Inside or outside Door

[ckmiles]

I've been to Disney many times just never by myself. Im a female solo traveler, and I want to start traveling more by myself and Disney feels like a great place to start because I feel really comfortable at Disney

That being said, I've mostly stayed at POFQ, and I love the resort, but now going solo Im thinking that maybe I would feel safer with an inside hotel room door (like the tower at Coronado) versus the outside door POFQ. Its not to say that I feel UNsafe- but I wonder if I would feel MORE safe. Especially at night going back to the room..Like the outside door feels exposed to me??! But when Im not alone I have no thoughts about it being unsafe.....

I might be slightly over thinking this- for the record the cost is more to stay at the tower, but I dont object to paying more for piece of mind.

Anyone have any thoughts or suggestions? Calming mantras??? LOL!

 

[Kooks and Bay Bay]

IMO you're overthinking it.

I've stayed solo at WDW and had an outside door.
I don't think outside vs inside door makes me feel less or more safe.
From what I've seen its those that have access to your room that you should be worried about not a random person.
Deadbolt the door so even if its opened with a key card it cannot be opened completely.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

While I don't got Walt Disney World I am a solo female traveler. I have done solo travel in many places in America and all over Europe over the last 20 years, not just Disney but many city trips.

When I do non Disney solo travel , inside or outside corridors are not really a concern to me. Unless I am getting a lift back to where I am staying from friends, I am always back in my room before it gets dark. I also do not get take out or room deliveries at any time, day or night.

 

[emilyann704]

I'm a solo female traveler and also chose Disney World in 2022 to be my first true solo trip by myself because a) I had been there before 20 years ago and was at least familiar with the lay of the land, and b) it was a controlled, sealed environment of a sort.

I felt 100% safe the entire time I was on property. I stayed at Coronado Springs both trips (I came back alone in 2023) and had outside rooms in Ranchos and Casitas and the walks from the bus stop to the room were well lit and I often saw people and families walking.

Ultimately you can make your own decision about whatever feels best for you but as someone who definitely thought through indoor vs. outdoor facing doors before my first solo trip I can tell you my experience has been nothing but positive. When I get back to my room at night I usually text my partner that I'm in for the night and do a brief glance through the room (peek under the beds, open the shower curtain) for my own personal safety check list.

Check out this post from 2022 where I asked about upgrading to the Tower from standard room at CSR for safety reasons and the response that missingdisneymore gave me. I found everything they said to be true once I got there.

 

[georgina]

I've been to Disney many times just never by myself. Im a female solo traveler, and I want to start traveling more by myself and Disney feels like a great place to start because I feel really comfortable at Disney

That being said, I've mostly stayed at POFQ, and I love the resort, but now going solo Im thinking that maybe I would feel safer with an inside hotel room door (like the tower at Coronado) versus the outside door POFQ. Its not to say that I feel UNsafe- but I wonder if I would feel MORE safe. Especially at night going back to the room..Like the outside door feels exposed to me??! But when Im not alone I have no thoughts about it being unsafe.....

I might be slightly over thinking this- for the record the cost is more to stay at the tower, but I dont object to paying more for piece of mind.

Anyone have any thoughts or suggestions? Calming mantras??? LOL!

As a solo female traveler I have never felt unsafe anywhere at Disney World. I have stayed at several locations with outside doors. But I am also comfortable using rideshare, including to/from the airport, which others aren't comfortable with.

 

[Miffy]

I don't travel solo, but sometimes I end up being solo if my travel companion goes home early or I stay over an extra night or two. I have never ever felt unsafe at POFQ. And I arrived there once alone, after midnight, and felt--and was--totally safe.

If I were paranoid, I'd probably feel safer at POFQ than at GDT since the stairs are easily accessible at POFQ and the buildings have only 3 floors, so I'd never be forced to use an elevator--and share it with someone who made me nervous.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I've been a female solo traveller to WDW for about 30 years. In that time, I've had inside doors/outside doors, and never felt unsafe about either kind. I figure that with outside doors, if anyone approached, I could scream and be heard all over the resort, not just my floor, my hallway. But I've always felt perfectly safe-never screamed anywhere!
But I understand certain feelings are hard to change. For years, I had a fear of being on the first floor-I was sure that someone would sneak in through the patio door. I only got a first floor room once, and fortunately the CM at the front desk was very understanding when I asked to move. But a few years ago I got a first floor room again and didn't even think about my fear until around the third day, when I realized that it USED to bother me.
And I don't mind rideshares either!

 

[BalooFan]

It is unlikely that anyone is going to recognize that you are a solo traveler. Others don’t pay much attention to people who aren’t in their traveling party. Even if you are alone at a bus stop, restaurant, ride queue, etc., that doesn’t mean that you are staying alone, just that you happen to be alone at that particular moment.

Is opening your resort room your main concern; entering the room and then having someone push in behind you? You would probably be equally vulnerable with an indoor or outdoor corridor. Think of it this way, though. If someone would come behind you and push into your room with you, they don’t know who is already in the room. For all they know, it could be someone who could put them in a world of hurt. Not to mention all of the cameras likely monitoring guests everywhere they go. A bad guy would be taking a big chance.

I have gone solo many times. Bad things can happen to you anywhere, but I have always felt safe at WDW. Just use the common sense you use in your everyday life. Don’t disclose too much about yourself to strangers. Stay in well-lighted places. Don’t go to areas where there aren’t several other people. Use all of the locks on your doors.

All of that being said, I love Gran Destino Tower! But, wherever you decide to stay, I hope you enjoy your solo trip.

 

[kwdw]

For me, because Disney has a “slight” security gate to access the resort, that helps keep random folks without intent from accessing the resort in general. Sure, folks can access a Disney resort who aren’t staying there by lots of routes, but you have to go through a bit of effort to make that happen.

I feel safe on WDW property as a single female traveler and I also don’t think at Disney the inside vs outside door matters in terms of the level of my safety. For my first couple of solo trips, I left parks at night with the masses so the resort property had folks around, instead of it feeling deserted as I was headed back to my room. At the value resorts, preferred rooms are closer to the front of the resort so the traffic of others coming and going is higher. That might might make some folks feel safer.

 

[zackiedawg]

While I can't relate entirely to your own feelings since I'm a large man and don't have any feelings of vulnerability solo, I would think that the exterior doors may even have some advantages over indoor. Long hallways with recesses would seem to me to be a little scary if you're a female all alone...but exterior halls and doors usually mean that you can be seen from sidewalks, other buildings, etc all around you. In the event of someone creepy or threatening looking, they're more likely to be spotted by others walking by, and any screams or calls for help would be widely heard throughout the open grounds all around as well as neighboring rooms. Just a thought.

I would agree though that if there's anywhere I would expect a solo female to feel pretty safe, Disney would top that list. I've traveled with female friends where we separated and met up later at the rooms - some of them were very petite women, and they never expressed any feelings of fear or worry when going back to the rooms alone...I have stayed at both types often...I've stayed at outside-door OKW, Saratoga, French Quarter, Caribbean Beach, Polynesian, Coronado (not the tower), and Riverside, and inside-door Boardwalk, Beach, BLT, Wilderness Lodge, and Grand Floridian - none ever felt unsafe for myself or any family and friends when alone.

Also - don't forget Disney is full of cameras - there are few places you can be in the parks OR resorts where a camera can't see you (other than the restrooms and inside your hotel room). There are very well hidden cameras throughout the resort grounds - either in the buildings, or on poles, lightposts, etc with incredible zooming capability - so even from quite a distance, they can zoom in 300x or 400x to buildings and halls. Most nefarious minded people know this, and tend to avoid crime on Disney property as the risk of capture is extremely high. Not to say crimes don't occur, just that it's probably less likely there than almost anywhere else in the U.S.

 

[NeedMoreMickey]

I had a solo stay at POP in January and felt safe with the outside door. Usually I’m with family and we stay DVC, they have both inside or outside doors. The one thing I don’t care for is a window next to the outside door, don’t like people walking down the hall and are able to look in. At POP I kept the curtains closed which gave the room a being trapped in a cell feeling about it. Saratoga has outside doors but the back of the room is open because the balcony in the back of the room so I don’t feel closed in.

Sometimes my husband will come to WDW with me but spends a lot of the time on the room so I’m going to parks and walking around alone. Never had a problem.

 

[ckmiles]

Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences. It was very helpful.

I booked POFQ - and Im really excited about my first solo trip!

 

[fla4fun]

Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences. It was very helpful.

I booked POFQ - and Im really excited about my first solo trip!

I have stayed at POFQ as a solo female many times and never felt unsafe, even when staying in the farthest buildings from the lobby. Have a great trip!

 

[ahhhshmatthew]

For me, the entire premise is for you to do what makes you feel the safest, and ensures you'll maximize the enjoyment of your trip. Regardless of whether or not anyone agrees or disagrees with your potential concern, you're well within your right to feel that way or have hesitancy If it itches at you, and there aren't any factors (cost, etc.) keeping you from a hotel with interior doors, then I say book that one. You'll be able to rest easy as the trip approaches. Once on it, you'll take notice and see how you feel, and the next solo trip, you can make the decision again at that time with some real world experience under your belt. Safe travels!

 

[TrulyMadlyDisney]

I go solo a couple times a year and always stay at POFQ. i have never felt unsafe, I usually get a ground floor room. I like the smallness of POFQ. Go and enjoy- solo trips are such a fun and relaxing time.

 

[kitkat4622]

I am taking my 4th solo trip in November. All have been at POFQ and never once did I think I should stay somewhere else. I am vigilant about my surroundings and when in for the night all locks are engaged.

 

[DVCjj]

I find it interesting that a large portion of the answers actually prefer outside corridors.
The one time each I stayed at OKW and at SSR, I loved both resorts but the next trip couldn't wait to get back to the 'hotel' type as my husband calls it. I guess we're very used to BCV/BWV/BLT etc etc and feel the corridors are more comfortable feeling ie. secure (to me and husband....the latter surprised me that it would make a difference but he let it be known even he prefers inside corridors.

 

[sponica]

Honestly inside corridors freak me out when I'm alone. I stayed at pop alone for a couple nights and felt completely fine there.

 

[Newsies]

Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences. It was very helpful.

I booked POFQ - and Im really excited about my first solo trip!

You're going to have the best time! POFQ solo is a dream of mine

 

[zackiedawg]

Having nothing to do with feeling safe from nefarious people, being a large male, I've always preferred outside doors anyway. I will stay in places with inside halls and doors, so it's not something impacting my choices, but the only thing that sits in the back of my mind with inside halls and doors is evacuation in an emergency. Fires, earthquakes, building collapse, etc. Again, it's not a debilitating fear - just something I think of. Probably because I went through a fairly significant earthquake where my building dropped the entire first floor (I was on the 4th floor) - we had inside halls and getting out after the quake with rubble all around, giant cracks in the walls, completely dark with no power in the early AM....was spooky to say the least. With an outside hall/door, I feel a little less trapped.