RideMax Puts the Fun Back in Disneyland

RideMax is a tool that can enhance your experience at Disneyland by helping you avoid long waits in line. The insights shared below stem from numerous visits to Disneyland and California Adventure over nearly a decade.

Introduction to RideMax

Despite Disney’s efforts to reduce your waiting time with systems like the FASTPASS, lines can still significantly affect your enjoyment. While guidebooks provide useful suggestions for minimizing waits, many guests find themselves waiting for up to two hours for popular attractions on busy days.

An effective alternative to long lines is RideMax. This tool not only rejuvenates your Disneyland experience but also offers the potential for cost savings. Created by Mark Winters, a software engineer passionate about Disneyland, RideMax is tailored to maximize your time at the park.

The Biggest Challenge

In one August visit, RideMax crafted an itinerary that allowed two adults to enjoy 26 attractions at Disneyland, including Splash Mountain, Star Tours, Space Mountain, and Indiana Jones Adventure. Despite the summer weekend crowds, the longest wait encountered was merely 10 minutes. RideMax effectively made it feel as if the park was emptier.

However, such an ambitious schedule may be overwhelming for the average visitor. Not only could it leave you fatigued, but your first hour in the park might also be quite frantic.

Other Tests

During less busy times, RideMax can still guide you to attractions that have shorter lines, allowing more opportunities to ride your favorites multiple times.

Recommendations

A family of four can utilize RideMax to experience all the attractions in merely one or two days, rather than three or four, hence saving money on tickets and allowing for additional leisure time elsewhere.

While Disneyland no longer offers FASTPASS for some new attractions, RideMax still aims to minimize your wait time at rides like Finding Nemo, even if you may not skip the line entirely. Overall, RideMax ensures you minimize waits regardless of the challenges posed by changes in park policies.

Using RideMax

RideMax features a web-based platform for desktop and mobile users, though they currently do not offer a standalone app.

This versatility ensures you can access your itineraries no matter your location, although challenges may arise due to cellular coverage at Disneyland. Several carriers might experience weak signal strength, which can slow data connectivity when many visitors are using devices in close proximity.

To mitigate such issues, consider printing your itinerary for ease of use as you navigate the park. An alternative tech-friendly method is to take screen captures of your RideMax plans on your mobile device for ready reference.

How to Get RideMax

One subscription to RideMax provides access to itineraries for both Disneyland and California Adventure. The pricing is budget-friendly, costing significantly less than a single ticket to Disneyland. You can pay online for immediate access via their website.

It’s advisable to start developing your itinerary several days prior to your visit to Disneyland, experimenting with different options to find the best fit for your group.

Working with RideMax

Before diving into RideMax, follow these preparatory steps:

• Determine your visit date: The day of the week matters due to variable wait times, particularly on days featuring Disney’s Magic Morning early entry. Familiarize yourself with park opening and closing times to avoid disrupting your itinerary.
• Select feasible start and end times: Aim to begin as early as possible, as starting at 8:15 a.m. could save you nearly an hour in waiting time compared to starting only 15 minutes later.
• Identify rides and attractions: Consult the Disneyland and California Adventure guides to choose your desired attractions. Consider whether you’d like to ride water attractions solely during the day and if you want to ride specific attractions more than once.
• Evaluate your group’s pace: Depending on your group dynamics, choose a normal pace for visiting attractions to allow for more frequent movement across the park. Alternatively, a slower pace serves larger groups or those with young children better.
• Be aware of ride refurbishments: RideMax does not account for ride closures, so check the Disneyland schedule ahead of your visit to avoid scheduling conflicts.
• Label plans if sharing: If traveling with companions on the same RideMax subscription, ensure each plan is distinctly named to avoid confusion.

In addition to the advice available on the RideMax website, consider these tips to optimize your visit:

• Punctuality matters: Encourage children to help maintain your schedule by emphasizing that some rides may be skipped if delays occur.
• Allocate travel time: Consider the time needed to park, ride the tram, walk or bus from your hotel, and pass through security. This could easily sum to an hour or more.
• Grab a Disneyland map: Accessible at the park entrance, this map will help you navigate quickly and efficiently. Alternatively, consider installing one of the recommended Disneyland apps on your device for optional assistance.
• Trust the itinerary: Resist the temptation to deviate from RideMax’s plans, as sticking to the schedule often yields the best results.
• Incorporate showtimes and parades: Check the Disneyland website for daily schedules, and consider starting your breaks 30 minutes prior to their scheduled times.

For the parades, Toontown provides a favorable view (especially near “it’s a small world”). For fireworks, position yourself in the central hub. In California Adventure, the parade can be enjoyed near Paradise Pier without a need for additional time allowances before its start.