This year I was able to take a solo Disney trip for three days that coordinated with a blogging conference. I was excited to learn at my conference but I was ecstatic to add on a couple days to do Disney by myself.
Flying makes me nervous and I wasn’t thrilled about taking Ubers alone but having worked in Disney I felt very comfortable being in the parks alone. It felt like home and I’m so glad I had that experience.
These were the types of questions I was asked when I told people I did a solo Disney trip:
1. How long of a trip?
Because I am very extroverted a shorter 2-3 day trip was perfect for me. Not having people to share the experience with was the hardest part. I would have been too lonely past that amount of time. However, if you’re fine being on your own, I always suggest a full day for each park.
2. Where to stay?
I’m a huge believer in staying on property with family vacations. The ease of transportation and luggage transfer makes the trip much less stressful. However, because I was trying to save as much money as possible, I used Hotwire.com to get a hotel room off property for $55/night. The downside was taking Ubers cost about $20/trip so at the end of the day I could have opted for a stay at Pop Century for around the same price. The upside, Ubers are much faster than the Disney bus system and I had free breakfast at my hotel each morning. So it’s really what you prioritize. If you are doing a luxurious solo trip, try staying at a new resort in a studio that you would otherwise not fit in with your family. My favorites are Disney’s Boardwalk and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge.
3. Which parks are best for solo travelers?
All the parks are great for solo travelers so I recommend doing all four. If you’re staying a shorter period, try doing a park hopper to get the most out of your days. While I was there I did the Animal Kingdom (AK) and Hollywood Studios the first day and the second day I did the Magic Kingdom (MK), Hollywood Studios (HS) for a little and back to the Magic Kingdom. I did it this way because I was meeting people at certain parks, otherwise, I would have done the Magic Kingdom one day and the second-day Animal Kingdom in the morning and Hollywood Studios at night. I opted out of EPCOT this trip because I like enjoying food and culture with people. If you’re a huge Star Wars fan, make Hollywood Studios a full day park and split AK and MK.
4. How to move past the awkwardness?
My favorite part of doing a solo trip is talking to other guests and cast members. I learned so much from people by talking to them about their tips on the parks and about their cultures. Look for people with an Annual Passholder slider on their Magic Band. They’ve got the most experience coming to the parks frequently and will know the best places to eat and hacks to save time. I also saught out families who were speaking other languages to talk to them about their trip. It’s fascinating learning how month-long travel is the norm for so many cultures. I also love talking to first-timers and kids who are worried about rides. There is never a shortage of people to relate to at Disney World.
5. How to stay safe?
If you are sharing on social media, do not post live on a solo trip. Wait until you get back to the hotel to upload everything. If you have a bad feeling about an Uber driver or anyone at the parks, listen to your gut and remove yourself from that situation. I make sure I only accept Uber drivers that are platinum and have tons of great written reviews. The nice thing about staying off property is that you’re dropped off right at the hotel entrance. If you’re staying on property you’ll likely have to walk to your room at night which is the only time I think I would have felt uneasy. In this case, just be aware of your surroundings and stick with families.
6. How to maximize time?
I could talk all day about various ways to save time in Disney but the two biggest are Mobile Ordering and line hacks. I took a course through Wish Upon a Planner to learn about line hacks and maximizing the number of FP+ while in the parks. While in MK I rode 8 rides within 4 hours and ate and rested during that time.
Mobile Ordering is free on the My Disney Experience App. While you’re in line at an attraction, log into the app, choose a restaurant and order your food. When you get to the quick service location, check-in and within minutes you can pick your food up at the designated Mobile Ordering location with no waiting in line. While I was by myself I didn’t like not being able to share my food with my family so I was happy to order whatever was close, cheap and quick.
7. what to bring?
There are so many blog posts about this out there. Some people like to over-prepare so they don’t have to buy anything while at the parks. I’m more of a minimalist and like to pack very little. The few things I highly recommend for a solo trip are water bottle to refill, large portable battery pack and fanny pack.
Water Bottle
Water is $3.50 and with how much walking you’ll do you need to stay hydrated. There are water fountains everywhere so just keep refilling. When I go with my family we take a Camelbak so all of us can drink while waiting in line.
Portable Battery
I suggest a large portable battery because you’ll be using the My Disney Experience App during the day and will likely have your brightness turned up. You don’t want to be stuck alone at the end of the night with no phone to call an Uber. Be sure to bring different ways of charging it because my hotel did not have a USB port for charging.
Fanny Pack
My fanny pack was how I kept my sanity. I wore a backpack to carry my sweatshirt, poncho, water bottle, and battery pack. However, while I was there I wore my poncho a lot so it became frustrating to take off my poncho to get into my backpack every time I needed a credit card or phone (most women’s pants don’t have pockets). I was also able to carry my mini portable charger in my fanny pack so I could continue to charge my phone but get it out quickly when needed. Most people don’t need their phone that much but I was constantly documenting for my blog.
I’d love to know what tips you have used for a successful solo Disney trip (or if you’d even consider taking one!) It’s not for everyone but I do think, if you are Disney obsessed, it’s worth trying once. You’re able to do tours your family might not enjoy. You can take your time or go as fast as you’d like. It’s really a cool way to experience the parks.
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Great tips. Thank you for reminding us about safety. It’s easy to get caught up in posting all your neat activities and not really think about others being creepy. Also Fanny pack for the win!
Exactly! As a blogger, we want to share real-time because otherwise, we get so far behind. I never shared anything until I was out of that park just to be safe. The same goes for families with kids. You shouldn’t share until you’re out of that area.
My brother in law went to Disney by himself in the fall and said he had a blast on his solo trip! I’ve only been twice, but I think it would be a fun trip to do alone too. And more cost effective.
I probably saw him! 😉 I did see a few men by themselves that were around my age and I wanted to talk to them about their trips but was worried I’d get stuck talking to them so I shied away. 😀
I love a solo trip!! Never been to Disney, but I would totally be up for this. Sounds like you had an amazing time.
I don’t recommend having your first trip be solo unless you have someone completely plan it for you! Disney is a beast. I love following your solo trips!
Best solo trip! I think it’s pretty cool you used to work at Disney too! (and they totally need to make more woman’s pants with pockets)
HAHAH! Right?! Mine was always filled with ‘Pixie Dust’ (Mickey confetti) and Fast Passes to hand out to guests when they were upset or needed a little magic! Think of what we could carry if all pants had pockets!
I’m so glad you included the fanny pack! Yes!! 🙂
I won’t go without it again!