What do you really think when you see someone alone at WDW?

[CarolA]

I have several answers:


3. When thinking about a solo trip when I'm not at WDW: I think it's pathetic. That's because when my mother worked at a hospital ER there was a male nurse who was about 60, never married and still lived with his mother. The guy happened to be the biggest jerk in the whole ER,which is probably why he never married. He would go on solo trips to WDW, so I grew to associate solo trips to WDW with this loser jerk guy. It's not fair, but that guy's face just pops into my mind when I hear about solo trips.

4

Well, I am sorry yiou think some of us are "pathetic" LOL Personally I think you are missing out on a lot of fun by allowing one experience to prejudice you, but that's your call.


Actually I see so many familes where at least ONE person looks miserable that I figure I am doing good. I have never had a public fight with anyone at Disney, yelled at my kids (here's a hint... telling Junior you spent a fortune and he WILL have fun never works!). I have never cried because I was upset or mad, I have never battered anyone with a stroller...... Personally I think as a solo I am having a LOT more fun then some familes I see.

 

[TDC Nala]

 

[lulubelle]

I have gone to DL for the day four or five times and twice for an overnight stay to enjoy the parks for a few days...by myself. I do this because I am an admitted Disney Freak and my family members are not. Honestly, it is kind of a bittersweet experience for me - on one hand I love just being in the parks and soaking up all the atmosphere, riding what I want when I want, seeing things my family will not tolerate, having a dole whip and a churro for lunch. But, I also feel kind of sad...and maybe a little sorry for myself...that none of my loved ones are enjoying all of it with me. Especially when I stay the night at PP or DLH and am alone at night. Overall, it is truly magical and I love all my time there, but I do wish my DH liked DL more and now DD is grown and in college and cannot be with me Anyway, it is true that people do not really notice you are alone and most folks are very friendly. And it is nice to hear that even if they did, most would be envious

Great thread.

 

[Cruise04]

I think of how jealous I am. Now don't get me wrong - I love going to WDW with my family but it was awesome when I went by myself a few years ago (met up with some DISers but there was one day when I was by myself and it was great to do what I wanted to do and didn't have to answer to anyone. I ate at Pecos Bills for lunch and this wonderful older couple from London asked if they could sit with me because there were no open tables and of course I said yes (that's the type of person I am) and we had a great conversation. It was cool!!!

 

[Nank]

I would think what a lucky, lucky person!

 

[CleveRocks]

November 1993, I was at the Wyndham Palace on business, traveling without my wife (children were 7 years in the future). The professional conference I was presenting at ended by mid-late afternoon, so I went to parks most days.

The only time I felt the least-bit odd being there alone was when I was in a LOOOOONG line for Splash Mountain, which was pretty new at the time. CMs were shouting out asking if there were any single riders, and some guests were also shouting this out, helping to relay the message to the nether regions of the huge crowd. I was eager to ride and wasn't looking forward to waiting for 2 hours or more, so of course I called out that I was a single, and made my way to the front of the line.

Sure, I felt a little funny about that situation, but I guess it was compounded by the fact that the Philadelphia Phillies had just been humiliated in the 1993 World Series, and proud fan that I am I was wearing my bright red Phillies batting practice jersey and Phillies cap. I'd never seen so many Toronto Blue Jays fans as I did that afternoon.

-- Eric

 

[disneytraveler]

I am a solo traveler and have visited Wdw several times. I hope to see some of you in september!

 

[newcomer52]

I love it when they call out for a single rider, and say me, and get to go to the front of the line!! What's better than that!

js

 

[DebbieTN]

I've gone to the parks lots of time by myself and have a great time. My DH doesn't like to go to WDW so I go with my daughter or cousin. My DD usually has friends she hooks up with and sometimes my cousin gets tired and goes back to the room, so I do the parks by myself. I actually love it. You can do what you want, when you want. The only thing I feel a weird about is riding the rides in Fantasyland. I'm a little uncomfortable standing in line by myself while everyone else has small kids with them. I also do Universal and Six Flags parks by myself because my DD rides all the rollercoaster and I don't. We just meet up a couple of times during the day to ride some things together. It's especially great for "single rider" rides.

Hi CarolA. I noticed you're from Nashville also.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I just returned last night from a solo trip, and I found that lots of people didn't know I was solo. Several times, when I'd be talking to people in lines or on buses, you know-the "pass the time/where ya from" conversations, people would ask me "So who are you here with?" Everyone who asked figured I had family/travel mates in the room or elsewhere at that time. People seemed very surprised when I told them "No one-I'm here at WDW by myself". Even dining solo, CMs tend to figure you're at WDW with someone who's somewhere else. But the CMs especially seemed to think that coming to WDW solo, doing what you wanted when you wanted sounded great!

 

[teammom]

I went by myself and had a blast!! You go and do anything you want when you went. I told myself I was going to see &ride everything so I would know what was good and what was not so good. I loved it! you don't have to worry about keeping up with anyone. The next several trips I was the tour guide and everyone was really glad someone knew which way to go. There are even rides with lines for single riders and you get on right away. Do it, you'll have a great time. And it doesn't matter what someone might think!

 

[eclectics]

They'd probably be jealous! Enjoy your alone time and think of it as a treat!

 

[lizanne]

I'm usually very self-conscious but when i'm in WDW I've never found myself worrying about what other people thought and I never realized it until now.

I've gone to the parks many times by myself for one reason or another and I've eaten in the parks alone, never thought twice about it.

 

[ktink]

I think all of you solo travelers are alot braver than me. I could never travel alone. I grew up in a large family and I'm constantly around a large group of friends and I just don't like doing much of anything without talking up a storm. So if I ever got the nerve to travel alone then I'd probably harass some people by talking too much and they'd probably report me for stalking.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy some quite time every now and then but I'd just rather be w/ my family at WDW. I wish I could be more like ya'll though.

 

[Melwood23]

I go alone all the time, and as long as you have a good time, have a big happy smile on your face, look like your having fun, then I would think you were having a ball!

 

[ktink]

A hello to CarolA and Debbietn. I'm just south of ya'll in Shelbyville.

 

[goofyernmost]

So my husband has to be out of town more often than not in September and all the kids are in college now. I want to visit some family members in the south and go to WDW by myself for a couple of days. I'm not really the type to care what people think, and frankly, I could use the alone time, but I just wonder if secretly people will be pitying me

What do you really, honestly think when you see a solo traveler at WDW? I wish that was me!!! or That poor, friendless soul!!!!

Thanks! I go by myself all the time and, until now, it never occured to me to be in tune to what others were thinking. Seriously, I doubt if anyone has the time to think either thing orf even be aware that someone is alone. The very most anyone would think would be, I wonder where the rest of the family is and are they going to cut in front any second now?

I do feel a little odd when I go up to the end of the "q" and they ask how many and I say one. That quickly passes when I get to go in the single lines for Mission Space and Test Track. I will, for old times sake, ride a ride that is more for the "little one's", like Snow White or Pooh, and I get some strange stares with the questioning eyes saying, what is an old fuddy duddy like him doing riding this by himself. Other than that the advantages of solo far outweigh the disadvantages. It is so great to decide what to do, when to do it and how long to do it for. No one to clear it with. I've been known to ride Spaceship Earth 5 consecutive times just because I wanted too. I never could have done that with someone.

So relax and have a great time.

 

[MEG&MINNIE]

We were just @ WDW this past week and went to the Character Breakfast @ Chef Mickey's on Sunday morning and at the table right next to us was an older woman 60 ish ,sitting there at breakfast all by herself. I actually did feel bad for her . Here she was in this loud ,family filled resturant, sitting by herself with a book to read at her side.I spoke a to her a little and would look over and smile when the whole resturant began to sing "Happy Birthday" at one table while we were all "waving" our napkins. When we left I made sure to tell her to have a nice vacation. To me she just seemed "all alone". I think if I did travel by myself to WDW ,I would chose a different resturant setting. I would opt for a counter service meal instead of a Character Breakfast/Dinner family setting..... Just my opinion.

 

[CarolynNC]

I just returned from my first solo trip and I'm chomping at the bit to plan another. I've been going to Disney World since it opened but always traveled with family and friends. I needed a vacation and was desperate for some alone time. It was great leaving my job behind and although I missed my son it was great being able to do just what I wanted to do for once. I loved riding all the classic rides in Magic Kingdom. My son is too "old" for them now but they still hold a special place in my heart. I wasn't treated any differently at sit down meals. Service was wonderful in all the places I picked to eat. I also loved the single rider lines and made sure I listened for the singles call while waiting in line. I slept in if I felt like it, spent the morning at the pool, or made my way to a park if I wanted to go early. It was wonderful doing just what I wanted to do.

My son feels like he's outgrown WDW and loves to go to US/IOA now. I'll just need to get my Disney fix solo from now on. Of course he had second thoughts when I decided to go alone.

 

[Simba's Mom]

We were just @ WDW this past week and went to the Character Breakfast @ Chef Mickey's on Sunday morning and at the table right next to us was an older woman 60 ish ,sitting there at breakfast all by herself. I actually did feel bad for her . Here she was in this loud ,family filled resturant, sitting by herself with a book to read at her side.I spoke a to her a little and would look over and smile when the whole resturant began to sing "Happy Birthday" at one table while we were all "waving" our napkins. When we left I made sure to tell her to have a nice vacation. To me she just seemed "all alone". I think if I did travel by myself to WDW ,I would chose a different resturant setting. I would opt for a counter service meal instead of a Character Breakfast/Dinner family setting..... Just my opinion.

I can understand how it might have looked and you were trying to be thoughtful, but it's also possible that woman was caring for aging parents (or a spouse with alzheimers) on a daily basis, filled with stress, running ragged, and she may have relished the time to herself to actually sit and read a book, not have to lift a finger even with all those people around as her family was cared for by others for a few days. I'm close to her age and that could have been me in Chef Mickey's. Thirty years ago, I, too, might have felt bad for her, but I see it differently now!