Some thrill rides have a minimum height, so your little one can’t go on them. Instead of skipping the ride, Rider Switch (Disneyland Paris also calls it Baby Switch, and you’ll sometimes hear baby swap) lets both adults ride one after the other, while the other one watches the child. The big plus: the second adult doesn’t have to wait through the entire line again. And it’s free.
How does it work, step by step?
Talk to the Cast Member at the ride entrance
With the whole family there, child included, let them know you’d like to use Rider Switch. The Cast Member explains how it works on that particular ride.
The first adult waits in line and rides
Meanwhile, the second adult waits off to the side with the child who can’t ride.
You swap when the first adult comes back
Once the first adult is back, they take over looking after the child.
The second adult boards through a faster entrance
They ride in turn without going through the whole standby line again, using the entrance the Cast Member points out.
Who can use it?
Rider Switch requires at least two responsible adults on hand: a parent on their own with a child who is too short can’t use it, since someone has to stay with the child while the other person rides.
On the second turn (through the faster entrance), Rider Switch covers 2 people at most. Other details (whether you get a ticket or not) can change from one ride to the next, so the easiest thing is to ask the Cast Member at the entrance, who will tell you how it works that day.
Which rides it’s useful for
Rider Switch applies to rides with a height requirement, where your little one can’t go on but the parents still want to ride. That’s typically the case on thrill rides such as Big Thunder Mountain, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril, Hyperspace Mountain, Crush’s Coaster, or the Tower of Terror. To find out whether your child can ride, check the height requirements for each ride.
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Rider Switch, Single Rider, Premier Access: know the difference
| System | Paid? | What it’s for |
|---|---|---|
| Rider Switch | Free | Both adults ride in turn when a child is too short, without waiting in line twice |
| Single Rider | Free | You ride by yourself and fill leftover single seats, so your wait is shorter |
| Premier Access | Paid | Skip-the-line access, handy on busy days for the big rides |
Three different systems
Dig deeper
To plan a trip with a little one, see visiting Disneyland Paris with a baby, and to save time in line, read about Single Rider and my tips for shorter waits.
Frequently asked questions
01 Rider Switch (formerly Baby Switch): what is it, and does it cost anything?
This free service lets grown-ups take turns riding an attraction with a minimum height, with no second wait in line. It takes at least two adults: the first rides while the second stays with the child who’s too small, and then the second adult gets on via a quicker entrance. Just ask the Cast Member at the entrance of the ride. Single Rider is something else: it fills leftover single seats with people riding alone.
02 At what age or height can you use Rider Switch?
Rider Switch isn’t based on age but on your child’s height compared with the ride’s requirement. As soon as your child is too short for a ride’s minimum height, you can use it: one parent stays with the child while the other rides, then you swap without waiting in line again. You’ll find the required heights in the Disneyland Paris height requirements.
