If eating in a restaurant, going shopping, or seeing a movie alone seems like a nightmare, KEEP READING! I thought so too. I was never one to go somewhere on my own; having company was always better. That is, until a friend had to back out of our plans to go to Disneyland together and I decided to take on the most magical place on earth completely solo. The result? Incredible.
I picked what rides I wanted to ride, what food I wanted to eat, when I wanted to leave, where I wanted to go, and didn’t need to listen to anybody else’s input. Nobody gave me strange glances or rushed up to see if I was lost, and I learned to go to Disney alone is pretty common. Here are my tips for making the most of your ~*me*~ time and going to Disneyland solo.
Tip 1: Utilize the Solo Rider Line
The solo rider line is there to fill in empty seats on rides between bigger parties. This cuts down on wait time for everyone else, and is a cool way for those going it alone to zip to the front of the line sans Fastpass. Groups can use the single rider line as well, though they may get split up, so most prefer to wait in the standby line.
All you need to do is head to the cast member at the front of the line and they’ll direct you on where to go – it’s that easy! Rides that currently have solo rider lines are:
Disneyland: Matterhorn Bobsleds, Splash Mountain, Indiana Jones
California Adventure: Grizzly River Run, IncrediCoaster, Goofy’s Sky School, Radiator Springs Racers
Tip 2: Bring ALL THE CHARGERS
You won’t have someone to entertain you during long waits, so you’ll probably be running down the battery on your phone more than usual. I would recommend bringing a portable charger AND a wall charger so you can juice up your phone while sitting during lunch or taking a break. Insider secret: my favorite place to recharge is in Flo’s V8 Cafe. Enter, head to the right, and there is a wall outlet on the righthand side of the dining room right next to a table. You can bring food from other places, and I’ve never seen this dining room with more than one or two people.
Tip 3: Ask a Cast Member
One of the biggest worries I had was not having a helping hand. Who would take my pictures? What if I needed to store my stuff? Fear not, the cast members gotcha covered. If you download the Disneyland app, you can sync photos taken by cast members and download them all at the end of the day with Photopass!
Tip #4 Don’t Give an Eff
Going somewhere alone can be scary at first. Don’t let it phase you! Get excited for a day of freedom and fun. Do what you want when you want, and you’re in for an awesome day.
Once you’ve conquered Disneyland on your own, it’s time to get some awesome photos with these character meet and greet tips!
