Hi Krista. I love going to the parks too when I get a chance. I have a question about being a solo guest. How is it to ride attractions, eat, and do the various other things around the parks alone? Do you find yourself making friends in lines, being lost in the magic and such? I have only ever travelled as a pair or group, so part of the fun was in sharing it with those with me.
I've been to Disney 4 times on vacation before I made the decision to move down here. The first time I was with 5 other people, the 2nd and 3rd time it was just my Mom and me, and then my 4th time it was with my Mom and my sister. So I'm used to being in groups or as a pair myself. I knew when I moved down here that I wanted a Disney pass so I could go to the parks anytime I wanted. I wouldn't classify myself as being a "loner" but I do like to be alone from time to time (I'm actually quite extroverted). I find going to the Disney parks helps me be alone, but still feed my extroverted-ness at the same time. I like to start conversations with people around me, have laughs with people in line or next to me on rides, and even for someone that is in her late 20's, the magic of walking down Main Street to see Cinderella's Castle ahead of you will never be lost.
Everyone that I have ever traveled with enjoys going at their own pace, it seems, and I either have to keep up or slow down. I like walking into the park and having my own pace and not worrying about someone else's opinion on what rides they want to go on, what they want to eat, or when they want to leave. I get to determine that for myself. I haven't experienced an actual sit-down restaurant eating by myself, I don't think I'm ever going to be bold enough to do that. I've heard of single travelers walking up to tables and asking if they could join - as much as I love people, that is something I could never do. I'm fully capable of sitting on a bench eating a hotdog (cheap options!
), people watching and relaxing. Plus I'm trying to watch my money, and would much rather dine somewhere outside of the parks (just one of the many perks of having your own transportation when at WDW!)
Also, I have found it's very easy if I want to get a picture taken with a character now that they have cast members taking photos for you and it automatically uploads to your photopass on the Disney experience app. That's always neat. It IS hard if you want to take a non-posed photo around the castle or something, but I find people around you are always willing to take your picture if you ask.
With all this said, I should mention I don't do ALL of my traveling to WDW alone. Just today, I went to Magic Kingdom with my cousins, who also live in the area. I have some friends that live in the area that I'll get around to getting together with to go to the parks sometime in the future. My aunt has an annual pass and I'm hoping to get her to walk around the parks with me. I tend to enjoy walking around the parks aimlessly, mostly to get some good exercise. And if a ride line is short in my travels or if I have a fast pass, I'll hop on it.
So in summary, going to the parks alone can be either magical or can be really lame. It depends on your attitude towards it. I choose magic. Even in the crowds and waiting in line, it's whatever kind of experience YOU want it to be. For me, I get nostalgic and giddy walking around the parks like I'm a 7 year old child on her first trip. If you're walking around solo sometime and constantly thinking "everyone is looking at me, everyone thinks I'm alone, everyone feels sorry for me, this is awful" then you are VERY wrong. Everyone has their own families to take care of, everyone has their own destinations, and they may glance and smile but they don't know your story.
