Doom’s Fearfall | 52 inches | Launch & free fall ride |
| Jurassic Park River Adventure | 42 inches | River raft ride |
| Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls | 44 inches | Flume ride |
| Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges | 42 inches | Whitewater rapids ride |
Child Swap At SeaWorld
The child swap service at SeaWorld has been really convenient for my family. What we enjoy the most, is that it’s easy to use and you can be in and out of attractions quickly.
How To Use Child Swap At Sea World
The way the child swap program works at SeaWorld is that you first need to tell the employee at the front that you want to do child swap. Some of your party will need to wait in the stand-by line, while the other non-riders need to wait outside near the exit. When the rider gets off the ride, they need to ask for a child swap pass from the employee standing there immediately when you get off the ride.
Insider Tip 5
The child swap pass can be used anytime throughout the day. So, if you want to go to another attraction first and then come back later, you can.
Rides That Have Child Swap At Sea World
| Ride | Height Requirement | Ride Type |
|---|---|---|
| Mako | 54 inches | High speed roller coaster |
| Kraken | 54 inches | High speed roller coaster |
| Manta | 54 inches | High speed roller coaster |
| Infinity Falls | 42 inches | Whitewater rapids ride |
| Journey To Atlantis | 42 inches | Flume & roller coaster hybrid |
| Wild Arctic | 42 inches | Indoor simulator |
Child Swap At Busch Gardens
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is the ultimate family adventure park that combines awesome thrill rides, live entertainment and more than 12,000 animals. If you need detailed directions on how to get there from Orlando, check out my article Orlando To Busch Gardens: An Illustrated Guide.
Child swap for Busch Gardens in my opinion is the best out of all of the theme parks. They make it easy to get multiple child swap passes at one time and you don’t have to wait in any lines.
How To Use Child Swap At Busch Gardens
When you first come to the front of the line, ask the cast member for a child swap pass. They will ask you how many people are in your party. Then they will hand you a pass with a return time.
The return time is supposed to be the same amount of time it would take you to stand in the regular stand-by line, however we have found most of the time it is a lot shorter.
Then you can go throughout the park and experience any other ride or attraction or restaurant until you have past the return time.
Insider Tip 6
We go around to all of the major thrill rides first and ask for a child swap pass. Then by the time we get back to the first ride, the time has passed and now we are able to go through the Quick Que line on every ride.
Once your return time has passed, go to the Quick Que line and show your pass to the cast member. Once you get near the front of the line to get onto the ride, you will need to show your pass again to another cast member. They will then punch a whole in the ticket showing that you rode the ride 1 time.
When the first party gets off the ride, hand the child swap pass to the waiting adult to use. They will go through the Quick Que line as well. Any family member that rode the ride the first time is able to ride again if they wish.
When you get to the front of the line the second time, the cast member will keep the child swap pass and let you on the ride.
My Related Busch Gardens Article:
Rides That Have Child Swap At Busch Gardens
| Ride | Height Requirement | Ride Type |
|---|---|---|
| Tigris | 54 inches | High speed roller coaster |
| Cheetah Hunt | 48 inches | High speed roller coaster |
| Sheikra | 54 inches | High speed roller coaster |
| Montu | 54 inches | High speed roller coaster |
| Falcon’s Fury | 54 inches | Free fall ride |
| Cobra’s Curse | 42 inches | Spinning roller coaster |
| Kumba | 54 inches | High speed roller coaster |
| Congo River Rapids | 42 inches | Whitewater rapids ride |
| Scorpion | 42 inches | Roller coaster |
| Sand Serpent | 46 inches | Roller coaster |
| Stanley Falls Flume | 46 inches | Flume ride |
Insider Tip 7
To avoid future disappointment, always familiarize yourself with the rides and height requirements before you go to the park. This way you can make a plan ahead of time and not have to deal with any temper tantrums because your child was looking forward to riding a ride that they are unable to get on.
Final Thoughts
Many times, before the child swap system was available, we would have a difficult time riding all the rides and experiencing all the shows at the park. However, thanks to this system we no longer have this problem and neither should you.