Disney parks are magical, fun, and packed to the brim with yummy treats and fun things to do. They also tend to have one really annoying reality: long lines! How much time have you spent standing in lines at the parks (you’ve probably lost count). Some of the lines, like Indiana Jones, are mildly interesting, but even in a themed line your back or legs hurt, and everyone gets cranky.
There are several well-known tricks to beating long lines: Genie + and/or Lightning Lane, rope-dropping, staying until close, and rider switch. The trick we’re going to focus on today is maximizing single rider lines. California Adventure boasts five single rider lines to enjoy (did you know there are only four single rider lines TOTAL across all the WDW parks?).
Single rider lines were created as car fill-ins–when there are single seats left in cars after groups board (we’ve even been pulled in pairs from the single rider line a few times, if there were no groups of two in the stand-by line). Single rider lines don’t work for everyone–the minimum age is seven years old, and many families want to ride attractions all together. But if everyone in your group is older than 7, and you want to save lots of time/break up your group and run around to different rides/re-ride attractions over and over, single rider might be for you! We’ve broken it down by ride for your convenience.
Radiator Springs Racers
This is the ride we always rope-drop at California Adventure, because it’s one of our favorites and by rope dropping it, we can all ride it together at least once in the day. If we’re not rope dropping it first thing, we’re single riding it! Because of those two riding options, we will probably never purchase a Lightning Lane for this ride. Make sure you rope drop this ride from the rope by Ariel’s Undersea Adventure–you can read our rope drop article here:
Incredicoaster
The great thing about Incredicoaster is that the line moves pretty fast; the annoying thing is that it seems to break down a lot. Nevertheless, Incredicoaster has a single rider line, so if you’d like to ride it over and over like we do, you shouldn’t have to wait long to do so!
In addition to single riding, we also like asking a cast member if we can sit in the front row: once you get to the bottom of the stairs on the boarding platform, tell the cast member you want to ride in the front, and they’ll move you aside for a few minutes until a spot opens up. There’s nothing quite like the thrill of riding in the front seat of Incredicoaster!
One other recommendation: try to ride this ride at different times of day for a totally different vista. Whether it’s a cool California morning, high noon, sunset or pitch black outside, this ride is an incredible experience every time.
And don’t forget to stop off for one of Jack Jack’s Num Num warm chocolate chip cookies at the cart right in front of the ride!
Goofy’s Sky School
Don’t miss this ride tucked in the corner of Pixar Pier. At first glance, it seems like a little kids’ ride, but my kids want to ride it every time we’re at DCA even now that they’re big (maybe because they like Goofy so much). It’s sort of like DL’s Gadget’s Go Coaster: a kiddie coaster that’s fun for all ages. We usually hit this one once we’ve ridden Incredicoaster too many times and we’re waiting for the notorious Midway Mania line to die down.
The adults typically take a break and sit or shop nearby while the kids ride this one, but if you’ve never ridden it, give it a try!
Grizzly River Run
Nestled in the trees of beautiful Grizzly Peak, this ride is near the Grand Californian entrance. You’ll walk right by it if you rope-drop RSR by Ariel’s Undersea Adventure.
This is the kind of ride you want to wait until the heat of the day to ride–because you’re probably going to get wet. At least it has a single rider line with a really fast throughput!
Once when we were at DCA, our 14-year-old son rode Grizzly River Run ten times in a row, single rider. He kept emerging from the ride without a drop of water on him, and bragging about how dry he was. He finally talked me and his brother into single riding it with him, and of course I got doused with water the one time I rode it! This is why I always suggest ponchos for Grizzly River Run and Splash Mountain–I’ve learned the hard way walking around with squishy socks and shoes for entire days (you can read my top twenty Disney park essentials list here).
Web Slingers
Last but not least, the lastest single rider line addition is in Avenger’s Land at the Spiderman ride. And it couldn’t have come soon enough. We’ve only ridden this ride one time–back before Genie +–and we waited 60+ minutes. It kept breaking down, it was late at night, there was no single rider line, you get the picture.
This is a really fun ride you won’t want to miss–not fun enough to rope drop or purchase a Lightning Lane, in our opinion, but we will definitely single ride this one in the future!
TAKEAWAYS
There are always ways to make the line experience better at Disney Parks, and now you have another tool in your Disney tool belt. The next time you’re at DCA and the lines are long, head to one of these five single rider lines and maybe even ride it a couple times!
Almost Free Traveling 
Leave a comment