thinking of doing first solo trip and totally freaking out!

[Starlilly]

Hey sexy Dis singles, couples, and solos! :cutie:

Ive curiously jumped through threads about solo trips for a long time...my trip is scheduled january 2010 which was supposed to be with my DH, but thats now looking like it could be a solo trip for me!

Im totally excited and very very nervous at the same time! Whichever way it turns out, with DH or not, Im super excited. But Im also worried about doing a trip solo...its not really the time alone that bothers me (I love having alone time it doesnt bother me at all) ...but I guess since im staying for a week+, im terrified it will start to get to me! Especially when watching fireworks, or having no one to say "this is so much fun!" with :confused3

I need your help! Whats your advice and personal experience from taking solo trips?

[DVC Erik]

I feel the same way. I love my time alone too, but for some reason time in Disney i always felt is not supposed to be alone. Oh well, i will tell you in a 2 weeks if I think its a good idea or not, been to the world many times and finally going to go alone. I think it will be fun to do whatever I want when i want and i love relaxing at Disney and it just never happens. We shall see.

[MyMuse]

It was no biggie big. It's very freeing to go solo, though, you can make friends if you want to...in lines, at restaurants, etc.

You never know, there might be a DIS meet at the parks when you go. :goodvibes

[pdchris]

I did my first solo last December (my DS couldn't make it do to college). I'm not going to say it was better than if he'd been there, but I had fun nonetheless.
I had park hopper and a car so I don't think I spent a whole day at any one park. Having a car also helped because if I didn't feel like going to a park that day or spending the whole day, I just hopped in the car and went for a ride.
At first, it may be a bit hard to get used to, but afterwards the freedom to do what you want, when you want to do it is pretty liberating and fun!

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Find a CM to talk to. You may find that after your exciting day you will want someone to talk to and who better than a CM. One day we were just hanging out at VWL and started a conversation with a CM who took the time to tell us about the lodge. The fact that it is bad luck to have two tootem poles facing one another and how every year a tribal group comes in to bless the resort to ward off the evil spirit.

[dauser]

Hi-

I think you should take the trip. Even if it is less fun than with your DH, you will still have a great time.

My only other advice might be to think about how long you are going for. Most of my solo trips have been for 3-4 days, which seems like a good amount of time (although I visit at least once a year). If you are worried about filling your time at the parks, I would think about other options (spas, shopping, day trips, etc.). Take advantage of things that you want to do that your DH may not be interested in.

In any case, I think you will have fun!

[Straughn]

Just remember that you can do what you want, when you want, for as long as you want. If you want to ride an attraction 10 times in a row, there will be no one to roll their eyes and say "not again". You can sleep in or stay in the parks until closing. No one else's wishes and desires have to be taken into consideration.


I have done a number of solo trips from 4 to 6 nights and loved every one of them. As a PP said, there is always someone to talk to, be it a Cast Member or another guest. When I eat at a table service restaurant, I often end up having a conversation with the folks at the table next to me. The servers, unless super busy, will all talk to you. You won't be as alone as you may think.

[Starlilly]

Just remember that you can do what you want, when you want, for as long as you want. If you want to ride an attraction 10 times in a row, there will be no one to roll their eyes and say "not again". You can sleep in or stay in the parks until closing. No one else's wishes and desires have to be taken into consideration. .

thats great! :cloud9: that means no one can harass me if i want to ride spaceship earth 10+ in a row...

though now that the sexy voice of jeremy irons is no longer narrating the history of communication I dont know if i'll find it as wonderful...:rolleyes: lol

[valree]

I think you should go for it! I've never done it, but I will be solo for a day during my upcoming trip. The only part I was nervous about was dining by myself, but after reading the thread http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2218764 about doing table service solo, my mind was put at ease!

[Starlilly]

I think you should go for it! I've never done it, but I will be solo for a day during my upcoming trip. The only part I was nervous about was dining by myself, but after reading the thread http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2218764 about doing table service solo, my mind was put at ease!

thanks for the link!! :hug:

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I loved, loved my solo trip. The hardest part for me was eating lunch at LeCellier by myself. That felt strange. I made sure to talk with DH and the kids twice a day and that helped keep me from feeling lonely. Especially the day when DS13 and DD9 were arguing about some TV show while I was trying to talk to them. Ugh.

I did things that my family NEVER wants to do or that I can't do when they are all with me.

I stopped and smelled the roses at MK. I watched the fireworks at MK twice (my kids would rather hit the rides than watch fireworks). I rode HM 7 times in a row. :rotfl:

I took a gazillion pictures at Epcot F&G Festival, I did the Behind the Seeds tour. I ate at Boma and Teppan Edo. I enjoyed bellying up to the bar at the resort for a drink nearly every night. I went into EVERY store at DTD and really took my time window shopping. I did several Kim Possible Missions and enjoyed them.

I got to the parks when they opened and stayed in the parks until they closed. I ate ice cream for breakfast - twice. I talked to everyone I could and met some wonderful people.

The key to my great solo trip is simple - do what I want! :rotfl:

I can't wait to do it again.

[Auntie L.]

I loved, loved my solo trip. The hardest part for me was eating lunch at LeCellier by myself. That felt strange. I made sure to talk with DH and the kids twice a day and that helped keep me from feeling lonely. Especially the day when DS13 and DD9 were arguing about some TV show while I was trying to talk to them. Ugh.

I did things that my family NEVER wants to do or that I can't do when they are all with me.

I stopped and smelled the roses at MK. I watched the fireworks at MK twice (my kids would rather hit the rides than watch fireworks). I rode HM 7 times in a row. :rotfl:

I took a gazillion pictures at Epcot F&G Festival, I did the Behind the Seeds tour. I ate at Boma and Teppan Edo. I enjoyed bellying up to the bar at the resort for a drink nearly every night. I went into EVERY store at DTD and really took my time window shopping. I did several Kim Possible Missions and enjoyed them.

I got to the parks when they opened and stayed in the parks until they closed. I ate ice cream for breakfast - twice. I talked to everyone I could and met some wonderful people.

The key to my great solo trip is simple - do what I want! :rotfl:

I can't wait to do it again.

Great Post!! I've done some solo hours @ WDW - but not a whole trip. But you just captured everything that would be fun about going alone (and I'm totally into the parades and fireworks over the rides - I live for that stuff!! :cool1:)

You're making me think...........Thanks!!
Linda :earsgirl:

[Sewfun]

Hey sexy Dis singles, couples, and solos! :cutie:

Ive curiously jumped through threads about solo trips for a long time...my trip is scheduled january 2010 which was supposed to be with my DH, but thats now looking like it could be a solo trip for me!

Im totally excited and very very nervous at the same time! Whichever way it turns out, with DH or not, Im super excited. But Im also worried about doing a trip solo...its not really the time alone that bothers me (I love having alone time it doesnt bother me at all) ...but I guess since im staying for a week+, im terrified it will start to get to me! Especially when watching fireworks, or having no one to say "this is so much fun!" with :confused3

I need your help! Whats your advice and personal experience from taking solo trips?

I am considering my first solo trip for Christmas. My ex-boyfriend and I recently broke up, and I don't want to sit at home while my kids are with their dad for the holidays. I am looking at anywhere between 5-8 nights, and I am not sure how I am going to handle it either. This will be my first holiday alone in MANY years and I would rather be somewhere I love rather than sitting at home thinking.

My first thought was I could do what I want when I want and really be selfish about it. I was at the World in June, and rode the HTH ride twice because my 6 year old hated it. I could ride that one over and over and over and never get sick of it. I am sure the hardest part would be table dining alone, and thought of maybe just doing counter service the entire time, but that gets old fast too.

I think the thing that excites me the most about this is I can do Disney the way I like, get up and out early, rest in the afternoons, out late at night, and really take my time to get the pictures I want. No one will start whining if I want or need to ride a ride several times in a row to get pictures. :) I have done Disney with another adult, my kids, but never alone, and I think it is time I did it.

[tinkergrumpybuns]

[QUOTE=Sewfun;32753315]I am considering my first solo trip for Christmas. I am looking at anywhere between 5-8 nights, and I am not sure how I am going to handle it either. This will be my first holiday alone in MANY years and I would rather be somewhere I love rather than sitting at home thinking.

Oh Go, Have a ball! IF you are into photos, this is perfect, b/c you are not holding anyone up. Look at the photo board on DIS too. Great Ideas. I packed a little notebook with some photo ideas I had to challenge myself with ...( reflection, repetition, feet ( nice shot of horse hooves on one on Main St).

Do what you want, take that afternoon nap or, swim. Go at your pace.
I say, stay flexible, but just know what is going on every day/nite at the individual parks. I save AK for cool , or rainy days. I have to see the MK the first day. Do a hotel tour.

I have to admit, I had a few wistful moments sans family, but it passed.
Call the kids at strategic times. Are you staying for Christmas day?
You may want to see what park attendance is ( I hear crowded) and make backup plans. If I do a longish trip, I take a day to just rest and enjoy the resort.

Have fun! :goodvibes

[Starlilly]

wow you guys are really putting me at ease! :goodvibes

the more we talk about it the more fun it sounds like its going to be!

[Sueb383]

I just recently came back from my first week-long solo trip and I couldn't have had a better time! I was a little nervous but more excited than anything and I'm just so glad that I decided to do it! I met so many wonderful people that I never felt truly alone and it was pure heaven to do whatever I wanted whenever I wanted ... and never having to check in with anyone. It was totally liberating! I took way more pictures than I ever would take when I was there with my husband. We are actually separating so I can forsee many more solo Disney trips in my future. Yay! I loved it so much that I've already booked another solo trip back for the last week of the food and wine festival and I'm so excited I can hardly wait to get back there!

I had no problems eating alone whether it was table service or counter service. Always someone to talk to if you wanted and if not, just enjoy a great meal watching all the interesting people. I never felt out of place once and I felt totally safe the whole time too! I even did the Magic Behind Our Steam Trains tour and had a great time! I was just "one of the group". I actually enjoyed myself so much that I just may have a hard time going with anyone again in the future. I've always really cherished my time alone and this was the best alone time anyone could ever ask for!

So my advice is that it's ok to feel a little nervous about it but just do it and be very excited to have a Disney adventure that is yours and yours alone! I promise that you won't be sorry! Enjoy!! :yay:

[Starlilly]

I actually enjoyed myself so much that I just may have a hard time going with anyone again in the future. I've always really cherished my time alone and this was the best alone time anyone could ever ask for!

So my advice is that it's ok to feel a little nervous about it but just do it and be very excited to have a Disney adventure that is yours and yours alone! I promise that you won't be sorry! Enjoy!! :yay:


:dance3::dance3::dance3:

thanks so much for the advice! :hug:

[Spacemonkaay]

...

[Hallowishes]

my last solo trip was 9 days and my next one (in sept.) will be 11 days. i had a blast last time and am going to have a great time this trip as well. just go with the flow and do the things you most want to do ... you cant have a bad time in the happiest place on earth!!
i think one of the things i have found on my trips is that i never tend to stay in one park all day.

[Sewfun]

[QUOTE=Sewfun;32753315]I am considering my first solo trip for Christmas. I am looking at anywhere between 5-8 nights, and I am not sure how I am going to handle it either. This will be my first holiday alone in MANY years and I would rather be somewhere I love rather than sitting at home thinking.

Oh Go, Have a ball! IF you are into photos, this is perfect, b/c you are not holding anyone up. Look at the photo board on DIS too. Great Ideas. I packed a little notebook with some photo ideas I had to challenge myself with ...( reflection, repetition, feet ( nice shot of horse hooves on one on Main St).

Do what you want, take that afternoon nap or, swim. Go at your pace.
I say, stay flexible, but just know what is going on every day/nite at the individual parks. I save AK for cool , or rainy days. I have to see the MK the first day. Do a hotel tour.

I have to admit, I had a few wistful moments sans family, but it passed.
Call the kids at strategic times. Are you staying for Christmas day?
You may want to see what park attendance is ( I hear crowded) and make backup plans. If I do a longish trip, I take a day to just rest and enjoy the resort.

Have fun! :goodvibes


I have decided I am definitely going to go!! I just love Disney anything and this is the best place to be for the holidays. :) I am going to go alone over Christmas and probably stay through New Year's. I am so looking forward to this!!

Tammy

[Starlilly]

I have decided I am definitely going to go!! I just love Disney anything and this is the best place to be for the holidays. :) I am going to go alone over Christmas and probably stay through New Year's. I am so looking forward to this!!

Tammy

thats great! :lovestruc in my opinion thats a good thing to do for yourself. think of this as an opportunity to totally spoil yourself because you deserve it :) .

thats how im trying to think of this solo trip. Dont think of it as a sad thing that your going alone. It should be something thats celebrated because its all about you and you deserve to have fun :cutie:

[Jewel1310]

I have to say this was very reassuring. I am in the process of a divorce and was thinking I might never get to Disney again as my kids will be off on their own soon (one in college and the other a senior in high school).

Thanks everyone for sharing that the magic is still there even if you are by yourself.

[Sewfun]

thats great! :lovestruc in my opinion thats a good thing to do for yourself. think of this as an opportunity to totally spoil yourself because you deserve it :) .

thats how im trying to think of this solo trip. Dont think of it as a sad thing that your going alone. It should be something thats celebrated because its all about you and you deserve to have fun :cutie:

I am really looking forward to this now. :) I give so much of myself to my kids, to work, to school, and this is something I need to do for me. :)

[Sueb383]

Just so you know, you're not alone out there! I too am going through a divorce (although luckily it is quite amicable) but Disney was the one place that my husband and I actually had lots of fun and great memories and I was afraid that I'd never be able to bring myself to go back there ... let alone to go by myself. Well ... I just got back from my first week-long solo trip about 3 weeks ago and I had the most wonderful time imagineable!! I never felt lonely because I would strike up conversations with people in line and on the busses ... I met some of the most wonderful people that way! I took a behind the scenes tour and basically did whatever I wanted, when I wanted. I even went back to my room for a mid-afternoon nap a couple of times. I had such a great time that I've already booked another week-long trip the first week in November!

So, please don't despair and feel that you may never get back there just because you might not have anyone to accompany you in the near future. I highly recommend a solo trip as a great way to immerse yourself in whatever you like ... with no questions asked. I came back feeling so good about myself. It really gave me a boost to know that I could be alone with myself for a week and never feel lonely! So please know that you can do it too! Book a solo trip and have the time of your life!! =)

[hucifer]

I just got back from a solo trip and I had an incredible time. It's is very liberating to walk as fast/slow as you want, stop and watch whatever you want, eat wherever you want, sleep as much as you want...etc. I did things I normally wouldn't do with if my family was there. It's also a great time to chat with other folks in line, and really interact with the street performers at Hollywood Studios. I found that going at my own pace was VERY enjoyable. And I was able to hit the Expedition Everest singles line 3 times in a row with very little wait. Woo HOO!

I was concerned about meals, but I found that eating at WDW wasn't awkward at all. And whenever I needed a family fix, I would call or text them, which made me feel less alone, even though I never felt lonely. I hope that makes sense.

I also felt very safe walking alone, no matter where I was or what time it was.

It was a very special time, and I'm so glad I did it. I bet you'll enjoy your time more than you think. ;)

[Friendly Frog]

I am smiling because I was posting the same message last year. I won't go into my mile long list of phobias about the trip, but the bottom line was that I had a great time. Never, ever, did I imagine that it would work out as well as it did.

It was an 7 night trip and I hope to go again later this (or the beginning of next) year!

[Missytara]

I mostly go alone; I enjoy sharing the experience with friends, but I really enjoy doing it alone.

One year, I spent the entire day in bed just reading, and ordered pizza delivery - it was awesome. It was lightly drizzling all day and it was just so relaxing.

I like it because I can get up and out relatively early in the morning; get to rope drop and pretty much done the parks by 3:00 pm and come back and take a nap. I go out to dinner around 5:30 pm, where I normally sit at the bar and meet people who are having a drink waiting for their table. Then I come back to the lounge and hang out. I go to bed around 10:00 and usually get up around 3:00 am or so, throw on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt and dangle my feet in the pool for about a half hour; go back to bed and get up and do it all over again!

[Luisa]

It should be something thats celebrated because its all about you and you deserve to have fun :cutie:

Thats it exactly! So far I have done solo trips to the UK, 3 times to the US (inc 2 Disneyland trips) and a holiday to Hong Kong last year (inc Disneyland HK of course!), this year will be my first visit to WDW in the first week of December (after NY and Washington) - all of these holidays have been solo and I have loved:love: every minute of them and know I will love WDW just as much!

As others have said, make this holiday all about you, we all deserve to spoil ourselves and this is one way of doing it. Generally I'm pretty quiet and reserved but even I find it easy to talk to have a chat with people in queues etc. I've always found families and CMs more than happy to take photos for me and when watching fireworks and parades I'll talk to families around me and will often get down to kid level and enjoy the excitement with them.

Make it special for you!