What is your top reason for going solo?

[zackiedawg]

I did my first solo trip unplanned, when a friend I was going with had a family incident and was unable to come down the day before the trip...since I live nearby and didn't want to deal with trying to cancel everything, I decided to go anyway. Ended up having one of the most relaxed, chilled Disney vacations ever. That was some 25 years ago, and I've mixed in solo trips 1-2 times a year every year since. I still tend to have one or two 'family' trips and one 'friend' trip each year, plus 1-2 solo trips.

Mostly, it comes down to having no obligations, no schedule, no worries about disappointing someone else, no feeling that I'm hindering someone else's trip with my love of photography and stopping all the time to photograph things...I can spend a day in a park and go on 1 ride...or 10. I can spend an hour just sitting on a bench with a drink and watching people pass by. I can go to the parks at 1pm and stay until an hour after close. I can spend 4 hours just hopping around resorts and taking boat transportation to different resorts and hotels to photograph them. Back at my villa, the whole place is mine, no one else is in the bathroom or shower when I need it, no one is playing the TV too loud in the morning out in the living room, no one complains when I crank the AC down to 65 to sleep. I love solo trips now, and find myself occasionally grumbling when I'm with family or friends - I have to stop myself and think 'next trip will be solo, this one is for family...grin and bear it!'

 

[Blondie58]

Social anxiety? Simply doesn’t know anybody else that would enjoy or could afford to go? What is your reason for going solo?

Had the time, the AP, wanted to see the Garden Show, love WDW, had air miles and off I went for a week and loved it.

 

[RedK]

Because I'd rather go on my own than wait for someone compatible to decide they want to go with me. And once I started doing things on my own, I enjoyed the ability to do what I want when I want. Now I guard my solo trips carefully. I'd much rather a good solo trip than a mediocre with-someone trip.

 

[redallen]

I've never done a solo trip but you guys are my people! : ) All of the reasons mentioned (being on your own schedule, eating where you want to, etc.) is why I don't like to travel with people other than my immediate family. Coordinating travel with a large group is my introvert nightmare! Now you've got me thinking about a solo trip. Hmmmm...

 

[Skippyboo]

I am single. My family lives 12 hrs away. WDW is only 7 hours away. I don’t have any single friends who are big Disney fans. So I just go myself. I have a friend who is a big Disney fan but our touring styles are completely opposite so I text her and send park pictures while I am at WDW.

 

[Lsdolphin]

Oh my gosh just read all the posts and I’m going to do it! I had planned a trip for my Mom and I last year in March just when Covid exploded and of course had to cancel...my mom is now not up to a Disney trip so i was going to cancel our Sept trip but I’m going to come solo instead....

 

[joyjoy]

My best friend who is a Disney fan likes to skimp. He’ll pick an Airbnb 20 miles away, pack a bowling-ball heavy bag with sandwiches, snacks, water, etc. that I will end up lugging half of, and tends to skip eating otherwise (with maybe one QS or sit down meal on occasion). It’s perfectly fine, we have fun, we both like the parks, it works for his budget. He tours slowly and does a lot of social media which slows down the trip.

And this sounds like absolute HELL to me. Good for you, it's awesome you can be so flexible for your friend, but daaaaaang. I would be crying at the door of Tiffin's and renting a locker to hold the 20 lb. bag o' sandwiches as well as calling the front desk at Wilderness Lodge begging them to come save me. You are a very well rounded and kind person.

 

[JHDK]

Hey everyone!

I go solo way more often than with friends/family. I live in the south FL so it's only about a 3 hour drive. I'll head up whenever I have a couple days off (and my pass isn't blacked out like it is right now ) and spend a couple days in the parks. I try to do it on a budget so I stay off property and rarely eat in the parks. I just really dig walking around the parks and hitting a few rides, it never gets old to me.

 

[rangerxenos]

I did my first solo trip unplanned, when a friend I was going with had a family incident and was unable to come down the day before the trip...since I live nearby and didn't want to deal with trying to cancel everything, I decided to go anyway. Ended up having one of the most relaxed, chilled Disney vacations ever. That was some 25 years ago, and I've mixed in solo trips 1-2 times a year every year since. I still tend to have one or two 'family' trips and one 'friend' trip each year, plus 1-2 solo trips.

Mostly, it comes down to having no obligations, no schedule, no worries about disappointing someone else, no feeling that I'm hindering someone else's trip with my love of photography and stopping all the time to photograph things...I can spend a day in a park and go on 1 ride...or 10. I can spend an hour just sitting on a bench with a drink and watching people pass by. I can go to the parks at 1pm and stay until an hour after close. I can spend 4 hours just hopping around resorts and taking boat transportation to different resorts and hotels to photograph them. Back at my villa, the whole place is mine, no one else is in the bathroom or shower when I need it, no one is playing the TV too loud in the morning out in the living room, no one complains when I crank the AC down to 65 to sleep. I love solo trips now, and find myself occasionally grumbling when I'm with family or friends - I have to stop myself and think 'next trip will be solo, this one is for family...grin and bear it!'

I am a photographer as well, and I know that when I'm with other people they probably get aggravated because I stop to take so many photos. I can spend half an hour observing and photographing the tigers, or the gorillas at AK, and never get bored. I'll stand and wait for the perfect lighting for a castle shot.

 

[zackiedawg]

I am a photographer as well, and I know that when I'm with other people they probably get aggravated because I stop to take so many photos. I can spend half an hour observing and photographing the tigers, or the gorillas at AK, and never get bored. I'll stand and wait for the perfect lighting for a castle shot.

Indeed...that's something I start to feel the pressure of when I'm with others. Many of my family and friends have a high level of patience for that, but I can definitely fell after the 25th stop that they're thinking 'not again!'. And that's not even getting into the long-exposure stuff - I don't even bother to do that unless I'm traveling solo or with a photography group. Setting up a tripod, and pulling out the remote to run off some 15 second to 5 minute exposures would definitely be the red line for my friends and family's patience! When I'm solo, I can spend an hour or two past park closing getting lots of nice long night exposures with few to no people in my way, until the park security and cleaning crew come along and usher me out. Even then, I often run a hundred feet ahead of them and put up the tripod to grab another exposure until they catch up to me again - they're very friendly and chat with me while I do it, as long as I stay ahead enough to not slow them down, they're fine with it!

 

[JoJoGirl]

Love reading all the reasons people go solo. Most of them are on my list too. Probably my biggest reason is that I simply like to go more often than all my regular travel companions. That means I go solo sometimes. Solo trips let do everything I love, so that when family comes along, we can focus on the things they love.

About half the time I can pick up travel companions. My husband likes to go once every two years, and our grown and married daughter can do a mother/daughter trip every other year. Our adult son is profoundly disabled, and though I sometimes take him just the two of us, it’s much easier with his dad along. My mom, who is now 81, loves to go and we used to go together every Christmas season. However, she found the last few trips increasingly stressful - Crowds, traveling, mobile everything, rising hotel and food costs, and the demise of Magical Express w/luggage all dampened her enjoyment. She and Dad came along with me in May so they could rest while I went out on my own during the mornings, but that won’t happen very often.

Since my husband retired two years ago, he is able to help more with our son, so now I can get away on a few little trips every year. Disney is my #1 destination because it is both fun and safe. He goes on his little trips as well — he loves small track auto racing like USAC and World of Outlaws, plus he takes golf trips. It’s a great comprimise and we both get to do what we enjoy!

 

[ShadowBoxer]

Main reason for this upcoming trip next month is for several reasons

- After a year like 2020, I need a nice getaway. Haven't been on a real vacation in two years.
-Celebrate getting my masters degree last year ( this trip was suppose to happen last summer)
- Going solo because none of my friends or family wanted to go, or where able too. Some book trips to Vegas or other places before I booked my Disney trip.

 

[zuzustargal]

Heading out for a quick solo trip on Monday! Had to get a few solo days in before a full family trip in August. So many great comments above about solo trips and I agree with them all! I get really stressed out on trips with others...I'm so spoiled now by doing whatever I want to do whenever I want to do it. To all those who haven't tried it yet, go for it!!

 

[Simba's Mom]

Many years ago, it was my "Mom's mental health vacation", just to go and relax, have fun, whatever, and let DH handle the kids (he traveled a lot for business and I was often the only parent). Also, no one was a bigger Disney fan in our family than I was. Now, the kids are grown and have kids of their own. DH has long since retired but has pretty much had his fill of traveling. And he's not the Disney fan I am. He encourages me (as if it takes much encouragement!) to go solo, and once or twice a year, he takes a golf vacation, where it's all golf all the time. Works for us!

 

[MickMick]

I don't subscribe to the "getting your money's worth" theory when it comes to theme parks. When I'm ready to go, I'm ready to go. Last time, my mom and I spent a whopping six and a half hours at Animal Kingdom. We rode a few rides, ate snacks, and chilled out at one of the bars. We left and went to a steakhouse for dinner.

Most of my friends and loved ones wouldn't understand that. They would want to stay there from sun up to sundown and that would be slow torture for me. So, I'm going alone. I plan to sample the snacks. Eat table service. On my birthday night, I hope that the dessert parties are back. I'll ride my favorite rides, take photos with characters, and basically chill on the benches with my favorite snacks.

I told my family I was going for my birthday and these folks started inviting themselves. SMH.

 

[ludari]

I’m single, like to travel and I’m a DVC member.

 

[disneyseniors]

I love all these responses and makes me wish I could do it too, but it will "be someday".
I was wondering if loneliness enters the picture at all? I enjoy sharing things with my husband, and wonder if being able to share with someone else is missed. I'm also an introvert and shy, so there's that.

 

[ScubaCat]

I'd never done it until last summer, but after months of covid and no business travel, my wife suggested I go. I guess we both needed the break. So, armed with my gold AP, excess DVC points, and a surprise 30% merch discount, I went the first week of August. It was awesome to have a week at a new (to me) resort (Copper Creek @ WL) and extremely low crowds. In fact, I did another week at CCV in April and am booked for my 3rd solo week at BCV so I can be there on 10/1 with all the other crazies. We still do our family trips, but it's nice to get to do what /I/ want for a change. (and bringing home merch always helps )

 

[Marz1401]

I have never been to WDW and everyone never has enough money to afford such a trip. I rather go solo and not regret never going to relive childhood dreams.

 

[JoJoGirl]

I love all these responses and makes me wish I could do it too, but it will "be someday".
I was wondering if loneliness enters the picture at all? I enjoy sharing things with my husband, and wonder if being able to share with someone else is missed. I'm also an introvert and shy, so there's that.

I admit that on my first solo trip I had some moments where it definitely felt strange and a little lonely not to be sharing the experience with someone. My first solo signature meal was probably the biggest challenge. That said, I soon found myself falling into a “solo mode,” where you become engrossed in the details around you and enjoy those in a different, but wonderfully satisfying way. I took a little learning, but by my second solo trip, everything - including signature meals - was a breeze! It’s an amazingly freeing feeling.

A shorter trip length helps too. You can enjoy a lot of Disney in four days solo. It is a great place for a solo introvert (like me) because you blend into the crowd and you can engage or not engage with others depending on what you feel comfortable with. It doesn’t feel so much as if other people are looking at you either (they’re not - everyone is too busy), and if you accidentally do something awkward - hey, you’ll never see any of these people again, lol!