Why & How to Visit the Disney Parks by Yourself

On every solo trip I take I make a point to try something I have not experienced before. Whether it be a place to eat, an attraction, or a show, you’ve got nothing to lose. Go explore!

Now, I don’t know about you, but sometimes when I go with friends or family, while it is fun, I can sometimes feel a little stressed or pressured. There can be that sense of making sure everyone is happy. While I am all for making people happy, in going to the parks by myself, the added layer of tailoring plans to accommodate other people’s interests is removed. For me, that’s a huge weight off my shoulders and some great peace of mind. You won’t have to worry if someone in your party isn’t happy with any given scenario. Aside from what you personally can do throughout the course of your time, compromise is completely eliminated.

 

I’ve had solo trips before when I drew out a schedule for myself of things I really wanted to do. But then I’ve also taken solo Disney trips when I had no plans at all and just winged it and had an amazing time. When you’re at a Disney park by yourself, your flexibility to wing-it or pivot is a lot easier. 

 

Where their are single rider lines, you now have a legitimate reason to use it and make the most of it. Ride those rides as many times as you want!

 

One other benefit I’ve discovered from going to the parks by myself is with dining. I’ve found that if I want to eat at a table service restaurant, it is typically easier to make a reservation for and quicker to seat parties of one. Even if I don’t have a reservation, I’ve walked up to a table service restaurant and have been seated within minutes. Now I know “Party of one” may sound kind of sad, but once you get over the label, you’ll be feasting like a King or Queen in the blink of an eye! This is perfect if you’ve always wanted to try a new place to eat. If you still aren’t comfortable with eating at a table service restaurant by yourself, as a solo park attendee, your ability to get in and out of a quick service location is less restrained than with a large party, which means you are on to your next adventure in no time. 

I’ve found that as you are in a park by yourself, you can easily walk up and find a spot or squeeze your way into an existing crowd for parade or fireworks viewing with no problem at all. I’ve even done this for Wishes at The Magic Kingdom just minutes before it started without having to do the typical staking out a spot hours before and waiting. Being at a park by yourself also makes navigating those post-fireworks crowds much easier as you don’t have anyone to account for.

 

Now let’s talk about the how.

You may be asking, “Ryan, don’t you get lonely? Don’t you miss having someone to talk to?” Well to be honest, of course I miss having someone to share those memories with and someone to talk to. But you know what, you’re always going to have those opportunities. So don’t let that turn you away from going to a park by yourself if you get the chance. You may only get one chance to go to a Disney Park by yourself, so I encourage you to not let the fear of it turn you away. Here’s one piece of advice that will help: Go into your solo Disney trip with your expectations and mindset already set for that of a positive experience. Know ahead of time that you will be by yourself and that there is a chance you might find yourself feeling lonely. Knowing this ahead of time you can prepare yourself and not only think of things to do in those moments, but you can put yourself in the mood you want to be in before you even set foot inside the park. That right there is what I believe to be, not only the most valuable tip in going to the parks by yourself, but for life in general. Tell yourself ahead of time all the good things that you are going to do, all the fun you are going to have, and how you are going to feel about it. As the saying goes, “If you can dream it, you can do it.” (Fun fact: That quote came from Tom Fitzgerald, written for the Horizons attraction at EPCOT, not from Walt Disney.)

 

Personally, I am very introverted, so being alone actually brings me energy. So if you too are more on the introverted side, going to a Disney Park by yourself should be no problem. If you find yourself to be more on the extroverted side, I have good news for you, there’s lots of people at a Disney Park! You can always find a cast member and strike up a conversation. As a former cast member myself, they have plenty of information and stories they can share with you that you might not know about Disney. The cast members that serve guests at table service dining also do a fantastic job at making you feel at home.

 

To wrap up, if you are even remotely on the fence about going to a Disney Park by yourself, I would strongly encourage you to. Ease in to it and start with one day or a long weekend trip and see if it’s something you really enjoy before you work your way up. Your experience will be what you make of it, so make it a good one!

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