So after begging and pleading with my parents I have finally convinced them to let me go to WDW in March of 2018 over my college spring break! This will be my first time ever going to Disney without my parents and I'm really excited to get to experience it independently.
We're staying for only four days because our spring break is short and stay at AoA because as college students we're very broke haha. I was just wondering if anyone has any advice on experiencing Disney with friends for the first time? We're doing all four parks the four days and out of the group I'm definitely the Disney expert, but in the very limited time we have and with our group's budgets, I want to make the most out of this trip as possible!
Thanks so much
I had a chance to do Disney by myself this past summer as I was in Orlando attending a training seminar/conference on cooperative learning at the Hilton across from Disney Springs (I'm a high school teacher in Southwest Florida). I figure since I'm in the area and rather than just hanging out in my hotel room after the conference (and the fact that I'm a Disney Passholder), I might as well just make the jaunt over to the parks to see what was going on:
Now, I've been to Disney a number of times - so this is coming from the "Been there...done that....got the shirt" frame of mind. Plus, I went to the parks to just people watch and take in the sights and sounds you wouldn't normally see if you were with a group because you're on the go-go-go. Anyways, before I get into a long bender, let me get right to it.
Animal Kingdom - Animal Kingdom is a pretty cool park to do by yourself. I wanted to check out Avatar/Pandora, but with the lines still being on the long side (and you need a Fastpass for those attractions), I decided to just walk around and partake in Kali River Rapids and Expedition Everest. The wait times on those rides were manageable and I enjoyed talking to the people in line asking them about their experiences.
Epcot - Epcot is GREAT to do by yourself. A lot of the attractions, including Test Track, can be done as a single person. Though, with Test Track, since you're a single rider, you can't customize your vehicle like you can if you were standing in the queue. But, to go check out Imagination, The Land, and Soarin (Soarin had a 10 min wait the week I went....it was pretty sweet) by yourself was definitely, to me, a great time! Then, after I did those rides, I went back into the World Showcase, had dinner at Mexico at the restaurant inside the pyramid (the name slips my mind right now), by myself. Did I mind being a solo diner? No. The cast members that work there will put you at a table off to the side so you're not the mid-dining room floor entertainment of the night. After Mexico, I went to France for some creme brulee, and after that...I grabbed a beer at UK, stuck around for Illuminations, and headed back to the hotel.
Hollywood Studios - I had to do Prime Time Cafe by myself so I had dinner there. I loved it when my waiter was railing on me. I just gave it back in good fun (he was mad because I had my elbows on the table and he was threatening to tell mom!). It's all an act. The service and food here is great! Loved this place since I was a kid (hard to believe it's been open that long now!). Anyways, after Prime Time Cafe, I did the Great Movie Ride (before it closed), checked out Toy Story Mania (I was seriously the only person on the entire ride - probably because 1) It was a Wednesday night and 2) It had rained like crazy earlier in the day), and just walked around to check out Toy Story Land and Star Wars land (both construction sites right now). I didn't do Tower Of Terror or anything like that....I just hung out and people watched.
Magic Kingdom - This park is hard to do by yourself. Since I'm married and have two kids, I had a hard time getting around this park to find anything for a solo person to do. But, with all things Disney, you just take it in stride and have a good time. Since I was here, though, I did make my way back into the park to get a Dole Whip and get on the Haunted Mansion ride. Then, after Haunted Mansion, I got another Dole Whip and headed to the People Mover in Tomorrowland before closing the night out at Buzz Lightyear and destroying all sorts of high scores in there.
Would I do Disney solo again? Not anytime soon. I'm having too much fun as a dad to see Disney through my 7 year old daughter and 5 year old son's eyes.
Enjoy your trip! Have fun!
