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FunAuntSherry
03-12-2007, 03:55 PM
A friend sent me a link to the ridemax software we're all meeting up the first week of April for a DL trip and although I'll be there 4 days she and her family will only be there 2 days.

I am not usually a structured traveler, especially to Disneyland, I just roll with the punches.

The cost of the software seems pretty reasonable, if we were to use it and have it actually work, I searched on the boards and have only found references to it so my question here is has anyone used it and found it to be a valuable asset?

Our immediate party are well familiar (but by no means experts) with the lay of the land as well as the busy rides, etc. and my friend has been but not for many, many years and this will be her kids' (ages appx 1-7) first trip. (In case this info helps with your advice)

Thanks in advance,

Mark Mywords
03-12-2007, 04:12 PM
I totally recommend ridemax for a 2 day trip. It's especially effective for short trips.

mistofviolets
03-12-2007, 05:48 PM
I used it. We loved it. I printed up several itineraries, and we just picked and chose what we wanted from the short wait times :P

josephfive
03-14-2007, 05:14 PM
Just like everybody else, I love RideMax! It's especially useful for the kids because they can see exactly when they will go on their favorite attractions.

We use it during the week between Christmas and New Year's and we've always been pleased that we are able to do so many things before lunchtime!

The tips are all wonderful as well. Have fun!

Nate & Ava's Mommy
03-15-2007, 04:17 PM
Could someone please send me the RIDEMAX softwear link? Agter reading some posts I assume it helps you schedule and plan your days which is exsctly what I need as a 1st timer to WDW.

Leap for Joy
03-16-2007, 09:38 AM
I love RideMax and highly recommend it!
Here is the link: http://ridemax.com/

woody9six
03-16-2007, 10:10 AM
We used it last year in August. My wife, who was 7 months pregnant at the time, was leery if not down right skeptical. She had many of the same questions about its relative effectiveness. I promised here that we would try it on the first day and if it was a disaster, we would scrap it.

She absolutely loved it. It isn't nearly as regimented and strict as it seems. In fact we found the contrary to be true. We were able to relax more because we weren't scrambling to get to all of things we wanted to do...we didn't waste time standing around trying to figure out where to go next...and not only did we get to everything, we were able to do some things more than once and still have enough of a break in the afternoon to go back tot he hotel and get my 3 year old a nap and my pregnant wife off of her feet. We have used in on a subsequent one-day visit...and I will use it again. In fact, I can't imagine not using it.

just beatla33
03-16-2007, 10:14 AM
thats such a waste of money, its easier just to go with the flow and what you're in the mood for, I can't believe this costs money

ESS Heckler
03-16-2007, 11:32 AM
RideMax is well worth the money! I love it.

I love that you can play around with it, print off several different itineraries and just use the one that's going to work.

For instance, you could have every intention of getting to the park at 8:00 AM, so you run an itinerary for that. BUT, the kids won't cooperate, or everyone is exhausted and you decide to let them sleep in and have a leisurely breakfast and then hit the park. So you run an itinerary for that, too.

The beauty is you can factor in break times and times for shows, and keep the time spent waiting in line to a minimum.

LOVE RIDEMAX!!!

woody9six
03-16-2007, 11:46 AM
thats such a waste of money, its easier just to go with the flow and what you're in the mood for, I can't believe this costs money

If I am going to drop a grand on my vacation the $15 bucks that I spend on Ridemax is a drop in the bucket. Especially if it provides some needed structure for those of us who want to maximize our time in the park and have other considerations to attend to. If you find it a waste of money then that is certainly your prerogative. For me...it is a bigger waste on money to spend $1000. to go and scramble to try and get done all of the things I want to do (and probably miss out on some things) and wait in line longer than I have to.

It might be easier to go with the flow...but I have found that to be far too inefficient for my needs.

Nate & Ava's Mommy
03-16-2007, 11:54 AM
I am an EXTREMELY structured person and Ridemax seems the way for me to go. But I have to ask..is it really that important if you go on Peter Pan or Dumbo first? As a first timer going to WDW I am getting intimidated. LOL

woody9six
03-16-2007, 11:57 AM
I am an EXTREMELY structured person and Ridemax seems the way for me to go. But I have to ask..is it really that important if you go on Peter Pan or Dumbo first? As a first timer going to WDW I am getting intimidated. LOL


I don't know about the suggestions for Ridemax at WDW, but at DL it is recommended as one of the first things to do on Non-EE days, the first thing if you are taking advantage of EE, and later in the evening on EE days that you are not utilizing EE.

WDW may be a whole different ball of wax. I'd try the WDW board and ask over there.

rentayenta
03-17-2007, 06:32 AM
As seasoned Disneyland travellers, we love Ridemax. I know what to go on first but what Ridemax does is alleviate the ever frustrating standing in the middle (or to the side) of the street and pondering "what's next?". It keeps my kids from bickering about who's turn it is to choose and is great for mapping out when to get FPs. Could we do Disneyland without it? Of course! But the software is fun to mess with and anything legal and moral that stops the inevitable "what next?" is worth a few bucks! :)

hlbtimes2
03-17-2007, 07:28 AM
We used it on one trip. It was great, but because of the make up of group, we did throw it out the window after the first day. We were traveling with 2 young kids (3 and 7) and my MIL and FIL in their 70's. My MIL (who is a royal pain in the backside) kept asking why we were doing what we were doing- as in "why are we riding that ride next?, rather then just going with the flow. FIL kept wandering off, and we would get off schedule finding him. The kids needed to go the bathroom after we were in line. They wanted to eat lunch before riding autopia rather then after. Just little things.

I would use it again now that my kids are a bit older. I probably would not use it with FIL/ MIL again, just because they are difficult to travel with, and it adds another layer, rather then taking one away.

When I made my report on this board about our experience, I received a private message from ridemax offering me a refund. I did not take it. It was not their product that was a problem. It worked well and we were getting a lot done. It was strictly the difficultly within our group.

Chadsgal
03-17-2007, 06:02 PM
I purchased Ridemax for our trip in 2005 it was fun to make up the schedules and see what they said to do. I printed out a couple of suggestions but we ended up doing much better on our own w/o sticking to thier suggestions. We had such a large group and wide rang of ages that it was much easier to do what we wanted. I wouldn't say that I won't buy it for our trip again this Oct but it would just be for fun and pretrip excitement.

FunAuntSherry
03-17-2007, 06:27 PM
Thank you everyone for all of this information. I believe our decision has been made - there are too many of us with too many different age ranges so we're going to go and just have fun doing what we can, but I'll definitely keep this software in mind for future travels!

Thanks again!

hlbtimes2
03-17-2007, 08:46 PM
You can have a good trip and get a lot done without it. Just remember a few key things: Use fast pass. Be sure you get a new one every time the window to do so opens up (either because a return time as came up or two hours have passed). Even if a child isnt big enough to go on ride, use their ticket to get extra fast pass. Someone in your group will want to use it! Avoid crowd mentality- dont follow everyone else! If everyone is going to tomorrow land as they enter, go the other direction! Ride Indy or jungle cruise, or head all the way over to critter country and get that area out of the way. Divide up into small groups from time to time. Pick a place to meet up, and remember sometimes people will be late gettng there if there are long lines. Take time to watch shows! Eat at off times to avoid those lines, it also makes it easier to get enough tables for your group.

I'm sure others will have some other tips for you.

SeansMom
03-18-2007, 12:44 PM
I found it worked well. I ran several combinations, and then we chose the one that fit the day best. One thing it can do, if you choose, is split the park in half, so you decrease your walking. That was important last trip with one Pooh sized family member, and one 5 y.o., who didn't have the stamina to run through the entire park all day long. You can also run a morning for a specific land/lands, print it off, then run an evening plan with other lands, which will also decrease your walking time.
Of course, sending someone to get the groups fastpasses is always a good thing, too, whether the plan says to or not.
Have fun, whatever you do!

mistofviolets
03-18-2007, 04:21 PM
I forgot to mention that too...we did a lot of splitting of plans, where dh took older dd off on one plan, and youngest and I went to a different plan, and then we met up soon after. Or we checked out our variety of print offs for a close ride to whatever dh wanted to do that littlest wasn't up for. The minimal line waiting, and getting an idea of what were good options or poor options and when to try a long line again was really helpful (In other words...it was nice to avoid the few 40 minute wait times for pooh, knowing the line would disperse in an hour. Without Ridemax we wouldn't have been able to gage that.)

mamatojade
03-18-2007, 08:05 PM
If I download Ridemax can I run as many possible itineraries as I can think up?

Also, one of the dates that we will be there is Sunday April 22 where the park opens at 6:30 AM. I know that they don't show plans for Sundays and suggest that you use the Saturday plans instead. Would I be able to run a plan for a date that has unusual parameters like being open from 6:30 to 4 or would the program not be able to show that? (Did that make any sense?)

rentayenta
03-18-2007, 08:30 PM
You can make as many plans as you want. I would suggest making itineraries in 1/2 hour arrival intervals just to be safe.

Not sure about tweaking the park opening time though. If it opens early then RideMax should have that info.

woody9six
03-18-2007, 10:16 PM
The only thing you can adjust is your arrival time, not when the park opens. It will tell you when the park opens that day and you tell it when you want to get in line for your first ride...assuming it is after the park opens.

And yes, you can run an infinite number if itineraries, as rentayenta pointed out.