Sleep. Eat. Ride. (A Solo Trip Report - LONG)

[llij]

N.E.D., Great trip report so far! I love all the detail you have put into it! It sounds like you had a great time so far and I can't wait to read about the rest of your trip.

 

[fizz13]

Really enjoying the trip. Sounds like going solo isn't scary at all, keep it coming,
Claire

 

[jeancbpugh]

A thousand thank yous for posting about the claustrophic possibilities on Mission Space. I only get mild motion sickness, however I break into a sweat of panic at the closed-in feeling on Spaceship Earth. I will pass on Mission Space.

Great report.

 

[NewEnglandDisney]

llij - Thank you for your kind words!

fizz13 - It's really not so scary! I have traveled solo quite often in the past, for business, school, and pleasure, so as you can see it really wasn't an issue for me. It's definately not for everyone, but if you have the personality for it you can really have a unique experience. I never ran out of cool people to meet at WDW when I felt like it, and when I was in the mood to be more reflective and really absorb the atmosphere I was able to as well. I have no regrets going solo - in fact, although I have a family trip coming up in the spring, I have already planned for a few more solo days in January.

jeancbpugh - NP. I am glad you found out before-hand. I had seen plenty of video from the ride - on Disney Channel and on the resort TV - and the little capsules they put you in just don't look as enclosed as they actually are. You are literally sealed in a space about as large as your living room couch, and about 1/2 as deep. Stick four people in there and it's pretty scary. I'm a decent sized guy (almost 6', just around 200lbs) and I felt cramped - I can't imagine what a bigger person would feel like. It wasn't so bad (even after the "sealed in" part) until the panel in front of you lowers toward you - I honestly have never felt that way in my life! I mean, when I was a kid they used to find me sleeping on the closet floor after playing hide-n-seek - small spaces don't bother me. But boy, did it on this ride. So if you have ANY sort of issue with claustrophobia, be sure to steer clear!


Thanks again everyone! The last sections should be up by early morning!

N.E.D.

 

[floridagirrl2]

Great trip report--thanks! Did you do any sit-down meals? I am curious what it's like to do solo sit-down meals, especially dinner.

 

[NewEnglandDisney]

Originally posted by floridagirrl2
Great trip report--thanks! Did you do any sit-down meals? I am curious what it's like to do solo sit-down meals, especially dinner.

Yep, if you look closely above you'll see that I ate at the Brown Derby and Le Cellier for lunch, and in my final set of reports I'll talk about Rainforest Cafe and Sci-Fi Dine In.

Solo dining, like just about everything else solo at WDW, is all about how you see yourself reflected. If you act ashamed that you are alone (for whatever reason) people will percieve it as a "bad" thing, but if you act like it's no big deal (especially once you realize that it really isn't!) no one will think anything different.

Some people think it's truly odd that I would choose to go such a place solo - I've been there with other people many times as well, and they don't understand how I can have a good time without being co-dependent and having someone at my side the entire time. Same goes for dining - I mean, it's just eating, right? We all eat. Should we not eat in public if we don't have a "partner" or "group" to eat with every time? I think you get my point, hehe.

As I have said on these boards before, most sit-down restaurants in WDW are used to solo diners, as we tend to frequent them more often because if you are on a solo trip (even budget) you tend to have more disposable cash per person. In other words, it's not a big decision for me to spend $30 on a nice steak dinner with appetizer, etc. at the Brown Derby, but for a family of 4 to spend $120 is harder to justify in a lot of cases.

I ate four sit-down meals in six days, and the only reason I didn't do more was because I kept running out of time/wanted to be in a different park than my PS of the day. For my next trip in January, I've already booked several PS's, and will book even more this time. I usually book lunch instead of dinner for the cost/availability factor - it's easier to get PS's for lunch, and it costs signifigantly less in most cases for the same meal. I also like to sit down and relax during the hottest/busiest time of the day, and like to use the dinner hours to ride rides with less lines. That said, I really don't see a whole lot of difference in terms of solo dining between lunch and dinner - except for crowd/noise levels.

Again, as I said in one of my replies above, I certainly wouldn't recomend solo at WDW to everyone. I'm sure some people would just hate it. But if you go with the right attitude, are secure enough in yourself to say, "I'm here to have a good time, and I don't need someone else to make it that way for me", it's brilliant. I love taking people/going with family to WDW - it's really special to "share" the magic. However, happy-sharing feelings aside, I find I have the most magical time personally when I go solo - I'm not worrying about everyone else's enjoyment constantly, or what they would prefer to do, or make sure they get their "money's worth".

I know I promised it yesterday, but for real - the end will be up by early AM. Working on it right now!

N.E.D.

 

[dgaston]

I am enjoying your trip report too. And I wanted to add that I agree with you that Universal surpasses WDW with MIB and the Bilge Raft ride. Not everyone acknowledges that there are a few places where Universal does a better job. Also like the Terminator attraction. Oh, and the coasters at IOA.

Hmmm. After the DCL cruise in Feb, we're stopping at the Royal Pacific to get a Universal fix. LOL

 

[kjblovesdisney]

What great trip reports....I have always wanted to do Disney solo. I am thinking of trying it next year when my usual Disney companions head to Hawaii...... we are heading to the World in just 10 days....and I can't wait.

 

[jeancbpugh]

Originally posted by NewEnglandDisney
I know I promised it yesterday, but for real - the end will be up by early AM. Working on it right now!

N.E.D.

LOL.

 

[Eeyore4me]

Really enjoying your trip reports! And I was looking at the dates and realized we were there together...don't you remember us!
We also went to MNSSHP that Friday night & waited FOREVER for a bus back to POP with sleeping kiddies! I envy your solo trip...I wonder if I could ever pull that off?! What great fun! Looking forward to the rest

Lauren

 

[NewEnglandDisney]

dgaston - I lived in Orlando some time ago and had AP's to UO, so I ended up there an awful lot, which is why I tend to compare similar attractions. Though overall, obviously, WDW is superior, those two similar attractions really are superior over at UO. Bluto's Barges is longer, wetter, and more "fun" than Kali (I really was like, that's it??), and although I prefer the Buzz mythology to MIB, technically the ride at USF is superior (no cardboard cut-outs there!). It's hard to talk about that at Disney sites sometimes because people get so passionate - I'm glad you understood. Not on my next trip, but the one after that I am planning on spending a couple of nights on-site at Universal, just because the FOTL pass makes it SO worth it.

kjblovesdisney - Have fun on your trip! And yes, if you are someone that can enjoy traveling solo, Disney is the ultimate place for it! You never feel alone with so many friendly CMs and other guests. I called home to talk to family/friends from the parks some days when I wanted to share the experience past that (and what a thrill I was told it was when I called people from under the train station, looking at the castle, in the middle of the day while they were at work!). BTW, make sure you put up a report of your trip next week!

jeancbpugh - Are you making fun of me? Yes, they aren't done yet. I do them when I'm working late nights on-call at work, and while I usually have a couple of hours of downtime at a strech it was a busy weekend. I'm working Thanksgiving overnight, and hopefully I'll have time to polish them off then. I'm glad you're watchin' for them - it really makes me enjoy writing them even more. I'll actually be sad when I'm done, but then I'll just start planning for my next trip in a month and a half. The circle of life, hehe.

Eeyore4me - That's too funny! I've actually talked to a ton of people here and at other Disney boards who were also at Pop at the same time. Those busses were quite busy, but I did appriciate how many busses they ended up pushing out at once to get everyone back. At one point they were loading three busses at a time! Who knows, maybe I did see you - I saw tons of kids falling asleep on moms/dads, then the moms/dads falling asleep on each other. It really was adorable. Now where's your trip report?

Thanks for reading guys!

N.E.D.

 

[jeancbpugh]

Originally posted by NewEnglandDisney
jeancbpugh - Are you making fun of me?

Only a teeny tiny bit.

 

[NewEnglandDisney]

Only a teeny tiny bit.

Hehe, it's okay. I deserved it.

N.E.D.

 

[NewEnglandDisney]

Day 5 and 6 are up!

N.E.D.

 

[monte]

Wow! I loved reading your trip report and I can't wait to see the pictures. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Mysteria]

Finally day 5 and 6 N.E.D.!! lol j/k Really enjoying the report!!

Myst

 

[jeancbpugh]

I hope you'll be posting a link to your photos. The shots in the dark rides when you were solo and could use flash should be very cool.

 

[Muffy]

I'm enjoying your trip report! Thanks for posting!

 

[bigsis1970]

Wow great trip report. can't wait to read more and see your photos.. Michelle

 

[Deafmedic]

Awesome trip! I would love a solo trip for a week to WDW. I posed the idea to my DW as a scouting trip prior to their arrival and she nixed the idea. I'm so jealous of you! Great trip!