Having been to WDW several times solo, I can tell you it's a blast. You get to do what you want, when you want, go where you want, dine where and when you want. I had planned each day out ahead of time, made ps arrangements, etc. and I usually following these plans, but for some reason this trip was a little different. I kept some of the PS, but ended up splitting the day into 2 and sometimes 3 parks. I would go to the EE park first thing, spend the morning, leave around lunchtime, head back to my resort for a break, then later on head for another park. I found that breaking up the day, kept things refreshing.
SAVING MONEY:
1. Room: I constantly check Mousesavers.com for discount codes on rooms and book it as a "room-only" reservation.
2. Passes: Since I seem to go at least once a year, this past trip I invested in an annual pass. I was at WDW for 11 days and visited the parks each day, so this saved alot of money.
3. Meals: I'm not a big breakfast eater, so I bring either Pop-Tarts or Nutra-grain bars with me in my suitcase. I also pack snack stuff to save $$ on that too. I usually get the snack-size packages of pretzels or Doritos, as well as cookies. This past trip I bought an M&M pack from my local BJ's. This came in handy when I needed a quick fix. When planning other meals, lunch tends to be cheaper than dinner at most places. I tried the 1900 Park Fare & Chef Mickey's for dinner. Hated Chef Mickey's, but LOVED the Park Fare. I also always dine at the Crystal Palace. What's nice about this one is that you can have a good size lunch, then a light dinner. Another solo plus is being able to dine where and when you want. This past trip I had the chance to try several new places. You've got to try Spoodle's at the Boardwalk. VERY GOOD!!! Another great place is the Concourse Steakhouse! I did Cindy's for an early lunch one day. The food was excellent, as was the service and with the early time, much less crowded.
When I go solo, I ALWAYS stay on-property for many reasons. I never rent a car (which saves $$), since I don't leave WDW, so by staying in a Disney resort, I use the boats, monorail & buses to get everywhere. I also use common sense while I'm at WDW, both in the parks and at the resort. I always double lock my room door, even if I'm only going to be a minute. I also make sure I am secure in my surroundings. I never take too much money with me to the parks. Usually a little cash & my room key. Less to lose. I usually bring a book with me too. It breaks up the time while waiting for a show to start, while standing in line or while dining. I find that the CM's are very friendly when they notice you are solo. Make sure you take advantage of the single's line on Test Track. MUCH MUCH faster than the fast pass or regular line. Road it 5 times in a row on my last trip. I found myself taking more time to absorb the parks and the architecture. At AK for instance, I took a nice quiet walk around the Tree of Life looking at all of the animals carved into it. Most people don't bother and it is a really quiet walk and you can hear the soft music in the background. I found wandering around the parks is fun. I also found alot of people tend to strike up a quick conversation while waiting in lines or for a show.