A Disney park trip is usually great with families, but there are serious benefits to being a single visitor there!
Most will agree that Disney park trips are best with those you love. Family trips are obvious, along with being with friends or someone you’re dating. Whether it’s a full week in WDW or a day in Disneyland, being with others at a Disney park visit is great.
Yet there are times when the need to go on your own can take over. A regular bit for me on various Disney trips is that at some point or another, I have to go on my own, often for most of the day. I love being with my family, but there’s no denying that a solo Disney park trip can offer an experience that can often be a fine vacation in its own right with great benefits!
Go when you want
The toughest part of any family vacation anywhere is scheduling around everyone. From kids in school to work to other issues, getting the dates right is daunting. In contrast, if you want a solo Disney trip, you can go whenever you want.
It’s no surprise Orlando and Anaheim locals make almost weekly visits to the parks and the solo folks are more numerous in Disneyland. Whether you plan it six months in advance or on a lark, pick it for next week, going solo lets you control the dates of a visit.
Set your own pace
The biggest benefit of being a solo Disney park visitor is that you can go at your own pace. Families are great, yet there are times it feels slowing you down, especially with older members of the party or kids. That’s without the debates on which rides to do next.
Going on your own means you work at whatever pace you want. You can hit the ground running, hit every major ride you want, almost running around the parks. Or you can take it slower, pace your walking and take as long a break as you’d want when and wherever you want. Want to do Pirates three times in a row or explore Tom Sawyer’s Island for an hour? Go ahead.
You can wait half an hour for a character selfie, sit as long as you want for a parade, skip said parade to get on rides with smaller lines, leave and come back anytime you feel like it and just sit in a cool shaded spot to rest up while enjoying a snack. Doing as you feel is incredibly freeing for a Disney vacation.
It also allows you to be more spontaneous, picking something quickly on a lark rather than discussing whether or not everyone wants to do it. The best parts of a Disney trip are going with the flow and solo riders get that better. The freedom of doing as you like in a Disney park is addictive and why going on your own can entertain.
Enjoy in the experience
Too often, folks are in such a rush in the parks that they don’t take the time to truly appreciate the Imagineering marvels around them. Being on your own lets you pause to take in the details of the backgrounds, more leisurely to see the droids of Galaxy’s Edge or the lovely small touches in Fantasyland.
This is a time to go wild on photos. A solo trip is a boon for budding or professional photographers who can take the time to get just the right shot they want of an attraction or character. It also lets you use the Photopass at your lesiure to capture everything.
EPCOT is wonderful for this, especially the World Showcase. Each pavilion is packed with gardens, galleries and other areas that shouldn’t just be run past. You may not get that with a larger party, while going solo lets you better appreciate how Disney has an aura to their parks unlike any other that pulls you in.
Single rider lines
Obviously, a big draw for a solo visitor is the single-rider lines. They’re not for every attraction but it’s obviously a great way to save on Lightning Lanes and jump a bit ahead of the huge crowds. Some single-rider wait areas can let you see stuff the regular crowds ignore, like the elevators at Incredicoaster.
It’s such a relief to skip a 45-minute wait at Soarin or Big Thunder and get a ticket to wait a fraction of the time. Again, it saves you a lot on Lightning Lanes and lets you take in the bigger thrill rides some party members may want to skip.
Faster meals
One of the bigger hassles of a family Disney trip is eating. You need to grab a large table, often reservations for the larger restaurants, the ordering often chews up a lot of time. In contrast, a solo person can usually choose to skip the fancier places, just hit the fast service spots or snacks and eat at their own pace before moving on.
It can also let you splurge as you can treat yourself to a sit-down meal for a fraction of what it’d cost with a larger party. I speak from experience in how it’s much easier to get a seat at the counter of a bar or restaurant rather than a table as you can be seated and served much faster. So whether you want a quick meal or treat yourself to a bigger one, going solo is good on the time and pocketbook.
Talk to others
Chatting with family is fun, yet a Disney trip can let you connect with others. Cast members are often quite easy to chat up, not ride attendants but the folks you see at Main Street, World Showcase pavilions, etc. They can be very friendly, giving advice on items in an area you may have missed, tips, or just swapping stories on past experiences.
It’s also surprisingly common to strike up conversations with guests in line. My last Disneyland visit had me chatting with the folks I shared a raft with on Grizzly River Run to compare it to other “wet rides.” It’s fun seeing who’s a veteran Disneygoer and who’s a first-timer to share tips and advice. A Disney park trip lets you make surprising new friends.
Choosing a hotel
I don’t have as much experience with this as I have gone to Disney World or Disneyland with family before heading on my own. There can be factors for choosing the right hotel for a Disney visit, which can save cash since, after all, a single bedroom costs less than a family suite.
Disneyland has plenty of hotels within walking distance of the park to enjoy without splurging on the Disney ones. WDW has the more affordable value resorts to keep you on property without spending too much. It’s remarkable how much you automatically save on a smaller hotel room going on your own.
What to take
Another benefit of going on your own is packing lighter than usual. Rather than prep with massive bags that often include stuff for kids, be lighter with enough clothing for a few days. There’s also a better chance of taking advantage of a hotel having a laundry room to clean up faster and reuse items.
For the parks, you won’t need a massive tote bag for anything for food, extra supplies and room for the inevitable souvenirs others get. Instead, a simple shoulder bag worked for me, enough for personal items, phone charger, a book and easier to slip into the parks with.
That light packing is a good analogy for the ease and speed that a solo Disney trip can have. It’d still be busy and expensive yet there’s good reason why hitting a Disney park on your own can give you an experience unlike any other and make for a memorable time.
Are you ready for a solo Disney trip?