RideMax Users Thread (FAQs Linked in First Post!)

[jandm]

Welcome to the RideMax Users Thread! Bellebookworm9 has been nice enough to create a FAQs post for us. It is post 945 on page 63. Here is the link: http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=35460390&postcount=945 I hope you guys find these FAQs useful. Thanks, Bellebookworm9 for creating the FAQs !

Does anybody want to join in on a RideMax Users thread?? We could share tips and tricks we've figured out about how to make the best use of the software, and any questions we have about it. Besides, it seems like there are a lot of RideMax threads floating around these days-- this would be a good place for people wanting to know about RideMax to stop. Anybody in?

Here's one tip I've figured out: Make sure you select which rides your FastPass runner is willing to miss. Our plans are 10 times better when I tell the software that the FP runner can miss a few minor attractions! What other tips do you guys have??

And here's one question I have: How do you account for using child swap on the plan? We will be traveling with preschoolers, and might need to use child swap once or twice. Is there any way to account for the extra time it will take to ride the ride again but not have to wait in line? --Katie

I am looking into using Ridemax for our spring trip. Can I purchase it now (get the year subscription) and start planning and messing around with the schedule, or do I need to wait until a few weeks before our trip?

 

[jandm]

Just got back on Christmas Eve. Our trip was GREAT! RideMax worked like a charm! Our longest wait times were about 15 minutes long-- and those were for park days that were 10's according to Touring Plans. I had to live without RideMax for one full park day, though . I didn't make a plan for our last full park day (12/23), b/c I wasn't sure which park we'd want to repeat. Well, I ended up being unable to access the internet all week, so I had to use touring plans Lines app to help arrange our schedule for the day. Boy, was I missing RideMax! My plan worked out OK, but I'm pretty sure RideMax would have done better! AND, the Lines App had some misinformation on it, that screwed up my plan a bit. Anyways, RideMax was once again a champ, and we had a magical time! --Katie

Did you use RideMax for HS? I'm trying to plan our day there, and I think I'm going to subscribe to Ridemax...HS seems to be hard to plan, trying to juggle the show times w/ the attractions. If you used it there, please let me know how it worked. thanks!

 

[sandym718]

I am looking into using Ridemax for our spring trip. Can I purchase it now (get the year subscription) and start planning and messing around with the schedule, or do I need to wait until a few weeks before our trip?

Well, technically you can, but your actual date information won't be up until approx 2 months prior. I subbed for the 90 days and I've been playing with it using dates with similar crowd numbers (from Touring Plans). But mostly just to have fun. I hope the March info will be on there in early January, then I can really "get to work"!

 

[bellebookworm9]

Did you use RideMax for HS? I'm trying to plan our day there, and I think I'm going to subscribe to Ridemax...HS seems to be hard to plan, trying to juggle the show times w/ the attractions. If you used it there, please let me know how it worked. thanks!

I used RideMax in May, and DHS was the only park that I had problems with. Though it was partly my fault, here's the breakdown I posted several pages back (pg 76. if you'd like to read my thoughts for each day and park).

5/20: This was our first day at DHS. Mom couldn't drag herself out of bed so I reran the plan to put the stuff we wanted to do together later. I went ahead for rope drop and did the TSM powerwalk. I was the 15th person in line and the first on the ride, so really no wait. I had the GAD exchange card, so I managed to secure 4 more FPs for later. After that I met a lot of characters and got FPs for Star Tours, which really wasn't necessary. When Mom finally arrived, we headed to the Backlot Tour, minimal wait for that. Next we grabbed lunch, then rode TSM twice in a row using our FPs. Finally we rode Star Tours. The FPs were not collected as there was no wait. After that I wasn't feeling well, plus it was very humid that day so we left. We skipped Indy Jones, the Great Movie Ride, LMA, and the Muppets.

5/25: Second day at the Studios. We arrived to get FPs for Tower of Terror, since mom wouldn't ride, but did want to go through the queue with me. I decided I would skip FPs for RnR and just use the singles line later. We got lunch at 50's Prime Time, then headed to the Little Mermaid. RM sort of failed me here, too. Predicted wait was 17 minutes, actual would have been 35. No way. So we grabbed a FP for later and headed to One Man's Dream, then the Animation movie. Mom didn't want to do the drawing part. After that, we were again hot, humid, tired, and cranky. We decided to not go to the Little Mermaid and headed to Beauty & the Beast instead. Then we left the park. We skipped Little Mermaid & Block Party Bash. I returned by myself later (Mom had caught a stomach bug) and rode ToT with my FP. Then I headed to RnR, to see the singles line was closed and the stand by line is 60minutes. So I joined the small crowd at 7:15 waiting to see Fantasmic at 9pm. I got an aisle seat in the Mickey section about 5 down from the top. RideMax's exit tips worked like a charm. Even stopping to take some photos, I got a seat on the first bus out and from the time Fantasmic started to the time I got back to my room was just about an hour.

 

[sandym718]

Anxiously awaiting the March info!!

 

[rjmum]

I LOVE this ridemax thread! It has answered SO many of my questions.
This is my second trip to WDW as an adult and my first using RM. We went in June w/ another family that had been before. The only plan we had was which park on which day (had no idea if it was giong to be a good or avoid park ) and ADRs. We showed up at the park, looked at the map, and went to what ever ride we wnted to ride. I know - YIKES!! We LOVED Disney!!! But it was HOT, it was CROWDED, and half way through the trip we were EXHAUSTED and CRANKY.
So I did my research, found several ways to improve our "magical" experience and booked a semi-spontanious mother/daighter trip in January. One site said the week we are going is supposed to be the least crowded week of the year. Here's hoping. And I'll take high's of 50s/60s over OMG it's hot and dripping w/ sweat before we get to the bus stop any day!
I find it had to believe that a RM can be so correct, but after reading up on it on the DISboards, I am going on blind trust - don't know how they do it, but evidently the plans are spot on. I'm closing my eyes, jumpimg in w/ both feet and assuming it will work.

All that being said - I have some questions for those of you that have used Ridemax -

1. Is there someway to download my saved plans to my adroid so I don't have to print and laminate my plans?

2. In epcot, RM does not have Kim Possible's adventure thing. My DD9 really wants to do this and I thought this would be a fun way for her to do WS. So I blocked a 2 hour break in Germany at 12:30 - that gives us 1 hour for lunch and 1 hour for the Kim Possible adventure. Is this realistic? Is that enough time?

3. We arrive on 1/24 in the morning. Of cousre we have to head to to MK. It is a park to avoid that day. But it is arrival day so we HAVE to see MK and it is the only day we can see the night time parade. I have ADRs for CP at 1. Starting our touring at 3pm things are pretty busy. The best plan for us I could do on RM was a few rides and Phiharmagic. It gave us almost a 2 1/2 hour break at 3:30. I like the plan, it works for us. So I thought we could do Tom Sawyer's Island (liesure/play time) and a CS dinner during that time. Anytime I tried to add rides to fill the time the waits were too long for my liking. Does my solution make sense? Is there something else we should do/try?

4. Besides following the times to a T, and scheduling my ADR, and allowing for "downtime" are there any other RM suggestions you have?

Sorry this is SO very long and THANK YOU in advance for your help!!!!

 

[sandym718]

I LOVE this ridemax thread! It has answered SO many of my questions.
This is my second trip to WDW as an adult and my first using RM. We went in June w/ another family that had been before. The only plan we had was which park on which day (had no idea if it was giong to be a good or avoid park ) and ADRs. We showed up at the park, looked at the map, and went to what ever ride we wnted to ride. I know - YIKES!! We LOVED Disney!!! But it was HOT, it was CROWDED, and half way through the trip we were EXHAUSTED and CRANKY.
So I did my research, found several ways to improve our "magical" experience and booked a semi-spontanious mother/daighter trip in January. One site said the week we are going is supposed to be the least crowded week of the year. Here's hoping. And I'll take high's of 50s/60s over OMG it's hot and dripping w/ sweat before we get to the bus stop any day!
I find it had to believe that a RM can be so correct, but after reading up on it on the DISboards, I am going on blind trust - don't know how they do it, but evidently the plans are spot on. I'm closing my eyes, jumpimg in w/ both feet and assuming it will work.

All that being said - I have some questions for those of you that have used Ridemax -

1. Is there someway to download my saved plans to my adroid so I don't have to print and laminate my plans?

2. In epcot, RM does not have Kim Possible's adventure thing. My DD9 really wants to do this and I thought this would be a fun way for her to do WS. So I blocked a 2 hour break in Germany at 12:30 - that gives us 1 hour for lunch and 1 hour for the Kim Possible adventure. Is this realistic? Is that enough time?

3. We arrive on 1/24 in the morning. Of cousre we have to head to to MK. It is a park to avoid that day. But it is arrival day so we HAVE to see MK and it is the only day we can see the night time parade. I have ADRs for CP at 1. Starting our touring at 3pm things are pretty busy. The best plan for us I could do on RM was a few rides and Phiharmagic. It gave us almost a 2 1/2 hour break at 3:30. I like the plan, it works for us. So I thought we could do Tom Sawyer's Island (liesure/play time) and a CS dinner during that time. Anytime I tried to add rides to fill the time the waits were too long for my liking. Does my solution make sense? Is there something else we should do/try?

4. Besides following the times to a T, and scheduling my ADR, and allowing for "downtime" are there any other RM suggestions you have?

Sorry this is SO very long and THANK YOU in advance for your help!!!!

1) Not sure if there's a way to direct download them, I'm thinking not. What you can do is copy and paste the plans into a Word document and then email them to yourself as an attachment.

2) We haven't done KM, yet, but we plan to and have read StitchKingdom's KM FAQ which is awesome: http://www.stitchkingdom.com/kimpossible/ It sounds like 2 hours would be enough for lunch and 1 mission, possibly two. The only possible problem I could forsee would be your actual start time. Do you plan to get a KM "fastpass" right at 9 or soon after? You then would likely have an 11 or soon after start time and you could really do your KM at any time. If you don't grab one early though, your start time could be later in the day. If you're grabbing them first thing, I think you'll be fine!

3) I think your solution makes sense and is a good plan for an arrival "half-day". Just take it easy and enjoy the sights, etc. Does the plan have you utilizing Fast Pass at all? If you can grab one before your lunch, that could be another ride you could do. I'm thinking Jungle Cruise might be convenient to grab one before lunch.

4) Following the times to a T seems to be most important at Rope Drop - minutes really do matter for rides such as Dumbo and Peter Pan, etc. Especially at a very low crowd time, you can probably be more relaxed the rest of the day with non-headliner rides/shows. Also remember to schedule in "breaks" for any meet-and-greets, for the Fairies and/or Princesses at Toontown, for example, if you want to do those. I believe they'll still be there during your trip.

Hope this helps a bit!

 

[maman_et_fille]

I LOVE this ridemax thread! It has answered SO many of my questions.

3. We arrive on 1/24 in the morning. Of cousre we have to head to to MK. It is a park to avoid that day. But it is arrival day so we HAVE to see MK and it is the only day we can see the night time parade.
Sorry this is SO very long and THANK YOU in advance for your help!!!!

So, I'm a totally RideMax newbie, on here to post questions myself, but it cracks me up that we are both arriving on 1/24, heading to the MK in the afternoon, and trying to start our day at 3:00 - I'm not having much luck with it either in terms of wait times, although my plan to deal with all the free time is meeting characters Enjoy your trip!

 

[maman_et_fille]

I'm basically using RideMax to help us plan the days when we won't be in a park full-day, and I have a couple of general questions that I hope someone more experienced with the program can answer.

1. Free time - do we just plow right through? I guess the real question is, does not following the specified times mess up the plan? This is the first time I've tried a plan with actual times listed. I'm thinking I could fill the free time with character meeting, but then what if that puts us "behind schedule?"

2. What is an 'acceptable/average' amount of total waiting time for a day? We're traveling in January and crowds should be relatively light. Does anyone have an average wait time: ride time ratio? For example, the best I can do for our first day (which granted starts at 3 pm and ends at 7 pm and includes 2 parades) is 83 minutes of waiting for 120 minutes of attractions . . . that seems bad to me.

I guess I'm just really unsure how to make this work for our family's preferences.

Thanks

 

[havoc315]

I'm basically using RideMax to help us plan the days when we won't be in a park full-day, and I have a couple of general questions that I hope someone more experienced with the program can answer.

1. Free time - do we just plow right through? I guess the real question is, does not following the specified times mess up the plan? This is the first time I've tried a plan with actual times listed. I'm thinking I could fill the free time with character meeting, but then what if that puts us "behind schedule?"

2. What is an 'acceptable/average' amount of total waiting time for a day? We're traveling in January and crowds should be relatively light. Does anyone have an average wait time: ride time ratio? For example, the best I can do for our first day (which granted starts at 3 pm and ends at 7 pm and includes 2 parades) is 83 minutes of waiting for 120 minutes of attractions . . . that seems bad to me.

I guess I'm just really unsure how to make this work for our family's preferences.

Thanks

1. If you want less free time, then go to plan options and change the time you are leaving the park, or add more attractions, or plan on spending that time meeting characters, gift shops, etc. You should not "skip ahead" as a matter of course. For example, let's assume the plan gives you a break from 1-4 pm, and says to do Peter Pan with a 20 minute wait at 4. Ridemax knows that 1-4 is the busiest part of the day. So if you hit Peter Pan during this "break," you may face the frustration of a 40 minute wait instead.
So in theory, the mid day break helps you shorten wait times, by skipping attractions during the busiest part of the day.

2. There is no right answer, because different types of attractions have different ratios. If you do a lot of shows, you may get great ratios-- 5-10 minute wait times, for 20-45 minute attractions. On the other hands, many of the regular rides are very brief. The Barnstormer is only 1 minute, I believe. So even if you wait a mere 5 minutes, the ratio looks bad.
As a rule of thumb, I think you have done well if you are spending more time doing attractions, than waiting. And if none of your waits are more than 10-15 minutes.

 

[ronnmel]

2. In epcot, RM does not have Kim Possible's adventure thing. My DD9 really wants to do this and I thought this would be a fun way for her to do WS. So I blocked a 2 hour break in Germany at 12:30 - that gives us 1 hour for lunch and 1 hour for the Kim Possible adventure. Is this realistic? Is that enough time?

As a PP mentioned, you'll have enough time to do 1, maybe 2 missions. The only problem I can see, is if your daughter likes it a lot she might want to do way more than 2 missions (they ask you at the end of a mission if you want to do another one, in a different country).

 

[maman_et_fille]

1. If you want less free time, then go to plan options and change the time you are leaving the park, or add more attractions, or plan on spending that time meeting characters, gift shops, etc. You should not "skip ahead" as a matter of course. For example, let's assume the plan gives you a break from 1-4 pm, and says to do Peter Pan with a 20 minute wait at 4. Ridemax knows that 1-4 is the busiest part of the day. So if you hit Peter Pan during this "break," you may face the frustration of a 40 minute wait instead.
So in theory, the mid day break helps you shorten wait times, by skipping attractions during the busiest part of the day.

Thanks for the help A lot of the free time blocks it keeps popping up are 10-30 minutes . . . for example ride Magic Carpets, take a 10 minute free time, then do Swiss Family Treehouse. I assume this is because it's working to fill our entire time block but I'm not sure what difference it makes. I'm still playing around with it, though.

 

[Grandma4ever]

Thanks for the help A lot of the free time blocks it keeps popping up are 10-30 minutes . . . for example ride Magic Carpets, take a 10 minute free time, then do Swiss Family Treehouse. I assume this is because it's working to fill our entire time block but I'm not sure what difference it makes. I'm still playing around with it, though.

You can use the short free time blocks to take a slower walk to the next attaction or spend a free miniutes in a gift shop or the much needed rest room break.

Use care if you try to put an attraction in because a long wait will throw the rest of the day off. Ridemax works when you follow it as closely as possible.

 

[rjmum]

1) Not sure if there's a way to direct download them, I'm thinking not. What you can do is copy and paste the plans into a Word document and then email them to yourself as an attachment.

2) We haven't done KM, yet, but we plan to and have read StitchKingdom's KM FAQ which is awesome: http://www.stitchkingdom.com/kimpossible/ It sounds like 2 hours would be enough for lunch and 1 mission, possibly two. The only possible problem I could forsee would be your actual start time. Do you plan to get a KM "fastpass" right at 9 or soon after? You then would likely have an 11 or soon after start time and you could really do your KM at any time. If you don't grab one early though, your start time could be later in the day. If you're grabbing them first thing, I think you'll be fine!

3) I think your solution makes sense and is a good plan for an arrival "half-day". Just take it easy and enjoy the sights, etc. Does the plan have you utilizing Fast Pass at all? If you can grab one before your lunch, that could be another ride you could do. I'm thinking Jungle Cruise might be convenient to grab one before lunch.

4) Following the times to a T seems to be most important at Rope Drop - minutes really do matter for rides such as Dumbo and Peter Pan, etc. Especially at a very low crowd time, you can probably be more relaxed the rest of the day with non-headliner rides/shows. Also remember to schedule in "breaks" for any meet-and-greets, for the Fairies and/or Princesses at Toontown, for example, if you want to do those. I believe they'll still be there during your trip.

Hope this helps a bit!

Sandym - Thank you SO much for the advice! Already saving my plans to word, never thought of the e-mail.
Had NO idea about the KM fast passes!! Thank you!! The site you suggested was great!
Going to try jungle cruise FP - that just makes sense!

So, I'm a totally RideMax newbie, on here to post questions myself, but it cracks me up that we are both arriving on 1/24, heading to the MK in the afternoon, and trying to start our day at 3:00 - I'm not having much luck with it either in terms of wait times, although my plan to deal with all the free time is meeting characters Enjoy your trip!

Maman - Gotta do MK on arrival day!!

As a PP mentioned, you'll have enough time to do 1, maybe 2 missions. The only problem I can see, is if your daughter likes it a lot she might want to do way more than 2 missions (they ask you at the end of a mission if you want to do another one, in a different country).

Ronmel - That would be okay by me!! My DD9 has NO interest in doing WS. But she is WAY excited about Kim Possible which I think sounds like fun too. All I got to see in WS last time was England. Her doing Kim Possible is my ticket to seeing WS!!
So I get best mommy points "Sure honey, of couse we can do another mission." When in reality I'm getting what I want!


I am REALLY liking ridemax!! I like having a set agenda for the day. I like that ridemax has set times (unlike other plans) so I can tell if we are on track. But the biggest help for me has been that ridemax has shown me that there is no way we are going to be able to do everything I wanted and not go major commando, which I refuse to do this trip. With ridemax I was able to get everything and more into one day, but it was non-stop. I want PLENTY of "stop and smell the roses" time. So i played and jiggered and what we are doing most days is: early QS breakfast at the resort, catch the bus at 8am, rope drop and commando style from 9-11am (you can do A LOT from 9-11 in Jan. w/ ridemax ), then QS or TS lunch (depending on the park) then lots of free time and no bold letter rides in the afternoon - we plan on shopping, shows, characters, dole whips, and slow whatever during that time , TS dinner and back to the resort by 8:30 with DD in bed by 9-9:30 (10 on Epcot night, but the next day is break-day and we are sleeping in ). I could have never have pulled that off on my own!
I'll let you all know how it works out when we get back!!!

 

[sandym718]

March is up!! Yay!

 

[campbellus]

Help, I purchased this program and my trip starts April 3rd but yet I can't see anything past March 31st on the program...with less than 60 days now I'm starting to panic. Anyone know if I purchased it too soon (8 days or so ago) or if I need to contact them and find out what's wrong?
HELP !!!

 

[Grandma4ever]

Help, I purchased this program and my trip starts April 3rd but yet I can't see anything past March 31st on the program...with less than 60 days now I'm starting to panic. Anyone know if I purchased it too soon (8 days or so ago) or if I need to contact them and find out what's wrong?
HELP !!!

Your dates will be up soon. Play with it now to learn all the ins and outs. It is best to create your final schedule as close to when you leave as possible as at times show times get changed which can affect the way the rides are scheduled. It really does not take that long to create what you need if you know which rides are the most important and when you will be taking breaks for Lunch and Dinner. Hope this helps.

 

[scrappinmom]

Just had to post that I adore RideMax! This will be the 10th trip that I'm using it for (used both WDW & DL versions) & I will never tour without it !

 

[sandym718]

Help, I purchased this program and my trip starts April 3rd but yet I can't see anything past March 31st on the program...with less than 60 days now I'm starting to panic. Anyone know if I purchased it too soon (8 days or so ago) or if I need to contact them and find out what's wrong?
HELP !!!

March went up around January 13th, so probably another week or so and April will be up.

 

[Sydnerella]

My ext. family is suddenly talking about going 2/19 through 2/23. I am a big planner and used Ridemax last trip. (LOVED IT) But I am not going along on this trip so will not renew RM subscription now to plan my parents trip with my brother's fam - plus I cannot imagine my brother's reaction to me "planning their trip"

I also have UG membership so i know the crowd calendar and recommended parks. I shared that info with my Dad and gave him UG itineraries for Tweens (8 and 10 yr old nephews) to make life a little easier on my parents. My parents were initially going to just take the kids but my brother and sis-in-law decided they want to go too and are paying their own way.

Anyway... wondering if there is any additional advice I should give them since none of them have been before. I dont mind providing general advice but will avoid detailed RM itineraries/etc.

They are staying at Caribbean Beach - I have never stayed on site either but have heard it will be best for them to drive to the parks day rather than take DIS transp. and wait in lines for that (they will have two cars as they are driving from ATL). True?

I tried to explain the FP system to my Dad - I think he's finally getting it
And of course I said arrive at RD and hit the faves first similar to UG Touring Plans and what RM what say. Then I said, anything after that is icing (dont want to freak them out too much about needing to plan)


Any other tips I should share?

Thanks,
Sydnerella's Mama