Disneyland may be a magical destination for children and families, but that doesn’t mean that you cannot book a solo trip to Disneyland as an adult! You may no longer be a child, but you can still fall in love with the characters, the rides, and the magic that is present everywhere! Plus, there are quite a few adult-only activities that you can indulge in during your visit.
Here are 11 tips for going to Disneyland alone as a solo adult traveler:
1. Do What You Want, When You Want
Since you are not traveling with anyone else, you can feel free to do what you want, when you want! Do you want to sit down to a five-course meal for dinner? Or would you prefer to grab an ice cream and keep going strong? The choice is yours! The same rule applies to the rides. If you don’t feel like taking a spin at It’s a Small World, you don’t need to! Venture over to Space Mountain instead and ride it fifty times if you want to!
2. Plan Your Day Ahead of Time
Credits: Wikimedia CommonsWhen you arrive at the theme park on a solo trip to Disneyland, you can get so much more accomplished if you plan your day ahead of time. Instead of standing in one spot trying to decide what everyone in your group wants to do, you can simply go to the next destination on your list. I guarantee that you will be shocked at how much more you will see and do when you follow this tip when traveling to Disneyland solo.
3. Take Advantage of the Single Rider Lines
There are plenty of single rider line options at Disneyland and I recommend that you take advantage of them all when you are going to Disneyland alone. You will find that you are getting on the rides much faster, since you are filling the unoccupied seats that would normally remain empty on some rides. There is no guarantee that you won’t need to wait as long for some rides, but the chances are that you will be on the ride of your dreams before you know it!
4. Choose Your Dining Options Carefully
The food at Disneyland is going to be the same, whether you are eating with your family or dining alone. However, that doesn’t mean that you need to stick with all the family friendly restaurants when you are going to Disneyland alone. Instead of eating with the characters, or at one of the quick service restaurants, I recommend that you take the time to scope out a couple of the adult friendly bars and lounges. You will meet like-minded adults like yourself, who are also having fun alone in Disneyland.
5. Choose Your Accommodations Wisely
When you travel with your family, you most likely shell out the big bucks to stay on Disneyland property. However, when you are traveling to Disney solo, you are capable of booking a hotel room off-site and still be close enough to arrive at the theme park without spending hours traveling. This is a win-win, because you can save a bunch of money and still have a nice place to stay.
6. Take a Portable Phone Charger with You
You may be traveling solo at Disneyland, but that doesn’t mean that you are cut off from the rest of the world. Your phone is going to get quite the workout, as you keep in touch with family back home plus your colleagues that can’t seem to live without you. If you do not want your phone to die at the absolute worst moment; you know, during the bedtime story routine, then a portable phone charger is a must.
7. Visit the Spa
Yes, you are in Disneyland, but take advantage of all that free time you have since you are traveling solo. There are a few spas that you can visit during your stay at Disneyland, but the Madara Spa at the Grand Californian is one of the best. I recommend that you book your appointment for the works, including skin treatments, massage, pedicure, and manicure, and just enjoy a day for yourself. Of course, you can also book just one treatment at the end of the day, so you can enjoy a full day at Disneyland and then relax and be pampered before you return to your hotel room for the evening.
8. Stay Late at the Park
One of the perks of being an adult going solo to Disneyland is that you can stay at the park until it is time for them to close. Once the fireworks show is over with, the crowds usually disappear, and you can easily ride a few more rides until the park closes for the night.
9. Take Time to Enjoy the Pool
During previous trips to Disneyland with your family, you probably only saw the pool at your hotel from a distance, while you longed to be swimming in the refreshing water. Well, now that you are going to Disneyland by yourself, you can spend as much time in that pool as you want.
10. Spend Part of Your Alone Time Shopping
Credits: Wikimedia CommonsWithout little ones or friends or a spouse around, you will have plenty of time to do a little shopping. Disneyland has a few stores right along Main Street that will pique your interest and the best ones include Crystal Arts, Disneyana, and Emporium. The Downton Disney District is another adult shopper’s dream, and it has stores like Pandora, the Disney Dress Shop, and the World of Disney.
11. Squeeze Into that Superb Spot for the Parade and Fireworks
Have you ever found the perfect spot to watch the parade and fireworks but then found out that your entire group would not fit into the space? When you travel and do a solo trip to Disneyland, you never need to worry about that! You can squeeze yourself into that perfect location and still have room to breathe!
You should never be scared to do a solo trip to Disneyland, because there is no way that you can have a terrible time in this magical destination! I recommend that you embrace the time that you have for yourself and tackle going to Disneyland alone right away, so you can see just how amazing it really is. Of course, once you go alone, you will see that you will want to have many more solo trips to Disneyland in your future, so please be prepared!
