The best alternative to all the line-standing is Ridemax, and it will not only put the "happy" back into the "happiest place on earth," but it can save you money, too. It's the brainchild of Mark Winters, a software engineer who loves Disneyland, and father of some of the happiest kids around because they help him collect the wait time data that feeds RideMax's scheduling program.
Poll:Have you tried Ridemax?
Yes. I already used it. | Yes, I'm going to try it | No
Poll:What did you think of Ridemax for shortening your wait?
It saved me a lot of time. Everyone should use it. | It helped a little bit. | It was more trouble than it was worth.
See what others think about Ridemax
Since first trying Ridemax several years ago, I've tested it many times and the wait-busting claims are true. The biggest challenge was on an August Sunday, using a RideMax itinerary to enjoy 26 Disneyland attractions (an itinerary that included everything two adults might conceivably want to do, including Splash Mountain, Star Tours, Space Mountain and Indiana Jones Adventure). We arrived at 8:00 a.m., had a sit-down lunch and an hour's afternoon rest, and were finished in time to watch the evening parade and fireworks. Our longest wait was about 10 minutes, and in many cases there was no wait at all. You read it right. NO wait. We walked up and NO ONE was waiting in front of us - at Splash Mountain and the Haunted Mansion, among others. At Disneyland. On a summer Sunday, and yes, the park was busy.
On a summer weekday, my niece Samantha and I tried Ridemax at Disney's California Adventure, and our results were even better. In fact, we got so far ahead of schedule that we had time to ride several of the rides twice, including California Screamin', Soarin' over California and the Sunwheel.
On a January weekday, lines were shorter, but Ridemax still guided my friend and me to the park's areas when they were least busy.
I don't recommend such an aggressive schedule as my Disneyland adventure for most visitors. Not only were we worn out, but our first hour was quite hectic. However, a family of four could easily use RideMax to help them see all the park's attractions in one or two days instead of three or four, saving money on tickets and spending their extra time somewhere else.
How to Get Ridemax
RideMax is available for both Disneyland and California Adventure, and it's only flaw is that it works only a PC. The price is set by how long your license lasts, and it costs a fraction of the cost of a single Disneyland ticket. You can pay online and download it right away from their website.Working with Ridemax
RideMax installs as easily as any other software. Before you use it, get prepared:- Decide when you are going to visit (the day of the week is important as waiting patterns are different).
- Pick realistic start and end times for your day, but start as early as you can because it will save waiting time. I created two schedules, one starting at 8:15 and one at 8:30, and the later start would have cost me almost an hour's waiting, motivation enough to get out of bed when the alarm rang. Tell the kids they will have to skip rides to get on schedule and they'll be motivated, too.
- Pick the rides and attractions you want to visit. Consult our Disneylandor California Adventure ride guides to help you choose.
- Decide whether your group will move at a normal pace or more slowly. Normal pace will take you across the park more often, sometimes at a brisk pace. Slower pace is better for large groups, people traveling with small children or slow walkers.
- Be sure your watch is right. Mine was a few minutes slow, and we fell behind. It was easy to catch up by skipping a ride and coming back later during free time, though.
- Start on time. Create an alternate schedule that starts 15 or 30 minutes later than your planned start just in case, or be prepared to skip attractions to get on schedule. Remember that you have to park and ride the tram or take a bus from your hotel to the park, and you may have to buy tickets before you get in, all of which could take an hour or more. Allow time so you are at the first attraction on schedule.
- Pick up a Disneyland map at the gate and keep it handy. Your RideMax schedule will lead you back and forth across the park, and it's easier to get to your next destination on time if you can start walking right away.
- Trust the itinerary. We were tempted to stop at Haunted Mansion during scheduled free time when the wait was 15 minutes, but when we came back at our Ridemax-scheduled time, there was no wait at all.
- If you want to see any shows, get the daily schedule from the Disneyland web site and take it with you. The schedule will also let you know if any rides are closed for maintenance.
