ridemax?

[HydroGuy]

how far in advance should you buy Ridemax prior to your trip?

I like the idea of having a play with it more to get a feel of what rides get long lines first, what to avoid, etc. rather than a really strict touring plan.

It will be fun to play

If all you want is to run itineraries then two weeks ahead of time is fine. If you want to experiment then two months is better. As I said you will not have real data yet for your exact dates (that happens 2-4 weeks ahead of time) but you can experiment with other dates with similar expected crowds.

Whether you get it two weeks or two months or even two days beforehand, it will cost you the same. Why not get it earlier?

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

If all you want is to run itineraries then two weeks ahead of time is fine. If you want to experiment then two months is better. As I said you will not have real data yet for your exact dates (that happens 2-4 weeks ahead of time) but you can experiment with other dates with similar expected crowds.

Whether you get it two weeks or two months or even two days beforehand, it will cost you the same. Why not get it earlier?

That is exactly what I want it for Hydroguy, just to play with times and stuff. My life is going to be super hectic in the 2 weeks prior to our trip so if I could have the basic details down in the next month, and hours of playing, that will help for sure.

Thanks for chiming in Hydroguy.

 

[Hound 109]

I bought Ridemax for my Aug 17-18th trip and that date STILL hasn't opened.

I'm 21 days away from leaving on my trip and no Ridemax. So I don't know how long they're going to give me to plan. I'm actually a little upset about it.

Run it for the 10th & 11th...& if that doesn't work, run it for the 3rd & 4th (of August). The plans will be VERY similar (if not exactly like) the 17th & 18th of August.

Please report back if this is the case (if the itineraries are similar) when RideMax is up for the 17th & 18th.

 

[specialks]

2 things:

1) I am waiting until about 29 days to the end of my trip to purchase it because they have a 30 day money-back guarantee. I figure if I can't even see the dates until 2-4 wks before I travel I might as well wait and get it then. It isn't much money but if something is way off I want that guarantee. I am kind of hesitant to buy it at all because we will be there for 5 days; but I like the idea of figuring the best times of day to ride certain rides. That leads me to question 2...

2) Does anyone who has made the spreadsheet have the file I could download? I can make my own but I am curious how some of you have it set up. Also, how do you go about making the times for the spreadsheets? I guess I am asking how you find the wait times by every hour (or half hour) using ridemax? Is there a trick or a method??

Thanks!

 

[HydroGuy]

2 things:

1) I am waiting until about 29 days to the end of my trip to purchase it because they have a 30 day money-back guarantee. I figure if I can't even see the dates until 2-4 wks before I travel I might as well wait and get it then. It isn't much money but if something is way off I want that guarantee. I am kind of hesitant to buy it at all because we will be there for 5 days; but I like the idea of figuring the best times of day to ride certain rides. That leads me to question 2...

2) Does anyone who has made the spreadsheet have the file I could download? I can make my own but I am curious how some of you have it set up. Also, how do you go about making the times for the spreadsheets? I guess I am asking how you find the wait times by every hour (or half hour) using ridemax? Is there a trick or a method??

Thanks!

Here is the RM guarantee FWIW:

Our guarantee is simple: Purchase your RideMax subscription, download the software, and use it to create optimized itineraries for the dates of your visit, for the attractions you want to ride. If, after using these touring plans you don't feel like they were worth the price of your subscription, simply contact us by email within 30 days of your purchase and explain the reason for your dissatisfaction. We'll then refund the full price of your subscription.

With this guarantee you have nothing to lose but a lot of time standing in line, so why not purchase your RideMax subscription and start planning your Disney visit today?!!

So waiting until 29 days before is a good idea if you may want your money back.

Here is what my spreadsheet looked like with false data:

http://hydroguy.smugmug.com/gallery/724783_CBtgu#31805414_FRRap-L-LB

RM is sensitive to this kind of info and these types of questions on public forums. So I do not send out my spreadsheet or get into too much detail.

I would say in general that you can run sample itineraries and pick off wait times for certain rides, do some estimation, and then enter it into a spreadsheet like mine.

HTH

 

[S. S. Columbia]

2) Does anyone who has made the spreadsheet have the file I could download? I can make my own but I am curious how some of you have it set up. Also, how do you go about making the times for the spreadsheets? I guess I am asking how you find the wait times by every hour (or half hour) using ridemax? Is there a trick or a method??

Someone once posted the following, which I found to be helpful:

First open a new document in excel
In column A1 type "Ride"
In column B1 type "Land"
In column C1 type "Length"
Now in columns D1-T1 type 8am - 12am assigning each column a time of day.
Next in rows A2-A42 type in each individual ride name as it appears in ridemax
Now you have a simple spreadsheet you can fill in with ride times throughout the day.
Here comes the tricky part.

Open ridemax and set your date at the park.
Select the hours in the park as 8am to 9am. (be sure to use no breaks)
Select the first ride on ridemax's list (Alice) and enter it 3 times into your agenda. (the reason being is that you have to enter a minimum of 3 rides and if you type in 3 separate rides ridemax will attempt to eliminate the most waiting and will not give you a reflection of the wait at that exact hour).
Now click on create my itinerary.
Whatever wait it shows for 8am - enter into D2 on your spreadsheet.
Now repeat this process each hour throughout the day. (Note: at times during peak hours ridemax will inform you that you do not have enough time to create a plan. Adjust the hour from 11-12 to 11-12:15 and you should be able to get an itinerary that gives you the wait times on the hour.)
Once you have the wait times for Alice entered repeat the process with the next ride.

When you are all done, you will be able to quickly check your spreadsheet for advice on what rides have low wait times at that hour, etc etc.

From my experience:

For FastPass rides, the "3 times per hour" method works best.

For non-FastPass rides, I have had good luck entering the hours from 8:00am to 12:00 midnight [opening time to closing time] (using no breaks) and entering the same ride 12 or 15 times. From there you just "play" with the times and the number of rides, etc., etc.

Some people collect wait times for each hour, and some people collect wait times for each 30-minutes.

Hope this helps.

 

[PinkBudgie]

I didn't make out an entire spread sheet, but I did enter the same ride in about 10 times as if I wanted to ride it over and over. Then I looked to see when the wait time was shortest. I then had a feel for when ride lines went down.

 

[srauchbauer]

Okay Disney novice but what is ridemax it sounds very interesting.

 

[brookies_mommy]

Here is the RM guarantee FWIW:

So waiting until 29 days before is a good idea if you may want your money back.

Here is what my spreadsheet looked like with false data:

http://hydroguy.smugmug.com/gallery/724783_CBtgu#31805414_FRRap-L-LB

RM is sensitive to this kind of info and these types of questions on public forums. So I do not send out my spreadsheet or get into too much detail.

I would say in general that you can run sample itineraries and pick off wait times for certain rides, do some estimation, and then enter it into a spreadsheet like mine.

HTH

specialks- We are going at the same time and I was thinking the same thing as you! lol

I checked this link and it says it wants a password. Hydroguy- Its just me and DD (turning 4) going.. I think this would be helpfull especially because of possible nap times/sleeping in times? Do you agree?

 

[3TinksAndAnEeyore]

Does anyone with a current subscription to RM have any new information about a possible iPhone app? Have any of you used one of the DL apps already available for iPhone? My DH and 2 DD's and I used RM when we were at DL in 2007 (thanks for the tip, HydroGuy!). We found RM to be an outstanding tool. The days with the kids needed several adjustments, but we had printed out multiple plans just for that contingency.

We will have a laptop with us for our December trip, but I'd really like to schedule plans on the fly. I'd rather have a sense of how to incorporate five attractions into a particular time frame than just pick out the one that currently has the shortest line.

 

[HydroGuy]

I checked this link and it says it wants a password. Hydroguy- Its just me and DD (turning 4) going.. I think this would be helpfull especially because of possible nap times/sleeping in times? Do you agree?

Ooops. Sorry. Old link. This should work better...

 

[specialks]

Thanks HydroGuy,
That is exactly what I was looking for. Looks really easy to make.

And SSColumbia,
Thanks for finding those tips. I will have to give it a try. We just want to know the best times for a few of the rides and be fairly relaxed the rest of the day. This should help us decide the best times to hit the popular rides.

Thanks again!

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

I just bought Ridemax today and I have to say I am "underwhelmed" by it so far. I am sure it is just user error though

It doesn't appear to allow you to enter earlier times if you have MM entry available???? And although in the hints and tips it suggests riding Peter Pan first, it keens putting Peter Pan into my plan an hour or so after the park opens.

I'm frustrated that I must be doing something wrong.

Can anyone help me work out what I'm doing hehe?

 

[HydroGuy]

I just bought Ridemax today and I have to say I am "underwhelmed" by it so far. I am sure it is just user error though

It doesn't appear to allow you to enter earlier times if you have MM entry available???? And although in the hints and tips it suggests riding Peter Pan first, it keens putting Peter Pan into my plan an hour or so after the park opens.

I'm frustrated that I must be doing something wrong.

Can anyone help me work out what I'm doing hehe?

If you read their Help system they tell you they do not include MM because Disney is not quite consistent enough that you can count on which rides will be open. Instead they tell you how you should approach MM and give a recommended touring order.

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

If you read their Help system they tell you they do not include MM because Disney is not quite consistent enough that you can count on which rides will be open. Instead they tell you how you should approach MM and give a recommended touring order.

Hey Hydroguy, I was hoping you would jump in. Thanks for that.

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

If you read their Help system they tell you they do not include MM because Disney is not quite consistent enough that you can count on which rides will be open. Instead they tell you how you should approach MM and give a recommended touring order.

So Hydroguy, bearing the no MM in mind, should I set my itinerary's to start after MM finishes, and exclude the rides esp FL rides, that I know I will be doing during the MM hour?

So should I just plug in the other rides that I want to ride from normal opening hours?

 

[callmeblissful]

So Hydroguy, bearing the no MM in mind, should I set my itinerary's to start after MM finishes, and exclude the rides esp FL rides, that I know I will be doing during the MM hour?

So should I just plug in the other rides that I want to ride from normal opening hours?

Not trying to interrupt but I think you have the right idea! You may want to add some of the very important ones to your normal schedule, just in case you don't get to them during your Magic Morning, and then enjoy some free time or other rides if you did get to them already. Worst case scenario, you can ride them again

 

[HydroGuy]

So Hydroguy, bearing the no MM in mind, should I set my itinerary's to start after MM finishes, and exclude the rides esp FL rides, that I know I will be doing during the MM hour?

So should I just plug in the other rides that I want to ride from normal opening hours?

That is what RM suggests if you read their Help.