Favorite hotel when going solo?

MusicalAstronaut

DIS Veteran
Joined
Jul 6, 2017
What's your favorite hotel to stay at when you go solo & why? I love Coronado and POFQ! I toyed with the idea of doing AKL, but it seemed like a lot of money to stay there alone. Where do you guys like to stay?
 
I stayed at AKL for my solo trip in May, and I think it is the perfect location for a relaxing trip alone. I would probably stay on the monorail loop if I did another solo trip, though, so I wouldn't be so removed from everywhere else.
 
Of the ones I've done so far, I'd have to say the Poly was my favorite. The convenience of being right next to TTC and being able to take the monorail or ferry to MK in the morning or the monorail over to Epcot was pretty great. The one downside is if you're a light sleeper and want to go to sleep early at night or sleep late in the morning, that ferry can be pretty loud (but that really only affects the two buildings closest to TTC).
 


is it relaxing though? I like to have a pool day or two during my trip, so I've avoided Pop, AoA, All Stars, because these tend to attract more families. I never really thought it would be good for a solo trip or adults only trip.

Well, I don't spend much time at the resort personally. I'm a park-commando through and through. Honestly, though, Pop might be a bit more crowded, but they still have the side pools that don't get so crazy. The main pool is a bit more busy, but aren't they all really. I like Pop for convenience and price.
 


Any of the Epcot resorts are my go to resorts, solo or with my son. Epcot and HS are our favorite parks and being able to walk to both is so nice. I tend to do split stays now days, I drive down and get there around 2 or 3, stay in a moderate the first two nights then switch over to an Epcot resort for the rest of the stay. I knock AK and MK out while I'm at the moderate since you have to ride a bus to AK no matter where you stay and while you can ride the monorail to MK from an Epcot resort, I tend to ride the bus because I'm not a fan of the monorail. Bonus, I go solo during F&W and I go to Epcot every single day.
 
Of the ones I've done so far, I'd have to say the Poly was my favorite. The convenience of being right next to TTC and being able to take the monorail or ferry to MK in the morning or the monorail over to Epcot was pretty great. The one downside is if you're a light sleeper and want to go to sleep early at night or sleep late in the morning, that ferry can be pretty loud (but that really only affects the two buildings closest to TTC).
I would LOVE to stay at the Poly! Are you DVC? I had a room booked at Beach Club for my solo trip in October originally, but my friend was saying it's a waste of money to stay at the nice resorts. She said it's like paying $400/night to go to a water park for a few hours. :'( So I cancelled it. I'm glad to see that people are staying at the deluxe resorts even when going solo!! Maybe I'll change it back if I can...
 
I would LOVE to stay at the Poly! Are you DVC? I had a room booked at Beach Club for my solo trip in October originally, but my friend was saying it's a waste of money to stay at the nice resorts. She said it's like paying $400/night to go to a water park for a few hours. :'( So I cancelled it. I'm glad to see that people are staying at the deluxe resorts even when going solo!! Maybe I'll change it back if I can...
I'm staying at the Boardwalk for my August solo trip. You should stay where you want, other people's opinions aren't relevant, they aren't going with you! :)
 
My favorite is a studio at BCV. I'm DVC, so no daily mousekeeping, which is fine with me. Not having daily mousekeeping makes it seem like my "home away from home". I mean, no one comes in to my house when I'm not there. I love the abilty to walk to Epcot, especially in the morning, when I can walk over to the French Bakery for breakfast. I've been known to enter the IG, eat breakfast, get lunch to go, then come back to the resort and heat it in the microwave at lunchtime. In the meantime, I like to sit on the balcony or go down to the Solarium and sit and read a book and listen to the backround music. I LOVE the Beach Club backround music-"Sounds of Wood and Steel (or is it Steel and Wood)" if anyone's interested. Pre-DVC, my solo resort was POR.
 
For me, solo really doesn't make a difference. I have been trying to stay at all deluxes and all mods, but go with what i feel is the best deal regardless if I am going solo or not. Some thoughts though on the ones I've stayed at:

Animal Kingdom--killer lobby, all the animals, and great restaurants--this is a very relaxing place; will be staying again this September.

Polynesian Resort and Villas--love the theme and tropical atmosphere, the walk to the GF, Monorail, small boat ride to other resorts and big boat ride to MK; didn't like the villas so much as the regular resort room and also the lobby can get quite busy with restaurants right off the lobby

Boardwalk Inn--like the theme better than other EPCOT resorts--more intimate feeling with smaller lobby area, walk to EPCOT and access to all the restaurants in World Showcase and walk to HS

Coronado Springs--room was okay, but loved the resort in general, especially at nighttime, and loved the food options--a lot of people complain about distances between things, but that's what I like--I'm a major walker and love this resort and all of the Disney parks for that reason

PO Riverside--loved my stay in the Bayou--loved the landscaping and the room, enjoyed the boat ride to Disney Springs; can't speak to the bus service because I had a car.

Beach Club--was my least favorite; theme didn't thrill me, liked the size of my room, but was definitely in need of repairs; the pool is definitely expansive, but very little shady spots to relax by the pool; like Boardwalk though, great access to EP and HS

Grand Floridian--theme is not my favorite, but the lobby is nice and airy and light; like the walk to Poly and access to Monorail and boats; staying for first time this coming September (2 nights attached to my 8 at AKL) so I'll have to let you know after I've actually stayed in a room

You can't go wrong with POR. I have no problem with the moderates, will be staying at POFQ in December and would have stayed at CBR this September had it not been for the construction.

Sorry for this long string of my opinions!
 
I am going to do a split resort trip. I am going to stay at POP and then transfer to AKL with a view for 2 nights. I would rather try POFQ but $$, POP is worth it so I can stay at AKL and do a few extra things.
You wil have a good time no matter where you stay. Have fun! :tinker:
 
I love the Yacht Club. I love being able to walk to Epcot and the proximity to HS. I love being able to wander over to the Boardwalk and Jellyrolls and the Abracadabar. I love the Crews Cup lounge. I find the resort to be relaxing and convenient.
 
My first solo trip was at Coronado Springs, then 2 stays at Pop. I was going back to Coronado for my August trip, but decided to save the extra money and switched to Pop. I like the food court, pool bar, and do often spend some time at the pool. I also hit up a water park because I have so many unused non-expiring plus features.
 
I think the answer depends on what's important to you as a solo traveler. I personally like to be able to blend in a bit more to the crowd when I'm by myself, which is different than when I'm with a group of friends or family. But I don't think any hotels are inappropriate for solo guests, so long as it works for your budget. It just depends on what you like.

Pop Century is good choice. As a value resort, I think of it like fast-food. Not in a bad way, but in the sense that it's built to serve a very large number of people efficiently, it is occasionally a little bit loud (perhaps the decor, if not occasionally the people milling about), it's cheerful, and packed full of kids. Not everyone will enjoy hanging out at this resort, but you get a clean, comfortable room. I worried that bus service would be inferior, given the large number of guests at this resort, but I found it to be quite efficient. The food court has a lot of good options. I didn't like the pool as it was a bit too crowded. As a solo, I felt like I was surrounded by a lot of energy.

For a more laid back atmosphere, Port Orleans French Quarter is quite nice. The theme is charming. The boat ride to Disney Springs is pleasant and scenic. You don't get to sneak in and out of this resort as easily. It's intimate. I would probably prefer to stay here with friends or a SO next time.

For non-Disney owned properties on-site, I like the Swan/Dolphin because of its prime location near Epcot. It's usually cheaper than the Deluxe resorts but has many of the same or better amenities. It's also a convention hotel so solo business travelers are often there (which some people don't like). You still get to book FastPass+ 60 days in advance of your check-in date, extra magic hours, and convenient Disney transportation by bus and boat. (No airport shuttle is included.) I like the convenient walking options around this resort. When I'm solo, I don't have to worry about other people having tired feet.
 
Normally I go Pop, they have nice pools and a pool bar if you want to relax. I have stayed moderate and deluxe on group trips and noticed I never spent much time in the room to appreciate the amenities and no one beats the bus service at the Values, which is my highest priority as I like to maximize park time. I had booked a solo stay at Coronado Springs as a solo to see if I enjoyed it more or if it was worth the savings. Also, I stayed there on a group trip which was a bad experience and I wanted to try it again. Unfortunately had to cancel that trip but planning to do it sometime in the future...
 

GET A DISNEY VACATION QUOTE

Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.

Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!





Top