Which Rides/Attractions Are Most Awkward Solo?

[raddisneyfan]

I began traveling solo as part of work conferences. I then decided I might try a solo trip. I go on my 2nd solo trip in December. For my age--and I'm older than you--I have a great amount of energy and like the challenge of doing everything when I'm at WDW. I get up early and head out. From a budget perspective, I always remind myself that I've made the decision to spend all of this money (as opposed to many alternatives), so I better get over the solo fact and get on with it. It's tough sometimes, but you just have to get to the point that you're spending your hard earned money just like everyone else and you deserve the same consideration as families and couples. Frankly, I am appalled at the treatment from the CM mentioned earlier. I've never had that experience and it has been my experience that a lot of staff at the restaurants in particular really go out of their way for you--my particular GREAT experiences have been at Yak & Yeti, Via Napoli, Chefs de France, Tutto Italia--all were absolutely wonderful and really made my day(s). So, if you are going to make the effort to plan and get to WDW, go all out and have a wonderful time!

 

[BeachClub2014]

I began traveling solo as part of work conferences. I then decided I might try a solo trip. I go on my 2nd solo trip in December. For my age--and I'm older than you--I have a great amount of energy and like the challenge of doing everything when I'm at WDW. I get up early and head out. From a budget perspective, I always remind myself that I've made the decision to spend all of this money (as opposed to many alternatives), so I better get over the solo fact and get on with it. It's tough sometimes, but you just have to get to the point that you're spending your hard earned money just like everyone else and you deserve the same consideration as families and couples. Frankly, I am appalled at the treatment from the CM mentioned earlier. I've never had that experience and it has been my experience that a lot of staff at the restaurants in particular really go out of their way for you--my particular GREAT experiences have been at Yak & Yeti, Via Napoli, Chefs de France, Tutto Italia--all were absolutely wonderful and really made my day(s). So, if you are going to make the effort to plan and get to WDW, go all out and have a wonderful time!

Thanks for the post. I am definitively going to do a solo trip at sometime and appreciate the words of encouragement

 

[DisneyFan2013]

I have been going to WDW with my family (wife and kids) for many, many years and can honestly say I can't recall paying attention at all to whether or not people were in line for rides and attractions alone. Now that the kids are grown and my wife is now an ex-wife, I wonder how awkward it would be to ride certain rides alone. It seems like it might be kinda creepy for a 48-year old guy to be standing in the line to ride Pirates by himself? The rides with single-rider lines I could probably handle.

How do you get used to doing it alone? Which rides do you feel more awkward than others?

I don't think it would be weird at all for you to be in line alone for POTC. I only felt weird riding Mad Tea Party alone. lol I guess Toy Story and Buzz Lightyear might be weird alone also, but I don't ride those anyway.

 

[karly05]

I guarantee you won't be the only adult solo or with no kids at POTC. It's a Disney Classic for all ages.

I agree with the PP about Mad Tea Party - I love it, but I'm always afraid they counted wrong and there won't be a cup for me. And as much as I love going solo, MTP is more fun when my Sister the Super-Spinner is there to make the tea cup go REALLY fast!

TSM and Buzz are fine solo. I've heard of TSM seating people with solos but it's never happened to me (and never on Buzz, but that's not surprising).

Honestly, for me, the most uncomfortable part of being solo is finding a table at a busy CS - I always feel like I'm taking up too much room, or in someone else's way.

 

[drp4video]

That was the one thing that did not bother me, eating alone. People watched. I only did quick service and just made sure that I had everything I needed when I sat down as I was worried about getting up to get something and someone clearing my place. In France at Les Halles bakery there was nowhere to sit and I noticed a family who had a few tables and only one person was sitting at one of them, so I asked if I could sit. They were very nice and said of course.

 

[ClareH37]

Tried to do a multi quote reply but I think I must be doing it wrong lol

I love my solo trips and that encounter with who I consider the meanest CM in Disney is the only not so magical encounter I've experienced, I always enjoy dining at Disney too and have never had any negativity.

I made sure I took plenty of Tinkerbell and my cousin's little DD was thrilled, I was on a mission to create some magic for her and succeeded.

 

[LaurelMW]

I have never ridden so many rides as I did on my solo trip to Disneyland. The only negative I found was there was no one to turn to when you wanted to share something that just happened, but I just used social media to replace that! Many instagram/twitter/facebook photos later and I had plenty of comments from friends so it was like I was sharing it with someone else, just not someone there with me at the moment.

 

[sightline]

When I was in school, I used to go to WDW regularly with a friend and his dad. After school, I didn't go for years, then just decided to suck it up and go alone one year. I was worried I would hate it - but that first solo trip was amazing. And I've been back frequently solo since - just as amazing.

I'd agree that Tea Party is probably the one ride that would be odd solo. I'm not a fan, so that's not a problem for me. As a solo over-30 guy, a few of the more "kid" attraction seem odd, as well. I went into Enchanted Tales having no idea what it was, and then felt a bit awkward when it was mostly parents and kids. Having said that, I helped a couple of folks take pictures, and it didn't seem as weird. (I felt almost like a CM at that point, which was kinda cool.) I don't know that I've ever done the stuff in and around the former Mickey's ToonTown / Storybook Circus.

But the CMs are used to seeing solos. Sometimes, I think they're more chatty with me for that reason. Wait staff, too. (I still eat at the nice restaurants, though less frequently solo.) Any and all awkwardness is really in your own head - being solo doesn't scratch of the surface of odd in the minds of most CMs.

And as a single-rider, it's often hilarious to chat with whatever group you're thrown with. I once ended up on RNR Coaster with a family from Jersey. I kept cracking goofy jokes, and the mom insisted that she wanted them to adopt me. I also had a really amazing dinner at one of the Wolfgang Puck restaurants - I sat at the bar, adjacent to a couple, and we ended up having a really fantastic discussion.

And, to me, that's one of the fun things about going solo - everyone around you is there to have a good time, so they tend to be more chatty and more friendly. And I'm not a particularly social person on the whole.

As a frequent solo - my biggest suggestion is to go at the more "adult" times - especially during the Epcot Food & Wine Festival (which is SO AWESOME). I went to a Star Wars Weekend this year for the first time, and it was also amazing - I ate solo at the Rebel Hanger, and there was a guy at the next table doing the same. When he left, a solo woman took his place. But there are a lot of us out there at any time. (I can say personally that I feel less self-conscious with fewer parents and really young kids around, but those types of awkward moments are generally pretty rare.)

Solo trips are really their own animal. You can really do so much - and, sometimes, it's great to call an audible and do something completely random, because why not?

And if you miss the group vibe, try one of the less-intensive tours (eg, Epcot Undiscovered or Keys to the Kingdom). You're in a bigger group with random folks, and it's always been fun for me.

But I always keep in mind that the solo trip is about me having fun, not about what I might be missing by being there solo. To the point, I can actually say that there are times that I've *prefered* a solo trip.

I'm happy to throw out random solo ideas, if anyone's interested.

 

[disneywarriorprincess]

My mom has awful motion sickness so the past 2 trips ive gone on almost all the thrill rides by myself. Star tours, mission space, space mountain, test track ( which i found out i hate). I never really noticed because I've gone on rides alone every time i go to a theme park unless I'm with one of my friends who likes coasters. The only awkward one was mission space because you're packed tightly next to strangers. Besides that, no problem.

 

[Sir William]

....The only awkward one was mission space because you're packed tightly next to strangers. Besides that, no problem.

I won't say it is awkward but it is slightly uncomfortable as you are supposed to be a team and you're the odd one out.

One time I was placed with one other single, a woman, and I could clearly see she was very uncomfortable, probably thinking I would sit next to here. She sat in the far right seat, so I took the far left seat and suggested that we also do the team position next to us for more "action".

Another time I was with 3 college boys, but one bailed before we entered the module, so the remaing two sat together and we had a seat between us. Again I did both team positions which I find fun to do.

 

[goddess_rx]

The only attractive I felt awkward was at Pixie Hollow, I wanted to get a photo of Tinkerbell for my cousin's little girl (I'd promised her as she's Tinkerbell mad), it was before FP+ and I joined the line as it opened so only a few people in front - I had the meanest CM who looked me up and down, asked how large my party was, and when I replied just 1, she then said to me in a really horrible tone 'really? - we don't get many of you here' !!! Took me a few seconds to compose myself but I then asked her if she'd forgotten her pixie dust that day as she didn't seem so happy to be working the happiest place on the planet!

How horrible! But handled very well

 

[goddess_rx]

I've done several thrill rides by myself, and I think it's easier to get away with because it's possible that the rest of your "party" is too chicken to brave those rides. I think the most awkward solo rides are the non-thrill rides geared more for younger riders (e.g. Dumbo or carousel). I was able to ride Dumbo with my sister, but I did do the carousel on my own. I don't think I could ride Dumbo on my own - I know...you shouldn't be concerned about what other park goers think, but I think the fact that this is a ride specifically for TWO (as opposed to four or more) riders makes it more awkward to ride solo for some reason.

 

[DisneyBelle_x]

Doing the rides alone is one of the only things I'm not worried about on my first upcoming solo trip, DH hates rides and opts out of most of them anyway so i'm used to doing them alone or am often the person sat alone or with a stranger on a ride if in a group with odd numbers (happened often on my trip in 2012)

 

[godders]

Yeh my Mum always sat out on the thrill (fun) rides so it was always me, my Dad and my brother meaning one of us was always the odd one out. I can completely understand that doing Buzz/TSMM could be weird without someone to compete with but I scored so badly on my last trip I was glad there wasn't anyone else to see it!

I met a really lovely couple in line for POTC and we chatted the whole way through and after we got off the boat as well so I wouldn't worry about POTC. Just think about all that room you'll have (provided you're not going at a busy time) to spread out. Won't even have to put your stuff on the wet floor which is definitely an added bonus if you lug a big camera around with you like I do.

I think I would also feel really awkward trying to find a table at CS places and with my bad eyesight I probably wouldn't find one anyway so I just book one TS meal a day (doesn't matter if it's brekkie, lunch or dinner) and then just nibble if I get hungry. I have some food issues so it takes me a really long time to eat so at TS meals I don't feel rushed and I can sit down and write in my trip diary or read my book without feeling like I need to hurry up because someone else needs the table

Oh and the free wifi in the parks definitely helps, especially for someone not from the US. Got to make many people at home jealous of me sitting in the sunshine while they were back in the rain

 

[SureAsLiz]

I'm constantly at the parks by myself, and the most awkward rides that I've found were Dumbo/Aladdin/Triceratops (but not Astro Orbiter interestingly enough). Those rides are designed for multiple people to control the front and back, and it's strange going on by myself. I did have a CM question the fact that I was actually by myself on Dumbo which was strange since the park was virtually empty that night. Other than that one instance, I've never been questioned on a ride or a character meet (and I love character meets)

Boat rides are great because I usually end up with a row by myself (IaSW) or just with another small group (PoTC).

TS dining is not something I have attempted by myself yet. CS is no issue at all though

 

[BalooFan]

I will be going on my second solo trip in a couple of months. Although I enjoy Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor, I won't do it alone. I can't think of any other attraction I won't do alone. As far as restaurants go, I avoid character meals (I'm really not a fan even when I'm travelling with others) and restaurants like Whispering Canyon, 'Ohana, and 50's Prime Time. I also wouldn't go to Biergarten alone. I just want a relaxed, quiet meal. Although I'm not self-conscious about touring alone, I also don't want to go somewhere that attention might be drawn to me.

 

[ars0525]

Were the any rides you didn't do because you were alone?

Only when I ride POC or HM alone late at night but cause I creep myself out!!! I rode POC late once & had the boat all alone. I have to keep reminding myself how fun it is & not that something is going to jump out & kill me in the dark. lol

You may be surprised how many solo riders there are even that are there in groups because people don't like certain rides. I rode a few rides with a tween once cause her grandmother didn't want to so we rode together while grandma waited at the exits. Just happened to be going to the same rides at the same time. Some rides do have policies that single riders have to ride alone (like Big Thunder wouldn't let me join the family of 3 & I got my own seat alone), but whatever works for me. Which let me add I totally understand why WDW won't mix single riders on some rides. I personally would feel a little weird riding with somebody's child if I didn't know them, but another adult I have no issue riding with.

 

[Chipmunks2271]

The only ride that was awkward was TSMM-the CMs actually made me feel bad because I was by myself. Had a family of three invite me into their car because they saw I was solo and the CM actually made me get out of that car and ride in one all by myself!

 

[ScottlovesDisney]

Right after my divorce became final in 2011 I was in a low place. So I went to DW solo and had a BLAST. Initially I was concerned about eating alone. Never really did it before. But NO ONE cared that I was sitting in Sci-Fi or Le Cellier or Tony's or ANYWHERE alone. And they REALLY didn't care that I was going on rides solo!! If anything, I was bumped up quite a few times because CMs would ask for single riders. I'm outgoing by nature so I made a lot of new friends and went out of my way to take pictures for people.

 

[ScottlovesDisney]

I am actually going on my first trip ever to Disney World solo this coming weekend June 19th-22nd. I am a 27 year old male, and I had some concerns about riding some rides alone.

I have a fast pass for the following

Haunted Mansion

Space mountain

Toy Story Mania

Star Tours

Tower of Terror

Dinosaur

Everest

Particularly, for Toy Story Mania I feel like it might be kinda awkward, since the ride is made for families/ friends/ groups. But this topic has made me feel better about it ha. Anyone actually rode Toy Story Mania solo recently?

Don't feel awkward about anything!!! Especially TSM!! ALL rides are made for whoever wants to ride them. TSM is a game!! When I went alone I actually loved the Q for TSM and picked up on things I hadn't when I was there with others. Have a great time!!!