Planning first ever solo trip

MrKDilkington

Earning My Ears
Joined
Mar 17, 2013
Messages
7
I have been a handful of times before and am still actually a bit reluctant to go solo, but frankly I am tired of waiting around for someone to go with me and missing out on all of the magic! I will be getting an annual pass and making this my year o Disney, going every opportunity I get. My first trip is going to be May 11th through the 17th.

Now as I might have the ear of some veteran solo adventurers...what do you find gives you the most enjoyable time? Would it be making a complete touring plan and sticking to it? Or maybe just going in with a general idea of the things you want to do and going with the flow?

Thanks in advance for any feedback!
 
I troll these forums often and never reply or post...

Finding someone who loves WDW as much as me has always been a problem...

5 years ago I stopped being afraid of going by myself and just did it. Its a little awkward at first to say just 1 but after half the day your there it wears off..

I had plans and an itinerary that helped me prepare for my first solo trip. Once I entered the gates it went in the trash and I just flowed in any direction.

I had a blast. No one to worry about if they get to see everything or having a good time and you really get to appreciate the park from a whole new view.

So have fun and enjoy not sharing popcorn and remember its not that odd to ride The Teacups by yourself.
 
Thanks for the feedback! I was going to make a plan and try and squeeze everything in, but I decided to just add an extra day so that I won't have to run around and can just enjoy everything.

Any other ideas/tips/suggestions people may have for a soloer's first time would be appreciated! :thumbsup2
 
Funny. I'm going exactly one month (same dates) before you. My first solo trip also. Feels wierd. Going SOLO was definitely NOT planned. A friend of mine backed out at the last minute. :scared: Since I was the only one who had already bought the plane ticket I figure ok I can do this...

Now as I try to make an itinerary or try to get ready for this trip I sit and wonder -- am I going to just sit by the pool all day everyday??? :beach:

I hope that won't be the case and I can get over being the odd (wo)man out.

What kinds of things did you do when you got there? Where did you eat? :scratchin

I need ideas...:artist:
 

As far a food and events I try to pick two place that I want to eat at and just fly by air the other days....

I eat healthy all through the year and keep myself in pretty good shape.

My trips to Disney is where I go nuts and gain ten pounds.... mmmmmm Citrus Swirl

For me playing it "fly by air" takes me out of my comfort zone which allows me to try new places. ( I find this helpful for Epcot )

I would never have tried Biergarten Germany past... I couldn't stand sauerkraut and the smell makes me turn green... Every place that I wanted to eat was booked I said what the Hay...Now its a stop for me every trip. Yes I have had a few not so great meals here but the good out weighed the bad.

Mind you my first trip I ate mostly quick meals because for some reason eating alone was the hardest part to get over for me ...

So give us what are your interest... Food , Events , etc and let us help try and point you in the right direction..

Are you going to " hook up " find a ride buddy or just stay the whole week solo and keep to yourself ?
 
I usually take at least 3 solo trips a year and have been for a number of years. I typically follow a loose plan in the mornings, mostly based on Unofficial Guide/TouringPlans to avoid crowds up until lunch or shortly after. I usually end up at Epcot WS every afternoon/evening and just "float" from live performer to live performer (Off Kilter, Voices of Liberty, Mariachi Cobre, MoRockin) and sampling the beers of the world.

Take advantage of the opportunities for single rider lines and use a few days to figure out how you like to tour. Don't be afraid to take an afternoon break/nap or pool time.
 
I just got back from my first solo trip and I LOVED it! There were a few times I wished I'd been with someone, but far more times when I was actually glad I was on my own. I got to skip the things I was never interested in but the rest of my family always wanted to spend time on, and do things like go on Everest seven times in a row without people getting tired of waiting on me. I got to eat when I was hungry and not when most of my group was, it was up to me if I got up early or slept in (made it to Rope Drop for the first time ever, something that would never have happened with my family there). Sometimes I'd just be wandering around and see street singers at HS or a character I like at MK, and I could just stop and take my time without being hurried-up.

I had a loose itinerary, but not the minute-by-minute ones that some people have (like we used to have when I went there as a kid!). I planned like "MK until around 3pm, then Epcot thru evening, Illuminations then home". Once or twice though, it'd be time to head to AK or whatever and I'd be like, "yknow what, I really would rather go to HS - let's do it!"

One thing I'd suggest is look at the park maps (you can download them in various places including the official WDW site, I think) and write down all the attractions/rides you'd like to do. Pay special attention to things you've always seen on the maps and never gotten a chance to do because no-one else wanted to. My family had always skipped Flights Of Wonder at AK so I put it on my list as a "must do" because I really wanted the trip to be all about MY to-do's.

It does feel a little awkward for the first day or two saying "one" when you're asked how many in your party, but I was surprised both at how much no-one else in groups gave me a second look, and how nice other people were. I got talking to another solo traveler in the Dole Whip line, had a CM sit down and tell me all about the building of the Ballroom when I was eating at BOG, swapped stories with a solo traveler at the resort bar, and ate and chatted with three different families who were super friendly when I asked if I could share their (big) table in busy restaurants. It was great to have some friendly interaction with other Disney people, and then wander off back to do my own thing at the end of it. And I'm a very shy, quiet kind of person when I'm alone, so if I can make randomly make friends in the parks, anyone can!

You'll love it :cool1:

Just to add: Pick a few things that you'd love to do there if you were with someone, and challenge yourself to do them anyway even though you'll be alone. I really wanted to eat at BOG but the thought of sitting in a restaurant with families all around me made me really nervous. I made myself do it and got in the line for lunch, and it was one of the highlights of the whole trip. And it was a great step up to doing TS meals by myself, which I've made a few ADR's for during my May trip!
 
Funny. I'm going exactly one month (same dates) before you. My first solo trip also. Feels wierd. Going SOLO was definitely NOT planned. A friend of mine backed out at the last minute. :scared: Since I was the only one who had already bought the plane ticket I figure ok I can do this...

Now as I try to make an itinerary or try to get ready for this trip I sit and wonder -- am I going to just sit by the pool all day everyday??? :beach:

I hope that won't be the case and I can get over being the odd (wo)man out.

What kinds of things did you do when you got there? Where did you eat? :scratchin

I need ideas...:artist:

Hi Tammy, looking forward to hanging out for some rides together, if it works out for us to be in the same park sometime during our April trips.

I've done several solo trips, and will dine anywhere that I'm interested in, solo or not. :)

Most of the families are too focussed on their own group to even notice that another traveler is solo.

Mini-golf and couples' dancing aren't so great alone, but a solo traveller can enjoy most of the other activities WDW has to offer.
 
for those who will be there during the flower/garden

go one day (at least) to one of the seminar, go to a concert, attend a HGTV presentation.

here is the information
http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/guides/epcot/events/ep-flower-garden.htm

even if you don't think you will enjoy this - trust me something here will click.

have fun on my trip - even if that means reading a book in my room....okay it was at blt and was watching the mk at the time. but still enjoying my book.

that is what a solo trip is - you get to do what you enjoy - parks or no parks - rides or no rides - shows or no shows

it is your trip - no one else is involved. Love helping other guests - sometimes they love your help - or ignore you - if ignored just go to someone else. You might be surprised how many guests get lost at WDW.

now don't like to shop except at WDW.... so since that hurts the budget try now to go into shops.

what do you like to do - make sure you do it! (okay only if legal) - enjoy your time.pixiedust:
 
I am using Touring Plans to figure out all the attractions that I want to do, shows I want to see, places to eat, etc. Going to try to do all the ones that get real busy by around lunchtime and then use the rest of the day to go do the others. I am hoping that I can achieve that all in one day per park. Then I am going to use my other two days to just play it by ear, do the things I really loved again, or anything I missed out on the first time around.

I am really looking forward to the Keys of the Kingdom tour (which is something I'd only be able to experience solo) and the Dole Whip with spiced rum (thanks to spiceycat for that info!).

The only thing I don't think I'll enjoy is the eating alone part which is something I have neeever enjoyed...but then again Disney does make practically everything more magically so maybe it won't be so bad :cool1:
 
MrKDilkington said:
I am really looking forward to the Keys of the Kingdom tour (which is something I'd only be able to experience solo) and the Dole Whip with spiced rum (thanks to spiceycat for that info!).

The only thing I don't think I'll enjoy is the eating alone part which is something I have neeever enjoyed...but then again Disney does make practically everything more magically so maybe it won't be so bad :cool1:

Same here, for both the the rum dole whip, and the KTTK tour. I'm really excited about the tour - no-one else in my family has ever shown an interest in it but I've been dying to do it for ages. In terms of eating alone, don't worry, I was surprised at how easy it was. Being by myself made it faster as I didn't have to wait for people that wanted to use it as a time to rest, or wait for kids to stop messing around and finish eating. I'd eat quickly so I could get back out to the parks, and while I was sitting I'd reply to texts/emails and look at my park map to plan my next block of time.

My next "goal" is to go to a slow, relaxed TS meal and not feel awkward being alone and trying to rush out of there
 
I have gone solo many times and love it. One of my favorite places to eat is the Sci Fi Dine in at DHS. The food is just ok, but the atmosphere is fantastic. You sit in cars watching clips of drive in movies. It is dark in there. They usually put me in a car with a family as a hitchhiker in the back seat. No one knows you are alone, or cares. It was great fun and the CM's were super.
 
Hi ,,im Aziz from Morocco work in Epcot park
just saw ur post and im inetereted to meet and know new people from everywhere ^^
 
I am doing the solo to POP this Oct, 7 or 9 days. golf In the Morning( at least for 4 of the days) and the parks In the afternoon. The other days I am doing three meals and as many shows as I can
 
I've been to WDW dozens of times, but I am taking my first ever solo trip next month and I could not be more excited! :woohoo:

I'm really looking forward to doing whatever I want to do, WHEN I want to do it and not having to ask anyone else if it's okay. It's MY time. MY schedule.

The only thing I might be slightly apprehensive about is dining alone. I REALLY wanna try out BoG, but eating by myself kind of freaks me out. Other than that, I plan on having a blast!
 
I am planning to post reports of my trip from May 11-18 and I have never been before but the more and more I am reading on this forum the more I am realizing that die hard Disney fans (like myself :cool1:) find ways to have a good time even by themselves. Granted I would rather have someone there to enjoy the magic with me but hey you only live once so why wait on someone else to take your dream vacation?
 
Hi Geffric! We sure had some great times in years past! Even though you didn't think you can get over there for my April trip, hope to see you there some other time. I'm thinking my next trip after April 2013 may be October 2014.
 

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