FosterLovesMickey
Ready for Disney......
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2012
Anyone else there around this time?
Also - as a first time solo traveler to WDW, any tips??
Thanks!!
Also - as a first time solo traveler to WDW, any tips??
Thanks!!
I've gone solo the last 3 years. I wish family and friends would tag along, but I have had a blast each time going solo. If you aren't shy and don't mind dining solo, I recommend treating yourself to a couple of nice meals on the trip; Kimono's sounds like a blast. Two trips ago I did nothing but CS, except for one night I had a late-night "snack" at Beaches and Cream and then on another I had the trip's "nice dinner" at Il Mulino. It was a great change of pace.
Speaking of pace, that would be my biggest tip: stop and literally (and figuratively too) smell the roses, take things slowly, soak up all the great details in the parks/resorts that you wouldn't normally notice if you had your family with you, and do some bucket list items that you might not normally do/never would do with the family. The truly nice thing about going solo is you dictate everything. When you get up/get to sleep, where you go, what you do, the freedom is awesome! I don't know your family's touring style but I would reflect on thoughts you may have had when you went with your family... "I wish we went there"..."I wish I could have spent more time doing"..."I wish we ate there"..."One thing I have always wanted to do is"... Make a list of things you couldn't do if your family was there with you or maybe ask them what's something they/you would want to check out so that you can bring that experience the next time you go as a fam.
I'm pretty lax about my concerns for the "looks" that others give me for being a 29 y/o male in the parks going solo, but since I was a kid, one thing I wanted to do was the Hoop Dee Doo Revue and check out Fort Wilderness; but for some reason I couldn't bring myself to go. In Sept. I finally got a chance to go and absolutely loved the vibe from the resort and that show. I have no reason to camp or stay in a cabin, while going solo, but I loved The Revue so much that I booked it again for my trip in May. I would simply recommend trying new things you haven't/wouldn't do if your family is with you.
I'm only now seeing your response! But, I love it!!
I'm not, at all, shy - so I'm definitely doing a few meals. I'm doing Kimono's and I've always wanted to try HBD, so I'm trying that as well (those are my 'treats', I suppose). Neither of those have ever appealed to my family, so I thought I'd give them a try solo.
I've already booked the KTTK tour (which is another thing that my family has never been too excited about). I'm hoping I will enjoy that. I plan to do spend some time visiting some of the resorts (and am planning a spa treatment at the GF). I've also planned to do one day where I visit all 4 parks… just to say I did. All of these are things that, likely, I wouldn't do if I wasn't traveling solo.
I've never done Hoop Dee Doo Revue - but, we've thought of adding that to our trip next January!!
Hope you have fun on your trip in May!
I'm actually kind of jealous of your trip, it sounds AWESOME! HBD is soooooo good, it's 1:30 in the morning but the Cobb Salad sounds great right about now....
And I have really wanted to try that KTTK tour, but my last few trips have been too short to make it happen. And this trip and IF I can make the Dec. DAP trip happen, I don't think it will be possible then either. *SIGH* One of these years I suppose But I hear it's a really unique way to look at the park, so that sounds like a lot of fun.
And have fun with that 4 parks in a day; it's a looooooong one, but you will feel so "accomplished"! Parkeology has this awesome WDW46 challenge I would love to try on one of these trips. Now THAT one looks exhausting: http://www.parkeology.com/wdw46-official-record
I completely agree with all the comments here. I have traveled to "the world" both with family or friends and solo. After my first solo trip I made a list, of all the things I have always wanted to do but could not when with a group. My first was to walk every store and inch of the pavilions at Epcot. What a peaceful day. Also don't be afraid to strike up conversation with other parties in line with you. I have met the most wonderful people and even picked up tips while sharing my own. I also shy away from pictures with cast members when I tag along with my brother and his family, letting the kiddos get the picture. Last time I traveled solo, I was walking through Epcot when Belle was walking to do her meet n greet spot and I said "hello Belle", she replied "bonjour." I jumped in the short line and was like a kid again. The photo pass cast member took my camera and I got a picture which is now on my refrigerator. That broke my shyness to get a solo picture with a character and now I have a bunch.
Have a Blast on your trip.
Can not wait to try the 4 parks in one day! I'm certain I will feel accomplished once I'm done!! I assume you've done 4 parks in one day? What was your strategy?
I've done it a couple of times. Strategy? Lots of coffee! haha honestly I did one that was planned out hour by hour based on avg. wait times and travel time and all that (aka super crazy ocd day). But the last time it wasn't really planned, the weather and crowds and park hours just kept me moving along between parks and I decided to just go with it. But what I'd do is list 3 or 4 attractions (I did 5 actually) that I must do and then a list of 4 or 5 attractions I wouldn't mind doing/seeing to fill in the extra time per park. I give myself at least 2 hours (usually more like 4) in each park to do so + 1 hour commute per park + 1 hour lunch + 1 hour dinner. I took advantage of EMH in the morning and my last park would be MK since it's usually open the latest. During my impromptu 4 day adventure I apparently did EMH AK -> bus to DHS -> DHS -> walk/boat to EPCOT -> EPCOT -> monorail to MK to close out (and judging by my pics I did all 4 before the sun even went down). But the best thing is that there are no rules! The last time I barely spent any time in DHS and just decided to after a few rides and walking around for an hour that I was good and moved on. A fun and easy way to document it (and to brag to family and friends) is to pose in each park (apparently I learned to count during the process too )
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Looking at your signature I'm guessing your days are pretty packed already so I don't know if there is a "good day" for you to do it. I think the parks close a little earlier since the kids just started going back to school (not to mention MNSSHP is starting up too), so hopefully the crowd levels would be low enough to tackle the parks much quicker; looking at the park hours I think the BEST day to 4 park it would be on Sat the 19th though, simply because you have the most hours to work with. That Monday might be tricky though with only (haha) a 12 hour window to work with.
But just give a little thought to what all you want to "accomplish" on your 4 park day and go with it. As long as it's not too crazy of a plan you should be able to do it.
So funny!! We're thinking along the same lines! I'm planning Saturday (utilizing EMH!). I'm looking at an allowed 3 hours per park (give or take). My *thought* is 3 things in each park (except MK, where I have a couple more things) - with a snack / drink or meal in each park. I LOVE THE IDEA OF THE PICS!! Will totally do something like that! Genius!
I have a touring plan (seems kind of ridiculous considering only a handful of things) - but, it helped me think it through.
Thanks for the feedback / tips - keep them coming!!
Even though Saturday is probably the busiest day of the week at WDW, the crowds should be low(er) by mid/late September and hopefully keep wait times down as well. You're good to go with 3 things in a park, especially if you are giving yourself ~3-4 hours per park (I highly doubt you'll find 60 minute waits for 3 straight rides). Plus with short waits during EMH and getting to a second park before noon, there should be lower wait times there as well. Throw in some single rider lines and you should find you have time for a bunch more than you have planned per park.
Throwing in a touring plan is never a bad idea; peace of mind is always a good thing. I'm spontaneous and laid back, so I just go with the flow no matter.
I'd save those FP+ for MK and just enjoy the (long) day
Anyone else there around this time?
Also - as a first time solo traveler to WDW, any tips??
Thanks!!