Plans for Solo Trip: Any advice?

[Nomi]

This will be my first solo trip to WDW, and my second trip (first was seven years ago when I was seven years ago when I was 12). The trip is fast approaching, and these are my plans so far. Any tips, advice, critiques, ect. would be very much appreciated! I'm very, very excited, but also very, very nervous. I don't really know how to do things like check into a hotel, or get a taxi, or check into ADR's.... but even though I'm not much of a planner, I feel the more prepared I am for this the better.

Here's my plan so far:

Nov 30: Arrival
Flights: 8:15 EDM → 10:55 DEN
12:40 DEN → 6:04 ORL
Check in to the Animal Kingdom Lodge (!), check out hotel and room. If feeling up to it, take first bus that shows up to any park.
Get lots of sleep!

Dec 1:
Go for rope drop to the Magic Kingdom ( 9:00, arrive 30 mins earlier). Hang out at MK until 6:30-7:00.
ADR at Boma for 7:40. Arrive at 7:25
Hang out, perhaps swim, at hotel.

Dec 2:
Head over to EPCOT whenever I’m feeling up to it (probably around 9-10) and explore the World Showcase (maybe do soarin first). Take is slow, sample lots of food.
ADR at the Nine Dragons, be there around 5:50 for 6 res.
Stay for Illuminations, head back to Hotel.

Dec 3:
Do EMH at the MK. When it starts to get busy, leave. The head to AK or DHS, or tour the monorail resorts first.
No ADR’s. Eat at AK. Afterwards, head to hotel or DTD (Christmas shopping time perhaps)

Dec 4:
Discovery Cove. Take taxi (or other transportation if provided. Will find out) to check in, around 8-8:30.
Leave at 6 (taxi) to hotel, arrive at Jinko at 6:50 for 7:10 ADR.

Dec 5:
AK for rope drop, get there at 8:30. Then hop over to EPCOT for the afternoon. Explore Future World. ADR at the Garden Grill at 8:10. Be there at 7:50.

Dec 6:
Head to any park for the morning (AK or MK). Get to DHS for at around 5-6 to catch Fantasmic. DHS EMH.
ADR at Prime Time for 9:25 (be there at 9:10).

Dec 7:
Rope drop at DHS (9:00, arrive 8:30). The head over to MK.
ADR at California Grill for 9:30 (arrive at 9:00). Wishes from the Cali Grill!!

Dec 8:
Any park in the Morning (AK perhaps). Head over to MK for…. MVMCP!!
No ADR’s.

Dec 9: Leaving.
1:55 Orlando → Toronto 4:45
6:00 Toronto → 8:14 Edmonton

What on earth would I do without the Dis?

Tank you all in advance, and have yourselves a magical evening! (I'm more excited than a dog at dinner time!)

[Nomi]

I just read about a parade taping going on while I'm there.... any more information on this?

[maj42169]

It sounds like you have everything pretty well planned out. It looks like you will be having a full schedule.

Don't worry to much about the check-in process, it is very simple. Also, catching the taxi at your resort is easy! There are usually some cabs lined up outside of the entrance. You just walk up to one and ask for the cost to get you to discovery cove. I have found that some fares are cheaper than others, but I am NO expert of cab fares at Disney. I can't give any info about a cab back, but I would suspect that there will be taxis outside of Discovery Cove as well.

Have a great trip!

[Nomi]

Thanks for the advice on taxis! I'm sure it'll be ok, but I'm just a little nervous.

[jiminyfan]

I think you have a nice plan laid out, but going solo has it bonuses like being able to change you plans in a second and not having to worry about others. I have done a solo trip or two at WDW and loved it. Leaving the family behind I got to experience a lot of things that I would have normally walked by like the various entertainment acts inside of EPCOT and the street performers at DHS. Taking time to get the perfect pic. Stopping and just watching the crowds and scene all over the WDW resort.

Goiong at this time of year is wondreful, all of the rsorts are decorated fro the holiday season and make sure you take the time to visit them and see what they have to offer. The deluxe resorts by far have the best displays and each are different and themed lovely. Being young and traveling on your own is scary at first, but just be cautious of people and make sure you have checked the taxi rates and etc. If you would want to possibly pay for things upfront the local limo services are usually pretty good going to places outside of WDW. FL Tours and Happy Limo both get good reviews. We used FL tours and liked their service and prices a lot.

As for you plans on:
Dec 4:
Discovery Cove. Take taxi (or other transportation if provided. Will find out) to check in, around 8-8:30.
Leave at 6 (taxi) to hotel, arrive at Jinko at 6:50 for 7:10 ADR.

Remember that Discovery Cove will feed you and it is quite filling. This is an amazing place and experience and you will have a great time. If you eat early at DC, you should be able to handle Jiko too. It is a restaurant that never fails and the food will blow DC's away.

Have a great trip.

[TIGGERGUY]

No time for Universal? Their two parks are great for doing solo!

[Nomi]

Thanks Jiminyfan for the great tips! I'm very good at not following plans, so I'm very flexible XD. I'm really looking forward to seeing all the christmas decorations, and I'll look into taxi fares and Florida tours!

Tigger Guy, I do like US, but I was there more recently (two years ago). I may go to Sea World one day though.

[WaltD4Me]

I went on my first solo trip this May. I was a tad nervous, but I had a wonderful time. I loved, loved, doing what I wanted, when I wanted. I've been several times, so I didn't really have a strict plan. I knew which parks I wanted to do on which days, but other than that, I didn't even make an ADR. I'm not much of a foodie though, so the only sit downs I did were Brown Derby at DHS...mainly for the grapefruit cake and Kona Cafe for the Tonga Toast. Other than that I didn't want to be worried about making ADR's. I spent a great day at DSH watching the Streetsmosphere performers. No one ever wants to stop and watch them, but I love their skits. I took my time strolling around WS, it was so nice. I chatted with alot of cast members. I did the drawing class at DHS four times. It was an entirely different experience, but I'm so glad I did it.

One tip, keep an eye out for CM's in ride lines looking for single riders. I got on several rides much faster this way. I never noticed it before, but twice I got to the front of the line for Soarin' when cast members were walking down the line looking for a single rider and head of the line at TSM the same way.

[Ziggy_Stardust]

Don't worry the nervousness will all but disappear, once you get on the Magical Express.

If you really want to make it on time to rope drops and stuff remember to factor in bus travel times. Bus service from AKL isn't as bad as some people say, but give yourself a cushion just in case.

(I'm also gonna be at AKL from Dec. 1-7, and the excitement is killing me, too. )

[fla4fun]

Originally Posted by WaltD4Me

I went on my first solo trip this May. I was a tad nervous, but I had a wonderful time. I loved, loved, doing what I wanted, when I wanted.

Ah . . . you've been bit by the solo bug! People give me odd looks all the time because most of my WDW trips are solo. Counting my trip coming up in a couple weeks, I'll have made 5 solo trips in the last 12 months, and four of them were 10 days or longer. It's not that I won't go with friends or family - I just enjoy it more without them.

To the OP, the best advice I can offer is although you have a plan, don't beat yourself up if you deviate from it. I find it's much easier as a solo to "go with the flow" - so if weather or crowds or even the park you had picked for that day just aren't appealing to you, don't be afraid to do something else. Many days I'll wander out to the bus stop and base my park for the day on which bus shows up first - totally random.

I would agree that check in is very simple. Just look for a sign like "Guest Registration" over a counter with several people. There may or may not be a rope designating a line to wait in. When it's your turn, just walk up and say you're checking in, and they will take care of the rest.

Checking in for ADR's is the same. Look for someone standing at a desk or counter near the restaurant door. Just tell them you're checking in for your ADR and they will take care of the rest. Don't worry about what info to give them - they'll ask the right questions.

There is a taxi fare estimator on the Mears Transportation website that will give you an idea what taxis will cost. As far as Disney transportation, I agree with the previous poster who said to allow a cushion of time. For example, to be at MK by rope drop, you ideally want to be there about 8:30, so you can get through bag check and through the turnstiles to see the welcome show close up. To do this, you should be at the bus stop no later than 7:45 (and I would make it closer to 7:30) - for a couple reasons. One, the buses are very busy in the mornings, so you might have to wait on a second bus if the first fills up. Two, if you have to wait for that second bus, or if you walk up to the bus stop just as the MK bus is leaving, you'll have at least a 20 minute wait for the next bus. I've found it's always better to be a little early to your destination than a little late.

As to your activities on the first day, since you are arriving late in the day after flying most of it, I wouldn't plan on hitting a park that day. If it were me, I would either go to Mara for a quick bite and then go to the pool (if the weather is warm) or explore the resort and splurge on some room service while unpacking and settling in (if the weather is cool).

[f19810]

I have been on two solo trips and am planning my third. Don't be nervous, just think how jealous everybody around you is since you can o what you want when you want!
In March I went to Discovery Cove and took a Mears shuttle there and to Seaworld. It was around $16. Also, Seaworld was included in my Discovery Cove ticket and I really enjoyed it ( then again, I LOVE dolphins). If you take the Mears shuttle, you may go to several WDW hotels before getting to yours. Keep that in mind when you want to go back to the hotel.