Thinking of My First Solo Trip

[jesemeca]

Hello. I am currently thinking of going on my first solo trip. I really want to be in Magic Kingdom on its 40th Anniversary, but can not find anyone willing to go with me. Also I would like to try the Food and Wine Festival and MNSSHP. I have never attended either of those.

I have priced out the trip and after the initial shock I am willing to pay it. LOL. I did receive a FD pin code, so that did help some. I will have to fly if I go solo, because I don't think driving 12 hours by myself would be the best thing. I have never flown, so this will be a trip full of firsts. I have been checking out flight prices, but don't know if they are considered a good price or not. I could use some help with that.

I already know my dates. September 30th-October 7th. I would be staying at POP Century with the Dining Plan. I pretty much know where I want to eat and what I want to do. It's just convincing myself that I can do it. I'm just looking for some advice on how to convince myself it will all be alright. I have spent solo time on previous trips, but never for more than a few hours. I loved my time alone though. I was able to take all the pictures I wanted without anyone telling me otherwise.

I wanna go, I'm just a little concerned about how I will feel once I am there.

 

[catra121]

It will be okay...it will be exciting!

That's a great time to go. I am looking forward to my first disney trip solo in 2012. Never done it before but am really looking forward to just being on my own and enjoying the parks and resort at a nice slow pace, doing what I want when I want, etc.

You're going to have a GREAT time!

 

[Amysita]

I actually prefer solo. You're right...it's a nice chunk of change to go. I want my money's worth. Solo, I decide what to do, when, and how long...rather than someone else with a different agenda dictate all or part of my vacation. I feel I get much more bang for the buck going by myself...I'm not wasting valueable time / money waiting for sleepy heads to get up, early birds wanting to call it a day early, standing around waiting while others ride Space Mountain & Tower of Terror, skipping something I wanted to do because I was the only one that wanted to do it, etc. You really do have the freedom to customize your trip only to you & your likes / dislikes. I walk away feeling like I got the most enjoyment for my hard earned cash...because my Disney vacations are all about me!

 

[let'sgo]

I actually prefer solo. You're right...it's a nice chunk of change to go. I want my money's worth. Solo, I decide what to do, when, and how long...rather than someone else with a different agenda dictate all or part of my vacation. I feel I get much more bang for the buck going by myself...I'm not wasting valueable time / money waiting for sleepy heads to get up, early birds wanting to call it a day early, standing around waiting while others ride Space Mountain & Tower of Terror, skipping something I wanted to do because I was the only one that wanted to do it, etc. You really do have the freedom to customize your trip only to you & your likes / dislikes. I walk away feeling like I got the most enjoyment for my hard earned cash...because my Disney vacations are all about me!

You sure have that right! I get so tired of taking pictures of DH's back or hearing, "Why are you taking a picture of that?" I don't like people mocking my vacation choice or not being able to make rope drop at 9 a.m. And why does anyone prefer being in the room watching news rather than out enjoying the parks or the resort grounds? I had my first solo trip and it was wonderful!

 

[MMrules]

I too had no friends or family with the desire or income to go. So my wonderful husband offered to stay home with our children and let me go solo!!! I went from Feb. 4 to 7 and I am happy to say it was wonderful!!! I stayed at the WL b/c I wanted a hotel with indoor corridors (just my need for safety I guess). It was my first time at the WL and I fell in love!!! It was perfect. I took my Nook with me and spent every evening in front of the fireplace reading and relaxing. (Don't get to do that much at home with little ones).

I was nervous about flying solo, but it was very easy. Orlando International airport staff is very helpful if you end up on the wrong floor (which I did) and then the Magical Express bus takes you right to the resort so you don't need to worry about driving to/from.

I loved being able to do what I want, when I wanted. Shop in a store without anyone complaining, trying to leave or breaking stuff. I got to see shows that I have missed because DH doesn't like them. I spent about a 1/2 hour at the gorilla exhibit at AK asking the CM every possible question I could think of...I bet she was happy to see me leave . My biggest treat was I did Dolphins in Depth which was amazing!!!!

I never moved away to college (commuted), didn't attend spring breaks, never had my own apartment so this was a huge thing for me to do alone. It was wonderful and I am trying to convince my DH to let me have another one!!!I met some wonderful people while waiting in line and sitting at the fireplace and no one needs to know you are alone. IT IS GREAT!!!!

 

[shaka]

I think you'll love going on a solo trip! The thing that would get me is the solo dining at table service restaurants, but I'm just weird about that.

 

[tellemarie]

I just went on a week long solo trip from late Jan to early Feb and it was the most amazing experience of my life. I did table service, quick service, and character dining and never had a problem with feeling awkward/weird. I will say that I felt much more comfortable when doing TS because QS felt so much like going to sit in the cafeteria when none of your friends were at school that day.

If you have any questions I'd love to help!

 

[mecllap]

Going solo is great! You have a lot more freedom. There are lots of hints and tips in other threads on this board.

I used to have to eat solo in restaurants because of work travel, so learned to be comfortable. Then again, at WDW, I rarely want to invest the time and money in TS except for special occasions (I try to save money on food so I can stay longer). I often use the waiting/resting time at meals to go thru my photos on my camera to delete the crummy ones, or read brochures and maps to do planning, or to work on a journal of what I've already done. But just watching other people and the scenery is fun, too. (It's surprising how many people in couples or groups do not appear to be enjoying themselves as much as I am).

It's nice to have a car for flexibility and "in case something happens" (like an unexpected sore throat)-- or a trip to a Disney outlet store (character outlet). I usually need a trip to Walmart! It's about a 12 hour drive for me, but I have gotten so that I plan to make it a two-day trip, but younger people seem to make the drive just fine. But, not having a car is also fine.

ETA: Use the photopass system so you can be in photos, esp. with characters; the photogs and other CMs will also take photos of you with your camera.

Have a wonderful time!

 

[jesemeca]

It will be okay...it will be exciting!

That's a great time to go. I am looking forward to my first disney trip solo in 2012. Never done it before but am really looking forward to just being on my own and enjoying the parks and resort at a nice slow pace, doing what I want when I want, etc.

You're going to have a GREAT time!

Thanks for the encouragement.

I actually prefer solo. You're right...it's a nice chunk of change to go. I want my money's worth. Solo, I decide what to do, when, and how long...rather than someone else with a different agenda dictate all or part of my vacation. I feel I get much more bang for the buck going by myself...I'm not wasting valueable time / money waiting for sleepy heads to get up, early birds wanting to call it a day early, standing around waiting while others ride Space Mountain & Tower of Terror, skipping something I wanted to do because I was the only one that wanted to do it, etc. You really do have the freedom to customize your trip only to you & your likes / dislikes. I walk away feeling like I got the most enjoyment for my hard earned cash...because my Disney vacations are all about me!

I have been looking at prices and decided that I will only do four days instead of six. That saves me about $300 dollars. Now the decision is whether to drive or fly.

The freedom to go on only the rides I want to go will be the best part. I don't do any of the thrill rides, so I always have to wait for everyone else to be finished.

 

[jesemeca]

You sure have that right! I get so tired of taking pictures of DH's back or hearing, "Why are you taking a picture of that?" I don't like people mocking my vacation choice or not being able to make rope drop at 9 a.m. And why does anyone prefer being in the room watching news rather than out enjoying the parks or the resort grounds? I had my first solo trip and it was wonderful!

On my last trip in January, I took over 2000 pictures in six days. I can pretty much guarantee the number would be even higher if I was by myself. My family and I have different touring styles, so I think the break from them would be nice.

I too had no friends or family with the desire or income to go. So my wonderful husband offered to stay home with our children and let me go solo!!! I went from Feb. 4 to 7 and I am happy to say it was wonderful!!! I stayed at the WL b/c I wanted a hotel with indoor corridors (just my need for safety I guess). It was my first time at the WL and I fell in love!!! It was perfect. I took my Nook with me and spent every evening in front of the fireplace reading and relaxing. (Don't get to do that much at home with little ones).

I was nervous about flying solo, but it was very easy. Orlando International airport staff is very helpful if you end up on the wrong floor (which I did) and then the Magical Express bus takes you right to the resort so you don't need to worry about driving to/from.

I loved being able to do what I want, when I wanted. Shop in a store without anyone complaining, trying to leave or breaking stuff. I got to see shows that I have missed because DH doesn't like them. I spent about a 1/2 hour at the gorilla exhibit at AK asking the CM every possible question I could think of...I bet she was happy to see me leave . My biggest treat was I did Dolphins in Depth which was amazing!!!!

I never moved away to college (commuted), didn't attend spring breaks, never had my own apartment so this was a huge thing for me to do alone. It was wonderful and I am trying to convince my DH to let me have another one!!!I met some wonderful people while waiting in line and sitting at the fireplace and no one needs to know you are alone. IT IS GREAT!!!!

I will be staying at POP, but I have a friend that works there, so I am partial to that one. LOL. I'm currently thinking that if I decide to treat myself even more than just taking a solo trip, I will upgrade to deluxe dining. There are so many places that I would love to try, that the picky eaters in my family never would.

I think you'll love going on a solo trip! The thing that would get me is the solo dining at table service restaurants, but I'm just weird about that.

Oddly enough, I'm not big on eating alone when I am home. But I don't think it will bother me in Disney. There is so much more to look at and more to enjoy.

 

[jesemeca]

I just went on a week long solo trip from late Jan to early Feb and it was the most amazing experience of my life. I did table service, quick service, and character dining and never had a problem with feeling awkward/weird. I will say that I felt much more comfortable when doing TS because QS felt so much like going to sit in the cafeteria when none of your friends were at school that day.

If you have any questions I'd love to help!

I will definately be doing character dining, that's my favorite kind of dining.

Which hotel did you stay at? Did you feel comfortable taking the buses and walking back late at night? I hear most people say that for a single women, I should stay at one of the indoor corridor hotels. I can't afford that, so it's POP for me.

Going solo is great! You have a lot more freedom. There are lots of hints and tips in other threads on this board.

I used to have to eat solo in restaurants because of work travel, so learned to be comfortable. Then again, at WDW, I rarely want to invest the time and money in TS except for special occasions (I try to save money on food so I can stay longer). I often use the waiting/resting time at meals to go thru my photos on my camera to delete the crummy ones, or read brochures and maps to do planning, or to work on a journal of what I've already done. But just watching other people and the scenery is fun, too. (It's surprising how many people in couples or groups do not appear to be enjoying themselves as much as I am).

It's nice to have a car for flexibility and "in case something happens" (like an unexpected sore throat)-- or a trip to a Disney outlet store (character outlet). I usually need a trip to Walmart! It's about a 12 hour drive for me, but I have gotten so that I plan to make it a two-day trip, but younger people seem to make the drive just fine. But, not having a car is also fine.

ETA: Use the photopass system so you can be in photos, esp. with characters; the photogs and other CMs will also take photos of you with your camera.

Have a wonderful time!

I don't think I would be getting the dining plan if it weren't for free. LOL. I would have just eaten a few table service and winged the rest. I do plan on taking a notebook so I can write about the trip. Gotta do the trip report. I figured this would be something good to keep me occupied while waiting for my food.

My mom is more concerned about me driving then I am. When looking at prices, it would be cheaper for me to drive. I have relatives that live in Florida, so I might bunk with them on the way down and back. If I do decide to fly, I have my best friend that lives in Orlando, in case of an emergency.

And I definately plan on buying the photopass. I did that on my last trip in January, and LOVED it. I love all the little extras they put in your pictures.

 

[eyor44]

I took a solo trip May 2010 and loved it. It was wondeful to be able to do what I wanted to do when I wanted to do it. I was working the first part of the week, so only got to do the parks at night. I stayed at AS Music and felt perfectly safe. I was even at one of the back buildings and didn't have a problem. One night I had to walk up to the desk at 11:00pm to get the internet turned on. Never thought a thing about being out that late by myself. There were even CMs out and about that late.


Loved, loved, loved it and would do it again in a heart beat.

 

[catra121]

If you can afford it with your savings I would definitely recommend the Deluxe Dining plan. My mom and I had that for our mother-daughter trip last September and it was AWESOME! I'm going to get it for my solo trip so I can try out a lot of new restaurants. Since it will be an upgrade on free dining you will definitely get your money's worth out of the upgrade.

 

[Chrisvee]

WDW is a great place to visit solo. I visited by myself last May and have another trip planned solo this Nov. You can pretty much do everything alone that you could do with someone else (rides, food, events, etc.) but you don't have to coordinate your plans with anyone!

If you stay on the property, you can use Magical Express to/from the airport and then use the on property bus/water/monorail transportation. Even late at night, I've felt safe on the transportation (plus there are always so many people around).

I've never felt uncomfortable dining alone, either -- the servers are always so nice and they chat with me, plus I bring a book!

I've even gone to Jellyrolls piano bar on the Boardwalk and have struck up conversation with people -- everyone is always pretty friendly at WDW.

Flying alone can seem intimidating at first (I do a lot of it for work) but the Orlando airport is very easy to get around and everyone knows where to head for the Disney transport so you won't get lost. The biggest thing is to go to the TSA website to understand the security procedures and the carryon luggage procedures.

I would be more concerned about driving 12h alone -- what if the car breaks down? Where will you go for rest stops? I frequently drive 4+h for work and driving alone during the dark is scarier to me than flying or traveling on the Disney property.

Best wishes!

 

[wdwkimberlee]

Hello jesemeca!! Please, whatever you do, don't let lack of a travel buddy keep you from your dream of being at WDW for the 40th anniversary. I've done two solo trips--THEY ARE FANTASTIC!!! The freedom to roam however/wherever you want cannot be matched! What schedule? Your schedule!

The solo trip I took Oct 2010 was my best trip ever. It was six nights/seven days at Pop (love Pop). The weather was perfect, I had fun activities planned, did MNSSHP and F&W fest. (Ate my little face off!) I even got to participate in an Illuminations cruise by finding a group on here who wanted to share (really nice people and it didn't cost too much).

I even did the "One night Premium Plan" that's been talked about on the resorts board. What a blast--I would definitely do it again. Here's the stuff I did over the two days (one night) on the Premium Plan: Wild by Design tour (AK), Tusker House lunch, Backstage Safari tour (AK), Cirque, Fulton's dinner, POR carriage ride, parasailing, jet ski guided tour, Les Chefs dinner, and Illuminations preferred viewing.

Never once did I feel unsafe walking around the resort in the dark. Everywhere at Pop is very well-lit and there are always plenty of people around. I don't think Pop ever sleeps! And I never felt weird being alone. Everyone is so busy doing their own thing, that nobody is really paying attention to whether you're alone or not.

Have fun planning your trip. If you want any info on anything else about solo travel to WDW, please ask. Everyone on here is so friendly and helpful.

Kim

 

[ebtbmom]

I took my first solo at the end of Jan and it was an amazing and wonderful experience and I'm already saving up to do another one.

Like many people have said, you can do whatever, whenever, and however you want. My DH and DS are good sports about going to WDW, but they don't love it like I do and are totally bored by the history and ambiance that I find so captivating. I took a Keys to the Kingdom tour which was really nice. I sat in a rocking chair in Frontierland for an hour and listened to the music while people watching. I ate at a TS each day including 1 character meal (gotta love eating at CP and being in MK at rope drop!). I even hung out in the bar at my resort (POFQ), ate dinner, had a beer, and watched the live entertainment and never felt awkward or out of place about any of it.

The only problem is, now I'm planning a family trip for next year and I've already been thinking about all of the stuff I won't be able to slow down and savor with DH and DS in tow, solo has spoiled me!

 

[ebtbmom]

Oh yeah, and I would definetly recommend flying. I have flown before, but his was my first flight by myself and it wasn't too bad and usually I HATE flying. I'm about a 10 hour drive from WDW and the flight went by so fast I hardly had time to get nervous. Plus I got basically an entire day in WS because my flight landed at MCO at 900, I checked in by 1030 and was in Epcot by 1130 heading back there. That never could have happened if I had drove.