Disney Alone

[hiddenmickey06]

There's a chance that my husband may have a business trip to Disney in the next year or so and I'm expecting a lot of free time off by myself since we wouldn't take either kid with us. Now that I've read other responses of what it's like touring the parks alone I'm kind of looking forward to it. I love to do a lot of non-ride things and I love photography. I especially enjoy walking through the parks looking for non-traditional photo opportunities which the rest of my family definitely does not enjoy. Now I can't wait:sohappy:

That is another reason I want to go alone. I love taking pictures, I'm not the best at it though, but it is something I enjoy doing at Disney. But when you have ten people with you making a b-line to splash mountain its hard to stop and smell the roses, much less take a picture of them, lol.:lol:

 

[Magenta Panther]

Yeah it does help! Thanks! Does it get lonely dining by yourself though at a table service restaurant? I read a ton of reviews from other sites and they say that could be a trip downer. But I'm sure the CM's make it special, right?

I usually bring a book to read. But when I dined at Chef Mickey's, the Chef himself dropped by :animwink: and we had a nice (one-sided) chat. Gawd I love the Mouse!

 

[Magenta Panther]

You usually don't have to sit with a stranger, but sometimes it's fun in the que. Last year I was at the Studios for Night of Joy, by myself all weekend. Got talking to a few women in front of me as they were asking about something to each other and I thought I could help. They appreciated the help and we got to talking and when it was our turn to go on the ride, one of the ladies said there are 4 of us (they were a party of 3) so I got to ride with 1 of them, and let me tell you, we laughed sooooo hard, we had tears in our eyes. (Toy Story Mania was the ride)

True, you can meet wonderful people at WDW. Last visit, I had dinner at the Biergarten in Epcot Germany (and I HIGHLY recommend the place to hiddenmickey, it was my FAVORITE table service restaurant. The atmosphere is awesome - even though you're inside a building, it looks like you're dining OUTDOORS in a little German village - there are stars and a moon overhead that look absolutely real. And the food is excellent!) and I sat with a group of people at a long table, and the nice lady next to me told me about the time she met Queen Elizabeth! (no she wasn't delusional). It was fascinating, and the Biergarten is very conducive to a happy convivial atmosphere. Again, I highly recommend it, especially if you're traveling alone. You won't feel lonely for long at the Biergarten.

 

[TRONorail10]

Going solo at Disney is a great idea for any adult. When you're with family and friends, it can be a wonderful time, but you actually miss out on a lot of what Disney has to offer. Disney World was designed to be an immersive experience, and unfortunately when ur running around with a family, you might not always get that. One of my favorite things to do is to grab an ice cream and pull up a chair on the balcony at the Main Street Train Station at MK. It is so relaxing to sit up there with no distractions and take in everything and everybody on Main Street. I also find myself taking in some attractions that i'd often skip with friends, such as Swiss Family Tree House (great picture opportunities on top!), Tom Sawyer Island, Liberty Belle Riverboat, Snow White's Scary Adventures, Carousel of Progress, etc. Most importantly, going to Disney alone allows you to appreciate the grandness of everything in general.

 

[lilclerk]

I also find myself taking in some attractions that i'd often skip with friends, such as Swiss Family Tree House (great picture opportunities on top!), Tom Sawyer Island, Liberty Belle Riverboat, Snow White's Scary Adventures, Carousel of Progress, etc. Most importantly, going to Disney alone allows you to appreciate the grandness of everything in general.

I took the grand circle tour on the MK railroad twice in a row when I was by myself. It was such a great way to take a long break on a hot day, and I never would have gotten to do that with someone with me.

 

[Mr_Tom_Morrow]

I live about an hour west of WDW so I frequent the parks solo quite a bit. Like many have said, it's alot better than people think.

If you have an uneasy feeling about dining at TS restaurants alone, what I suggest is make it a quick appetizer meal. I have the "sitting alone" fear, so I will go to Nine Dragons and I'll just get the fragrant chicken and the cucumber salad, down them, and Im on my way. I spend roughly 20-25 minutes in there and thats it.

Dont be afraid to strike up conversations with other guests in the parks either. You'll be surprised at how many of them are Disney fanatics as well

 

[Uncle Greg]

I just got back from a family trip but went down solo for a couple of days at the beginning and 2 more at the end.

I'm so glad I did. It gave me the opportunity to do only what I wanted to do, take lots of photos, etc.

It was the best of both worlds.

 

[CP_alum08]

I did quite a few times when I was a CM, not sure if that counts or not. The most memorable time was during the Flower and Garden Festival. It was really nice to be able to do whatever I wanted without having to please anyone else. You can really slow down and enjoy things, or I guess you can run through like a maniac because you don't have to worry about people keeping up with you!

My suggestion would be to try it for a short trip, maybe a long weekend or so. That way if you hate it, it won't last too long and if you love it, you can plan a longer trip next time.

 

[trr1]

I just got back from a family trip but went down solo for a couple of days at the beginning and 2 more at the end.

I'm so glad I did. It gave me the opportunity to do only what I wanted to do, take lots of photos, etc.

It was the best of both worlds.

you go Hanana!:lol:

 

[badrew]

Go for it, but book the shorter trip first. I finally did it 3 weeks ago while my kids were at summer camp (I have brought them twice this year so I don't feel all that bad). I have wanted to do it for years now, and I enjoyed myself. Like another member posted, it may mak eit easier to stay on property and I also used Magical Express and the dining plan, however I used Quick Service so that I didn't feel like the foucs was on me eating alone - just grabbed what I wanted form the counter service and found an empty table. I can't wait to get the oppurtunity to do it again. Hope you do it and have a great time!

 

[EpScott]

Me & my brother (Hrudey3032 on WDWMagic) fly down from Indy once a year to visit my Dad, who lives in Davenport -- about 10 minutes from WDW. When he retired from the police force and moved down there, he got a part-time job with Disney, first in Security, then as a Bus Driver, so we could get into the Parks for free!!!! We would drop him off at the TTC before his shift and he would give us a park pass, and off we went for the day!!!! Needless to say, there were things my brother Kelly wanted to do, while I had other things in mind-----so we split up and went solo for many of the days which we have spent down there. Worried about being uncomfortable while alone?? Nahhhh-----YOU'RE AT DISNEY!!!!!!!!!!!-----that's all that matters!!!!!!!!!!:king: Besides, I like to stop approximately every 15 feet and take yet ANOTHER picture of the castle or Spaceship Earth, and I'm quite sure that annoys him having to wait up for me. And shopping-----I like to look at EVERY little item while others may prefer to casually glance and then move on. So, I would have to definitely give a thumbs-up to solo Disney touring!!!

 

[lilclerk]

Oh, another nice thing to do on a solo trip -- take a tour! I took the Keys to the Kingdom tour last month because I don't know anyone that would have endured 5 hours of pure Disney nerdiness with me :lol: It was fantastic.

 

[Main Street USA]

I did it for 2 days in January. It was just OK IMO. I think what makes Disney magical is being able to experience it with others, and obviosully when you're alone, you don't get to do that.

I still had a great time and I'm glad I did it once, but I can't say I would go out of my way to plan a solo trip again.

Even when I go with family and friends, it doesn't bother me when we do something others enjoy, and I don't like. I enjoy seeing them happy, and as a result, I enjoy it for them. So for me personally, the reason that many enjoy going solo (doing what you want, when you want to), doesn't do that much for me.

This is generally how I feel about it, too.

The magic for me is sharing it with the people I love. I went once by myself to the MAgic Kingdom while my wife stayed back at the pool at Wilderness Lodge. By about 2:00 I was ready to get out of there and get back with my wife. I just didn't enjoy it nearly as much alone.

It's something you should probably try for yourself. That's really the only way you'll know if you like it. Everyone is different.

 

[a2grafix]

With everything said before ^^^, I have taken three solo trips the past three years in Oct 2007, Aug 2008, and Dec 2009. I have been to WDW numerous times with the family when I was younger, but visiting WDW, Universal, Sea World, Busch Gardens solo adds a whole new dimension.

I could do things when I wanted, and at the drop of a hat change my plans completely and go in a different direction. With the exception of attending the Halloween and Christmas parties (set days), it was time to fill when I got off the plane and when Mears picked me up to get back to the airport.

Disney is many things to all, including those taking in WDW solo. In addition to Universal, Busch Gardens and Sea World, I loved that I could by-pass most of the queue in favor of the single-rider line (Everest, RocknRoller Coaster, The Mummy, RipRideRockit, Test Track) and be on the ride quicker than most in others (Manta, Kraken, Tower of Terror, The Hulk, Dueling Dragons/Potter Dragon Challenge) when the staff asks if there any single riders. You luck out sometime sitting in the first row or the last row on rollercoasters sometimes.

Take it in stride.

Btw, it's your time. Spend 16-18 hours at the parks or spend a few hours on a behind the scenes tour. Indulge yourself with the specialties of Disney or go sparce and be a ride warrior and eat counter service. Strike up a conversation in the queue, or not. Help dad or mom take the family photo. Slow down speed up, and see things differently on your solo journey.

As for meal plans and table service, I did that three times -- I stopped by the Sci-Fi Dine-In and within 20 minutes came back and had a seat. It was in the back seat of the car with a family in the front seats, but it was awesome. The cast member said the family picked up a hitchhiker on the way to the drive-in. Second time was at the Brown Derby and third was at the 50s Primetime. Both times I was sat within 10-20 minutes. Did not need a reservation. Never a dull moment.

Also if you speak another language, as in the World Showcase countries, strike up a conversation with some of the International cast members. I did this in France several times during my December trip. I made it a point to order en Francais and as well improve on diction and learning new things about France / Quebec and the cast members.

In October I will make four years solo at a Disney property. I'll be in Anaheim to visit Disneyland and Knott's Berry Farm.

Best of luck with your plans.

 

[Phonedave]

Yeah it does help! Thanks! Does it get lonely dining by yourself though at a table service restaurant? I read a ton of reviews from other sites and they say that could be a trip downer. But I'm sure the CM's make it special, right?

The thing to remember is that nobody is looking at you.

Lots of people feel 'odd' when eating alone because they think they are sticking out. Honestly, how many times have you pointed out solo diners when you are eating? trust me, nobody is going to notice.

Going alone can be a load of fun. I do it every so often myself.

-dave

 

[Disney Dawg88]

Not that I've been on the board here for a while or claim to know more than anyone else, but I do sort of consider myself an expert on this subject. I actually go to Disney all the time by myself, I've probably been around 15-18 times so far this year. Orlando is part of my territory for work and when I travel down there I always visit Disney. I picked up an annual pass in March and I always go after I'm done working in the early evening or I'll fly down early and spend the weekend visiting all of the parks. In fact I'll be there a week from today .

I really haven't spent any time going to any of the sit down restaurants, which I should probably do sometime, so I can't offer any advice there. Most of the time I just try to ride as many rides as possible and just walk around taking everything in.

To echo some of what the other posters of written, it is a great experience and you should definitely do it. If I were you I would definitely just do a long weekend versus a whole week. Maybe I'm a little biased because I'm still single and don't have a family, but I do get a little lonely some times because it's probably 99.9% families or couples. Certainly if you're OK spending a week on your own go for it. But if you're planning on going in November, stay AWAY around Thanksgiving, the parks usually aren't that busy and you should be able to hit all the rides and do everything you want to do in a couple of days.

If you want any other feedback send me a private message and I would be happy to help out. And maybe I might see you in November!

 

[hiddenmickey06]

Oh, another nice thing to do on a solo trip -- take a tour! I took the Keys to the Kingdom tour last month because I don't know anyone that would have endured 5 hours of pure Disney nerdiness with me :lol: It was fantastic.

I was actually considering this, it sounds like a really good idea! Thanks for reminding me and suggesting it!

 

[hiddenmickey06]

The thing to remember is that nobody is looking at you.

Lots of people feel 'odd' when eating alone because they think they are sticking out. Honestly, how many times have you pointed out solo diners when you are eating? trust me, nobody is going to notice.

Going alone can be a load of fun. I do it every so often myself.

-dave

I think the only reason I would feel odd dining alone would be that I have no one to talk to. I'd be the one staring at everyone else instead of it being the other way around:lol:. But you're right!

 

[hiddenmickey06]

Also if you speak another language, as in the World Showcase countries, strike up a conversation with some of the International cast members. I did this in France several times during my December trip. I made it a point to order en Francais and as well improve on diction and learning new things about France / Quebec and the cast members.

Best of luck with your plans.

Thanks for all of the tips! I never really thought of doing this. I had three years of spanish in high school, but don't really use it that much, not sure if I really remember much:lol:. But I'm thinking of relearning spanish sometime, and to start learning french as well. Maybe I can get some of both in by the time Nov. 2011 rolls around.

 

[wm49rs]

I was actually considering this, it sounds like a really good idea! Thanks for reminding me and suggesting it!

I think the only reason I would feel odd dining alone would be that I have no one to talk to. I'd be the one staring at everyone else instead of it being the other way around:lol:. But you're right!

I would also recommend the Behind the Seeds Tour at EP, or, if you want a truly marathon day, try the Behind the Magic Tour of EP, DHS and MK. You get to see a great deal of the backstage areas of WDW, from costuming at EP to the utilidors under MK. A great time, and aside from the initial introductions, I didn't feel uncomfortable flying solo in the least....

And I always enjoyed dining at the San Angel Inn when flying solo. The ambiance is great, and I never had any issues getting a table (at least at lunch).