Ride Max Question?

[Mrs. Bee]

I personally dislike RideMax. With a little research and preparation you can do whatever RideMax does yourself.

And there is something to be said for planning TOO much. By scheduling your day right down to the minute you can make your visit more stressful especially if you fall behind on your arbitrary and useless itinerary. I can't imagine how much more fun someone using RideMax has over someone who meanders around the park without a care in the world.

The best advice I can give for a trip to Disneyland is to get there 30 minutes before opening and explore, explore, explore. Sure, have a general idea in your head of what you want to do (ride rides, fireworks at 9:25, go home at midnight, etc.) You don't need RideMax.

Did people who went to Disneyland 40 years ago have less fun than people who go with a RideMax printout? I don't think so.

I agree. I would never use ridemax. then again, I am pretty familiar with the parks and everything so I wouldn't really need it. But that being said...I just went to WDW for the first time in almost 13 years and I didn't need it there either. We just "went with the flow" and didn't have any problems or long waits. We got to do everything we wanted (and some things multiple times.) Ridemax is pointless, to me. I can't imagine having my day planned out to the minute. That would be the complete opposite of fun.

My 3 cents.

There are different types of Disney visitors.

1 - Anal planners.

2 - Planners who want some/most days kind of planned out (for sure the highlights).

3 - Go with the flow types (who don't want one thing planned except their dinner reservaton). (My wife....her eyes glaze over when i discuss the importance picking up the Indy FP before we hop on Jungle Cruise...not after & 20 other one sided convo's. .

4 - Clueless visitors. (God love them...the ones who are waiting 55 min. to ride Big Thunder at 8:12pm)...while you stroll up with your FP & wait 4 minutes.

5 - Probably others.

In general...I am fairly anal and I enjoy planning and making lists. But NOT for Disney experiences. For Disney parks I am between a 2 and a 3. I cannot imagine it any other way!

With Ridemax, for $15 and very little time investment someone can get 90% of the knowledge we toss around here related to touring, FP, early arrival, etc., embedded into a touring plan. If you want to think of it that way, RideMax levels the playing field. And for a heck of a lot less investement than many of us make here on these boards.

I agree with Hound as usual. There are lots of different tips we use to improve our experience at DLR. 95% of the population is not interested. No matter what happens and the advice to the contrary, they will never show up early at the parks.

Valid or not, a lot of people around here look to me as an "expert" on DLR touring. I have a sister with kids who love Disney and visit on occasion. With HydroGuy as her brother who casually gives her tips and can explain to her all of the "HydroGuy rules" and tips, what does she do? She arrives at DLR after the parks open, has never learned how to use FP and waits for 2 hours in the standby line to ride Space Mtn. She has a college degree, is a professional and is of sound mind and body. She is just not interested in doing the things that many of us here on DIS do. I do not think any less of her, I just know that most people "want to be spontaneous" and that is what they do. And they spontaneously wait in two hour lines. People like us on DIS and people like that will never have a "level playing field" - unless you take away our computers.

I just don't think you really need Ridemax to figure out the ins and the outs of the parks. And isn't that half of the fun anyway?? So what if I end up waiting in a long line? It's not the end of the world. You'll still manage to get in a lot of rides. As I said above...we weren't familiar with WDW but we did just fine. Little waits for most rides. We once decided to wait for big thunder because it said 40 minutes on the sign. We had fast passes for later but like to ride things multiple times so we figured it was worth it. The wait ended up being 60 minutes. Did we care? Nope. I would have gone insane if our trip was planned out "First go to space mountain. then the people mover. then eat breakfast. then take a bathroom break." UGH! That would be horrible.

I am just babbling now. I'm done.

 

[Quest4fun]

See, this is what I'm talking about. The playing field is too heavily stacked against first-time or infrequent visitors and "know it alls" like you and I tend to understand the ins and outs of something like Fastpass and use it to its maximum potential.

The first-time visitor doesn't know that the return window isn't strictly enforced. They don't know that Roger Rabbit is "off the network". There are people who are unwilling or physically unable to run between Fastpass machines in order to do the most they possibly can in a day.

Before Fastpass it was a more even playing field. You got in line and waited the posted amount of time. With Fastpass, you do get on many more rides in a day, only because other people get on less rides. Remember, Fastpass doesn't add capacity. They can't run more people through Space Mountain today than they did before Fastpass. It only shifts where those crowds are.

I would be in complete support of getting rid of Fastpass for that and various other reasons.

You can't help but compare Fast Pass to the carpool lane. I don't know if getting rid of the Fast Pass will shorten the lines. I like to use Fast Pass on Space Mountian and Indiana Jones but I think they're more efficient with the lines now anyway. I'd even go as far to say that without Fast Pass we'd see Space Mountain hitting 120 minute wait times like it did in ye olden days.

That being said, Fast Pass is so easy to use a kindergartener can make sense of it. People who don't use it or disagree with it are putting themselves at a disadvantage just to spite themselves. There are really just three rides at Disneyland that you need to you use it on and if you plan on spending the entire day there you're home free.

Keep your $15. Ride max isn't worth it. You have no guarantees about which rides will be busy and which ones won't. The park is easy enough to navigate to where you can feel out the lines for every ride. You can get information about which machine's are "off the grid" from the disboards for self proclaimed experts. It's just another money maker for Disneyland IMHO.

There are hundreds on here. You can go the slow route and dedicate an afternoon to reading the sticky posts or you can just ask and one of us will promptly respond with an answer and an opinion. The beauty part about so many contributers is that you can make an educated decision based upon the input of so many people.

I used to do the hour plus waits in my heyday and it never bothered me. We live in a society where everything is available immediately. You'll survive.

If you want to talk about futility let me tell you a story about a guy driving a plow trying scraping the thin layer of snow off the half inch of ice on the ground. There he goes again. Good job buddy. Make it nice and smooth for everybody. It would make sense if he was dropping salt but he's not.

 

[HydroGuy]

I just don't think you really need Ridemax to figure out the ins and the outs of the parks. And isn't that half of the fun anyway?? So what if I end up waiting in a long line? It's not the end of the world. You'll still manage to get in a lot of rides. As I said above...we weren't familiar with WDW but we did just fine. Little waits for most rides. We once decided to wait for big thunder because it said 40 minutes on the sign. We had fast passes for later but like to ride things multiple times so we figured it was worth it. The wait ended up being 60 minutes. Did we care? Nope. I would have gone insane if our trip was planned out "First go to space mountain. then the people mover. then eat breakfast. then take a bathroom break." UGH! That would be horrible.

I am just babbling now. I'm done.

Some people go to DLR and their experience is more frustrating than fun. They complain about not being able to get on rides with really long lines. They leave DLR and say they will never come back. They know nothing about how to tour DLR. They know nothing about FP. Etc., etc. Such people can be helped by RideMax.

Some people are coming to DLR for the first time. They are stressed out by their lack of knowledge, even if they are WDW vets. I see posts from such people here on DIS DLR a few times a week. RideMax can help such people.

When I made a first trip to WDW I had no idea of how lines built at WDW. I know DLR very well, but WDW was new. RideMax helped me a lot to understand the trends. Well worth the $25 I spent.

RideMax is not for everyone. Nothing is. But there are people to whom RideMax is a godsend.

 

[HydroGuy]

Keep your $15. Ride max isn't worth it. You have no guarantees about which rides will be busy and which ones won't. The park is easy enough to navigate to where you can feel out the lines for every ride. You can get information about which machine's are "off the grid" from the disboards for self proclaimed experts. It's just another money maker for Disneyland IMHO.

Have you ever used it? I have at both DLR and WDW. Never for a whole day - not necessary for me - but for parts of a day when it was busy.

And in fact you do have guarantees. A money back guarantee. If you use it and it does not help you then ignore it and get your money back. Very little was lost.

Like I said to Mrs. Bee, it is not for everyone. But it still helps me even at DLR when new things come on line like the Nemo subs. They gave a logical explanation of why I should do something differently than I had planned. So I changed my plan with regard to Nemo. Again, that made the $15-20 I paid worth it for me, even if I never followed an itinerary on that trip - which I didn't.

Take my two cents and your two cents and you have...I think you still have two cents.

 

[janc]

I used RideMax two years ago for a trip with 4 teens and a 4yo. It worked great for me.

I am going back in Oct and plan on using it again. I use it more as a general outline for the day. I don't stress if we don't keep the schedule down to the last minute.

It helped me to plan when and which ride and Fast Pass to get first. For me as someone who doesn't know all the ins and outs of DL and the FP system it helped us get on the rides we really wanted and made our visit go smoothly.

 

[julieannbabe]

i have got tips from one valued member of this board and last wk i just purchased ridemax.

i have been to WDW four times since 2003 but the last time i went to disneyland was 1998 - so i am feeling a bit unsure of what to do first at DL.

So i will combine the advice from the board member on here and play around with ride max.

i only really have two full days at DL - so i want to make the most of it.

 

[Mrs. Bee]

Some people go to DLR and their experience is more frustrating than fun. They complain about not being able to get on rides with really long lines. They leave DLR and say they will never come back. They know nothing about how to tour DLR. They know nothing about FP. Etc., etc. Such people can be helped by RideMax.

Some people are coming to DLR for the first time. They are stressed out by their lack of knowledge, even if they are WDW vets. I see posts from such people here on DIS DLR a few times a week. RideMax can help such people.

When I made a first trip to WDW I had no idea of how lines built at WDW. I know DLR very well, but WDW was new. RideMax helped me a lot to understand the trends. Well worth the $25 I spent.

RideMax is not for everyone. Nothing is. But there are people to whom RideMax is a godsend.

Well, I feel sad for those people that didn't enjoy their experience at Disneyland because there were *GASP* lines. And they said they'll never go back?!? That's just funny.

You can learn about the fastpass system fairly easily without using something like ridemax.

We didn't know WDW at all either. But like I said, we managed just fine. Maybe we're more laid back than most or something. I guess I don't see what else someone needs to know besides how to use fastpass. If I walk by a ride with a long line I don't want to wait in....I'll just check back later. That's what we did and we got on everything we wanted. I just don't understand what else you really need to know. But whatever. I guess I'm just different.

 

[Quest4fun]

Have you ever used it? I have at both DLR and WDW. Never for a whole day - not necessary for me - but for parts of a day when it was busy.

And in fact you do have guarantees. A money back guarantee. If you use it and it does not help you then ignore it and get your money back. Very little was lost.

Like I said to Mrs. Bee, it is not for everyone. But it still helps me even at DLR when new things come on line like the Nemo subs. They gave a logical explanation of why I should do something differently than I had planned. So I changed my plan with regard to Nemo. Again, that made the $15-20 I paid worth it for me, even if I never followed an itinerary on that trip - which I didn't.

Take my two cents and your two cents and you have...I think you still have two cents.

I don't really have a need for it. I've gotten to the point where I have the park down to a science. Hundreds of trips to the park will turn you into a robot when it comes to planning out your rides. I've never had an instance where I haven't been able to go on something due to line restraints.

I guess if you're not familiar with the parks you can be at a disadvantage but even then I think if you just bite the bullet and wait in any line less than an hour you'll get to see everything. The biggest mistake people make is walking to a ride, seeing the wait then heading towards another ride to discover the same thing. The more time you spend being discouraged by rides the less time you spend enjoying the parks. I've seen the types at city hall complaining that they only got to go on 4 or 5 rides that day because of the lines whereas I spent probably the same time and managed to do at least 10 rides.

I recommend everybody get aquianted with the ride board at the end of Main Street. It has wait times for all the popular rides that way you know what to expect when you reach the attraction you want to go on. Don't get discouraged. The best way to do Disneyland is one ride at a time. Plain and simple. Lines can suck but it's the nature of the beast. If it's over an hour grab a fast pass then head towards Fantasy Land or New Orleans Square. You can do Pirates or the Haunted Mansion while waiting for your fast pass to mature. Never get a Fast Pass for anything with less than a 60 minute wait unless you have free time. Disneyland doesn't care if your pass expires like Disney World has been said to do.

You don't need to spend money to have Disney plan your day. It's YOUR trip. Do it your way.

 

[nutshell]

I think RideMax is more sophisticated than some people give it credit for. Many DIS experts know the general rules, but if they were starting their day at 10:00am Wednesday vs. 10:30am Thursday would they know the differences enough for greatest efficiency?

 

[Mrs. Bee]

I think RideMax is more sophisticated than some people give it credit for. Many DIS experts know the general rules, but if they were starting their day at 10:00am Wednesday vs. 10:30am Thursday would they know the differences enough for greatest efficiency?

Does it really matter?
Is it really THAT big of a difference?

Having a ridgid schedule is the opposite of fun.

 

[bumbershoot]

See, this is what I'm talking about. The playing field is too heavily stacked against first-time or infrequent visitors and "know it alls" like you and I tend to understand the ins and outs of something like Fastpass and use it to its maximum potential.

The first-time visitor doesn't know that the return window isn't strictly enforced. They don't know that Roger Rabbit is "off the network".

As a first-time (as an adult) visitor, I knew all that. If I travel anywhere I pick up a guidebook or I check out websites. I'm just like that. My DH thought I was nutty at the time (despite having had the benefit of all my research for our wedding and honeymoon...he's a slow learner), and my brother and SIL were lightly making fun of me when I was vocal about what I had planned...so I ended up just making little suggestions here and there about what I thought we should do next (holding a map and pretending to look at it helped during those moments), and because I had that knowledge, I enhanced their experience and my first-time experience as well.

Didn't even spend any money, b/c I got the (most recent editions ALWAYS) guidebooks from the library.

And if you can read this posting, thank a teacher. . .

Hey now, not everyone needed to wait for school to figure out reading. I taught myself at 2; picked up a newspaper and started reading out loud. Newspaper was taken away fairly quickly, it was '71 and the news was not pretty, but I was reading without a teacher. Wish everyone would add "you might want to" to that sentence...

Fast Pass is so easy to use a kindergartener can make sense of it.

Then why can't my brother and SIL do it? EE degree from Duke, BA in French from the same college, 2 MBAs between them (b/c they thought they "should" get them in their spare time, you know), and a law degree also from Duke, and they still can't figure out FP. Very odd.

Does it really matter?
Is it really THAT big of a difference?
Having a ridgid schedule is the opposite of fun.

To you. I think for our May trip, I'm going to play with ridemax, just for fun. See what it's like to have a "go here now" schedule. Probably won't tell my family, just make suggestions.

I think it's b/c I was there for the gumball rally with all those people trying to do every single attraction in one day. It looked so fun! To me.

And I'm definitely doing some sort of touring plan for WDW. Might not follow it, but I want it in my pocket!


Oh, the difference of 10 vs 10:30. On our first visit as adults, my brother and SIL got going too slow, and we ended up getting there 10:30 or 11, when the plan had been to get there BEFORE 10. And it was so busy in Adventureland (turn left while everyone else turns right was my mantra for that trip, LOL). The ONLY thing that made the day happy for me was that it started pouring within minutes of us getting to Adventureland. After that we had the park to ourselves for hours. But it was pretty crowded, just a half hour or so after opening!

 

[Mrs. Bee]

As a first-time (as an adult) visitor, I knew all that. If I travel anywhere I pick up a guidebook or I check out websites. I'm just like that. My DH thought I was nutty at the time (despite having had the benefit of all my research for our wedding and honeymoon...he's a slow learner), and my brother and SIL were lightly making fun of me when I was vocal about what I had planned...so I ended up just making little suggestions here and there about what I thought we should do next (holding a map and pretending to look at it helped during those moments), and because I had that knowledge, I enhanced their experience and my first-time experience as well.

Didn't even spend any money, b/c I got the (most recent editions ALWAYS) guidebooks from the library.




Hey now, not everyone needed to wait for school to figure out reading. I taught myself at 2; picked up a newspaper and started reading out loud. Newspaper was taken away fairly quickly, it was '71 and the news was not pretty, but I was reading without a teacher. Wish everyone would add "you might want to" to that sentence...




Then why can't my brother and SIL do it? EE degree from Duke, BA in French from the same college, 2 MBAs between them (b/c they thought they "should" get them in their spare time, you know), and a law degree also from Duke, and they still can't figure out FP. Very odd.




To you. I think for our May trip, I'm going to play with ridemax, just for fun. See what it's like to have a "go here now" schedule. Probably won't tell my family, just make suggestions.

I think it's b/c I was there for the gumball rally with all those people trying to do every single attraction in one day. It looked so fun! To me.

And I'm definitely doing some sort of touring plan for WDW. Might not follow it, but I want it in my pocket!


Oh, the difference of 10 vs 10:30. On our first visit as adults, my brother and SIL got going too slow, and we ended up getting there 10:30 or 11, when the plan had been to get there BEFORE 10. And it was so busy in Adventureland (turn left while everyone else turns right was my mantra for that trip, LOL). The ONLY thing that made the day happy for me was that it started pouring within minutes of us getting to Adventureland. After that we had the park to ourselves for hours. But it was pretty crowded, just a half hour or so after opening!

sorry. i didn't realize I need to add "to me" to the sentence since i was the one typing it.

i guess...TO ME....the fact that the parks are going to get crowded within the first few hours of opening....is just common sense. to me.

 

[Quest4fun]

Then why can't my brother and SIL do it? EE degree from Duke, BA in French from the same college, 2 MBAs between them (b/c they thought they "should" get them in their spare time, you know), and a law degree also from Duke, and they still can't figure out FP. Very odd.

Since those degrees do not relate in any way shape or form to the Fast Pass system I can understand how they don't help with their comprehension.

I congratulate them for their accomplishments at Duke. Perhaps they should have picked a different field of learning to help comprehend the following.

Fastpasses work as follows.

Fastpass tickets are dispensed by machines outside of each attraction that uses them. The guest inserts his/her park ticket or annual pass into a reader on the machine. The machine then returns a Fastpass ticket. This ticket will show the time at which the guest may enter the special priority line for that attraction which is clearly marked as Fastpass Return. The time period given is normally one hour for rides, and 15 minutes for theatrical presentations though you can use your ticket at any time after the window for most attractions. It will also show when another Fastpass can be obtained. You will typically be restricted from obtaining another Fastpass until the current Fastpass in your posession matures. This time is conveniently marked at the bottom of the ticket and is stated as follows: "Another Fastpass will be available after HH:MM am/pm."

In normal practice, only one Fastpass ticket can be held at a time. Another Fastpass ticket can be obtained either at the start of the current Fastpass ticket's return time or after two hours, whichever is earlier. If a guest attempts to obtain another Fastpass before these times, an informational ticket will be printed indicating when the next Fastpass ticket can be obtained.

I'm sure I can find the instructions in French which may make them slightly clearer. I can also obtain a technical schematics of the machines themselves and how they're networked to a central server so it makes more sense to those with an engineering degree. Legal statements pertaining to operational procedures can be acquired at City Hall or via Disney's legal department if the required documents are not available at City Hall.

I can understand how the simplicity of the system can be overwhelming to a highly educated person. There is usually a child or two near the machines who will be glad to show them how to put their ticket into the machine and receive their voucher. They can also point out the time stamp on the voucher so they know when they can get a new one. Cast Members are also nearby to explain the cryptic messages.

Good luck.

Here is an example to study.

 

[nutshell]

Does it really matter?
Is it really THAT big of a difference?

Having a ridgid schedule is the opposite of fun.

No one has to follow the schedule exactly if they don't want to. There's room for all of us at the park.

 

[klj27]

What is ridemax?? Is it similar to tourguidemike?

 

[Silly Little Pixie]

Does it really matter?
Is it really THAT big of a difference?

Having a ridgid schedule is the opposite of fun.

I totally would have agreed with you right up until I tried Ridemax! I am not really a big planner. I prefer to have some knowledge and ideas of what I want to do each day- then relax and enjoy the ride. And being a frequent visitor, I did the things I wanted to do, skipped things I thought were too busy, and knew the patterns of crowds etc.

But- I just brought a friend who had never ever been to DLR, and we had ONE day to do 2 parks! With 2 11 year olds in tow, who also had things they wanted to see. Planning was the only way to get it all done, and on a day with shorter hours as well. The way they had me do things is not the way I would have done it on my own- but it worked, and on a crowded day as well. We followed it pretty much, but not exactly. And we got every single thing on our list accomplished!

Would I use it on my regular fun-family trips with my DH and kids? Probably not. We tend to be a laid back bunch, frankly. We don't (gasp!) ever make PS reservations, even. But I'll definitely use Ridemax when I'm playing host-tour guide to friends or family from out of state who need to make the most of their short stay in California. It would also be useful for people who can't go as often as you and I have been able to.

 

[Silly Little Pixie]

What is ridemax?? Is it similar to tourguidemike?

Yep! It's available for both WDW and DLR.

 

[trodrigue]

Geesh! This is not the usual disboard disney loving warm and fuzzy discussion that I am used to...

Anyhoo, about the teacher thing, I think everyone probably has at least one teacher to thank for something

I saw several comments about RideMax making money for Disney?? I thought RideMax was a program written and developed by a Dad that wanted to improve the disney experience for his family, and then went public with it??

Honestly, at the price they sell it for, it could not be owned by Disney. They would surely charge more

My last trip, I read the boards, bought Ridemax and had a fabulous trip with tons more rides, shows, and good food than my previous uninformed trip two years previous. But, I also had a wonderful trip that time too. I was blissfully unaware of what could have been.

I believe there is a disney experience for everyone, and I am okay if everyone does it thier way (except my husband, who has to do it my way!)

 

[Spokker]

I wish I had the time to challenge somebody with RideMax to see who can get on more rides in a day, me or someone with RideMax.

Seriously, I just don't see how the software makes a day at Disneyland any better. A little research goes a long way, and it's much more fun than running a program and having it tell you what to do.

Another thing I dislike about RideMax is that they are basically charging for information that you can get for free from communities like this. I really hate it when these so-called "experts" charge for their services. They are leeches, and I would be happy to help anybody with their vacation simply out of the kindness of my heart and my love for Disney parks.

I have the same opinion about people who sell their Disneyland home movies on ebay. People release their own high-definition movies for free on certain web sites and they are way better than the ones for sale.

 

[Mrs. Bee]

I totally would have agreed with you right up until I tried Ridemax! I am not really a big planner. I prefer to have some knowledge and ideas of what I want to do each day- then relax and enjoy the ride. And being a frequent visitor, I did the things I wanted to do, skipped things I thought were too busy, and knew the patterns of crowds etc.

But- I just brought a friend who had never ever been to DLR, and we had ONE day to do 2 parks! With 2 11 year olds in tow, who also had things they wanted to see. Planning was the only way to get it all done, and on a day with shorter hours as well. The way they had me do things is not the way I would have done it on my own- but it worked, and on a crowded day as well. We followed it pretty much, but not exactly. And we got every single thing on our list accomplished!

Would I use it on my regular fun-family trips with my DH and kids? Probably not. We tend to be a laid back bunch, frankly. We don't (gasp!) ever make PS reservations, even. But I'll definitely use Ridemax when I'm playing host-tour guide to friends or family from out of state who need to make the most of their short stay in California. It would also be useful for people who can't go as often as you and I have been able to.

I don't know. It's not always about getting on as many rides in as possible. There are many other things worthwhile to experience in the parks. To me, rides are only part of the fun. Maybe that makes me part of the minority or something.

I've played "tour guide" on a few occasions at Disneyland. Once with just my mom (for 2 days.) Once with my mom, sister, brother-in-law, and 15 month old niece (for basically half of a day.) Once with my cousin and her fiance (one day.) And once with my mom and dad (one day.) I "planned" things great for them. And by that...I mean we didn't plan much at all. They told me the types of things they were interested in...and we did them. It wasn't much more complicated than that.

I wish I had the time to challenge somebody with RideMax to see who can get on more rides in a day, me or someone with RideMax.

Seriously, I just don't see how the software makes a day at Disneyland any better. A little research goes a long way, and it's much more fun than running a program and having it tell you what to do.

Another thing I dislike about RideMax is that they are basically charging for information that you can get for free from communities like this. I really hate it when these so-called "experts" charge for their services. They are leeches, and I would be happy to help anybody with their vacation simply out of the kindness of my heart and my love for Disney parks.

I have the same opinion about people who sell their Disneyland home movies on ebay. People release their own high-definition movies for free on certain web sites and they are way better than the ones for sale.

If my husband and I still lived in Orange....I would so be up for the challenge! (Of course, I would also be on the non-ridemax side.)

I agree...part of the fun is getting to know the parks by figuring it all out on your own or by simply talking to people familiar with the parks.

And wait...people sell their home movies???!? what?!?!??