Scared to go solo

[iheartbuffy]

My first solo trip is coming up in 4 days (!!!) and I am a little nervous too. I've been to the parks plenty of times with friends but this time I just wanted to have the freedom to do what I wanted, at my own pace.

I'm a bit shy so I'm nervous about having to sit next to strangers on rides, eating by myself at sit-down restaurants, and I really want to meet some characters but I feel like that would be weird, a solo adult in line to meet Merida.

I know I'll get over it once I'm actually there but it is a little bit nerve-wracking right now!

I feel the same way. I have one sit down meal reserved but I don't know if I will feel ok sitting there and eating alone lol

 

[pharaoh]

I feel the same way. I have one sit down meal reserved but I don't know if I will feel ok sitting there and eating alone lol

I've been practicing! I normally have lunch buddies at work but the past couple of weeks I have been taking lunch by myself at some of the restaurants near my work place, so I can get used to it lol. So far so good.

 

[ZehnJahren]

you'll be just fine - there's a big difference between thinking about how it will be and how it ACTUALLY is. I got myself a little worked up before my first solo trip but it was awesome and I just did it again in November. It's so nice to eat where you want and ride what you want, and I will do it again!

As for sitting alone at TS, enjoy it! I felt a little off at first, but then I got caught up texting and updating facebook and reading online and then eating and I never had a care as to "how I looked sitting there all alone". It was fabulous!

 

[NJDiva]

My first solo trip is coming up in 4 days (!!!) and I am a little nervous too. I've been to the parks plenty of times with friends but this time I just wanted to have the freedom to do what I wanted, at my own pace.

I'm a bit shy so I'm nervous about having to sit next to strangers on rides, eating by myself at sit-down restaurants, and I really want to meet some characters but I feel like that would be weird, a solo adult in line to meet Merida.

I know I'll get over it once I'm actually there but it is a little bit nerve-wracking right now!

You'd be surprised how friendly people can be when they are on vacation...the CMs are always paying extra attention to you, especially if you are dining alone. I've done character meals alone and it was great...I use that time to check out the map to see where I want to go next or read, play on my phone/tablet or simply people watch and mock all of those families that have kids going into meltdown mode...
to be honest, everyone is so self-absorbed with their own stuff they hardly recognize you. so stand in line and strike a pose with your favorite character, ride your favorite ride 10 times if you want, find a good spot to watch Wishes and take in all the magic around you, wear your ears and find your inner child and let them out to play!!

 

[stsomewhere]

I did my first solo trip a few years ago. It was great. we call it my mom vacation. It was very empowering. I did a few days at WDW followed by a 14 night DCL transatlantic cruise.

My husband was very supportive and encouraged me to go.

I was very nervous at first but I had a great time. So, much that I take a solo cruise every year to recharge myself.

 

[lovedisneycruise]

ENJOY!!! Do it for all us peeps that would love to be in your shoes but can't explain to our families why we'd ever want to go without them! Go and have a blast, enjoy every minute of your freedom! Summon your inner 8 year old and have at it! I will do it someday, when the stars line up as they have for you...

But also, isn't there a thread here somewhere for solo travelers? Perhaps you could set up a dinner somewhere with all of them?

Mousetrip, I found your post extremely helpful--it's a very interesting perspective! I was a single mom for 25 years, and both of my children moved out last year. I am still dealing with empty nest and my daughter has encouraged me to try a solo trip. (We cruise together once a year, but she isn't a big Disney fan like me )

So I have a room-only reservation for early April, but am struggling with whether to go. This thread has been very encouraging, and especially your post about people who would really WANT to do this but can't! I actually never thought about it this way!

 

[Bete]

I have mixed feelings about a solo trip. I did one for a week about 5 years ago.

The air flight is quite boring going by yourself. Reading a book and so forth helped, but it would have been better to have someone with me that I knew. Doing Magical Express by yourself is not any better.

I stayed at POP and did a preferred room location and I didn't like the walk back to the room at night; because, you are outside even though I was closer to the bus stop with my room. I have to be honest I was looking behind myself a few times while walking to the room; I didn't feel safe. Nothing happened, but at night your imagination can get the best of you.

I felt somewhat lonely on the bus especially at the end of the day. I envied those families talking about their day at the parks. It felt a little lonely in the room, too if I had an earlier day at the park then I had more time in the room. I did call people, but that wasn't enough not to feel lonely.

I am outgoing, but at times it seemed others around me were very absorbed with their partners or family members. I felt like I would be intruding if I tried to start up a conversation. I had better luck at meal time, but I think if I do it again I would do more counter service meals. I had the regular dining plan; so, I did have a table service meal each day. I had good luck with Coral Reef I think because the tables are very close to each other for parties of one or two. Biergarten was fun with sharing a table. I felt the same with Teppan Edo. Also, I joined up with a few people from here on the disboards for a few meals.

Shows were good because everyone is all together. Boat rides were good because you share with others. Roller coasters are more fun with a partner. I felt fine with parades and fireworks. That seemed to be the easiest time to talk with others. It was easy to start up conversations with others in ride lines, too.

I did fine myself wanting to talk to someone. It is lonely to go all day without talking to someone. The waiters are nice when you are alone and some of them will start up a conversation with you; although, they need to do their job with all their tables. Most of the time I had to initiate a conversation if it was going to happen anywhere.

I did accomplish more than I did on other trips; it was very productive. I had my day planned out and did everything on my schedule and then some.

I have been contemplating another solo trip for December 2014. I know I will stay at a deluxe this time. I like the idea of walking back and forth to my room inside rather than outside. I will have my iPad with me this time; I didn't own one on my last trip. I like the idea of being in the lobby with other people and perhaps starting up a conversation that way. The Animal Kingdom Lodge seems to be a perfect place for that to happen. I give myself a 50/50 chance of actually going on this trip alone.

I'm older and I think it's harder for older people to go alone. When I was younger it didn't bother me as much to be alone. I'm an only child; so, I can handle being alone, but I do like it better with someone with me.

 

[fla4fun]

I don't think it's an age thing. I've been going to WDW since it opened, so I'm no spring chicken, and I LOVE my solo trips. I think it's just a personal preference thing. Some people enjoy doing things alone and some people enjoy it more when they have someone along to share the experience. I don't feel lonely if I don't have someone to talk to, and actually enjoy the peace of not having to carry on a conversation. I have gotten to the point that I prefer my solo trips to the ones where friends and family come along, although I have a good time on both. I even went to England by myself and had a great time, plane trip and all! I get six weeks of vacation and that's a lot more than my friends and family, so I go solo.

I have never felt unsafe at a Disney resort, and I've stayed at nearly all of them. You just have to keep your wits about you like you would on vacation anywhere else. I have also never felt awkward dining alone, because there are so many convention attendees and/or their significant others that end up in the park alone, so it's a more normal circumstance than it might be outside the "world".

I think when planning a solo trip, a person really needs to think about how they feel doing things alone. If you are the kind of person who goes to movies alone or dines alone at restaurants at home and enjoys it, then you would probably enjoy a solo WDW trip. If you tend to go with friends or family to movies and restaurants, you might not enjoy it as much.

 

[Bete]

I hear you Fla4fun.

I did enjoy aspects of the trip and it's why I'm considering another solo trip.

Because it was my first solo trip 5 years ago, it did set me back some. Until you do it I'm not sure you know what to expect or what you will really feel. This is why I posted to share my feelings with the original poster.

I would do it again as oppose to not doing any vacation. I enjoy traveling. I feel safer at Disney World than many other destinations.

I know I will do the next solo trip a little differently with eating more at counter service restaurants and staying at a resort with inside corridor rooms and a nicer lobby.

Also, I may do more park hopping and stay out in the parks longer each day; so, the time back at the resort room is lessened. It's a lot more enjoyable in the parks.

I am a person who prefers being with others on vacation; I realized that almost immediately after the first solo trip. I'm also a person who would rather go a vacation even if I do it alone rather than no vacation at all.

 

[robert72]

After I lost my wife this year will be my 5th solo trip and I think Disney and Florida is the best place for a solo trip

 

[karly05]

My first solo trip is coming up in 4 days (!!!) and I am a little nervous too. I've been to the parks plenty of times with friends but this time I just wanted to have the freedom to do what I wanted, at my own pace.

I'm a bit shy so I'm nervous about having to sit next to strangers on rides, eating by myself at sit-down restaurants, and I really want to meet some characters but I feel like that would be weird, a solo adult in line to meet Merida.

I know I'll get over it once I'm actually there but it is a little bit nerve-wracking right now!

Don't be shy about meeting characters! I've met a bunch of characters on my 2 solo trips and have had some great encounters. Relax, go with the magic (that really IS Mickey!), and don't worry about feeling silly. I love solo TS dining, have never been uncomfortable, and honestly I prefer TS, where you're assigned to a table, to trying to find a CS table without feeling like I'm "taking up too much room." (Seems like there are not a lot of 2-tops at CS locations.)

 

[Viva Las Disney]

I think when planning a solo trip, a person really needs to think about how they feel doing things alone. If you are the kind of person who goes to movies alone or dines alone at restaurants at home and enjoys it, then you would probably enjoy a solo WDW trip. If you tend to go with friends or family to movies and restaurants, you might not enjoy it as much.

This is great advice, I think a lot of it is comfort level. When I was younger I worried a lot about what others thought and it made me so self conscious I'm not sure I would have been able to enjoy a solo trip.

When I started going to movies alone about a decade ago I'd feel very self conscious sitting alone, now I get annoyed when I go with my friends because they won't shut up and let me enjoy the movie. I still prefer doing things with friends but if no one is available I have no problem sitting in a restaurant, going to a movie, or going on a trip alone, I think being comfortable in your own skin plays a big part of this.

Life is much more enjoyable when you stop focusing on what others think about you and start focusing on you.

Don't be shy about meeting characters! I've met a bunch of characters on my 2 solo trips and have had some great encounters. Relax, go with the magic (that really IS Mickey!), and don't worry about feeling silly. I love solo TS dining, have never been uncomfortable, and honestly I prefer TS, where you're assigned to a table, to trying to find a CS table without feeling like I'm "taking up too much room." (Seems like there are not a lot of 2-tops at CS locations.)

I met Goofy and Donald in New Fantasyland and I was the only adult in lines without little kids (and I'm a 40 year old man), I felt a little out of place until Goofy pulled me in and gave me a huge hug and then I felt like a little kid and it was so worth it. That was the turning point in my vacation where I went from being a solo adult in WDW to being a solo kid in WDW without parents telling him what he could or couldn't do. From that point on I was just a kid in an amazing amusement park and met lots of characters, went on every ride possible, ate junk food, etc, etc, etc. Disney Magic!

 

[pharaoh]

Thanks for all the great advice, everyone! I just arrived at the hotel a few hours ago and will be spending the next three days in the parks!

 

[Susiecat]

Thanks for all the great advice, everyone! I just arrived at the hotel a few hours ago and will be spending the next three days in the parks!

So excited for you! Have a wonderful time. Solo trips can be a little scary at first, but like everyone said - you get to do everything YOU want. Have a blast!

 

[pharaoh]

Just a quick update that I met Mickey and Minnie for the first time ever and I almost had a panic attack from excitement. You all were right, so far I'm having a great time.

 

[ep4244]

Solo is so much fun. I just got back from a not solo, but quite a bit of solo time trip and it was great.

Met a lot of new people. Already planning some meet ups here at home with some locals and a Disney meet up with some non-locals.

Strike up a conversation with people in line. Especially in a single rider line, alot of them are traveling solo also and with this last trip I made friends with other solos and we spent the afternoon together running around the park.

Interaction with the characters is fantastic going solo. Just remember they feed off your vibe. Go in ready for fun and they'll play along with you. Ask them to do fun poses, they love it.

 

[bethifoody]

I am so glad this thread is here. Thank you all for posting your thoughts on this. I have a trip planned for March. It's been planned for months, with a friend. Yesterday, she backed out of the trip (I understand her reasons; not thrilled about it, but I'd make the same choice, I think, in the same circumstances.) My initial attempts to find someone else to go with have not been successful. My dh volunteered to go, but...

So I'm facing the possibility of a solo trip. I keep telling myself I'll be fine, it'll be a great trip regardless & I'll have a different kind of good time. But I'm very afraid of being lonely. Your words are bolstering my spirits, and for that, I thank you!

I hope Pharaoh is having a great time, and that OP is feeling better about her trip.

 

[pharaoh]

I hope Pharaoh is having a great time, and that OP is feeling better about her trip.

Thank you! I actually did have a great time. I hate to hijack the OP's thread but I wanted to post some of my experiences, in hopes that anyone else who has a little hesitation about going solo can rest assured.

Background info: I arrived on Monday night for a 4 night stay at All-Star Music. I live in Miami so I drove. I was originally planning to use Disney transportation, but I wanted to do rope-drops and I didn't bother figuring out how long the buses would take me to get places, so I just drove everywhere. I've stayed at the hotel with friends before and didn't have a problem, but this stay was just so-so, for no particular reason. I think since I was solo I had more time to notice details I wouldn't have noticed when I was with other people. I don't plan to stay here again in the future unless the price is right. They also put me way at the back end of the resort, so it was A HIKE AND A HALF to get to the food court, which is a trek I didn't like making at night.

Day 1 - Animal Kingdom: I was most nervous this day because it was the beginning of my trip, and I've never spent very much time in AK, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I didn't have park hoppers and I was hoping I didn't waste my day on a park I didn't like.

Got there for rope drop, had a FP+ to meet Mickey and Minnie at Adventurers Outpost. I already posted about it upthread but omg, I loved it. I am not a "characters person." Meeting characters has never been a priority for me so I have only ever met a small handful of them. Plus I was nervous about it because I'm an adult and am very awkward by nature, lol. But it was such a treat. I was the first (and only) person in there right at park open and Mickey and Minnie were both so sweet and I immediately felt the same joy and excitement of a child! It was truly magical. (Corny, I know).

After that I roamed around until my FP+ for Kilimanjaro Safari. That was really fun too! I don't have much to say about that. I liked it. Then I watched Finding Nemo, the musical, and I sat really close to the front which is something I never get to do with friends! It was a great show.

Then I had a FP+ for Dinosaur, which I bailed on. I have gone on Dinosaur before and enjoyed it, but I get nervous on rides (...all rides, seriously. I'm a huge wuss), and I didn't feel confident riding it without someone to comfort me if I got scared. That's the only solo thing I didn't warm up to on this trip. I bailed on a couple of rides because of this. I actually went through the queue and then headed for the exit at the last second. No bueno.

Feeling excited about meeting Mickey and Minnie earlier, I caught Donald and took some photos with him. Super cute.

Anyway, at that point it was kinda rainy and I was able to see everything I wanted to see, so I left for the day around 2PM. Took a nap at the hotel and relaxed for a while, but then I just got BORED. I decided to go to Downtown Disney and I finally saw Frozen at the AMC. It was a great movie, I liked it a lot. Grabbed some dinner to go and ate it back at the hotel, and then called it a night.

Day 2 - Magic Kingdom: This was by far my favorite day. SO MUCH FUN. I got there for rope drop at 8:15AM and, feeling confident about meeting Mickey and Minnie the day before, I went straight to the theatre and did stand-by to meet Magician Mickey in the theater. That was awesome! It was really awkward, because I felt like people were watching me (because of Mickey speaking!), but I got my hugs and got my photos, and went on my way.

I had A LONG LIST of things I wanted to accomplish on this day and without going into too much detail (because this is already turning into a novel), I will say that of the 17 things I wanted to do, I completed 12 of them, plus doing other things that weren't on my list.

I had a FP+ for Big Thunder which I was really excited for prior to my trip, but then I bailed on it at the last minute for the same reason I bailed on Dinosaur. I ended up changing my FP+ so I could do Enchanted Tales with Belle instead, and that was really cute.

I planned my entire day around eating at Be our Guest for lunch. I'm not kidding. My entire day was planned around that meal. I hate eating alone, so I was nervous, but I REALLY wanted to explore the Beast's castle, so come hell or high water, nerves be damned, I was going to do it. I got in line for lunch at 10:10AM and I was the 7 or 8th person in line. I chose to eat in the West Wing because of the amazing theming in there, and also because it was small and dark so I felt more inconspicuous there, lol. I didn't like that the 2-top tables were kind of in the middle of the room -- I felt like that was drawing attention to me. When dining solo, I typically like to sit in corners or along walls, but I was just off to the center in the West Wing. Alas, what can you do? The food was REALLY good and I got lots of great photos, so I was happy.

Back to meeting characters, I totally stalked Gaston for like a full 90 minutes. I kept walking past his meeting spot, trying to decide if I wanted to get in line or not. He's so hilarious, but since I'm so shy and he's very interactive, I was hesitant. So I would go over, lurk for a few minutes, and then leave. Then come back 20 or 30 minutes later -- lather, rinse, repeat. I finally decided to go for it after the 3rd time I went over there. I felt SUPER awkward because I didn't know what to say to him, but I asked him to record a message for my friend who is away training for the Marines, because she's a big fan of Beauty and the Beast. He did a great job and was really fun, so I'm glad I met him! Such a jerk, but such a hunk.

I did skip some of the things on my list at MK, but it was mostly due to time or disinterest rather than being solo. As I said before, the only ride I skipped because of being solo was Thunder Mountain. Oh well. In an effort to escape the crowds leaving the park, I snuck out during the fire works and went back to the hotel to import my photos and have a nice long shower before bed. It was a great day!

Day 3 - Epcot: So, Epcot has always been my favorite park. For sentimental reasons, I love it because many many years ago, I did the WDW College Program there. For guest reasons, I love World Showcase, I love drinking around the world, I love the shopping, I love the food... I LOOOVE Spaceship Earth.

That all being said, I did not love today's trip to Epcot and I think it was all due to being solo. I was baffled all day that I had such a fun, magical day at MK solo, but my solo day at Epcot was just... crap, basically.

The big thing was that because I was solo, I had more time to notice little things that really took away some of the magic for me. For example, there are parts of Epcot that are just... dirty. The long queue hallway before you go into the line-up cages for Soarin' was filthy. I was shocked that they allow guests in such an ugly area. Then, of course, there are parts of Epcot that just look outdated and neglected. That park needs some love. All of Future World is just kinda grimy.

Then, at World Showcase, I just felt awkward the whole time. I didn't do any drinking because I just can't bring myself to drink alcohol alone. That is too much for me. I did enjoy being able to fully explore the pavilions without a time limit -- there were lots of things I'd never even seen before! That was a treat. But overall, today I really was missing having someone to stroll along with. I was surprised because I thought I would love strolling through the countries all day. I guess not. I ended up leaving before Illuminations started, but I did get in two more rides on Spaceship Earth before I left. :good vibes:

So, that was my trip. For the most part I really enjoyed myself. Maybe next time I will try HS instead of Epcot. There WILL be a next time, because today I bought myself a seasonal pass!

So, yes, my first solo trip was mostly a success and I will definitely come back solo again. For anyone who is feeling nervous about it, please just let go of any reservations and go and have a good time. Dining alone wasn't so bad, really -- focus on the delicious food in front of you and text your friends about your adventures, and the time will fly by.

 

[jagfanjosh3252]

Congrats Pharoh!! Going solo is fun. I live in Jacksonville and do it a lot. I do have friends in Orlando and if they can meet up great. If not. I will still have fun

I am more of an outgoing person so the whole solo thing never really bothered me. I will always go down and make a new friend.

Sounds like you had a blast though. After you start to use that seasonal pass, you will be ok with going solo whenever you can get to the parks.

 

[Disney Frenhines]

Go for it, but, be aware in character lines you may become invisible as parents tell their kids they are next when you very clearly are the one who is next, no matter how polite I am in pointing this out they do seem to not be happy about it. I'm on my 7th solo trip and I love doing them apart from the queue jumping and some people who look at you as if you are some kind of freak, but, they are usually dragging around moody teens or fractious kids and are probably jealous.