Single Rider radiator spring racers

[colinmacleod24]

If 3 of us try single rider RSR (wife, me and my kid), how far apart are we likely to be. Is there any chance 2 of us might make it in the same race (ie, the two cars that are racing each other). How long would the people who got on first have to wait for those at the back?

 

[Chickinvic]

It really depends. I've wound up in the same race as my partner (different vehicles). He and I didn't care if we were on the same race, it just worked out that way. I don't think the wait is usually very long (at least in my experience).

 

[sophy1996]

There’s a chance, but who knows? My DH and I have had it happen, but this last time he was sent to the very front and me to the very back. The single-rider line was moving briskly and DH and I finished the ride only a few minutes apart.

 

[Punky'sMama]

My daughter and I ended up in the same car this morning!!

 

[varyth]

My husband and I did single rider three times back-to-back. Never got into the same vehicle, but we raced each other once.

 

[CoachBeard]

There is no definitive answer. You’re a seat filler like the folks at the Oscars. I’ve been in the same car as my companion, I’ve raced the car they were sat on, I’ve been 5 runs behind them. If you’re going this Thursday or Friday please don’t use single rider so I can have less of a wait time, as I’m traveling solo

 

[ktlm]

There is no way to know. We have done single rider a lot for that one. We have been in the same car, we have raced each other, 2 of us have been seated next to each other when there was a party of 4 and they didn't get a close party of 2 to go with them; and we have been pulled for opposite ends or different ride load cycles. We have had one of us get diverted to exit the vehicle in the disability area so they could load someone more than once. If you are standing next to each other, it would be pretty unusual to have more than a 5 minute wait for each other when you are pulled for single rider, unless there was a ride break down or something. More often than not, we are in different cars in the same load cycle. Occasionally, one of us (or 2) will be on the next ride loading cycle. I suppose you could have a loading cycle where they didn't pull any single riders for any of the cars, but I can't recall that happening when we were loading.

One thing is to be sure your kid knows the plan if a vehicle gets diverted to the disability loading area, as there is a different exit path from there. We always meet up at the photo screen area, but unless something has changed, if you unload at disability, you have to backtrack and go up the exit stairs to get to the photo area. I think DD was 8 when I told her to wait at the photo screens, and one of us got diverted, so that was a slightly scary moment to realize that we weren't winding up in the same place. She didn't have a phone yet, to just call her on that trip.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

...

One thing is to be sure your kid knows the plan if a vehicle gets diverted to the disability loading area, as there is a different exit path from there. We always meet up at the photo screen area, but unless something has changed, if you unload at disability, you have to backtrack and go up the exit stairs to get to the photo area. I think DD was 8 when I told her to wait at the photo screens, and one of us got diverted, so that was a slightly scary moment to realize that we weren't winding up in the same place. She didn't have a phone yet, to just call her on that trip.

Also make sure that kids in the SR line know what to do if the ride goes down. They should know what to do if they are inside the ride and the parent is outside and vice versa.

 

[BrianL]

It is fun to race against friends, but it varies. Chances are though you will fill in cars close to each other, but each pair of 2 races, so you might not be in those, or some may be in the next loading cycle. You can also end up in the same car (front & back seats). It just depends on the party sizes coming from the primary queue. It does usually go quickly thugh.

 

[PHXscuba]

We usually stack the kids in between the parents so one parent is waiting at the exit and one makes sure they get onto the ride. Of course there's always the chance of breakdown or disability exit but that's pretty rare. It shouldn't take too long to get 3 people through single rider, definitely much less than standby. But where you'll end up in relation to each other is never certain.

PHXscuba

 

[twodogs]

Depending on your child's age, I would heed the advice about discussing a ride breakdown carefully. I think you can SR at age 7? Many 7 year olds would be very nervous if a ride breakdown happened and they knew no one in the car; others would be just fine. You know your child. We have had ride breakdowns where we were in a ride vehicle for 20-30 minutes or more. So discuss this rare (but not so rare lately...) possibility with your child and see how they feel about it prior to riding. If no breakdowns occur, you will all be off the ride very close in time to each other.

 

[varyth]

We visited late April. The first time at the Radiator Springs Racers, we used the standby line instead of single rider. The posted wait time was 45 minutes but the ride broke down TWICE while we were in line, resulting in an actual wait time of 120 minutes. That motivated us to use single rider exclusively afterwards. Breakdowns may be rare, but would definitely recommend that kids be prepared for it if they aren't with a parent.

 

[ktlm]

We usually stack the kids in between the parents so one parent is waiting at the exit and one makes sure they get onto the ride. Of course there's always the chance of breakdown or disability exit but that's pretty rare. It shouldn't take too long to get 3 people through single rider, definitely much less than standby. But where you'll end up in relation to each other is never certain.

PHXscuba

This!!! When DD was younger we almost always put 1 parent ahead and 1 parent behind her in single rider on RSR (and other rides).
The exception was that on RSR she loved to ride next to another kid if possible. If you watch who they are loading (and the line of those about to load), you can usually see who they are pulling single riders for. If they needed one for a row with kids, we would quickly swap places with DD so she could get in that spot. Sometimes all 3 spots would be next to adults, but several times we were able to quickly switch places in line as single rider was being pulled, so she could get in a row with a kid or kids.

 

[Epicnemesis]

It’s all just you and your luck, but you will likely get grouped fairly tightly together. The cars are 3x2 so every party of 2 gets a single rider with them, which happens a lot.

 

[Pluto468]

Also make sure that kids in the SR line know what to do if the ride goes down. They should know what to do if they are inside the ride and the parent is outside and vice versa.

Great tip! My dd did her first single rider (Matterhorn) last time we were there. I waited for her at the exit but I totally forgot some rides have more than one exit. I'll mention that plus discuss the breakdown possibility for next time. Luckily she has a phone, but trying to describe where you are can be tricky. Once I was separated from DH and the kids because I said I was "In a chair under the Monorail tracks," and apparently there was more than one area that could have meant. It took us 30 minutes to find each other!

 

[lalasmama]

We do the "sandwich" when possible as well (basically whenever Hubs and I take a grand to the parks and when our daughter was younger). Parent-child-parent in line, so there's a parent already at the exit when the kids exits, barring an emergency evacuation, of course. Whomever is first can general just wait at the unloading area. There's been a few times a CM has asked me to "move along" but once I say my kiddo is SR'ing in the next car, they don't fuss about it.

 

[lalasmama]

Also, as others have mentioned, make sure there's a "breakdown" plan, and that kiddo can/will follow directions from unknown adults.

We just took our 7yo grandson, and he was soooo excited about doing SR on his own. ... until I pointed out that in the case of an evacuation, he'd need to listen to unknown adults (cast members, but still completely unknown) telling him what to do without questioning. And thus ended his SR aspirations. Our next oldest grandson is laid back, friendly, outgoing, will chat up just about anyone, and willingly listens to people that are clearly "in charge." I lost count how many SRLs he did because he was completely self-sufficient and comfortable with the idea of another adult telling him what to do in the event of an evacuation.

 

[Aladora]

We did this in March with 4 of us. DS and I ended up in the same car, my sister was in the car we raced, and DH was in the very next car behind us!