Solo traveler first time disney world orlando

[Dagusto87]

Hot Dog! Hi all,

It has been my dream for years, and finally going through with it. As my partner is not a huge fan as I am i will be traveling alone. Not that it's a bad thing, I'm good with that.

From 20th until 24th of January I will be visiting Disney World Orlando for the first time. I'm super excited of course. And I can not even believe it yet that it is going to happen.

Now I'm looking some fellow Disney maniacs who like to meet up and explore the park or have lunch somewhere and talk about disney related stuff. Share experiences and just have a good time meeting new interesting people.

Looking forward seeing some replies and if you have any questions just drop a message!

See ya pall,
Danny

 

[BrianL]

to the DIS, Danny! A lot of us have done solo trips and have had a lot of fun. It's nice to have a some freedom and it feels like you can get so much done faster. There may be some DISers who want to meet up. Check out the "Solo Central" thread found at the top of this forum (https://www.disboards.com/threads/solo-central-wdw-dcl.393800/) for possible meet-ups. Do note that you need to make at least 10 posts before you us use the PM system, but you can get that in no time.

I hope you enjoy your trip, and if you have any questions, just ask The DIS!

 

[Spinster Travel]

Have a great trip! I won't be there during that time, but you'll have no problem finding people to meet up!

 

[comicguy]

I did a solo trip in July when my wife had a confernce in Tampa. It was a blast, but to be honest I still love going to Disney as a couple. Although I would go solo again if the opportunity presented itself!

 

[AdamsMum]

I've done a few solo trips, usually during one of the festivals. Festival of the Arts will be on then. I was there Jan 14 - 27, 2024 with my adult kids. Weather is unpredicable but bearable, much better than our January in Southern Ontario. We had tons of fun, they like their cocktails. I'm usually too cheap to buy Disney booze but they didn't even blink. It was hard to keep up with them. This October I'll be on a solo trip, it's much easier to keep up with myself.
I hope you find some fun people to hang out with, if not, you'll have fun anyway.

 

[Bete]

I found it easiest to join up with another single person at a table service restaurant. It's a little bit of luck tor it to happen. Sometimes I would ask a couple if I could join them.

Teppan Edo and Biergarten have group seating; so, that's another way to have conversation.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Teppan Edo and Biergarten have group seating; so, that's another way to have conversation.

I ate solo at Teppen Edo, and learned the hard way that table mates don't always want to converse with a solo. Nothing like being pointedly ignored! That's when I decided I'd rather dine solo, than to wish I was.
My first solo trip was a "Mom's weekend" gift from my family, and I loved it. Thirty years and at least 25 solo trips later, I still love every solo trip. I hope you do too.

 

[Bete]

I ate solo at Teppen Edo, and learned the hard way that table mates don't always want to converse with a solo. Nothing like being pointedly ignored! That's when I decided I'd rather dine solo, than to wish I was.
My first solo trip was a "Mom's weekend" gift from my family, and I loved it. Thirty years and at least 25 solo trips later, I still love every solo trip. I hope you do too.

I agree this can be hit and miss. I've had better experiences doing this but it's not always the best situation.

One more option is to pick a Disney tour that includes a meal. I remember doing a meal at Hollywood Studios with an animator. Doing Disney tours are with groups: so, even without a meal it can be a way to meet new friends.

 

[zackiedawg]

Congrats on the first Disney trip and the first solo there too. It's hard not to have a good time, solo or with traveling partners. Disney is a little unique in being a very easy destination for solos without feeling alone or strange - no one gives a second glance to solo travelers there and there are a lot! I go to Disney on 4 to 5 trips a year since it's just a few-hours-drive from me, and my trips vary from a friend or family, to a large group, to solo. I have a few Disney friends who like to go there, so some trips will be with them, but they're not always able to make it, so sometimes I'll go solo.

I actually came to enjoy the solo trips so much that now I make at least 1, sometimes more, solo trips each year. I am much more relaxed, no one else's schedule to worry about, keep my pace, ride what I want to ride, or not ride at all, boat around to various resorts and walk the grounds, etc.

And it's not too difficult to find other solo travelers if you want to - I've met up with other solos there - not pre-planned or on the boards first - where we decided to spend hours hitting the parks together, going to restaurants, bars afterwards, etc - almost like I would do with a friend I went with. Other times, I was checking in for my reservation and found other solos asking about tables - and ended up doing a random dinner with them (one trick - I almost always get a reservation for two, so if I'm alone, I just tell them to knock it down to 1 when I check in, but if I bump into someone trying to get in without a res, I can invite them to my reservation if they want. I've eaten with everything from solo 25 year old guys, 50 year old Japanese women, 80-year-old fresh widowers, and everything in between. And sometimes they may decline - feeling it's strange eating with some rando - which I'm OK with too.

Solo travelers can sometimes find an easy way to score a seat at busy restaurants that have long-ago sold out reservations - sit at the bar. And usually, bar seating dinners are easy to spark up conversations with those around you - even groups and couples...most people sitting at a bar for dinner are amenable to being social (of course not all - you can easily read the room and know if you've got someone not wanting to interact!).

If you're at popular bars or lunch spots where it's first-come-first served, and you're sitting at a table for 4 by yourself, you can choose to stay solo and enjoy the peacefulness, or you can invite the parties roaming around the bar and aisles hoping to find someone leaving to share your table - another way to have a friendly conversation with some folks with no obligations. I've done this at Wailulu, Nomad Lounge, Tiki Terrace, etc - I get lucky and find a table leaving, snag it for myself, then if I see a group of 2 hunting for a table, I'll point to indicate they're welcome to join my empty seats if they want.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I agree this can be hit and miss. I've had better experiences doing this but it's not always the best situation.

Definitely, hit or miss. Unfortunately, as I was leaving, a woman at the next table and I both realized we were high school math teachers and had lots of stories to share. Had we sat next to each other while dining, it would have been a big hit instead.