Going solo - Starting to feel odd

sonofanarchy

DIS Veteran
Joined
Apr 27, 2013
As a Disney die-hard I go every summer with my family for 2 weeks. I also take the occasional solo trip. I'm 37 now and I guess I'm starting to feel weird about it. Anyone else ever feel like this? I'm going solo for Labor Day weekend and just plan on spending a few days at the Magic Kingdom. Much of the time I just enjoy sitting with a box of popcorn and soaking up the atmosphere. But I also enjoy all the rides. I just keep thinking how odd I'm going to look going on Fantasyland rides by myself. Never bothered me before. Just starting to feel old and odd about it. Can anyone relate?
 
I am actually jealous...I wish my upcoming trip was a solo. There are so many things I want to do or see or just soak up. I am seriously considering an annual pass just so I can maybe do a solo trip next year. One day I will remember to keep my mouth shut and NOT tell people I am planning a trip to WDW and they can't invite themselves along!!
 
Hey Sonofanarchy, you should never feel odd or worried about going to DisneyWorld. I doesnt matter how old you are, your young, go out there and have an awesome time, I'm planning my first solo trip to DisneyWorld this year and I'm 37 to, I did feel odd about going on my own but I spoke to a couple of cast members who work there who I met in my last visit and they said, they know lots of people who go visiting the parks by themselves and they find it much better as they can go on what ever rides they want to and do what they want when they want and not have to worry about anybody else plus everyone's really friendly there and we are all there for the same reason, because we love everything that is Disney :-) I really need to start booking and planning my trip,
Hope you have an awesome time when you go :-)
 
As a Disney die-hard I go every summer with my family for 2 weeks. I also take the occasional solo trip. I'm 37 now and I guess I'm starting to feel weird about it. Anyone else ever feel like this? I'm going solo for Labor Day weekend and just plan on spending a few days at the Magic Kingdom. Much of the time I just enjoy sitting with a box of popcorn and soaking up the atmosphere. But I also enjoy all the rides. I just keep thinking how odd I'm going to look going on Fantasyland rides by myself. Never bothered me before. Just starting to feel old and odd about it. Can anyone relate?

There's no need to feel weird about a solo trip. We all go solo for various reasons. And like most people will tell you, there is no better feeling of freedom than doing Disney parks on your own. I'm also returning to the World on Labor Day weekend. It will be my 4th solo trip, and I can't wait.

We just took some family members to Disneyland a couple of weeks ago. I enjoyed touring my partner, SIL and 2 neices (10 and 16yo) through both parks. But I also had 3 to 4 hours solo time on both days. I have no problem spending time (or entire trips) in the parks on my own.

If you are an independent person and really want to go solo, you will have a blast.
 


Only you can change your opinion of you and your trip, so do it :goodvibes

I'm 33 and travel solo to the World at least 1-2x/year. I LOVE it. I love the freedom to do/go/not go wherever I feel at any whim. The only thing I ever feel "weird" about is table service dining solo, so I typically avoid that (which is usually fine, because I prefer to go during F&W anyway!).

Go, enjoy, and be free :cheer2:
 
As a Disney die-hard I go every summer with my family for 2 weeks. I also take the occasional solo trip. I'm 37 now and I guess I'm starting to feel weird about it. Anyone else ever feel like this? I'm going solo for Labor Day weekend and just plan on spending a few days at the Magic Kingdom. Much of the time I just enjoy sitting with a box of popcorn and soaking up the atmosphere. But I also enjoy all the rides. I just keep thinking how odd I'm going to look going on Fantasyland rides by myself. Never bothered me before. Just starting to feel old and odd about it. Can anyone relate?

I love going to WDW solo(do it multiple times a year) and wouldn't change a thing. I've never had anyone look at me funny when I ride rides solo. I take advantage of the single rider line(Test Track, Mt. Everest, etc.) when possible and count my blessings that I don't have to wait in a long line with everyone else!
 
I am 38 years old and a single parent and travel with my DS13 one time per year. I certainly understand how you feel, but even for myself I often feel solo as I am the only adult. I have to say with Disney out of all the places I traveled I felt the most joy being there I often feel lonely on other destinations. Have a great time and there is so much to do and you can do whatever attraction you want! Enjoy!!!!!
 


I've only gone solo to WDW once, but I enjoyed it so much that I am doing my next trip in September (yay-only weeks away now!).

I will admit that I did feel a little out of place initially, only because you start to take notice just how many couples and families there are. However, I did Universal as a solo trip last year, and I don't know if I just took more notice or not, but I did see more people on their own besides myself. I also think I was more comfortable doing that the second time around.

That being said, as others have pointed out, there are a lot of pluses to traveling solo. Certainly, the single rider lines are a biggie--there's nothing better than being able to get on a ride repeatedly and not have to wait!
 
You are only as old as you feel and if visiting Disney doesn't make you feel young nothing will.
 
I've gone solo several times.. I actually enjoy it.. It gives you more time to stop and smell the roses,, so to speak.. It's amazing how much we miss when we're running from one attraction to another.. There are so many pluses to going solo and its always nice to meet up with a fellow Disney friend if they happen to be there at the same time!
 
I went on my first solo trip when I was 27. I went on Dinosaur at Animal Kingdom I was placed in a row with a father and daughter who was probably 6 or 7. I went in to sit first and she was supposed to follow to sit next to me, but she wouldn't so her dad had to go in first. I'm guessing it's because she didn't know me (hoping it's not because I'm scary looking), but she didn't have a problem standing right next to other families in line. That's the only time I felt weird.
 
OMG, say hello to a 65 year old that has traveled to WDW solo many times over the last 12 years. 37? and you get a box of popcorn and sit on a bench and watch people? Really? What are you going to do when you are my age?

I don't like popcorn so I instead ride all the rides as often as I can. I don't care what people think! I don't care if they don't want to sit next to me cause I'm old and therefore strange. Why would I care I didn't go there to sit next to anyone so why would I care.

In fact over the last 12 years I have had a cute and terrific young lady chat with me while we were waiting for a movie to start and after it did, I felt a bit of pressure on my upper arm, glanced over and she had fallen asleep with her head hitting my arm. Her parents seemed upset and decided to move her so she wouldn't bother me...I told them they didn't have too, it was just fine and that I had been the Father of two little girls and I missed that. She stayed where she was until the movie was over.

Another time I was sitting in the across the bus rear seat section after leaving HDR when a family came in and there was only enough room for their little boy to sit down next to me. He did and within minutes he also was sound asleep against my arm. Another time I was sitting on the bench just outside of Splash Mtn. when a Mom and Dad and their little girl sat next to me. The little girls just looked at me for quite a while and then asked me if I had any grandkids. I laughed and said I did and then her parents asked about the fact that I appeared to be by myself. I told them I was and that I loved WDW and came here often by myself. They, the parents, then asked me what I found to do in the parks. I replied, everything that you do. In fact there were some water spots on my shirt that got there during my ride on Splash mountain a few minutes earlier. They couldn't believe that a man, as they put it, of my advanced years, would even go to a park alone, much less still ride the rides. Heck I was a whippersnapper of 55 at the time. People know so little about aging until they actually get there.

The fact of the matter is that I have never seen anything that would leave me to believe that anyone gives a rats tail about what other people are doing or if they are "alone" or not. There is no reason at all to feel self conscience about it. 99.9% of what you think is someone watching what you are doing is your imagination at work. As for the other, .1% can you think of any good reason why you should care what they think. I surely cannot.
 
As a Disney die-hard I go every summer with my family for 2 weeks. I also take the occasional solo trip. I'm 37 now and I guess I'm starting to feel weird about it. Anyone else ever feel like this? I'm going solo for Labor Day weekend and just plan on spending a few days at the Magic Kingdom. Much of the time I just enjoy sitting with a box of popcorn and soaking up the atmosphere. But I also enjoy all the rides. I just keep thinking how odd I'm going to look going on Fantasyland rides by myself. Never bothered me before. Just starting to feel old and odd about it. Can anyone relate?

I am 46 and mostly go solo. One misconception about Disney that annoys me is that "Disney is just for kids". No it is for anyone that enjoys it. Enjoy and don't worry about your age. And you do what you want. Yes it is fun going with someone but the freedom of being able to do what you want, when you want is a plus.
 
I totally understand what you mean about "feeling odd."

I used to go to Disneyworld every year, many times several times a year with ,y wife. Now that we are divorced, I really want to go back, although it would have to be a solo trip. I have it scheduled for nov 11-17 and I too just have this odd feeling overwhelming me.

I normally travel for business alone many times throughout the year and am used to it. But it feels so strange going on a solo vacation now.
 
I went on my first solo trip when I was 27. I went on Dinosaur at Animal Kingdom I was placed in a row with a father and daughter who was probably 6 or 7. I went in to sit first and she was supposed to follow to sit next to me, but she wouldn't so her dad had to go in first. I'm guessing it's because she didn't know me (hoping it's not because I'm scary looking), but she didn't have a problem standing right next to other families in line. That's the only time I felt weird.

That would have been me at that age. I was generally shy when I was young and avoided people I didn't know so I wouldn't have to talk to them. I definitely would not have wanted to sit next to a stranger on a ride. I'm certain that it wasn't personal, just a shy kid!
 
I totally understand what you mean about "feeling odd."

I used to go to Disneyworld every year, many times several times a year with ,y wife. Now that we are divorced, I really want to go back, although it would have to be a solo trip. I have it scheduled for nov 11-17 and I too just have this odd feeling overwhelming me.

I normally travel for business alone many times throughout the year and am used to it. But it feels so strange going on a solo vacation now.

For me, divorce was life changing enough. I made up my mind that I wasn't going to give up one more thing because of it. I loved my trips to WDW and I vowed that I would continue them.

I guess I am just naive, but honestly, the thought that there was anything wrong with going there by myself never once entered my mind. I think the first time I even thought about it was when someone brought it up on the boards. I just figured that I would continue to do the trips solo until I found another person to share it with. At this point that hasn't happened, but I know that if I do meet someone the first thing I want to know is, how do you feel about WDW? If the answer is, "I love it" or "I don't know, I've never been" then we have a chance. If they look at me like I have two heads and ask how old I said I was, then the evening just came to an end. I've lived too long and been through too many things to compromise at this point about something as innocent as a Disney Theme Park. That's who I am and who I will remain until I take that dirt-nap.
 
The little girl was probably just a shy kid, but it didn't stop me from questioning whether I had become the creepy solo traveler. So, yes, I can relate to feeling odd. It happens. I'll still ride Dinosaur this year.

There is one other travel destination I often travel solo to that usually makes some travelers, solo or not, feel nervous and uncomfortable. I walk in with complete confidence and have a wonderful time, but I completely understand what the others are feeling. It's a learning moment, which is why they make the attempt to go in the first place.
 
Other than a TS restaurant, I don't think I would even notice a solo traveler.
Families do so much splitting up while at Disney a solo adult wouldn't stand out at all. We were there last week and on multiple occasions my wife chose to wait for us on a bench or in a shop while the kids and I went on a ride. I don't think anybody saw her as a strange while alone. I rode single rider once, again never even thought people assumed I was strange for being there alone.
Of course you could push a stroller with kids stuff in it if you want to look like a parent waiting for their kids:rotfl2:
 

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