4 parks 1 day as a solo

[wvjules]

I'll be going solo at the end of April and was considering doing the 4 parks 1 day challenge. Anyone here done it as a solo? Here's my thought:

Day 1 - Arrival day - MK, hop to Epcot for EEH
Day 2 - Epcot, hop to HS
Day 3 - AK (back to AKL lodge for a break) HS, Epcot, MK for EEH
Day 4 - Late start to HS, hop to Epcot
Day 5 - MK, hop to Epcot
Day 6 - AK and departure

Does this sound like a good plan?

And what should I make sure I do in each park - ride, eat, character?

 

[NJlauren]

I just did it solo on Saturday, my friend met me at the end.

I did AK, hotel, HS, MK, Epcot no after hours.

I did one snack per park, a photo, all the gold statues and I wanted to do all the ILL rides, but spoiler for my trip report Mine train was down when I was in MK so I didn’t get it.

 

[loves to dive]

I often do four parks when I'm solo, I don't plan it I just tend to get bored or it's too crowded or remember something I wanted to do at another park. I stay at the Dolphin a lot so HS and Epcot are easy.

Your plan sounds solid. Maybe ride a classic ride and grab a snack and a photo in each park? By classic ride I'd say Safari or EE at AK, HM or pirates or Small World at MK, HS is a little difficult since most of the rides there are fairly new but maybe ToT or TSMM, at Epcot most of the rides up front would probably work but SSE is most likely the only one that is close to the original with LWTL coming second.

Snacks are a little harder for me since I don't usually snack but you could grab the street corn at AK, it's right beside Safari, I'm guessing a Dole Whip at MK (although I dislike them so it wouldn't be what I would get), I think you can still get the carrot cake somewhere at HS, at Epcot anything from WS would probably work but you are going to lose some time walking over there, if a festival is happening while you are there grab something from one of the booths near the front of the park.

You don't have to pay for photo pass, just grab a selfie at the sign at every park.

 

[CoachBeard]

I've done 3 in one day and it was exhausting! Also very hot while I was there but I was determined to finish a few things at each park I'd overlooked and it was my final day. Good luck!

 

[wvjules]

lauren, too bad mine train was down but sounds like a fun day. I think with MK having EEH, it will allow me to have more 'down' time at the resort before finishing the day. Luckily, I have a light day planned for the next one.

loves to dive, I like the idea of classic ride, snack and photo!

Coach, I'm sure I will be exhausted. I will take it easier the other days. Hmmm...maybe I should select attractions, food, photos that are at the front of each park so I can cut back on so much walking?

 

[goofyernmost]

Probably can do it, but why would you want to? You will run yourself ragged and actually see very little. There is no prize for doing it. You would have to do one first and then have to go to three others but not until after 2pm. MK, Epcot and DHS are relatively close together, but AK is a couple miles from those. It really depends on what you want to do for your admission fee. It is possible to not get to MK until about 12:30pm walk through the gate and basically turn around and take the monorail to EPCOT, walk through to the gondolas and go to DHS almost immediately passing by everything in EPCOT to do so and then catch a bus to DAK and walk in the gate. Then you have done everything and perhaps can even go back or stay in DAK for the rest of your day or even double back the same way to DHS, EPCOT and MK.

The point is it depends on what you plan to do once you get to the parks. There is no guarantee of how long it will take to actually see an attraction (queue included) or what you want to see, how long it takes you to eat. In the meantime pretty much all you did for your cost of admission plus park hopper was walk and ride some form of transportation. But if you want to do that just for the fun of it or to say you went to all 4 parks, then go for it. You only live once and if that is what you want to do, I certainly wouldn't be the one to tell you not too. Your itinerary seems solid enough and I suspect that you will sleep well that night.

 

[wvjules]

Probably can do it, but why would you want to? You will run yourself ragged and actually see very little. There is no prize for doing it. You would have to do one first and then have to go to three others but not until after 2pm. MK, Epcot and DHS are relatively close together, but AK is a couple miles from those. It really depends on what you want to do for your admission fee. It is possible to not get to MK until about 12:30pm walk through the gate and basically turn around and take the monorail to EPCOT, walk through to the gondolas and go to DHS almost immediately passing by everything in EPCOT to do so and then catch a bus to DAK and walk in the gate. Then you have done everything and perhaps can even go back or stay in DAK for the rest of your day or even double back the same way to DHS, EPCOT and MK.

The point is it depends on what you plan to do once you get to the parks. There is no guarantee of how long it will take to actually see an attraction (queue included) or what you want to see, how long it takes you to eat. In the meantime pretty much all you did for your cost of admission plus park hopper was walk and ride some form of transportation. But if you want to do that just for the fun of it or to say you went to all 4 parks, then go for it. You only live once and if that is what you want to do, I certainly wouldn't be the one to tell you not too. Your itinerary seems solid enough and I suspect that you will sleep well that night.

Why not?

I did a week solo in May 2022, went for week with the family in December 2022. Now I'm going again for a week solo so I thought I'd try something new.

I'm staying at ALK so my plan would be to start at AK. Head back to ALK to rest/relax until hopping to DHS. After DHS I'd take the Skyliner to Epcot then hop on the monorail to MK where I will finish the evening with EEH. I have plenty of time the other days I'm there to slow down and smell the roses. Or I might just be like "nah, lets just go to AK and then do xyz instead. That's the great part of being solo, I can decide on a whim.

 

[goofyernmost]

Why not?

I did a week solo in May 2022, went for week with the family in December 2022. Now I'm going again for a week solo so I thought I'd try something new.

I'm staying at ALK so my plan would be to start at AK. Head back to ALK to rest/relax until hopping to DHS. After DHS I'd take the Skyliner to Epcot then hop on the monorail to MK where I will finish the evening with EEH. I have plenty of time the other days I'm there to slow down and smell the roses. Or I might just be like "nah, lets just go to AK and then do xyz instead. That's the great part of being solo, I can decide on a whim.

Yes, I used to do that all the time for the last 12 years. I didn't do it for WDW though. There they had so much to see and do, and it cost so much to just get in. I always had park hoppers and I used them every day that I was in the parks, but they were a little cheaper and a whole lot less complicated to use.

I always stayed offsite and either a rental car or my own and when I got bored with WDW, I went crazy seeing things like Universal, Sea World, Gaterland, Helicopter rides over the parks, Kennedy Space Ctr., Cocoa Beach, Key West, Tampa, St Petersburgh. Cyprus Gardens when I existed or Silver Springs. I could do that because I was solo and had the time. So I understand your reasoning, I just directed the same thing in a much wider circle, I guess.

 

[Kevin O'Brien]

I've done 3 in one day and it was exhausting! Also very hot while I was there but I was determined to finish a few things at each park I'd overlooked and it was my final day. Good luck!

Well done that's clever to do 3 parks in one day for me I could only manage 1 park because I get distracted with all the magic happening in one park and it's too difficult for me to park hop from 1 park to another.

 

[Skywalker3]

Long time Disney goers here, but we did a similar thing this past Oct, when my son and I only had 2 day tickets. One day we did 3 parks, and our last day , we did all 4 parks. That wasn't really planned, so I didn't make a point to take a picture in each park, but sure wish we'd had. we also did 5 modes of transportation that last day: skyliner, boat, monorail, walking, bus. It was super fun looking back, but it was a lot of walking/getting from one place to another, but I'm glad we did it!
The 4 park day: rope dropped HS, then Epcot only for Guardians/FW snacks, then MK only for 1 last ride on Splash, then finished at AK
The 3 park day was Epcot most of day, late afternoon AK (FoP line at park close,) and MK for the extra late hours, 11-1, which were SO incredible, almost everything a walk on!
If you do it, pick a place at each place for a picture, or snack, or ride, etc. Have fun!!!

 

[StageTek]

Sounds like a great plan. And so much fun.

I do it twice every trip - on arrival day and departure day!

 

[Jaxnole07]

In the 90s my family and I would do all 4 parks. We drove in from Lakeland and would stay late. It was cool. I haven’t done it now that I’m single. I’m going this Wed for my Bday but had planned EPCOT to start then hop over to HS the rest of the day. I’m coming down from Jacksonville.

 

[Disney_David]

It’ll be a blast. I’ve done 4 parks in one day. Friends have also done 4 parks in one day. You’ll need to be either flexible about what you do (i.e. you’re doing it more for the ambience and less for the rides) or plan meticulously with ILL and Genie+.

I’m interested in seeing how you get on with the plan!

 

[Deb]

I did it several years ago during a special pin day. Each park and several resorts had pins only available at that park/resort. I know I hit all 4 parks and at least three resorts that day

 

[gharter]

Never done it, or cared to try. However; doing it as a solo would seem to be much easier than as part of a group.
Good luck!

 

[ShazzySteph]

I did my first solo trip in December 2022 for a quick trip (2 full days and a half day before flying home). I wanted to do all 4 parks in one day. This was a perfect for my first solo trip as it gave me a goal.

I used Genie+ and took advantage of an ILL for FOP. Also, I had the benefit of the Christmas party at the Magic Kingdom with lower waits and extended hours. I was in the parks for a total of 15 hours and did more than 38k steps.

• Started at Animal Kingdom - Dinosaur, TriceraTop Spin, Safari, Everest (2x), FOP, Navi River Journey, and Kali River Rapids. I had a snack in the morning and then lunch at Satuli Canteen before taking the bus to HS
• Hollywood Studios - RnRC and a coffee break before ToT. I took the Skyliner over to EPCOT
• EPCOT - Fish and Chips from Yorkshire County Fish Shop. Soarin' and Living with the Land. I took the monorail over to MK
• Magic Kingdom - Tomorrowland Speedway, Teacups, Winnie the Pooh, Haunted Mansion, Splash Mountain (RIP), Jingle Cruise, Peoplemover, Space Mountain, Little Mermaid, Seven Dwarves Mine Train. I also enjoyed the holiday fireworks, a hot dog at Casey's and more cookies than I care to admit.

It was an AMAZING day. I think anyone who has been to the parks a lot should try and do this at least once in their lifetime. That said, I'm not looking to do it again anytime soon.

(On a side note - I cannot imagine the stamina of those who have completed the Parkeology challenge. I essentially got through HALF of the rides and was exhausted!)

 

[fla4fun]

I have only done it once, but I was Christmas shopping in the parks and looking for an elusive item. I would plan to end in whichever park is open latest. Then, out of the remaining three I would start with the park that you want to accomplish the most in, since you can’t hop until 2:00. That will leave the two parks with less you want to accomplish for the middle of the day. I would also recommend using ride share for your park hopping if you can afford it, to minimize time waiting for transportation.

It would be easier to do if hopping started earlier, but it can still be done if you have a good plan.

 

[bsmcneil]

I'll be going solo at the end of April and was considering doing the 4 parks 1 day challenge. Anyone here done it as a solo? Here's my thought:

Day 1 - Arrival day - MK, hop to Epcot for EEH
Day 2 - Epcot, hop to HS
Day 3 - AK (back to AKL lodge for a break) HS, Epcot, MK for EEH
Day 4 - Late start to HS, hop to Epcot
Day 5 - MK, hop to Epcot
Day 6 - AK and departure

Does this sound like a good plan?

And what should I make sure I do in each park - ride, eat, character?

I did something sort of similar (I thought - but now that I re-read this - I might be confused. I did hit all four parks on on day last May, I believe.