Why did you decide to go solo?

I'm a school teacher and so all my Disney trips are during peak times. I recently moved back from teaching abroad and could go during 'off-peak' times when most kids were in school. I jumped at the chance to book a trip!
I got to do everything I wanted, and not have my family members scoffing that 'characters are for kids' when I stood in line to meet every princess. I became an honorary cast member and helped out many a bewildered family frantically trying to orientate a map. It was a perfect week of 'me time' and I've never had a more wonderful time!
 
We went every year while the kids were growing up. Once they’d left the nest DH pretty much lost interest. One year he bailed on me fairly last minute so I went by myself. It was a huge big scary deal for someone like me and I almost backed out more than once. In the end, I just couldn’t stand the thought of wasting that pricey DVC points rental so I put on my big girl panties and went.

I HAD THE BEST TIME!!!!!!!!!!



That was over ten years ago. Now I go several times every year. Disney is my guilty semi-secret indulgence.
 
Being from The Netherlands at some point I wanted something more than Disneyland Paris. So I wanted to broaden my Disney horizon to WDW. I asked a few friends who might be interested to go with me but I wasn't counting on them to come along. Between the cost, the vacation days it takes and them not being super into Disney it just wasn't worth it for them. Went alone (2017) and had the best time ever! I have my third solo trip planned for September. :sulley:
 
To experience what it was like to be at WDW alone and on my own timeline. I loved it. I have done 3 solo trips.
 


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?

I returned from my first Disney solo trip 2 weeks ago today! My previous trips (last in 2008) was with another person. I always thought about Disney solo but talked myself out of it. I believed I wouldn't enjoy it if there wasn't someone there to share the "moments" with. I couldn't have been more wrong! It was one of the most amazing vacation experiences I have had! The sense of freedom kept me from feeling lonely. When you don't have another person's needs, likes or personality to constantly consider it gives you a chance to really enjoy the moments, even to the point that you don't want to share. You get to indulge in pure selfishness, picking and choosing the moments to celebrate, relax, explore, be extroverted, be introverted, eat, don't eat and move about in any direction. Taking as much or as little time to focus on details and savor the moments. I chose to do a few thrills tours in advance because I had that fear. I really enjoyed the tours and it gave me a chance to spend time in a group, sharing the experience. The best memories are those of the After Hours events! There was something amazingly magical about having a park almost to myself. I had an entire HM stretch room all to myself (well the Maid was there)!! Please, Please.. DO IT!! You have nothing to lose and you have the chance to create some really special and personal amazing memories. It was such a great experience, I will be doing Solo Trip 2 in September. I am even planning on an AP so that I can plan a few more!!!
 


I go alone because it is familiar to me and an easy vacation. I love to get away and don't have a ton of time to plan solo getaways to places I've never been. And Haunted Mansion.

I am single with no kids so I will go with friends and family sometimes but as I get older I find I want to do things more on my own schedule and sleep in in the mornings and stay up at night, which families aren't always into.
 
I do whatever I want when I want. :p Long ago I did go to Disney, Universal, and Busch Gardens with friends over the years, most times solo in-between. That way I don't have to wait to see if they can afford to go. They have families now so I go solo. Nowadays, I do go with my friend and his wife to HHN Universal yearly and a few Disney trips as well. They're my go to guys for theme parks whenever our work schedules line up.
 
I did my first solo trip in 2015 when I found out it was going to be the last year for the Osborne Lights, and I couldn't find anyone else who wanted to go. I had one of my best trips ever.

I've since done a half solo/half with friends trip, and my last trip I traveled with a friend and her great nieces who would rather hang around the hotel than go to the parks, so I spent a good chunk of the week solo in the parks anyway!

I think I'm going to do another solo trip this December because I want to go again and no one else I know can or wants to go. My DH tolerates Disney, and will only once every few years. I love WDW, and he just doesn't share my love of it, so I usually go without him, and we take a vacation together somewhere else.
 
I'm young, single, and have no kids. My parents are the ones I go on most Disney trips with but sometimes they can't go. If the opportunity arises, I don't want to miss out so I go alone!
 
Life's too short to wait around for everyone else to catch on.

For a few years it felt like pulling teeth convincing friends/family to go to wdw. They always had fun, but for them the benefits never outweighed the cost. After some health issues and getting myself stable I basically decided I was done waiting for other people to be ready to go.

My first solo trip was during Christmas time. It was cold, busy and I got terribly ill and still didn't want to leave. I found that even being sick, I was much less stressed by myself than when I was worrying about whether or not the person I was with was having a good time.
 
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.

Same here! Plus when I am solo I can take advantage of "upgraded experiences" like hotel rooms, dining, etc. that I might not when traveling with the crew.
 
I went solo for the first time this year because I hadn’t been since I was a kid and I wanted to see what Disney was like as an adult. I loved every minute of it! It was so relaxing to just be able to explore and do fun things all on my own. I love my family, but they don’t travel well and often end up getting into arguments on long trips. As much as I’d love a good family vacation there, I’m kind of worried their poor attitudes would ruin such a magical experience. Maybe that sounds selfish, but I kind of just want the magic all to myself.
 
Just came home from my first solo trip (resort hopping & Disney Springs)!

The why: going through an unwanted divorce, and happened to be called to work in the Orlando area for a few days... so I decided I was taking a few days before coming home for ME. I had some hesitation, but I truly needed the shelter of the Magical land I had virtually grown up in, to feel like the world melted away and that the impossible was possible.

Would I do it again? Absolutely! There is nowhere else I would feel as safe traveling alone, and despite having some memories there with DH... the majority of my Disney memories are with my family from the last 30+ years, so it really does feel like going home.

I haven't scheduled the next solo trip that would include the parks yet, but I felt so welcomed and cared for this trip...I can't wait to get it planned. I didn't think I could ever be happy traveling alone... huge thanks to Disney for proving me wrong and healing a part of my heart in the meantime!
 
My first solo trip was to F&W the year my marriage broke up. I had planned the trip to include my ex who never really liked Disney, but would tag along anyway. He wouldn't try new restaurants, pay for table service, talk to people, get up early etc. (all of those things we do). I'll admit I was nervous, but I planned some food and wine seminars, and my first Disney table service at Chef's Du France. I had the best time. I met many friendly people from all over. I found just by being in a crowded space, sharing a table or such, conversations were started (the wine probably had something to do with that). It was great, I could go where I wanted, spend what I wanted, eat where I wanted. No more sitting on the balcony waiting for grumpy to wake up. I made my second solo trip in December 2018 and there will be more to come. Enjoy!
 
I was attending an offsite conference in April 2016 and decided to take a couple days to check out the parks... since, you know, I'm here anyways... it's research for a family trip at some future unspecified time. Morning in AK, evening at HS and a day at MK and was hooked. Was back for another post-conference stay last December where I ran around like a frenetic gerbil (my Disney pace) over a few days. Amazingly... surprisingly... wonderfully... will be back for another conference at the beginning of June which will be a combination of my wife being able to come down for the first part of the conference (I'm hoping I haven't oversold it... the parks, not the conference... I don't think she really cares about the conference) but having to head back early in the week so the backend of conference will be solo evenings and that last bittersweet morning at AK before catching the evening flight home.
 
I was attending an offsite conference in April 2016 and decided to take a couple days to check out the parks... since, you know, I'm here anyways... it's research for a family trip at some future unspecified time. Morning in AK, evening at HS and a day at MK and was hooked. Was back for another post-conference stay last December where I ran around like a frenetic gerbil (my Disney pace) over a few days. Amazingly... surprisingly... wonderfully... will be back for another conference at the beginning of June which will be a combination of my wife being able to come down for the first part of the conference (I'm hoping I haven't oversold it... the parks, not the conference... I don't think she really cares about the conference) but having to head back early in the week so the backend of conference will be solo evenings and that last bittersweet morning at AK before catching the evening flight home.


I’m so jealous that you get to go to conferences in Orlando! I would absolutely take advantage of that :-)
 

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