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California Adventure · Cars Land

Radiator Springs Racers Wait Time & Best Time to Ride

At Disneyland Resort's California Adventure, Radiator Springs Racers is a ride worth planning around. This guide shows the current wait, typical wait, best time to ride, ride length, drop and intensity, Lightning Lane, and whether it is worth rope dropping.

Updated July 25, 2026. Live waits refresh throughout the day.

Right now Park closed
Typical wait 68 min
Peak seen 155 min
Quietest hour 9 PM

Quick facts

Land
Cars Land
Height
40 in (102 cm)
Lightning Lane
Yes
Opened
2012
Ride length
About 4.5 minutes
Thrill
Moderate thrill

Best Time to Ride Radiator Springs Racers

Typical standby wait by hour. The quietest hour is marked in gold (9 PM); the wait usually peaks around 8 AM.

80 8AM
63 9AM
76 10AM
76 11AM
75 12PM
69 1PM
63 2PM
66 3PM
63 4PM
64 5PM
64 6PM
65 7PM
66 8PM
58 9PM

Pro tip: ride Radiator Springs Racers in the first hour after rope drop or in the last hour before California Adventure closes. If you would rather not wait at all, Lightning Lane lets you skip the standby line.

Is Radiator Springs Racers Reliable?

Mostly reliable Running about 97 percent of the day over the last 90 days, with most outages lasting about 21 minutes.

Should You Rope Drop Radiator Springs Racers?

The shortest waits for Radiator Springs Racers are right at rope drop and in the final hour before California Adventure closes, so arriving for park open is usually worth it. If the line is already long, ride later in the evening or use Lightning Lane.

Radiator Springs Racers FAQ

What is the best time to ride Radiator Springs Racers?
At California Adventure, Radiator Springs Racers typically has its shortest waits around 9 PM and its longest around 8 AM. Riding right at rope drop is your best bet.
How long is the wait for Radiator Springs Racers?
The standby wait for Radiator Springs Racers runs about 68 minutes on a typical day and climbs near 155 minutes at its busiest.
Does Radiator Springs Racers break down a lot?
Radiator Springs Racers is currently graded Mostly reliable for reliability. Running about 97 percent of the day over the last 90 days, with most outages lasting about 21 minutes.
Is there a height requirement for Radiator Springs Racers?
Yes. Riders must be at least 40 in (102 cm) tall to ride Radiator Springs Racers.
Does Radiator Springs Racers have Lightning Lane?
Yes. Radiator Springs Racers offers Lightning Lane, so you can pay to skip the standby line if you would rather not wait.

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