Top 10 Tips for Doing Disney World Solo
Taking a solo trip to Walt Disney World can be an intimidating, yet incredibly enjoyable experience. In this post, we’ll offer some tips for making the most of doing Walt Disney World by yourself, highlighting what you can enjoy when you’re alone, and offering some reassurances.
The idea of going alone may seem off-putting, even. For many people, the highlight of a Disney vacation is spending time with family and making memories of fun, laughter, and little moments shared with the people you love. That’s not to say flying solo at Walt Disney World is a lonely and laughter-less experience. Well, depending on your personality, maybe it is.
I think that doing Walt Disney World solo is sort of like Home Alone (minus the burglary). Intimidating and scary at first, but pretty awesome once you realize you can run around doing and eating whatever you want without anyone to stop you. I’ve made a few solo trips in the last few years and have gone from being scared of the very idea of going without Sarah to being so comfortable that I spent an afternoon at Typhoon Lagoon and ate a bucket of ice cream by myself…
With that said, solo trips are certainly not for everyone. I suspect those who go primarily to see the reactions of their children or serious extroverts may be less inclined to enjoy the experience. However, I’ve learned that as an ‘outgoing introvert’ (that’s what the government scientists who interrogated me at the bunker in New Mexico studied me concluded) a solo trip from time to time is great for me.
If you think a solo trip might be right for you, here are 10 tips to making it a great experience…
10. Eat Where You Want
My biggest fear before my first solo trip to Walt Disney World was eating alone. I don’t know why…maybe the stigma? It turned out to be just fine. That first trip I ate entirely at counter service restaurants, wanting to minimize awkward encounters by not dealing with a server.
I’ve become more comfortable eating alone, and have since done table service meals. There has been no issue with this, and I’ve found most of the time Cast Members at the restaurant are more conversational with me to make my experience better.
One thing you might want to tell your server when you are order is that you are in no rush (assuming you are in no rush). I’ve found on several occasions that servers rush the meal along, probably under the assumption that you want to be in and out.
Another reason for this might be because servers work for tips. You might want to be cognizant of this, especially at busier restaurants, and not take up a table that could be used by a larger party. You might also consider eating at the bar if it’s an option (even if you don’t plan on drinking). It’s usually an environment more conducive to solo travelers, anyway.
9. SINGLE RIDER
We recommend using single rider lines on this blog even when you are with others, but so many people are staunchly opposed to single rider lines when they are in groups. While that still perplexes me, when you’re traveling alone, there’s absolutely no reason not to take advantage of single rider lines.
Granted, this is only available at Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, Test Track, Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster, and Expedition Everest, but these are three of the longest waits at Walt Disney World, and thrill junkies can really get their fix via these single rider lines. There have been times where I’ve looped Expedition Everest, riding it 3 times in about 15 minutes!
If you’re incorporating Universal Orlando Resort into your solo trip, you can take advantage of single rider lines on many attractions there. This can be an immense time-saver, and something to use even when you’re traveling with others (we do!).
8. TREAT YO SELF!
If you have a family of 5, you probably balk at the prices of some experiences at Walt Disney World. Even things like a buffet mean dropping at least $200. There might be a lot of pricey things you haven’t done at Walt Disney World because of how much it would cost for your entire party. When you are traveling alone, the cost of your entire party is the cost of YOU.
It might seem super selfish, but this is America. George Washington would roll in his grave if we all didn’t act like we are the center of the universe. Joking aside, a solo trip is an opportunity to do a couple of those expensive things that simply cost too much with your entire party.
It might be something relatively straightforward like a Halloween or Christmas party, or you might go all out and get a spa treatment or do surfing lessons at Typhoon Lagoon. Regardless, Tom & Donna would be proud.
7. Be Someone Else
Whenever I travel to Walt Disney World, the people I encounter along the way meet George Kaplan, secret agent and international man of mystery. Actually…that’s not what I mean. When you’re on a trip by yourself where you’re only interacting with people who don’t know you and probably will never see you again, you can feel freer to step outside of your “normal” personality.
This might sound silly because you could always step outside of your comfort zone if you so desired, but that’s easier said than done. I think quite often we comport with others’ expectations of us…or might be embarrassed to have friends or family see us step outside of our comfort zones.
When you’re solo, it’s easier to go out on a limb, so to speak. Whether this is manifested in talking to strangers on the monorail, getting up and doing karaoke, or eating a porterhouse the size of your head if you’re a vegetarian, it can be a fun way to try things you normally wouldn’t.
6. Be Social…
Social media can be your lifeline to the outside world. While there is something to be said for actually experiencing what you’re doing rather than sharing the supposed experience, I think a solo trip is somewhat different because it gives you a chance to engage with others.
Part of what makes a trip with others fun is sharing those little moments in the parks with someone else. Sharing online provides a quick and easy way to have a semblance of that, while still traveling solo. Just be careful: the fear of loneliness can make it easy to spend too much time sharing on social media, and not enough time actually enjoying yourself and doing things on your solo Walt Disney World trip.
My recommendation here would be to live in the moment and ‘catch up’ on sharing when you’re waiting in lines. Oh, and be sure to bring an external battery charger for your phone. The dullness of certain queues is amplified when you’re by yourself, and you will use a lot of battery killing time…
5. Vacation Kingdom
I’m not entirely sure why I view this as a solo activity, but I find myself stepping beyond the turnstiles of the parks out into the rest of the Vacation Kingdom of the World when I visit by myself. This is probably because the theme parks are broadly appealing to a wide range of people, whereas the rest of the Vacation Kingdom–whether it’s golf, fishing, or specific resorts–is all more targeted to certain hobbies and interests.
You can also venture outside the park by simple “riding the rails.” Take a flight on the Skyliner or monorail, a leisurely ride around Bay Lake on the boats, or simply a stroll around Crescent Lake. One form of transportation we’d probably skip is the buses. While practical, there’s not much fun to be had simply riding around random bus routes.
One place I often find myself is Fort Wilderness, a resort I really love. Perhaps this is because I am accustomed to being alone with nature when I travel alone in the real world, so I gravitate to that same type of location at Walt Disney World. There’s a reason “at one with nature” is a popular saying, and I’ve found that Fort Wilderness is a great place for quiet strolls and introspection. Oh, and it doesn’t hurt that Trail’s End is an awesome place to eat.
4. Choose Your Own Adventure!
Want to do Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin 10 times in a row? How about spending the day watching ducks wandering around Casey’s Corner? Maybe stopping for 30 minutes to wait for the monorail to pass in Epcot so you can get that stellar photo you’ve always wanted.
One thing I’ve learned through this blog is that different people get different things out of Walt Disney World. I can tell you that my ideal day is radically different than some others’ idea of a perfect day. When you travel solo, your vision of “ideal” is the day you get to have, no matter how odd that may seem to others.
I spent an entire day in Epcot by myself once, and literally did nothing besides watching Impressions de France (twice), American Adventure, sitting on a bench listening to the Innoventions background music, and taking photos. So go ahead, stare at those ducks. You’ve earned it.
3. Fly by the Seat of Your Pants
Having a solid itinerary for Walt Disney World when you’re with several other people makes sense because there are certain pressures of a multi-thousand dollar trip. These pressures are significantly lower when you’re by yourself. This is not to say a Walt Disney World vacation is cheap when you’re by yourself or that you should go in without Genie+ or any goals, but the stakes are lower.
It is to say that going solo at Walt Disney World makes for a more flexible vacation. If you don’t have a plan and you’re with a larger party, every step must be discussed, and making decisions on the fly is inefficient and unwieldy.
When you are by yourself, you can easily pivot and do things on the fly, as there’s no collaborative element. Not having any plan may make you feel somewhat “naked” at first, but it is another way to have a different type of day at Walt Disney World. Spontaneity is one of the highlights of a solo Disney trip.
2. Make “Internet Friends”
If this blog post were written 15 years ago, that heading might sound like the creepiest thing ever. “Internet friends” was probably associated with having a sit-down with Chris Hansen. The dynamic and perception of the internet has certainly changed a lot since then, and socializing online is no longer viewed as a hobby of the anti-social.
Now, there truly is a Disney online fan “community” (or multiple communities), and it’s a great place to make friends. Many of these people live close to the parks, and enjoy meeting up with their online friends “IRL”.
The thing about this is that you have to go about it the right way. If you’re not currently active in any online communities, don’t sign up 2 weeks before your trip and start randomly posting your travel dates in Facebook groups about Disney or doing TikTok dances to lure people to meet up with you.
You need to make friends online just as you would in the real world, interacting and forming friendships over time, and then privately messaging them closer to your travel dates. I could write an entire post on the “right” way to do all of this, but I’m going to assume the readers of this blog are the coolest of the cool, and not socially maladjusted, so you can probably figure most of this out for yourselves.
Meeting up with friends is a nice safety net, so to speak, or a way to balance out the trip. This way, you can choose when you’re by yourself and when you experience the parks with friends. Personally, I know after a couple days of only superficial interactions, I’m ready for a ‘break’ from the solo thing and looking for meaningful interactions.
1. Disney Enlightenment
One of the odd problems I have with a group dynamic is that I always feel compelled to be ‘accomplishing’ something, regardless of whether the people I’m with are even more laid back than me. It’s this odd, slightly neurotic thing, I guess. For example, Sarah says ‘she’s just happy being there’ but I still feel the need to keep things moving along. I don’t want to stop for too long to take a photo, or linger after a meal. There’s just something in the back of my mind prodding me along.
By contrast, when I’m by myself, this does not even enter my mind. I am perfectly fine taking my time, whether that means doing a lap around Crescent Lake or sitting poolside for an hour just soaking up the sun. You might think that if you didn’t have anyone else slowing you down, you would do attractions non-stop, but inevitably, everyone I know who has gone solo talks about how they really loved the leisurely pace.
I refer to this as getting to know Walt Disney World. It’s my favorite part of going solo. There’s something about this that I just love that’s almost impossible to articulate, but you end up seeing the parks in an intimate, different way. It’s tough to explain, but after about a day of this, it feels almost like you have heightened senses: you see things you normally don’t see, hear things you normally don’t hear, etc. I suppose it’s like enlightenment, Disney style. That might seem embellished or even preposterous if you’ve never had solo time in the parks, but trust me on this. It’s a “thing.”
One thing I didn’t mention above was safety. Personally, I don’t think this really qualifies as much of a tip. You should be safe wherever you go. Although incidents do occur at Walt Disney World, bad stuff happens everywhere, and I view Walt Disney World as one of the safest places on the planet. So, yeah, don’t do anything stupid that jeopardizes your safety. Otherwise, I think I covered my favorite tips for flying solo at Walt Disney World!
If you are planning a Walt Disney World trip–solo or otherwise–check out our planning resources! If you’re interested in learning more about hotels, our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page is a good place to start. For where to eat, try out our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews page. If you want to save money on tickets or determine which type you should get, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at unconventional things you should take on your trip. Once you arrive at the parks, our Walt Disney World “Ride Guides” are great for determining what to do and when to do it. For overviews of all of these topics and so much more, the best place to start is our comprehensive Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide to make the most of your experience!
Your Thoughts…
Have you done a solo Walt Disney World vacation? Any additional tips? Are you thinking of flying solo at WDW? Does a solo trip seem like something you’d enjoy, or would you miss being with your friends or family? Hearing from you is half the fun, so if you have other thoughts or questions, please share in the comments!
I have been faced with teen boys and a husband who do not wish to do Disney anymore so I have decided I will have to do it solo. I went to a 3 day, 1/2 day conference this past April & had a great time! I will be returning for my first Disney 5K – solo – in November. I am ok with it even though I miss my children being younger but it doesn’t stop me wanting to return. Your post is very accurate though – I felt uncomfortable at times but ended up having a great time at Trader Sam’s with strangers who were friendly to me in return. I had an agenda but was able to do what I wanted when I wanted and changed plans as needed. And yes, single rider lines – awesome!
I do Disney solo a lot. just there in April. I meet new people and do whatever I want. Next month going with my whole family including grandkids for the first time. Looking forward to seeing thru the eyes of the little ones. Hope i can be a decent guide and let them choose their own Disney path!
I have gone on many solo trips to WDW, Disneyland and even Las Vegas and had a great time, every time. Since everyone is happy and friendly there is always someone to talk to and you get to do all the rides you want to do. After several recent trips with some kids I really miss the solo trips since they always get tired at night and I can go visit all the hotels I want to see.
I love solo trips! I also love going with my husband, with friends and with various combinations of family members, but I do like solo as well. The first time I tried this I was at a convention and had a few extra days to spend in the parks and found out that I really liked the flexibility of going where I wanted, when I wanted, and spending as much time as I liked reading stuff, watching the fish or birds or whatever. I have done the “take the first bus that comes along” thing. I do scrapbooking and once I did a trip where I just took photos of details and did a mini-album of all the details of each land in all the parks (benches, lamps etc.) that make it special. I’m sure if I were with someone else they would have been a bit fed up with me (although my husband likes photography and would understand I think). I discovered the Food & Wine Festival when I was there on my own and found it so much fun to just wander about trying things at the booths that I spent a whole evening not going into any attractions. I have always felt comfortable and safe eating alone at either counter service or table restaurants and find it a good way to try something new that I can recommend to others when we go together. I don’t drive so I like the fact I don’t need to worry about transportation. In fact I am looking forward to a solo trip in April, following a week in Tampa with friends. Bring it on!
I have gone by myself 4 times now and each time is more enjoyable than the last. My husband only wants to go once a year, so I take up the slack! I enjoy doing things I normally don’t do with a picky group to please. Last time I even bucked up and went on It’s a Small World (twice) even though that song drives me batty. I was surprised that I really enjoyed it. I also rode the carrousel; looked a little odd but I had never done it before and it was my birthday! Encourage everyone that really enjoys Disney to go solo at least once.
Great post. I’d love to go on a solo trip to Walt Disney World, but my wife would kill me. I think I need to just send her to the spa one day and head to Epcot to take pictures and not worry about attractions.
That’s a pretty good workaround if you can’t make a solo trip happen.
I found when I went to Anaheim Disneyland I got talking to so many people and when they heard my Aussie accent they asked me where my family was and I said I was solo so they were inviting me to go on rides or to sit with them at the restaurants. I never felt alone even though I am used to traveling solo everyone in America was so friendly. I have been to Hong Kong Disneyland twice and Anaheim and Tokyo once solo.
I’m one of the “lucky ones” that lives so close to “The World” that all I have to do is go out of my subdivision to the main highway (27) and see the top half of Spaceship Earth, Expedition Everest and the Tower of Terror.
I love going to the parks alone or with friends. I also love taking stereoscopic photographs, and the sight of my twin cameras is a great conversation starter. The other thing that’s nice about living so close and having an annual pass is that you don’t feel compelled to go, go, go and do everything in one day. There are times I don’t go on one attraction, but just walk around taking 3D photos, visiting with guests and cast members, and window shopping, and of course at Epcot, there’s always the FOOD! 😀
Glad to have found your blog. Found it attached to your photo on Pinterest!
BTW Tom,
You should take that picture in tip #7 and lose it somewhere permanently.
Personally, I’ve never been one who really cares if I look like a dork or a nerd.
But that one’s off the charts…….
Burn it immediately!
lol
Great article!!!!
My solo time is my favorite time. I advocate strollers for single parents of single (even much-to-old) kids. I got my tipsy on with my 6 year old in an umbrella stroller last summer, and just let the magic take me. It was the best!
Kudos to Chris D for mentioning another thing that makes solo trips awesome…a bit of booze.
I did my 1st solo trip May ’14 and I want do it again. I have only gone with adults, so not a ton different but I did enjoy the pros!
Pros:
1. Photography – I could take pictures to my hearts content without people bugging me (My sister thinks photography without her in it is stupid). I want another solo trip just for this.
2. Bathroom/Shopping and such – One day at Epcot I realized it was like 1 in the afternoon and it was my 1st time in a restroom – my mom has to go all the time – so I saved a ton of time by not finding bathrooms every hour. Also she is a shopper and I am not, so I only had to go in the stores I cared about.
3. Ride what I want when I want! it was in the 90s and sunny….so a few rides on the people mover happened where normally no one wants to do it.
4. Eat where I want! I totally did the Crystal Palace breakfast with an 8:30 reservation – so I could get main street/castle pictures with fewer people in them. I actually enjoyed it – the character hosts got pictures for me and I didn’t feel out of place. There were kids more into their iPads and interacted less with the characters then I did.
Cons:
1. Parade/Restaurants – if you want a drink or need to use the restroom there is no one to hold your spot or watch your stuff. I discovered this after getting a great spot for the animal kingdom parade (Just before it got cancelled)….bench in the shade and front row – I didn’t want to lose that spot so had to wait for that cold beer until after the parade.
Thanks for the great article Tom! I took my first solo trip to the World in January for Marathon weekend and really enjoyed myself. I think your tips are definitely spot on. I travel frequently overseas solo for work so I am used to being on my own. My only issue I had the whole weekend was during a dinner at Via Napoli. My plan had been to eat only counter service meals but just before I left Disney was running a promotion which basically made the dining plan an extra $20 once everything was recalculated. Everything with this dinner was OK (the server was definitely trying to rush me even though I was at a 2 top) but the big issue was when I needed to use the bathroom. I found the server and told him where I was going. However, despite being gone for maybe 3 minutes, when I returned, my table was cleared (I had half a pizza, half a caprese salad and a whole glass of wine left). So just a warning about dining solo…try not to leave the table and maybe leave a note if you do have to.
Another experience that I did was the opposite of your point on relaxing. For my last day, I decided to try to visit as many parks as possible and created a challenge: 1 E-ticket attraction, 1 meal/snack and at least 2 other attractions per park. I made it to 3 out of 4 of the parks before I needed to head back for the Magical Express. Sounds silly but it was actually a lot of fun. Personally sitting still and relaxing is hard for me so this gave me something different to do 🙂
My wife changed jobs in May of 2013 and understandably wasn’t able to get 10 days off for our planned early July WDW vacation that year.
She was nice enough to understand my desire (as a total WDW freak) to still go, and on July 1st off Solo I went.
While I’d certainly never claim it as my best trip ever, it was amazing and very, very different from all the other trips i’ve been taking since 1991.
The biggest advantage was my ability to exhaustively explore all the Disney Resorts I had visited through the years but hadn’t fully sucked up all the details.
Since a child, I’ve been a huge “hotel fanatic” and this trip permitted me to spend hours upon hours wandering in and around every single Disney Resort. There’s no way I could’ve done that with somebody else.
On my 10 night stay, I only spent 2 days Theme Park hopping, 2 days at the H20 Parks, 3-4 visits to Downtown Disney, saw Wide World of Sports for the 1st time ever, and spent the rest of the time exploring hotels and hanging out at the pools.
It was Awesome!
And my wife was happy I was able to do the things I’d always been bugging her to do.
In fact, she’s already approved me for another Solo trip in a few years.
Will you be my friend? (Or am I approaching tip #2 the wrong way?)
I went solo to Disneyland (work trip) and had a similar experience to yours at WDW. You know, brief moments of “OMG, what the heck am I doing here alone?!” But, soon found myself relishing the leisurely experience you described. It was AMAZING! Further, cast members helped me feel the magic of sharing Disneyland: I heard great stories about Disneyland history, learned a few new Disney jokes (Q:Have you ever had a Wookie Cookie? A: They’re Chewie! giggle), got a little inside info about upcoming events that weren’t public yet, and WOW – the Cast Members pointed out where to look for hidden Mickeys and “Easter Eggs” as I boarded rides. It gave me a whole new appreciation for the parks and the people who keep Walt’s vision alive. It was a lot of fun to return the favor by leaving comments about great interactions with Cast Members at City Hall, too.
You really aren’t alone at Disneyland: Pin trading, and wishing people Happy Bday/Anniversary/1st visit…lots of opportunity to interact with people from all over the world. Not to mention the fun of seeing a cast member with your hometown on their name badge! I’m an out-of-state Annual Passholder and visit my happy place every chance I get. I agree that a solo Disney trip can be a great experience. Loved your post!
I went with my husband to WDW for a conference in January of this year. While he was in meetings and such I soloed Magic Kingdom, the Boardwalk, and some resorts for a couple of days. Since my husband doesn’t care about meeting princesses I took full advantage of being at MK by myself and met tons, took pictures and got autographs. I had no idea I would have so much fun. I rode some rides too while I was there and watched a parade. MK is my favorite park. I feel like a little kid while I’m there.
I have never gone solo but I had many trips with just myself and my daughter. It makes getting disney reservations or walk ins at full service restaurants fairly easy. Many times we were waiting in a line for a ride and a cast member asked everyone waiting in line if there is a party of one or two to fill in empty rows or seats which gives us the opportunity to move up to the front of the line and immediately ride.
I’m going solo for a day to Hong Kong Disneyland this November, and I can’t wait! I’m hope it’s a good park to spend a day in alone, from your trip report it looks like it could be a less frantic day than at other parks, which sounds perfect for after my business trip! If you have any tips for stuff to do solo in Disney HK I’d be grateful!
I think you kind of hit the nail on the head in your no. 1; soaking up the ambiance without rushing around in a big group sounds like the big bonus of doing a solo trip.
My plan is… Mystic Manor as many times as i can (of course), Grizzly Mine Cars, It’s A Small World… and do lots of character meeting (which i love doing). Plus some leisurely shopping and parade watching.
I can’t wait, but I’ve always been own to enjoy my own company 🙂
Really interesting article. I’ve actually been contemplating a solo trip to Disneyland Paris (my local park) but as of yet I’ve not got up the courage.
This is odd because I actually love spending time with myself and I’ll happily do single rider if my travel companion wants to sit a ride out or go on something else. But for some reason I really worry about being lonely in the theme park.
Thanks for the insight! Love your blog
Great article, like always! By the way I like your new blog design.
I went to DLP alone once and I didn’t like it. It was only for one day, because I was on a business trip to Paris and had a day off. However I didn’t enjoy it that much, because my wife and I like Disneyland so much that I hated to go there without her. Disney is our thing and so it just felt wrong being there alone. The next business trip to Paris is coming up, but instead of going to DLP, I will enjoy the lovely city, although I have been there so many times.
Has anyone started a dating site for Disney fans called Single Riders yet? It seems like a missed opportunity if not.
I’ve never taken a solo trip, but on trips with my husband when we split up for a bit (usually so he can ride Grizzly/Kali) I really enjoy wandering by myself. I usually meet some characters, get a drink or a snack, and then just wander. Just goes to show that Disney can be experienced with equal joy for solo travelers and members of giant Brazilian tour groups 🙂