Ride Max vs. Touring Plans

[gdrj]

1st Trip to DL. I used Touring Plans years for WDW ago but didnt fully follow their suggestions but it was somewhat helpful.

We will be there the last week of June AFTER the SWGE reservations are over. Park days June 25-28 T,W,R. We do not plan to visit SWGE, though we will be staying on property.

Most of the reviews I've seen on RideMax have been positive. I'm not worried about the 10 to 15 bucks toget, just dont want to waste my time relying on it and it is a bust. I also do realize the entire DL World is going to blow-up once SWGE opens so any system may not be as effective as they were in the past.

We will be planning EMH especially on Day 1 and 2. DL Tues, DCA Wed unless the days are changed for EMH.

 

[HydroGuy]

For some history, RM was first at DLR. TP was first at WDW, but only with static, fixed touring plans. While RM was second to WDW, I believe RM was first there with dynamic, choose-your-own-attractions touring plans. I used RM extensively on my first two trips to WDW. Mostly to "test drive" scenarios so I could get a feel for what was practical to achieve at WDW parks in a given day.

Since TP came to DLR, frankly I have always greatly preferred RM at DLR. I have not used either in recent years but did extensively at one time. At WDW I no longer use either for touring, but I do usually get a TP subscription at WDW for their data and park recommendation insights.

Under no circumstances should you trust the TP crowd calendar, or any DLR calendar for that matter. Really, they are all wrong, or, if they are right, it is more by luck than skill. I can say more on this if you want, but it sounds like you are really looking for touring suggestions.

 

[NorthernCalMom]

I enjoy using both for my preparations, but I take neither of them as gospel. The opening of SWGE is likely to have an effect on visitors’ numbers, making it even harder than usual to predict wait times.

I usually find the “create an optimized plan for me” feature in Touring Plan mostly useless, but I love the “evaluate my plan” option. Sometimes that alerts me to details I didn’t consider, sometimes it helps me adjust my expectations, sometimes it confirms what I come up with from past experience and reading other people’s trip reports here.

Mostly I do it for fun, though.

There is also a “tips and tricks” (I believe that’s what it’s called) section in Touring Plans that has been helpful to me in the past.

 

[jillyh]

The biggest difference I can see (I also use both) is that TP allows you to order the rides the way you want and then evaluate that order. I use them as a guide, but don't follow the plans to the letter.

 

[avalon451]

My biggest issues with them is that you couldn't really factor in park hopping. I mean, you're supposed to be able to, by starting one plan for the first park, then starting another one for the other at your estimated time of say, 11 a.m. or whatever... but it doesn't allow for grabbing MaxPass for your evening touring at the other park, or switching back and forth for shows, etc. Also it kind of assumes you're going to ride everything once and only once. Again, supposedly you can factor repeats in, but it just never worked well for me. I always ended up using them, like PPs have said, for fun and to get a rough feel for my day, but I would write my own plan in the end. Also, there were times when the plan it gave me just didn't make sense against what I knew. Like leaving Dumbo for last in a FL magic morning, and it would have a 40 minute wait by then, which RM expected you to do. Ummm, nope.

My best planning usually comes from sitting down with a grid on scratch paper of the number of days we have... sketching in first what major shows, experiences and meals we want for each day... determining which park we will start in, depending on MM/EE and whether we have it available... looking at the different lands and rides, and deciding which rides are "one and done" which we'd like to ride every day, or more than once during our stay (Like RSR during the day AND at night). RM and TP don't do that for you.

 

[disneylover102]

Ridemax is way better. I’ve found when I’ve used touring plans that they way underestimate wait times and give you bad tips. One example of a bad tip from TP from a few years ago when we used it was that you shouldn’t get a Fastpass for Radiator Springs Racers because the FP distribution was too far from the ride (no longer the case I believe). They recommended waiting over an hour for the ride instead of walking to the machine and getting a Fastpass. Ridemax mainly prioritizes lower wait times from my experience. They also update wait times with a new land as quick as they can. We went to DLR a couple weeks after Guardians opened and they were adjusting wait times based on what they were seeing. I don’t know if TP does this.

 

[jillyh]

How do you use RideMax while in the park?

 

[disneylover102]

How do you use RideMax while in the park?

You get an itinerary of what order to do rides and get Fastpasses. It gives wait times, Ride duration, and walk times. You just follow the plan.

 

[jillyh]

Thanks Disneylover. I have taken my printed out plan with me, but it sounded like you were maybe updating your plan while in the park which is possible with the TP app

 

[gdrj]

Thanks everybody!

 

[nutshell]

Ridemax!