Are solo trips still fun?

[casey]

Hey everyone, I have a quick question: Is going to a Disney park by yourself still fun or does it take away the fun?

Don't get me wrong, I love going with my family. Every trip to Walt Disney World I've been on, it was always with family and I always have a great time. But I always wondered what it would be like to go it alone. I think that, even without family or friends around, you can still have a great time by yourself. And if anything, you can meet all sorts of new people and create your own group to hang out with at the parks, whether it's for one day or the whole time you're there.

I want to get everyone's thoughts and opinions on this matter. Don't be afraid to be honest, alright? And... GO!

[sydney]

Personally, part of the reason I love a Disney vacation so much is because of the people I get to share it with and the memories we get to make. I have wonderful memories of going with different family members as a kid and now of going with my family as an adult.

That being said, if I had to go to the Orlando area maybe for work or something and no one else could go, I could see visiting the parks solo. I'd have no problem going on rides, watching shows, eating and exploring by myself. I just wouldn't plan to do it on purpose- like "I want to go and if no one else can I'm going anyway." That's partly why it's taken us from Nov. 2013 till March 2016 to get in another trip- scheduling!

I know many people have made new friends on trips and if you're the type like me who has no problem talking to new people you'd likely do the same. Truthfully Disney is probably one of the easiest places to talk to "strangers." With technology now you can still share your daily experience with people back home via calls, texts, snapchat, etc. too.

[casey]

I get what you're saying Sydney. And that's also partly why it takes so long for my family to start planning our next trip also, because of scheduling. But not only scheduling, but also being able to afford to take the whole family. When we started out on these Disney trips, we went practically every year. And as time went on, we gained new family members and got bigger, causing us to wait every 2 or 3 years to plan our next trip. Now our family is so big, it's gotten very hard to plan for trips that we had to wait for 5 years for our next one.

Our most recent trip was last year in January right after the new year. And it was like a gift from my sister to her oldest daughter who was graduating from high school and she just wanted it to be for her. As a result, not a whole lot of us went. It was just me, my mother, my sister and her daughter, and my brother and his wife. I honestly thought it would be a bit of a downer without having the whole family there, but it still turned out to be an awesome trip...probably the best ever really. But now it came down to, if we plan to take the whole family again, how long would it be before we go back to Disney World?

That's when I got the idea of wanting to experience Disney World on my own. Would it be lonely being the only one in my family down there? Most likely yes. But I've learned something from the many times I've been down there, and I believe this to be true. When you're down at Disney World, or any Disney park for that matter, you're never alone. You'll always have millions of people around you who are just as big a Disney fan as you are. And truthfully speaking, a stranger is just a friend/family waiting to happen.

[sydney]

Jan 14, 2016 23:51:19 GMT -5 casey said:

But I've learned something from the many times I've been down there, and I believe this to be true. When you're down at Disney World, or any Disney park for that matter, you're never alone. You'll always have millions of people around you who are just as big a Disney fan as you are. And truthfully speaking, a stranger is just a friend/family waiting to happen.

Exactly! You know yourself best, and if you have this attitude you're bound to have an awesome trip! It won't be the same as the ones with your family, but that doesn't mean it can't be amazing too!

I guess I should have noted in my first reply that by going as an adult my "family" has only consisted of DH and two DS's. I would LOVE to have my mom and stepdad on a trip (they've gone by themselves), my stepbrother, his wife, and our 3yo niece (they've gone once since his mom lives outside of Orlando) on a trip, DH's sister and our nephew (who is the same age as our younger DS and never been) on a trip, my brother and sis-in-law on a trip (though it will be more fun once they have kids), DH's dad and stepmom on a trip (she's never been and it would be like having a 6yo- so fun!), my cousin, her hubby, and four kids on a trip (they've never been), but we've never been able to schedule everyone together. Heck, it's taken this long just to get three of the four of my immediate family on a trip together! Older DS just went before Christmas with his girlfriend because being in the Air Force and not knowing where he'd get stationed after school, he wanted to get to go! (Lucky for him, his orders are sending him to Florida, so now he's plotting how long before he gets a Florida residents pass...)

If I was in your situation, I would have no problem saving up my own money, scheduling vacation time from work, and enjoying a solo Disney trip. Then the next time your extended family, or even a small part of them, decides to plan a family trip you can be in on that too- or maybe even join them for part of it.

[ilovdisney]

Sydney the best part of him being a Fl resident is he can pay for his AP every month. I would go solo. You can ride what you want when your want, same with eating.

[Dave]

For the last 37 years DW and I have gone to WDW several times a year. I can't imagine going without her. We have so much fun together, I'm not sure I could enjoy going by myself. And she BETTER NOT enjoy going by herself!

[susanm]

I have just about run out of people to drag to Disney.... lol... I have done 3 where I went alone for the whole time... once with 2 aunt who stayed 10 days then I stayed 10 more on my own... and last year was there 2 weeks before a friend came with her grandson. I LOVE IT.. the first time I though it would be boring... but I plan backstage tours... take a book in my bag and when I need to sit a while I get a snack, fries - funnel cake- whatever - and find a table in a quiet place and chill for as long as I want... then move on... works great also if another magical trips person is there at the same time... I got to meet the Quick family and spent time with them 3 different days.. I say...go for it. going alone again this fall... haven't decided when yet... end of oct into nov probably