RideMax Subscription and HELP for a 1st time Disneyland trip

[Figmentslf]

Long time Disney World fan traveling to Disneyland for the first time. In our research we've come across a service called RideMax that for a fee of $15, plans your day using real time data based on ride preferences etc that you provide. Does anyone have any experience with them?

We are visiting Presidents Day weekend (I know not ideal!) and will be arriving around 10-11 a.m. on Saturday. We will also be there all day Sunday. Our party consists of an 8 month old, 4 - 30 somethings, and 3 senior citizens (oh boy - what were we thinking?!) Most have no Disney experience what so ever. We have scheduled the Grab & Go meal option for a Fantasmic fast pass on Saturday and a Character dinner on Sunday night at Goofy's Kitchen. The baby is a very flexible, go with the flow kind of kid, one of the grandparents - not so much. Feeling a bit of pressure to make this a fun trip for all - especially the 8 month old's Daddy, who is not a Disney fan and needs to be converted with future trips in mind! Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[HydroGuy]

Long time Disney World fan traveling to Disneyland for the first time. In our research we've come across a service called RideMax that for a fee of $15, plans your day using real time data based on ride preferences etc that you provide. Does anyone have any experience with them?

We are visiting Presidents Day weekend (I know not ideal!) and will be arriving around 10-11 a.m. on Saturday. We will also be there all day Sunday. Our party consists of an 8 month old, 4 - 30 somethings, and 3 senior citizens (oh boy - what were we thinking?!) Most have no Disney experience what so ever. We have scheduled the Grab & Go meal option for a Fantasmic fast pass on Saturday and a Character dinner on Sunday night at Goofy's Kitchen. The baby is a very flexible, go with the flow kind of kid, one of the grandparents - not so much. Feeling a bit of pressure to make this a fun trip for all - especially the 8 month old's Daddy, who is not a Disney fan and needs to be converted with future trips in mind! Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I have used RM at both DLR and WDW. It is very useful software if you are interested in creating an itinerary for touring.

 

[JenKate]

We have been to Disneyland four times in the last 12 years. Each time we traveled during Christmas break and each time we used RideMax. We do just about everything we want, despite the busy parks! Everyone comments on how much we're able to do. My siblings in law refuse to go to Disney without me. They think I'm magic, but it's really just Ridemax.

 

[ImarriedGrumpy]

I haven't signed up for RideMax in the past because they say on their website that they don't do plans for Sundays and they don't include EMH or MM in their plans. For those of you who use RideMax, have you found this to be a problem, or how do you work around it? I'd love to try it out (I'm all about having a plan!), but we need plans that work for both Sunday and EMH each day.

 

[momof4fans]

We used it for a 4.5 day trip August 2011. I thought it was great! I ordered it early and played with it a lot. It's interesting how removing a ride or adding a ride will change things. We never waited in line more than 30 minutes which we found acceptable. We took friends that had never Disney'd before and they were worried about lines. They were astonished! They thought I was magic too! I'll will definitely be purchasing for our trip this August. The tips are great! Definitely read them over.

We started our park time early Sunday afternoon and did not have early entry any days so I can't comment on that part.

 

[Keels]

I did and I found it VERY helpful, even though I didn't follow it to a "t" during my two days.

It helped me figure out what I needed to prioritize and my options for multiple rides on certain things. Plus, thanks to the good plan, I was able to ride just about EVERYTHING in both parks in one day!

For the $15, I felt it was very worth it. I also printed out the park maps and familiarized myself with that compared with my RideMax plans. It made for a great plane activity while I was flying to LAX (while watching "Saving Mr. Banks", of course).

If it matters, I was going solo and was there on a Friday and Saturday at rope drop with no early entry.

 

[Mommy26]

I haven't signed up for RideMax in the past because they say on their website that they don't do plans for Sundays and they don't include EMH or MM in their plans. For those of you who use RideMax, have you found this to be a problem, or how do you work around it? I'd love to try it out (I'm all about having a plan!), but we need plans that work for both Sunday and EMH each day.

I have used it for Sundays before. I just got data for the Saturday before and applied that like as if it was Sunday. The data is the same.

For MM it tells you what order to do the rides in. You just pick the rides you want to do, and do them in that order.

I have never done EMH at DCA but I imagine it is the same.

 

[VandVsmama]

ridemax is a lifesaver for us. DH doesn't like waiting in lines very long and neither do my six yr old and eight year old kids. Ridemax makes for a pleasant trip. If you need a Sunday plan, then you just select that Saturday instead, plug in up to 13 attractions, and use that timeline for Sunday.

their web service states that the software works best if you pick 13 or fewer attractions to see. more than 13 and it doesn't work as well. If you want to go to both parks in one day, you create two different itineraries. Play around with it until you find something that works best for you and your group.

In order to make everyone in our family happy, I followed Hydroguy's favorite ride rules:
1. make sure that everybody rides their favorite ride once during the trip
2. try to get on those rides on the first day in case you run into ride breakdowns.

We are going to DL in June and I am totally going to use Ridemax again. It is totally worth the money for us. it made the difference between having a lousy time and having a great time.

In terms of Magic Morning, no...Ridemax does not give you an itinerary for MM attractions. So you have to wing it yourself. Taking full advantage of that hour meas getting to the gates at least 30 min before MM starts. I say pick 6 rides to do that hour. If you have younger kids, then you will likely spend the whole time in Fantasyland. Teenagers and adults might be more interested in the Tomorrowland rides. This is where communicating with your travel partners ahead of time is important.

If somebody sleeps in, that's fine...go to Magic Morning without them. they can catch up. the early bird really does get the worm. Give the senior citizens in your group the option of having some down time in case they don't have the same stamina as you do.