Disneyland w/Disabled - Ridemax?

[starshine514]

We're heading to Disneyland with my family (they'll be 8 of us, including my mom in a wheelchair and my DH on an ECV). My question is regarding RideMax. Both my mom and DH get fatigued easily, so we'll be planning to get to the parks at opening, spend about 3 hours and then get them back to the hotel, hopefully returning in the evening. I would like to make the most of these hours. I am trying to decide if I should subscribe to Ridemax and do touring plans there; however, since we will be using an 'alternate' entrance for many rides, I wasn't sure if the Ridemax time estimates would be applicable to our group. Anyone had experience with this?

 

[KPeveler]

We're heading to Disneyland with my family (they'll be 8 of us, including my mom in a wheelchair and my DH on an ECV). My question is regarding RideMax. Both my mom and DH get fatigued easily, so we'll be planning to get to the parks at opening, spend about 3 hours and then get them back to the hotel, hopefully returning in the evening. I would like to make the most of these hours. I am trying to decide if I should subscribe to Ridemax and do touring plans there; however, since we will be using an 'alternate' entrance for many rides, I wasn't sure if the Ridemax time estimates would be applicable to our group. Anyone had experience with this?

I have not used Ridemax, but there are almost no mainstreamed lines in DL. Also, in DL, they are very strict about the max of 6 people in a party using the alternate entrances. Also, they only allow one wheelchair on most rides at a time. When in DL you will likely be able to wait together for most things, but you may be split up once it is time to ride (especially Fantasyland).

Ride max may be useful for DCA because almost all lines are mainstreamed (I cannot think of any that are not).

Also, in DL,Fastpasses are not useful for a lot of the big rides with alternate entrances, including Space Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain.

Hopefully someone here has experience with Ridemax and DL.

 

[starshine514]

Thanks. I think you're right, if most of the rides at CA are integrated, then it may be a similar experience RideMax-wise (though I'm guessing the waits for the H/A vehicles may be longer than the average wait. If we are waiting in the mainstream line and then wait in another handicapped line...). There will be some rides that my DH and DD4 (he gets motion sick, and she's too short) won't ride, as well as some my mom won't ride (I don't think she's ever been on SM, but she used to love BTMRR when I was a kid so I really want her to try to ride that). So, I think we'll have to split up sometimes and send DH and my mom somewhere (out of the sun) to wait while the rest of us queue-up for an attraction that neither of them wants to experience...Sigh, planning: fun, yet frustrating.

 

[KPeveler]

There are always fun things to do that are NOT a major ride - While you all wait for BTMRR, your mom and someone else can go ride the Mark Twain or just ride the train in a circle. I spent the entire day at DL and DCA yesterday and never once got out of my powerchair, and did not even do everything i could have done! Sometimes it is just a matter of looking around and planning. Frustrating I know, but still fun once you get there.

 

[jdb in AZ]

Also, they only allow one wheelchair on most rides at a time.

DH and I both use ECV's in the parks and the only time we've been split up was on the Monorail at DL because they use "tie downs" and can only accommodate one wheelchair or ECV at a time.