What Would You Do (or Have You Done) Solo?

[PrincessWithABlaster]

Inspired by @eeyoresmom post about going to WDW solo. What would you do (or have you done) if you had an afternoon or day to yourself in the world? Something you maybe can’t do with your family that you’ve always wanted to do?

I would spend an afternoon at AK. I’d eat at Harambe market (where there aren’t enough options my kids would eat), go walk the trails that my kids always say that they want to do this trip and at the last minute nix to see Nemo instead. Every. Year. Then I’d go get mendi done and have drinks at Nomad Lounge.

Maybe I can convince DH to take the kids to Nemo this year so I can at least hit Nomad Lounge.

 

[ShadeDK]

Things I usually do on solo trips at my pace:
-sit at the Dawa Bar and have a drink while the Harambe drummers play
-take the walking path between DHS and Epcot, with a stop along the Boardwalk
-take full advantage of the single-rider lines
-show up right before the start of any show and still get a good place
-wander a few countries in WP at my leisure - preferably with a drink in hand
-treat myself to whatever meal I want at whatever restaurant I want however long I want

 

[Lesley Wake]

-Sit in one of the grand lobbies (AKL and WL come to mind) and just relax and take in the ambiance.
-Walk at my own pace as I don't have to worry about either slowing people down or walking too fast and losing them in a crowd.
-Take advantage of being a solo diner and find an empty seat at a busy bar tops.
-Switch up any plans last minute depending on what I feel like doing/eating without having to consult with anyone else.
-Take one of the tours. Only one person means only one ticket, so less costly.

 

[eeyoresmom]

Ride the train at MK and both monorail loops. Especially the monorail. A Disney trip doesnt feel complete unless I've done this at least once. I better think of more BTW, drinks at Nomad lounge is one of my and DH's all-time favorite experiences. Had an outside lounge area with a view of the bridge in and out of Pandora. This was the week before it opened so easy to get a choice table. Earlier this month we couldn't find anything available.

 

[Euby]

Doing what I want at the spur of the moment. Really be free to change my mind without giving a presentation to explain to everyone else in the party why. Enjoy an adult beverage (or 2) and just watch people in WS.

 

[magical-me]

I think taking it easy and just being in the moment. When your with people it’s a little tougher to do that. XD

Also I would eat at more fancier TS places lol

 

[eeyoresmom]

I think taking it easy and just being in the moment. When your with people it’s a little tougher to do that. XD

Also I would eat at more fancier TS places lol

So funny to me. Everyone is saying eat at more fancy TS....Im the opposite. DH lives the deluxe ddp. I would love to just grab counter service and snacks all day!

 

[loves to dive]

I do at least one solo trip a year, the other trips are with my adult son.

I watch shows when I'm solo, he hates them so we don't do them when he is with me.
I watch the MK fireworks at least once during the trip, again when he's with me we don't do it. He has pretty bad PTSD and the crowds and the explosions of the fireworks don't work for him.
I spend more time at the resort and less time at the parks. To be honest, if the trip he is on with me is longer than 4 days, we tend to do this anyway.
I ride things like Dinosaur and Space Mountain, he has permanent nerve damage in his spine and can't ride the jerky rides.
I get up early and spend a hour or so just sitting on the balcony of my room drinking coffee and enjoying the morning. He is a late sleeper and it disturbs him if I make coffee in the room or go in and out the door.
I spend a lot of time just standing and looking at the details of things, he will do this with me sometimes but not all the time.
I watch the parade at MK, again crowds are just not his thing.
I resort hop, he will do it with me at Christmas because he knows I love the trees but other times of the year, he will do it if we end up at a bar.

 

[IvyWinter]

I enjoy all the streetmosphere when im solo.
I once rode rock n rollercoaster 5 times in a row in about 45 minutes because it was spring, quiet, and i utilized the single rider line. Thats as many time as my body could handle haha
I get the best views of fireworks. Im alone, i dont have to worry about anyone in tow, and i can get there early on my own schedule.
I take it REAL slow in Animal Kingdom. I often travel with people who want to hit the big rides and leave, so i take my time when solo.

 

[eeyoresmom]

I enjoy all the streetmosphere when im solo.
I once rode rock n rollercoaster 5 times in a row in about 45 minutes because it was spring, quiet, and i utilized the single rider line. Thats as many time as my body could handle haha
I get the best views of fireworks. Im alone, i dont have to worry about anyone in tow, and i can get there early on my own schedule.
I take it REAL slow in Animal Kingdom. I often travel with people who want to hit the big rides and leave, so i take my time when solo.

Do you by any chance post you tube videos about solo travel???

 

[IvyWinter]

Do you by any chance post you tube videos about solo travel???

I do! I've done vlogs of my solo trips but also do videos on tips about solo trips. This is a playlist of general tips:

But i also have a vlog from my July 2017 solo trip and my February 2016 solo trip if you want to see what it was actually like while i was there

 

[eeyoresmom]

I do! I've done vlogs of my solo trips but also do videos on tips about solo trips. This is a playlist of general tips:

But i also have a vlog from my July 2017 solo trip and my February 2016 solo trip if you want to see what it was actually like while i was there

So crazy !! I just watched two of your videos as I was making dinner!! We have the same name so I think that's what made an extra impression . Ok, have to charge my phone for a bit then watch your vlog! Too funny.

 

[IvyWinter]

So crazy !! I just watched two of your videos as I was making dinner!! We have the same name so I think that's what made an extra impression . Ok, have to charge my phone for a bit then watch your vlog! Too funny.

Thats hilarious! but maybe not all that weird since DisBoards IS basically a hub for all us crazy people

 

[eeyoresmom]

Thats hilarious! but maybe not all that weird since DisBoards IS basically a hub for all us crazy people

So I am told by friends and family daily

 

[softball chick]

When I did my College Program in 2016, most of my time in the parks was solo because my roommates and I had very different work schedules. My favorite things that I got to do solo included:

-Take advantage of my solo party to get reservations (I had a few Be Our Guest lunches for french fries and cupcakes)
-Taking the time to just take in the environment - I'd often go hang out on Hub Grass and just take in the ambiance of MK
-Single rider lines/calls for Single riders - I wrote Everest 3 times in a row, often got to skip a good part of the end of the line at Tower of Terror and Space Mountain (listen for CMs to call for single riders)
-Resort hopping - I'd take an afternoon to go over to a resort where I'd grab lunch and then just walk around the resort
-Wiggle my way into the crowd for fireworks or parades - I was always able to get a decent spot because there always seemed to be that bubble of space that a single person could easily fit into
-Ride what you want to ride without having to worry about what others thought - no one was there to complain when I rode Haunted Mansion multiple times in one day or to complain when I wanted to ride Space Mountain (my family isn't a fan)

Honestly, I LOVE doing the parks solo. There is just something so awesome about being able to be on your own schedule and to do exactly what you want to do.

 

[srwarden1928]

I love MOST of the attractions in WDW. There are only a couple of rides I don't care for, very few shows I don't care for. I also do the walkthrough attractions (the two animal trails and Swiss Family Treehouse). I don't do meet & greets or playgrounds and I don't schedule the diversions. As a solo, I do ALL of the attractions that I want to do, some of them multiple times. Somehow with others I always end up skipping something I wanted to do. As a solo I have numerous ADRs where I want them. With others, I usually make a couple of requests (50s Prime Time and a TS in one of the countries of Epcot) and let them make most of the choices. As a solo I eat when I want to other than my ADRs (I tend to get hungry at weird times) and what I want to (a bowl of clam chowder from Columbia Harbor House and a Dole Whip Float from Aloha Isle make for a nice lunch to me) without having to consider when and what others prefer. As a solo I tend to spend more time in the parks than when I am with others, although if I am tired and have done what I wanted to, I feel free to leave.

 

[YawningDodo]

When I did my College Program in 2016, most of my time in the parks was solo because my roommates and I had very different work schedules. My favorite things that I got to do solo included:

-Take advantage of my solo party to get reservations (I had a few Be Our Guest lunches for french fries and cupcakes)
-Taking the time to just take in the environment - I'd often go hang out on Hub Grass and just take in the ambiance of MK
-Single rider lines/calls for Single riders - I wrote Everest 3 times in a row, often got to skip a good part of the end of the line at Tower of Terror and Space Mountain (listen for CMs to call for single riders)
-Resort hopping - I'd take an afternoon to go over to a resort where I'd grab lunch and then just walk around the resort
-Wiggle my way into the crowd for fireworks or parades - I was always able to get a decent spot because there always seemed to be that bubble of space that a single person could easily fit into
-Ride what you want to ride without having to worry about what others thought - no one was there to complain when I rode Haunted Mansion multiple times in one day or to complain when I wanted to ride Space Mountain (my family isn't a fan)

Honestly, I LOVE doing the parks solo. There is just something so awesome about being able to be on your own schedule and to do exactly what you want to do.

I did the College Program in 2006 and 2009 and this was my experience on my days off as well. I worked a lot of nights, so it was normal for me to roll out of bed at noon or later even when I wasn't working, and most of the time I'd just roll with it and go to the parks on my own. After a while, when I'd been all over all the parks and basically done all the attractions, I started playing a lot of bus roulette when getting a ride in to WDW property from the apartment complex. Some afternoons it'd be crowded, but since I had free reign it wasn't a big deal if an evening fizzled and I went home early. I never showed up early for fireworks but often still found a solo-sized spot to watch them. I worked backstage at Spectro in 2006 and Fantasmic! in 2009 and both times I'd frequently go to watch "my" parade/show when I wasn't working. I think working at WDW -- and being a CP in particular -- provides a unique opportunity to explore the property inside and out at your own pace.

I take it REAL slow in Animal Kingdom. I often travel with people who want to hit the big rides and leave, so i take my time when solo.

THIIIS. I was surprised to find that when I did the College Program I probably spent more days at Animal Kingdom than in any one other park. I do like the rides there (Dinosaur is in my top five), but honestly? I'd just meander, take my time, watch the animals, and enjoy the atmosphere.

 

[grandmomhop]

Animal kingdom is great solo! Just wandering all the paths and taking it easy is fun.
Going to the MK and riding my favorites, though I did look pretty pitiful in the photo from Pirates in a seat all by myself. I enjoyed it though.
I laugh to myself watching children melt down and exasperated parents. I'm a 12x grandmom, been there, done that. I miss them being with me though. We have some great memories.
Shopping is easier too. I like to just walk/browse through. If something really catches my eye I'll stop.
Looking forward to next Friday to head over for the day...then a 6 day trip the next week with my grown daughter!

 

[SplitRaindrop]

My husband isn't big on eating out. We went to Magic Kingdom and ate before we went in and after we left (at close) because he couldn't swallow the prices at the park. I don't need a fancy meal but the ability to grab a snack or maybe a meal...or just maybe an adult beverage will be nice. Our trip is partially paid for by his employer (a work conference) so it's freeing up some money in the budget for these types of things.

Walking at my own pace will be nice as well.

I'm stressing out though about how to carry my things (I know it sounds silly...) and getting from our non-Disney hotel (Loews Saphirre Falls) to the parks (looking like a shuttle or Uber/Lyft...still stressful doing it solo).

 

[eeyoresmom]

My husband isn't big on eating out. We went to Magic Kingdom and ate before we went in and after we left (at close) because he couldn't swallow the prices at the park. I don't need a fancy meal but the ability to grab a snack or maybe a meal...or just maybe an adult beverage will be nice. Our trip is partially paid for by his employer (a work conference) so it's freeing up some money in the budget for these types of things.

Walking at my own pace will be nice as well.

I'm stressing out though about how to carry my things (I know it sounds silly...) and getting from our non-Disney hotel (Loews Saphirre Falls) to the parks (looking like a shuttle or Uber/Lyft...still stressful doing it solo).

Are you stressed about what type of bag you need? DD is going this week and plans on staying in the parks from morning through night so she'll need a jacket. She doesn't want to carry a back pack and we were discussing locker rentals. Well, I could have sworn that when my kids were young, say 15 yrs ago, the lockers were like $12-$15 per day. They are $7 a day now, much more reasonable! I think Epcot even has the quarter operated ones that may just be $1 each time you open them.