How to Take a Solo Trip to Disney World

If you’re a big Disney fan, you may have at one point or another considered taking a solo trip to Walt Disney World. I find that most of the time my friends either don’t want to go to Disney World, can’t afford it, or simply can’t get the time off work to go. That doesn’t mean that you can’t take a solo Disney trip by yourself.

I have now gone on two solo Disney World trips and have learned some very valuable lessons. In this post, I’ll tell you the good, the bad, as well as tips for planning your first solo trip to Walt Disney World. So let’s get started!

How long of a trip?

For your first solo trip to Walt Disney World, I highly recommend only planning a short 2-3 day trip. This will give you the chance to try it out without committing for an entire week. Another reason for choosing only a 2-3 day solo trip is because of the hotel costs. Since you’ll be traveling by yourself, you’ll be responsible for covering the entire hotel and travel cost.

Where to stay?

For solo trips to Disney World, it’s important to select a hotel that is both affordable as well as safe. I have a couple of hotel options that I recommend depending on your budget.

Disney’s All-Star Resorts: Staying at one of the on-site hotels is definitely the best and safest option for a few reasons. First of all, if you are flying into Orlando, Disney on-site resorts include Magical Express which includes a free bus ride to and from the airport. It also includes free shuttles to all 4 of the Disney Parks. The free rides could save you a lot of money in the long run if you start to add all the costs that Uber or taxi rides would cost you staying at on off-site resort. The second, and arguably the most important, reason to stay at a Disney on-site resort is safety. The security at these resorts is amazing and will definitely help you feel safe.
Comfort Inn Maingate: For those who are on more of a budget (like myself), Comfort Inn Maingate is a much more affordable option that is still close to the parks. What I like most about this hotel is that they offer complimentary park shuttles. Their shuttles go to Hollywood Studios, Epcot, and even Universal Studios. If you’re wanting to go to Magic Kingdom or Animal Kingdom, you would simply take another Disney shuttle once you arrive at the parks. This hotel also offers complimentary breakfast which will help cut back on food costs at the parks. Comfort Inn Maingate is typically my choice of hotel for solo trips because of its good balance of affordability and safety.

Which parks are best for solo travelers?

Throughout my solo trips, I’ve come to find that each park offers something different for solo travelers. It all depends on what you want out of your trip. Some people want to ride as many rides as possible, while others want a more leisure experience to enjoy a drink and watch some shows. Here are my ranking of the parks based on which are best for solo travelers.

Magic Kingdom: This park definitely has the most to offer solo travelers. What I like best about spending the day at Magic Kingdom is all of the Fastpass options for the rides. When you’re traveling solo, it can be awkward standing in line by yourself. That’s why I love using Fastpass. I will continuously book Fastpasses from the app throughout the day so I go from ride to ride.
Epcot: Epcot is best for those who want to spend the day leisurely eating and drinking. I absolutely love to grab a drink and wander throughout the different countries. This gives you time to explore the shows that each countries offer and try plenty of different food options.
Animal Kingdom: This park has plenty of shows and rides that are perfect for solo travelers. One of my favorite rides, Mount Everest, offers a single rider line. So definitely take advantage of this option during your solo Disney trip.
Hollywood Studios: Hollywood Studios is sadly my least favorite option for solo travelers. Most of the big rides have very long wait times and the Fastpasses are already taken. There are a few shows that are nice to watch, but overall this park is not very ideal for solo travelers.

On my first solo weekend trip to Walt Disney World, I went to all four theme parks and had a blast!

How to get pictures?

If you’re a Disney Instagrammer (or just want pictures), you may be wondering how you can get pictures of yourself while traveling solo. Definitely the best option is to plan meet ups with your Disney Instagram friends because most of the time they want pictures as well. However, that’s not always possible because it can be awkward to ask people to meet up or they are too busy. However, there are still ways to be able to get your pictures. I recommend asking Photopass Photographers and strangers. What I like best about asking the Photopass Photographers is that they do this all day, and you don’t have to feel strange asking them to take pictures. Just hand them your phone or camera, and they will be glad to help you out. The only down side is that they are restricted to their location. So if you want a picture in front of a Disney wall or another place, you’ll need to ask strangers. I find that I get the best pictures if I ask someone that looks like they too might be an Instagrammer or if they have a professional camera.

Some of my favorite photos were taken on solo trips by strangers or Photopass Photographers!

How to move past the awkwardness?

If you’re traveling solo to Disney World, it will be awkward at times. There are ways to help this. I find it’s always good to have things to distract you. I prefer to have a drink or a snack while I walk around and explore. That’s why I love being at Epcot so much. By two drinks in, I feel great and there’s no awkwardsness lol. It also helps to be on your phone. While you’re waiting in line by yourself, you can either try to strike up conversations with those around you (which I don’t do since I’m an introvert lol) or you can be on your phone. For this reason, you definitely need to invest in a portable phone charger. I bought this one for only $30, and it has been such a lifesaver!

With a drink (or two) in hand, say goodbye to the awkwardness of solo Walt Disney World trips lol

Is it right for everyone?

Solo Disney trips probably aren’t for everyone. If you are a social butterfly who always needs to be talking to someone, or if you get very anxious being in places alone, a solo Disney trip probably isn’t for you. People in the parks will definitely give you looks of self-pity, but as long as you don’t let it bother you, you will be fine. I have enjoyed the solo Disney trips I’ve been on before and would definitely recommend giving it a try!

Stay safe!

Because you are by yourself, safety is one of the biggest concerns. At no point during my solo trips did I feel unsafe, but that’s because I took some careful steps. Here are some tips:

Don’t tell people you are traveling solo. I know that might sound silly, but you never want to advertise that you are alone. Even at my hotel, I specifically asked for two keys and said that my friend was coming later. A little paranoid? Maybe. But you can never be too careful. So if you decide to Insta story about your trip, don’t say that you are by yourself.
Be careful about storying. Speaking of Insta stories… Hundreds or thousands of people who you don’t know follow you on Instagram. So you have to be mindful of who might be watching. For example, if you drove to the parks, don’t post where you parked. I also tend to upload my park stories a little later so nobody knows where I am in real time.
Get back to your hotel before dark. You might feel comfortable and safe enough to stay at the parks until closing, and if you do, then great! I always wanted to be overly cautious about getting back to my hotel before dark. It gave me more time to relax too! I would get back to my room, get in my pjs, and watch tv. That way I would be fully rested for the next day.

Once again, I never felt unsafe, but I believe it was because I took these safety precautions. So just be sure to use good judgement, and if you ever feel unsafe, let somebody know!

I hope you’ve enjoyed my blog on how to take a solo trip to Walt Disney World. If you decide to take one for yourself, have fun and stay safe!

Watch the video below of my first Solo Trip to Disney World!

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