Why did you decide to go solo?

winnieofpooh

DIS Veteran
Joined
May 30, 2018
I hope this isn't a prying question, but I'm seriously contemplating a quick weekend solo trip. My fiance finishes up his first year of dental school at the end of April, and I thought it would be a stress reliever for him to take a mini trip after the semester ends. He told me he doesn't really want to do two trips in one year and "lose the magic." But I have a crazy Disney bug and really still want to go!

Did anyone decide to do a solo trip because their partner/travel buddy didn't want to go? I'm an experienced traveler so I'm not worried about that part, but I'm worried I'll feel sad the whole trip because I won't have anyone to share it with. Anyone feel the same? Did you regret going solo? Did you still have fun?
 
After I got divorced I really felt I needed some Disney magic in my life. I did a quick 4 night trip and loved every second of it. I thought I'd feel weird being there by myself but it was awesome to be able to do what I wanted, when I wanted. I did QS only the 1st time I did a solo trip ( I've done several on my own after the 1st! ) but booked a mix of QS & TS on subsequent trips.
 
I decided to go solo after none of my friends or family wanted to go with me, and like you I had the disney bug! I went during my college spring break and it was the best decision of my life!!! i am normally very introverted and rarely do things on my own, and this trip gave me soo much confidence!! I even ate at 3 (!!!) table service restaurants and met characters!!! i did not plan on doing those two things cause I thought I would be too scared to do it by myself but it was awesome!! Honestly, I also thought I would get lonely and sad, but I went for 5 days 4 nights and did not feel lonely/sad once. there's so much to do you'll keep yourself busy all the time so you'll never feel alone.

I did not regret going solo once during my trip. i've been to disney 10ish times and it was hands down one of my favorite trips. i loved it so much that on my second day i upgraded to the annual pass so i can go solo again! seriously if i can enjoy a solo trip, you can too! :D
 
For me, it's because work puts me in the area every once in a while. It's a good way to use some time, and justify the extra wait for odd flight times to save money on that end.
 


I decided to go solo because I was tired of staying home while DH went on dive trips. My first solo trip (5 years ago), he and both of our young adult DD's were leaving on my birthday for a trip! Since he retired he has been diving more, and often they are liveaboard trips which have nothing for me. So I go to Orlando more and enjoy the warm weather and sunshine. I have some siblings who winter in Florida now so I visit them too. I have probably done 8 solo trips now; going back in October. February is a great time to get out of SW PA!
 
I had never been to Disney as an adult until January 2015, when I treated myself to a solo trip to celebrate leaving one job and starting a better one. It was supposed to be a one and done. Hah! 10 solo trips later, I’m the proud owner of my 3rd AP and I have three trips planned for this year (24 days and counting!). If I had waited until people in my life were able to come with me, then I would have missed out on so many amazing experiences. My Mom plans to come with me this summer and it will be strange to not be solo. But I have so many tips and so much expertise to bring to the table. I’m excited to share Disney with her, but I wouldn’t trade my solo trips for anything.
 


If I had waited until people in my life were able to come with me, then I would have missed out on so many amazing experiences.

This is the main reason I go solo. I'm the only person in my family/friends that is a Disney fanatic so I'm not going to wait around for other people to want to go with me.

Honestly how lonely you feel will be dependent on your personality. You could always find something you love that you would've never thought to do while traveling with your fiance and you'll be able to share that with him on the next trip you take together.
 
Did anyone decide to do a solo trip because their partner/travel buddy didn't want to go? I'm an experienced traveler so I'm not worried about that part, but I'm worried I'll feel sad the whole trip because I won't have anyone to share it with. Anyone feel the same? Did you regret going solo? Did you still have fun?
That's exactly why I decided to do my first solo trip; no one wanted to go when I wanted to go. I had such a great time I go solo often.
I'm an experienced traveler so I'm not worried about that part, but I'm worried I'll feel sad the whole trip because I won't have anyone to share it with. Anyone feel the same? Did you regret going solo? Did you still have fun?
Then a quick weekend solo trip is the way to do it. If you don't like it you won't be there for too long.

Don't tell anyone, but I've come to enjoy my solo trips better than trips with others.
 
I am now a 65 year old woman, and my husband is considerably older than me. We have no children. I had wanted to go to WDW for SO LONG, so in early December 1993, he finally agreed to go on our first trip. We had a great time. We then went one year later. I became totally obsessed with WDW, while my husband grew to dislike most things about it. All I can say is that he became a "PIA". He just does not travel well … to put it mildly. So we had 4 annual vacations together, and then I got 18 more annual vacations all by myself !!! For my first solo, I was at Dixie Landings (now Port Orleans Riverside). I figured I would just try it solo, and if I didn't like it, I just would not do it again. It turned out that I LOVED it !! I was able to keep in touch with my husband frequently, and my Mom frequently too, so I never felt lonely at all. I gabbed with all the people in line, and gabbed with CM's in the restaurants, and I just had fantastic vacations ! I always had a small notebook in my fanny pack, and a park map during my meals. If at any time I felt uncomfortable eating alone, I just got busy with my park map and I took notes.

I am delaying going back to WDW. Although I am 65, my husband is now 89. Although he does a lot around the house and yard, he does have a heart condition, and I just don't feel like I want to be away for a week. What if he needs me, and I'm not there ??? Some day I will be back to see M I C K E Y , but not for a while.
 
I decided to go solo for the first time because I hadn't been in 7 years and really really really wanted to go, but my sister did not. (She enjoys it, but it's not her priority for spending money/vacation time.) I loved my solo trip so much, I did 5 more. (And my sister is going back with me eventually to see SW:GE.)
 
I had made some friends on here and one became a travel buddy who did a few trips with me. Now her vacation priorities are changing and it looks like she may not be available to do WDW trips for a while, so I'm looking for more new travel buddies again. On every solo trip I look to meet up with some Dis'ers and hope to make more new friends.
 
I had been wanting to go for a while, but coordinating travel schedules has been hard with friends.

Then I actually had to travel to Orlando for my job. During our time off, my co-workers were more interested in sitting around the hotel pool bar. So after the project was done, I just decided (solo or not) I wasn't going to go all the way to Orlando and not visit WDW for the first time. So I just showed up and bought a ticket. After spending the day at Epcot, I had so much fun that I vowed to visit again and upgraded to an annual pass. Now I've flown there solo a few times and am so happy to not be missing out anymore.
 
I started going solo after my divorce. My ex was a good sport about me wanting to go until he wasn't and after the end of our marriage, I needed some happiness in my life so I went to WDW. At first it was an escape from the sadness I felt all the time. Now I go solo because I want to. I've gone with family and friends but sometimes I want to do certain things and I have to go solo. My friends / family often don't want to pay for some of the extras or splurges I like so instead of subsidizing them or missing out on what I want to do, I go solo. I've always found people to talk to when I wanted and enjoyed alone time when I needed.
 
I hope this isn't a prying question, but I'm seriously contemplating a quick weekend solo trip. My fiance finishes up his first year of dental school at the end of April, and I thought it would be a stress reliever for him to take a mini trip after the semester ends. He told me he doesn't really want to do two trips in one year and "lose the magic." But I have a crazy Disney bug and really still want to go!

Did anyone decide to do a solo trip because their partner/travel buddy didn't want to go? I'm an experienced traveler so I'm not worried about that part, but I'm worried I'll feel sad the whole trip because I won't have anyone to share it with. Anyone feel the same? Did you regret going solo? Did you still have fun?

My DH simply isn't the Disney fanatic I am. He'll go about once a year, and have a fairly good time, but he encourages me to go solo other times. And I love it! I get to do the Fantasyland things, Triceratops Spin, 3 consecutive trips on SE, etc. I have moments when I miss him, wish he'd suddenly surprise me and show up. But overall, I can just relax and know I'm enjoying myself, not wondering all the time "Is he having fun or is he bored?"
 
Just like some PP above said, the main reason I started to go Solo is because all my friends/family arent as big of fans as I am. They dont care about rope drop or doing anything at the parks other then the rides.

My first trip solo was years ago and I have been doing so for a long time. I go with a group every once in a while. But a lot of the times I prefer to go alone, there are a lot of benefits. I like not having to wait on other people, I'm able to do the park rides much faster with not just Maxpass or Fastpass, but the god send that is Single Rider lines and no arguing over where to eat.

There are downfalls as well, sometimes I will be at DL or DCA doing something and I know that this would be more fun with someone else with me. DL will always be more fun with someone else or a group. But when you are a Disney Fanatic and your friends/family arent it can be tough.

But i think that the Solo trip will do you good. It'll also make you appreciate DL even more when he is with you the next trip. When you are alone you can do everything you want to do at your own pace. Then when you are together, you can both can focus on some more of the things he wants to do and go at a pace that he is comfortable with.
 
I decided to go on my first solo trip because my immediate family could not travel with me and I wanted to get away from home doing mundane tasks and errands during the April school vacation (teacher). So, I went on my first solo trip and enjoyed it very much. There were times when I longed for family or friends to be with me, but for the majority of the trip, it was the best -- doing anything that I wanted to do and experience in the parks and resorts. Since that first solo trip, I have gone to Disney on several other solo vacations when I need to get away and experience some Disney magic. My trips have changed to more spa, golf, shopping, and resort activities rather than focusing on all the rides and the attractions. I pick my favorites and let the trip naturally evolve. It is great! Go for it and enjoy!
 
I love WDW and have been going since the early 90s. Hubby and I did several trips before the kids came along and then several with them. I had always wanted to go during the food and wine fest but it was during the school year and I wanted to be able to do the seminars and events that hubby and kids were not interested in. So I decided to go solo one year and have been doing that for about 8 years now.
 
For me, it’s a combination of not being able to find anyone willing to go with me and also, as I’m getting older, I’ve learned to enjoy my own company a lot more than I used to.

When I’m down there solo, it’s completely on my terms. I’m not dealing with anyone’s “I don’t wanna eat there”, “that’s too expensive”, “I don’t wanna ride that”, etc.

Being alone at Disney World for a few days is my idea of the ultimate “me time”.
 

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