PassPorter Online
PassPorter.com
Award-winning travel guidebooks
Home Florida - Walt Disney World Caribbean - Disney Cruise Line California - Disneyland Resort Anywhere and Everywhere! Travelers Store Message Boards PassPorter's Club Help!
  About Us  |  Customs Office   |   Register Your Book   |   Book Updates   |  Newsletter  |  Articles  |  Photos  |   Follow Us on
Articles Menu
PassPorter Articles
Planning
Disney Dreaming
What Keeps Us Coming Back
Disney for Veteran Visitors
Rumor Round-Up
Finding Answers
Best Disney Trip Advice
Getting Your Disney Fix
How Young Is Too Young?
Top Ten Disney Questions
Tipping (Gratuities)
Timeshare Vacation Offers
Disney World on a Budget
Credit Cards 101
Money-Saving Strategies
Preparing Kids For Disney
Taking Toddlers to Disney
Planning Trips for Others
Convincing Others To Go
Importance of Being Lazy

Preparing For Your Disney Cruise
Ten "Must Pack" Items
Touring With A Group
Chaperoning A Group Trip
Traveling
Ten Travel Tips
Luggage Tips
iPhone, I Travel
Driving to Disney
Driving With Kids
Child Safety Seats
CARES Harness Review
Rental Cars
Amtrak Auto Train
Airline Security
Flying With Kids
Surviving Long Flights
Surviving Bumpy Flights
Surviving Bad Vacations
Surviving Long Airport Waits
Staying Healthy
First Aid on Vacation
Solo Travel
Pregnant at Disney
Dress For Travel
Traveling With Pets
International Travel
Taking A 'Greener' Trip to WDW

Orlando Sanford Airport
Lodging
Choosing a Resort
On-Site Lodging vs. Off-Site Lodging
Disney Resort Primer
Reserving a Room
Key to the World Card
Fun at Resort Hotels
Disney Vacation Club
All-Star Movies
All-Star Music
All-Star Sports
All-Star Vacation Homes
Animal Kingdom Lodge: Perfect for Teens
Villas at Animal Kingdom Lodge
Beach Club
BoardWalk Inn & Villas
Contemporary Resort
Ft. Wilderness Camping
Old Key West
Wilderness Lodge
Home Sweet Home
Grand Californian #1
Grand Californian #2
Grosvenor Resort
Hilton Resort
Orlando Airport Marriott
Priceline.com
Radisson Resort Parkway
Shades of Green
Westin Century Plaza
Making The Most of Bell Services at Disney's Deluxe Resorts
DVC's Old Key West Resort
Cruising
Preparing For Your Disney Cruise
New Ships!
Cruise Security
International Port Security
Convincing a Husband to Cruise
Palo Dinner Review
Vow Renewals Onboard
Cruising With Special Diets
Cruising St. Martin
One in a Million Cruise
Zip-A-Dee-Zip-Line: A Canopy Adventure
A 'Magic' Time In The Mediterranean
A Wrap-Up From DCL's Inaugural Mediterranean Cruise
DCL: Not Just for Kids!
Spa Villas Review
Touring
Laugh Floor Comedy Club
Mickey's PhilharMagic
Fantasyland For Adults
Mission: SPACE
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster
Star Wars Weekends
Animal Kingdom
Expedition EVEREST
Surviving the Parks as First Time Parents
Surviving the Holidays
Overcoming Kids Fears
Planning Park Days
Four Parks in One Day
Touring with Toddlers
A Kid's Perspective
A Teen's Take
Educational Epcot
Flower & Garden Festival
Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party
Scary Places (Halloween)
Playing "Millionaire"
Winning "Millionaire"
A Day With Allie
Past Attractions at Magic Kingdom
Meeting Mickey
Disneyland at 50
Future of Disneyland
Beyond the Disney Parks
Disney's Hollywood Studios
Monorail System
California Adventure
Expanding Disney's California Adventure
10 Reasons to Love Disneyland
A WDW Veteran's First Trip to Disneyland
A Disneyland Veteran's First Trip to Walt Disney World
Disneyland Homecoming
Walt Disney World With Pre-Teen Boys
Keys To The Kingdom Backstage Tour
Pirates & Princess Party
WDW with Teens? Absolutely!
Dining
Disney Dining Plan
More Dining Plan Tips
Dining Plan Revisited
Dining Plan Answers
Advance Dining Reservation (ADR) Strategies
Artist Point Review
California Grill Review
Nine Dragons Review
Spoodles Review
The Turf Club Review
Crystal Palace Review
Yak & Yeti Review
Tutto Italia Review
Character Dinners
Dine With A Disney Imagineer
Eating Healthy at Disney
Food Allergies
White Water Snacks
MurderWatch Mystery Theatre
Disneyland Dining: Yamabuki
Disneyland Area Dining: Pirate's Dinner Adventure
Party For The Senses
Artist Point
1900 Park Fare Dinner Review
Making Magic
Romance At Disney World
Beating The Post Trip Blues
Discovering the Magic
Magic of Slowing Down
Unexpected Treasures
Wishes Fireworks Cruise
Backstage Tours
Epcot's Segway Tour
Epcot's International Food & Wine Festival
Taking Great Photos
Taking Great Fireworks Photos
Digital Photo Q & A
Souvenirs on a Budget
Pal Mickey
Birthdays at Disney
Reunions and Gatherings
Holidays (Christmas)
More Holidays
Disney Intimate Weddings
Disney Vow Renewals
Custom Events
Scrapbooking
Preserving Memories
Scrapbooking Supplies
Finding Scrapbook Supplies at WDW
Memories and Milestones
Scavenger Hunts
Geocaching
Hidden Mickeys
Hidden Mickeys Book Review
Richard Petty Experience
More Richard Petty Rides
Ft. Wilderness Trail Ride
Disney Podcasts
MouseFest 2006
Cirque du Soleil: La Nouba
Sharing
Making of PassPorter
Rest of the World
United States:
Big Apple Greeter
City Pass Cards
Hawaii
Hilton Head Island #1
Hilton Head Island #2
Celebration, Florida
Key Largo & Islamorada
Miami, Florida
Pensacola, Florida
St. Augustine, Florida
Space Coast, Florida
Tampa-St. Petersburg
WonderWorks (Orlando)
Knoebels, Pennsylvania
Las Vegas
Los Angeles
San Diego
San Francisco
Anza-Borrego Desert
Grand Canyon
The Poconos
New York City
New York Splash Tours
New York City Dining
New York: Antiques
New England
New Orleans
Nashville, Tennessee
Adventures by Disney: Wyoming
Fort Sumter, South Carolina
Zoos of the World
Universal Studios Orlando
New Attractions at Universal Orlando
Seuss Trolley Train Ride at Universal Orlando
Sanibel & Captiva Islands
Universal: For Non-Thrill Seekers?
Madison County, Iowa
The Great Smoky Mountains
Yosemite
Discovery Cove (Orlando)
Busch Gardens Africa: SheiKra Coaster Review
NASCAR AllState 400
Michigan's Upper Peninsula
Niagara Falls, New York
Blue Horizons at SeaWorld Orlando
International Travel:
London
London Museums
London's Globe Theatre
Kent, England
Bath, England
Great Britain via Harry Potter
Stonehenge
Ireland
Paris
Marseilles
Rome
Stockholm, Sweden
Helsinki, Finland
Quebec City, Canada
Prince Edward Island
South Africa
Leeds Castle
Pompeii
Windsor Castle
Wimbledon
Menorca
Dover Castle
Florence
Monaco
Niagara Falls, Ontario

No Strings: Solo Travel at Walt Disney World

By William J. Garmer Jr., Guest Columnist

I never particularly thought of myself as Pinocchio. I was always more the Peter Pan type in my mind -- I didn't want to grow up. Still don't, in fact. But when I began taking solo trips to Walt Disney World, I got that wonderful feeling of 'no strings' so strongly that I found myself avoiding Sea World for fear of the whales!

What is it about a solo trip that is so appealing to me? Well, in order to understand that, you have to understand what my non-solo trips are like.

My first trip to Walt Disney World was in August of 1990. My friend Frank and his wife Terri went to Orlando several times a year to visit Terri's family in Kissimmee. Frank's enthusiasm for the Disney parks was so infectious, when they invited me to join them, I jumped at the chance.

I wound up tagging along with Frank and Terri on more trips over the next couple of years. But as much as I enjoyed those trips, I always had a desire to try Walt Disney World on my own. Growing up I went to local theme parks (Hershey Park or King's Dominion) every year. By the time I was 13 or so I was allowed to wander those small parks alone. This was a great feeling for me, freeing me from the need to ride only those rides that my family wanted to ride. On all my trips to Walt Disney World with friends, I always felt it would be impolite to ditch them.

My friends and I have similar, but not identical, taste in attractions and rides. They like thrill rides and roller coasters a lot, but I was always a "Coaster Chicken" (until Frank tricked me onto Space Mountain in 1990, but that's another story). My friends are very energetic and like to keep moving all day on a vacation, but I like to slow down and smell the roses, maybe even read a book or watch some TV. To Frank watching TV on vacation is only something you do to see tomorrow's weather report, and reading a book is a form of heresy!

Finally in early 1999, I decided to make a solo trip to Walt Disney World. I picked my dates, planned the trip out in advance, made all my reservations, and sat back to wait for the trip to arrive.

Aside from a few day-trips and overnights, this was the first time I had ever taken an out-of-town trip on my own. Added to the usual anticipation of a Disney trip was the added "specialness" of flying, which I love but don't do very often. The fact that my outbound travel day was my thirtieth birthday, and that my last two nights in Orlando would be my first at a Disney Moderate (the Caribbean Beach Resort) contributed to my excitement as well.

That trip was everything I had hoped it would be and more. Having been to Walt Disney World so many times before, I was fairly knowledgeable about the resorts, parks, and attractions, but for the first time ever, I was able to experience them at my own slower pace, in whatever order I decided, and to repeat a few of my favorites -- none of which I could do when touring with friends.

I had several completely new experiences on that trip, beginning with flying alone to a city 900 miles from home and checking into a hotel by myself. I've never been afraid to do things by myself, but I'd always had a safety net of family and friends to call upon that would not be there in Florida. Still, I was not terribly afraid of getting on the plane and flying away because I truly enjoy the experience of flying. But when I got off the plane and made my way toward the main terminal, I had my one and only moment of apprehension. As I looked out the windows and saw palm trees, it drove home the knowledge of just how far away from home I really was.

I took a few seconds to look out the windows and reassure myself that even though I was far from home, I was in a place that I knew very well, that I had visited many times before. By the time I got to my hotel, the Days Inn Lake Buena Vista, all I could think of was what to enjoy next.

I was apprehensive about driving myself around Walt Disney World and the surrounding area, because I tend to get lost on unfamiliar streets. But since I was staying at an off-site hotel for the bulk of the trip, I felt that I had no choice but to rent a car rather than rely on shuttle buses or taxis. Driving was not an issue, however, only navigation. With the help of a few good maps, I was able to get to my hotel without getting lost, and to drive around WDW and even up to Universal Studios during the week with only a few wrong turns.

I also found myself feeling a little awkward about eating in full-service restaurants alone. On that first solo trip, I only ate in one sit-down place, an off-site Sizzler, and stuck with counter-service the rest of the time. I have since overcome that discomfort, because I have found that wait staff in most restaurants, especially WDW restaurants, make a special effort to engage solo diners in conversation and to make their dining experience comfortable and enjoyable. I have also found a wonderful side-effect of dining alone - getting into a WDW restaurant with no advance Priority Seating is far easier for one person than for a group! On subsequent solo trips I have gotten into most restaurants with little or no wait.

Another new experience was taking a behind-the-scenes tour. I signed up a few months ahead of time for "Hidden Treasures," a tour of the World Showcase at Epcot, and as it turned out, the tour group that day was only five strong, so our tour guide was able to answer a lot of our questions in much greater detail than he would have with a larger group. Tours like this were not something I had ever considered when I traveled with my friends, because none of them had ever wanted to try one.

I found myself spending a lot of time simply sitting on benches, watching people go by. I really enjoyed sitting around, enjoying the Disney atmosphere, examining little details, listening to the background music, and relaxing in the warm Florida sunshine.

And I was able to go back to some of my favorite attractions and repeat them, while skipping some of those that I didn't care to try, just like my solo expeditions at other theme parks when I was a kid. Instead of forcing myself onto Tower of Terror because my friends wanted to go on, I repeated Star Tours. Instead of spending an hour in an arcade being bored while my friend Rick played video games, I wandered through shops and stores. And instead of hanging around as my friend Frank talked fish with the Cast Members at the Living Seas, a subject that has always left me high and dry, I went over to the Wonders of Life and saw Cranium Command again.

Since that trip in 1999, I have made five more solo trips, and have another in the works for next April. I'm now as hooked on solo trips as I am on trips to Walt Disney World. Hopefully I will be able to not only continue taking those trips for years to come, but to share the fun with others who may want to try solo trips, but feel nervous about traveling or touring WDW alone. I can assure you, there is nothing to be nervous about, and the wonderful benefits of a solo trip will soon eliminate any fears you might have.

This article appeared in our December 17, 2004 newsletter -- subscribe to our popular newsletter today for free!

Related Articles:

  • Disneyland: Fabulous at 50
  • Grand Californian Hotel
  • White Water Snacks
  • Westin Century Plaza Hotel
  • San Diego
  • San Francisco
  • Alcatraz
  • Future of Disneyland
  • Disneyland Homecoming
  • Discover the Magic Tour

    Return to PassPorter.com | Visit the PassPorter Message Boards
     
     

    Updated 01/14/07 



    Read additional articles from PassPorter.com

    Subscribe to our free e-mail newsletter, PassPorter News, published for more than 58,000 opt-in subscribers worldwide. As an added bonus for subscribing, you will receive a 20% discount coupon for the PassPorter Store -- no catch!

    E-mail Address:

    First Name:

    E-mail Format:
    -Text/Don't Know  

    -HTML

     
     

    We respect your privacy and never sell or rent our subscriber list. Subscribing will not result in more spam! We guarantee it.

    AddThis Social Bookmark Button

    Copyright 1999-2015
    by PassPorter Travel Press, an imprint of MediaMarx, Inc.

  •        LEARN MORE
    Learn More With Our Award-Winning Guidebooks


    PassPorter's Walt Disney World guidebook

    PassPorter's Sidekick for the Walt Disney World Guidebook e-book

    PassPorter's Disney Vacation Club Guide

    PassPorter's Disney 500: Fast Tips for Walt Disney World Trips e-book

    PassPorter's Disney Speed Planner: The Easy Ten Step Program to a Perfect Walt Disney World Vacation e-book

    PassPorter's Disney Weddings & Honeymoons

    PassPorter's Festivals and Celebrations at Walt Disney World e-book

    PassPorter's Treasure Hunts at Walt Disney World

    PassPorter's Disney Cruise Line guidebook

    PassPorter's Disney Cruise Clues: First-Class Tips for Disney Cruise Trips

    PassPorter Disneyland Resort and Southern California Attractions guidebook

    PassPorter's Open Mouse for Walt Disney World and Disney Cruise Line guidebook

           SPONSOR LINKS