Which resort for solo trip?

[JoJostar]

I am planning a solo trip to WDW in October. I am going for work, but planning to visit the parks. I can't decide where to stay. I have narrowed it down to Hilton Bonnet Creek, Boardwalk Inn, Swan or Wilderness Lodge. I will have a car, so transportation isn't an issue. The HBC is the best choice financially, but I have never stayed off site. I am worried about how safe I will feel coming back late from parks alone. Any advice?

 

[POOHsie]

I would pick the Swan or the Boardwalk. You are walking/boating distance to Epcot and DHS. Being close-in, time-wise, is a great vacation in itself. Also in October, Epcot will be hosting the Food & Wine Festival all month. That is a can't-miss event and there's plenty of special food events you might be interested in. See link (below) for details. Wilderness Lodge is stunning, but isolated. Perhaps this would appeal to you. IMO, I would want to be in a people-place like the Epcot Resorts area, with many restaurants and activities to choose from. HBC doesn't have access to extra magic hours, package delivery from the parks, or free theme park parking ($15/day). If I'm at WDW, I want to immerse myself in Disney. The farther away you go from the parks, the more you are in Anywhere, USA.

Here's a link to Food & Wine info: http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2013-epcot-food-and-wine-festival/

 

[KonaKaiTom]

I've stayed at both the Swan and Dolphin and enjoyed both. Even though I'm going for Food and Wine, also solo, I decided on a King bed in CBR -- partly because I've never stayed there, and assumed I would only be sleeping there so dinner wouldn't really matter, but the price difference between Swalfin and CBR was a little over $400, plus I get DME with CBR.

So, I'm taking a chance and trying something new. I'll be there 10/18-10/22 -- I will be easy to spot, I'm making it a photo vacation and am looking forward to shooting EPCOT and Animal Kingdom.

Tom

 

[TerryLP]

We usually prefer POP Century, but any of those would be just fine. I would strongly suggest that you choose one on the grounds. Even though you have a vehicle, use Disney transportation. That would be the safest way to enjoy your stay. Nowhere is absolutely safe, but you really minimize you risk staying on the grounds and using Disney transportation.

 

[AuroraRora]

I've gone on a few solo trips, and I wouldn't feel safe staying off-site, honestly. I never have a car there, so part of my unsafe feeling would come from taking off-site transportation I wasn't familiar with, but even with a car I'd prefer to stay on property. I travel solo for work pretty regularly too and don't have any safety issues, but that's usually in big cities. In a place like Orlando which is more spread out, I feel much better being in the Disney "bubble" where I know there's CM's everywhere should I need anything.

 

[jmasgat]

I'll chime in as a different voice. All my trips for the last 5 years have been solo (to run various Disney races). I have stayed on and offsite. I really don't think there is any more of a general "safety" issue around WDW than anyplace else. I'm not sure what people think is the issue, but I realize everyone has a different perceived safety level.

You will have a car--so leaving WDW parks, you will still be on-property with lots of other park-goers doing the same thing. Once you leave, you would drive to HBC--which is practically an on-property resort. You don't hit the "mean streets" of LBV(I joke), and you will be at a large resort hotel.

Again, don't want to minimize anyone's comfort level, just want to try and put things in perspective. The whole area is a tourist magnet. The thing that bothers me the most about staying farther offsite is the traffic!

Have fun whatever you decide.