Child swap, AAP question, and single rider questions?

[Kerr84]

My 4 year old daughter will most likely have the AAP pass. I know they may not issue it, but her disability is usually approved for it. My question comes with if we want to do rider swap for a ride she isn’t tall enough to ride: am I understanding correctly that she has to wait through the whole line with us and then at the end goes into a special room to wait? Why do they make a toddler wait the whole time for a ride they won’t ride? This honestly seems like a terrible way to handle this. I’m assuming we can’t use the AAP because she isn’t riding and I’m fine with that. Would they maybe give us the rider swap at the front? One of us could stay in line while the other takes her somewhere else and then just meet in the rider swap room when the waiting parent gets to the front? Anyone have experience with this? I’m thinking I am just going to sit out on a lot of the big coasters because she can’t handle a line. Do a lot of them have single rider? Any help or tips appreciated. Thank you!

 

[CAPSLOCK]

All the coasters have a single rider line - sometimes it is not running, especially at Hagrids & Velocicoaster. It is not particularly efficient at Velocicoaster or Rip Ride Rocket due to the double seating. RRR in particular seems really slow. Hagrids you will almost always be in the sidecar and it might be slow (plus that single rider line is sinfully boring).

Most other single rider lines work great - MiB, Hulk, Mummy, Spider-Man, Transformers, Gringotts, and Forbidden Journey. FJ & MiB are particularly short. Obviously a really long the regular line will impact the single rider line too as people chose that instead of a 70+min wait.

 

[HopperFan]

I assume you know that Universal now does a third party approval system before you can get the AAP. You'll need to do that before your trip, once that is all approved they pass the info along to Universal who makes the final decision.

Universal does lots of things different than Disney, and yes for the majority of the rides where swap happens you all enter the line and then before boarding go into a family room to wait and then swap. And you are correct, the AAP is only for use when the holder is riding.

Single rider is a great asset in this case.

 

[Kerr84]

I assume you know that Universal now does a third party approval system before you can get the AAP. You'll need to do that before your trip, once that is all approved they pass the info along to Universal who makes the final decision.

Universal does lots of things different than Disney, and yes for the majority of the rides where swap happens you all enter the line and then before boarding go into a family room to wait and then swap. And you are correct, the AAP is only for use when the holder is riding.

Single rider is a great asset in this case.

Great, thank you! We have been approved for the IAC already and will talk to universal sometime in the next few months before our trip hopefully.

Looks like single rider will be what we use over child swap. Thanks!

 

[nighttowll]

I would try to talking to the individual TM's at each ride. The rider swap room is usually easily accessible from the exit. If you show the disability pass and explain about your daughter, they might let you and daughter meet your husband in the room, so only he would have to wait in line, or they might go ahead and let you and daughter go to the room and wait there instead of in the line. There's no guarantee they will do this, but it doesn't hurt to ask. There are a number of different reasons they will send someone to the child swap room from the exit side. I've entered it from the exit more than once, so there's a chance they may let you.

 

[Kerr84]

I would try to talking to the individual TM's at each ride. The rider swap room is usually easily accessible from the exit. If you show the disability pass and explain about your daughter, they might let you and daughter meet your husband in the room, so only he would have to wait in line, or they might go ahead and let you and daughter go to the room and wait there instead of in the line. There's no guarantee they will do this, but it doesn't hurt to ask. There are a number of different reasons they will send someone to the child swap room from the exit side. I've entered it from the exit more than once, so there's a chance they may let you.

Thank you! We might try that. She could wait more easily in the room than she could in line. Thank you for your help!

 

[Kerr84]

I would try to talking to the individual TM's at each ride. The rider swap room is usually easily accessible from the exit. If you show the disability pass and explain about your daughter, they might let you and daughter meet your husband in the room, so only he would have to wait in line, or they might go ahead and let you and daughter go to the room and wait there instead of in the line. There's no guarantee they will do this, but it doesn't hurt to ask. There are a number of different reasons they will send someone to the child swap room from the exit side. I've entered it from the exit more than once, so there's a chance they may let you.

Update: I called the disability line and my daughter received a version of AAP. It has slightly different accommodations. He did suggest that I do what you said and talk to the cast members and they might let us wait in the child swap room like you mentioned. He also mentioned single rider lines. I guess we will see what happens in July!

 

[nighttowll]

Be aware the single rider lines can get longer than the standby when it gets busy. If you can see the end of the line shortly after entering, just turn around and leave, even if TMs told you it was short. It’s not going to be. It’s very hit or miss.

But I’ve never seen a wait at the single rider MIB line which is awesome because it’s one I like to do over and over trying to beat my high score. Also usually, when I go with a friend, we end up on the same car about 50% of the time or a car in front of the other.

The child swap area for MIB is easy to access from the single rider line, so might be worth walking that way. There’s a chain they stop you at. Single riders go left. The child swap room is to the right, so you can try asking to be let through that way. I think that would be easier than through exit for this ride. The single rider queue is just a little white empty hallway, pretty much a straight shot once inside. Only downside it’s like a portal to Alaska in there.

 

[Kerr84]

Be aware the single rider lines can get longer than the standby when it gets busy. If you can see the end of the line shortly after entering, just turn around and leave, even if TMs told you it was short. It’s not going to be. It’s very hit or miss.

But I’ve never seen a wait at the single rider MIB line which is awesome because it’s one I like to do over and over trying to beat my high score. Also usually, when I go with a friend, we end up on the same car about 50% of the time or a car in front of the other.

The child swap area for MIB is easy to access from the single rider line, so might be worth walking that way. There’s a chain they stop you at. Single riders go left. The child swap room is to the right, so you can try asking to be let through that way. I think that would be easier than through exit for this ride. The single rider queue is just a little white empty hallway, pretty much a straight shot once inside. Only downside it’s like a portal to Alaska in there.

Thank you for the tip! My daughter is right at 42 inches, so I think she will ride MIB! I think my newest plan is maybe to have the two husbands go off one morning during early entry and ride Hagrid’s, Velocicoaster, and Forbidden Journey while the other wife and I take the two kids, then we can ride those three the next morning while they take the kids. I’ll volunteer to sit out of all the other coasters she can’t ride, but those are my 3 can’t miss that she won’t ride. I just can’t wrap my brain around trying to use child swap with her. We would have an epic meltdown if she waited in a long line for a ride she can’t ride. I haven’t been to universal in about 10 years and I’ve always been with all adults so this is all new. Thank you for all the good advice!