What Sorts of Things Will/Would You Do (or not!) on a Solo Trip?

[PammyJJane]

For me, I think I have a pretty long list of things that would bore the snot out of my traveling companions. Since I'm now convinced that I'm going to go in January - I just need to tell my husband LOL - I've been giving a lot of thought to it. (By the way, my husband is a worrier. He doesn't like me to travel by myself at all but he did actually said last week that he wouldn't worry about me at Disney...)

What would or will you like to do or NOT do on your solo trip? For me, it would include:

Spending a ton of time in Mexico...just sitting by the fountain, riding the ride a few times....it's just so wonderful in there. I look at the little forced perspective apartments and think I wish there was a little sitting room up there with a comfortable couch you could go rest up on...and look out the balcony at the courtyard...
Ride living with the land three times in a row
Do the BEHIND THE SEEDS tour!!!!!!!!!
Go ride Spaceship Earth whenever I darn well felt like it!
Spend time looking at every single thing in the shops at Germany, England, France, Morocco, Norway, Main Street, the shop in Liberty Square and any other shop that struck my fancy!
Stride right up to Mission Space, chicken out, turn around, go back again. Rinse and repeat.
Go to the movie in France, stretch out my legs and close my eyes, and just get lost in the music at the start...
Do "Hall of Haunted Presidents"
Ride the TTA twice a day
Haunted mansion until I got sick of it! (Does that happen? )
Have an early lunch at Columbia Harbor House (I love their hummus and tomato sandwich) and get a quiet upstairs seat by a window and watch the people walk by!
Ride BTMRR, Space Mountain, RnR, ToT, KRR and all the other slightly wilder rides that my very young children, motion-sickness prone DH, best friend w/ a heart condition and parents with medical problems can't ride - with no guilt at all!
Go to Animal Kingdom and just sit somewhere around Asia and listen to the music.
Have Sushi in Japan. (I know no one else who likes it!)
Have a few drinks at Epcot.

 

[ClareH37]

What a great thread

Here's some of the things I plan on doing.

Not getting up so early each morning, and then having breakfast room service
Lunch at San Angel Inn (always wanted to do it)
Go round and round on the TTA
Ride the Great Movie Ride over and over again
Ride It's a Small World over and over again
Have a good long look round the shops in France
Resort hop at every resort
If I want to spend the evening chilling in my resort room watching TV and eating room service (again lol) I can
Staying in MK after Wishes when everyone is making their way out of the park - I've always wanted to be one of the last to leave
Grab a coffee and a muffin from the Boardwalk Bakery, and just sit and relax

 

[PammyJJane]

Oooh, I so hear you about the room service...I'll have to add that to my list.

 

[DeeCee735]

When and if my solo trip ever comes.....

Dinner at JIKO - no one in my fam ever wants to go
Star Tours - again, no one in the fam ever wants to do this.
Lots of time roaming around the Walt Disney display (One Man's Dream?) in DHS.
Spending money in the Art of Disney (my all time favorite store)
Buying the frog sculpture I want in Wyland Galleries finally.
Dinner at Yachtsman Steakhouse.
Getting up at dawn to make a park opening - this is something we've NEVER done, and I want to
Hit all the popular rides at whatever park opening I make
Shop in AKL store - my other favorite

I think this solo trip idea is beginning to look better and better

 

[Keneke]

Wonderful what-if thread!

IF I were to do a solo vacation (not saying I would yet, just if), I would probably go on all the walking trails outside of the parks. There's just so much resort that is landscaped for audiences that is so rarely seen except by those who go looking for it. And I wouldn't powerwalk either, I'd stroll and look at each part and wonder how they chose it, being the wannabe imagineer and wannabe landscaper I am.

I'd probably look down in the water from the castle bridge and look at the bushes, shorelines, and be amazed at the wonderful care goes into their plants, waterways (real or otherwise), and buildings. So many people would find that dull.

I would get on the monorail and stay on all the way around. I'd hang out around Star Wars and inspect the movie props way after most people walk away. I'd follow every path in and out of the parks to see where they go. I'd probably not hesitate to walk to a backstage area if there were no signs saying otherwise and no one stopped me. (Hey, they can't fence in *every* yard of accessible walking space!)

And, like we said in an earlier thread, I'd run around naked in my hotel room. Woo!

 

[Bill Brown]

Someday will stay in a resort along the monorail route, someday. Other than that, I've done about everything I can imagine during many solo visits over the years.

 

[MomofCKJ]

Great thread!

I am planning on:

Several turns through the Animator's Studio
Keys to the Kingdom Tour
Staying till the Kiss Goodnight at MK
One Man's Dream
American Adventure
Shopping!
Nibbling around the World Showcase
Taking my time!
Single Rider line at EE as many times as I can!
Riding a Trolley at MK
Getting a treat at MK Bakery and sitting on a bench to people watch and savor it!


And I'm sure I'll come up with more!

Allyson

 

[figarofan]

For once I would like to just enjoy the resort I am staying at.

I also would like to go to POR and tour those grounds.

Watch Mickey's Philarmagic and ride Peter Pan a few times.

But most of all I think I would love to take a lot of Tours.

Oh...and also, dinner on the outside at Tony's and graze my way through Epcot.

In a few days I will be going on a brief business related solo trip...looking forward to it, although I will miss my family...I have to be honest.

 

[aubriee]

I thought about this same question just before I took my first solo trip a few years ago. I did three tours that trip (Keys to the Kingdom, Segway Around the World, and Backstage Safari). I had so much fun. I also took the Hidden Mickey Book and spent a couple of days just looking for Hidden Mickeys. When cast members saw me with the book several helped me out. Eat at several Signature Restaurants, do all the rides with single rider lines, take the time to really look around at all the details in all the parks, reading all the signs on the buildings. Snack around World Showcase and spend lots of time in the shops in China, Morocco, and the UK. Grab a times guide in Epcot and try to catch every single street show/act (it took two days to see them all). Spend lots of time at the Food & Wine Festival and/or Flower listening to the Eat to the Beat or Flower Power concerts. Make a list of all the snacks I want to try in each park and make a point of marking them off as I eat them. Volunteer to take pictures of families so they can all be in their pictures. Take the time to really explore other resorts, take pictures and just look around. Ride Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, and Expedition Everest as many times as I want. Watch all the shows. Stay after Illuminations, Fantasmic, and Wishes to walk out of an almost empty park, turning to wave at Mickey up on top of the train station as I leave.

 

[acm563]

I have always wanted to try disney solo but never did until March of this year and now I am hooked There are only 2 things I can think of that I will not do solo that I always do with others and that is Mission Space and Space Mountain...those are 2 rides that I just do not care for and only do them to make others happy...
There is not enough space to post all of the things I will do. Some of my favorites were just being able to stop and take pictures of whatever happened to strike my fancy at the time, whether it was an aspect of a ride I had never noticed, a street sign, a light fixture....whatever. I too took time out to stop and take pictures of groups so that they could all be in the photo...It was nice to slow down and just be helpful to others whether assisting ppl who were struggling to push wheel chairs, helping mothers who were trying to push strollers and food trays all at the same time etc. I think the most enjoyment I had tho was buying ice cream for children(after getting parents permission) I always spend my money on my son or great niece when I go and this helped me with a little of the melancholy that I did feel from going alone (as well as some of the guilt I felt as a Mom for going alone.lol)
It was nice to take my time and walk all the way the World Showcase at MY pace and not my son's commando pace, to go into each shop and look around, sit on a bench and people watch and relax for a few minutes and just enjoy DISNEY and the MAGIC I definitely do not regret a moment of going solo and will do so many more times....

 

[Donald is #1]

Great thread!

For those of you who want to ride TTA multiple times, make sure that at least one of those times is after dark. Also, sit in the car so that you are facing forward. You will get a much better view of the castle.

For me its:
1) Make park openings and then take a break mid-afternoon
2) see wishes and illuminations as many times as I want
3) Eat at all the TS restaurants that no one I go with wants to eat at
4) just mosey at times
5) take at least 1 tour
6) visit one of the spas

 

[Nibbles]

1.) Nice resort on property -- splurge and really kick back!

2.) Waterpark -- no one else I travel with tends to enjoy them

3.) Up the thrill ride ante -- more double/triple trips on Space Mountain, Tower of Terror, Rock n' Rollercoaster, Expedition Everest

4.) Flirt with other solo/single travelers (c'mon, who wouldn't?)

 

[Keneke]

For once I would like to just enjoy the resort I am staying at.

You make a very good point - any one of the property hotels is worthy of lounging around and having a great do-nothing vacation.

 

[sylvesterT21]

this is a fantastic thread!

I need to make a list from everyone's lists of things I want to do when I head down next!

 

[bobbiwoz]

I like meeting Disers when I'm alone. There's more time to chat and do some things together.

Bobbi

 

[Redbudlover]

My last trip was solo. I rented a sea raycer and drove it all over. I had a massage at the Grand Floridian. I signed up for a garden tour and didn't go and instead read a book by the pool, guilt-free. I made two rope drops and one day didn't go to the parks until evening. I watched Spectro. I took taxis whenever I was tired or late. I met a disser friend at the studios and rode the new Toy Story Mania - twice. I read a book on Tom Sawyers Island resting up for the P & PP. I rode Spaceship Earth and love it. I rode Space Mountain four times one night. I rode EE until I felt almost sick. I spent an hour identifying birds at AK, talking to CMs guests. I sat and drank African beer and watched the people and dancers - one of my favorite things to do. I went on an Illuminations Cruise with other dissers. And I shopped until I was bored and then ate and drank beer and read for an hour in Morocco - loved the food and had not tried it before. I tried do lots of things I didn't usually do which meant not doing some of the things I always love to do - and it was wonderful. I have so many new favorites now. Like the Great Movie Ride which a disser friend insisted I would love - and I did. Going solo is so great!

 

[Bill Brown]

My last trip was solo. I rented a sea raycer and drove it all over. I had a massage at the Grand Floridian. I signed up for a garden tour and didn't go and instead read a book by the pool, guilt-free. I made two rope drops and one day didn't go to the parks until evening. I watched Spectro. I took taxis whenever I was tired or late. I met a disser friend at the studios and rode the new Toy Story Mania - twice. I read a book on Tom Sawyers Island resting up for the P & PP. I rode Spaceship Earth and love it. I rode Space Mountain four times one night. I rode EE until I felt almost sick. I spent an hour identifying birds at AK, talking to CMs guests. I sat and drank African beer and watched the people and dancers - one of my favorite things to do. I went on an Illuminations Cruise with other dissers. And I shopped until I was bored and then ate and drank beer and read for an hour in Morocco - loved the food and had not tried it before. I tried do lots of things I didn't usually do which meant not doing some of the things I always love to do - and it was wonderful. I have so many new favorites now. Like the Great Movie Ride which a disser friend insisted I would love - and I did. Going solo is so great!

Sounds like a great trip. I look forward to my first EE experience this December.

 

[PammyJJane]

My last trip was solo. I rented a sea raycer and drove it all over. I had a massage at the Grand Floridian. I signed up for a garden tour and didn't go and instead read a book by the pool, guilt-free. I made two rope drops and one day didn't go to the parks until evening. I watched Spectro. I took taxis whenever I was tired or late. I met a disser friend at the studios and rode the new Toy Story Mania - twice. I read a book on Tom Sawyers Island resting up for the P & PP. I rode Spaceship Earth and love it. I rode Space Mountain four times one night. I rode EE until I felt almost sick. I spent an hour identifying birds at AK, talking to CMs guests. I sat and drank African beer and watched the people and dancers - one of my favorite things to do. I went on an Illuminations Cruise with other dissers. And I shopped until I was bored and then ate and drank beer and read for an hour in Morocco - loved the food and had not tried it before. I tried do lots of things I didn't usually do which meant not doing some of the things I always love to do - and it was wonderful. I have so many new favorites now. Like the Great Movie Ride which a disser friend insisted I would love - and I did. Going solo is so great!

Beautiful!!! Sounds perfect.

 

[Disneysoloist]

I have a solo trip coming up January 2009. I'm renting points from a colleague and I'm staying at OKW. This is my first trip since 1995, so there will be a lot of new things for me to see - all of AK, since it wasn't there when I last went - Soarin', Mission Space, and Test Track at EPCOT, Mickey's Philharmonic, **** , and Buzz at MK, and Rockin' Rollercoaster at DHS.
I also plan on visiting AK Lodge, the Boardwalk area, catching a bunch of shows I've never seen, and spending at least one day by the pool and being lazy.
Not sure if I'll do the deluxe dining plan, but I'm thinking about it. I will NOT be doing a character meal; I think a 51 year old single guy would look a little conspicuous!

 

[Bill Brown]

...I will NOT be doing a character meal; I think a 51 year old single guy would look a little conspicuous!

Say what! I had fun at a couple different character meals when I celebrated my actual real 50th b'day, with b'day pin proudly displayed the whole day. It's a great memory.