How to Child Swap at WDW

This is Disney’s system that allows people with small children to take turns riding the bigger rides while the other person/people wait with the child.

Here’s how it works.


As you encounter a ride that has a height requirement, your whole group should be present and you can tell the Cast Member that you’d like to Child Swap. The Cast Member will give the waiting portion of your group a Child Swap pass (which works like a FastPass) and the riding portion of your group will proceed through the line.

Recommendation: Use FastPasses

I highly recommend that you use a FastPass for the first group (assuming it’s available on the attraction). This means that you’d get FastPasses for just the number of people riding in the first group. Once your group shows up during the FastPass window (the whole group should show up, including the non-riding child), the Cast Member will issue the rest of the group the Child Swap pass which works like a FastPass and can be used for up to 3 people.

The Child Swap pass that you are issued does not have a time specified on it like a FastPass does, so it can be used anytime that day.

While the first group is riding, the waiting group will want to keep busy. Here are some things to do if you are in the waiting group.

Ride	Height requirement	FP available?	What to do while waiting
MAGIC KINGDOM:
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad	40"	Yes	Ride the Walt Disney World Railroad around, starting at the Frontierland station and/or play in the play area located just under the train station
Splash Mountain	40"	Yes	Ride the Walt Disney World Railroad around, starting at the Frontierland station and/or play in the play area located just under the train station
Barnstormer	35"	No	Casey Jr. Splash ‘N’ Soak Station, Dumbo
Space Mountain	44"	Yes	Tomorrowland Transit Authority
Stitch's Great Escape	40"	No	Tomorrowland Transit Authority
Tomorrowland Indy Speedway	52" (to drive alone)	No	Tomorrowland Transit Authority
EPCOT:
Test Track	40"	Yes	Innoventions East
Soarin'	40"	Yes	Living with the Land
Mission: Space	44"	Yes	The exit area of the ride has a large play area
HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS:
Star Tours	40"	Yes	Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set
Tower of Terror	40"	Yes	Hang out on Mickey Avenue for the kid-friendly shows
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster	48"	Yes	Hang out on Mickey Avenue for the kid-friendly shows
ANIMAL KINGDOM:
Expedition Everest	44"	Yes	Maharajah Jungle Trek
Kali River Rapids	38"	Yes	Maharajah Jungle Trek
Dinosaur	40"	Yes	The Boneyard
Primeval Whirl	48"	Yes	The Boneyard

Chance to ride twice

Each time that the too-young-to-ride child waits on the rest of the group to ride, they only need 1 adult to stay with them. That means there is an opportunity to allow the rest of the group (if you have more than 2 adults) to ride twice.

Let’s say you have a family with 2 adults and 3 kids and only the youngest child isn’t riding. The first group can have 1 adult and 2 older kids while the other adult and youngest child waits. The second group can have the other adult and the 2 older kids (Child Swap allows up to 3 people). This means the 2 older kids get to ride twice.

A word of caution

The speed at which you tour depends on how busy the parks are, when you arrive, what you’re riding, how fast you move and if you are Child Swapping. As you can probably guess, riding the same ride twice will slow you down quite a bit. Keep this in mind as you create your touring plans.

Next steps

Go through your touring plans and note which rides you want to Child Swap. Allow extra time in your day so that everyone in your group can ride.