So, you’ve decided to go to one of the famous theme parks alone…
Now what’s next?
I want you to know that you’re choosing a great way to travel to the parks. Lots of people may be asking if it’s weird to go to a theme park alone?
Absolutely not!
It’s different for many people, but you should try going solo to a theme park. I love this form of travel, but I don’t expect anyone else to jump on the bandwagon.
It’s something you have to get used to and I always want to make sure you’re comfortable with going to a park like Walt Disney World alone.
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Benefits of Going to Theme Parks Alone
One of the benefits a lot of theme park hoppers talk about is the advantage of having a sense of freedom. This is something I truly love about my solo trips.
You can cover so much territory, because there are certain things you would be hesitant to do in a larger group.
When you’re by yourself you’re more likely to say, “hey, why not?”
And that’s pretty much the gold standard phrase of your entire trip alone.
There’s no complaining of “I don’t like this ride,” or “why do we have to see this show, I only want to do rides.”
This is your trip and your time, which is an amazing way to travel.
I’ll save more of that discussion for another post to come. I want to focus on giving you some quick tips.
Ready to take the solo theme park challenge?
You will want to take solo travel challenge with The Solo Theme Park Traveler’s Guide for theme park traveling alone.
In this easy-to-read handbook, you’ll get all the tips and tricks you need for a successful solo trip to any theme park. Especially, the theme parks here in Florida!
Recommended: The Solo Theme Park Traveler’s Guide
18 Beginner Tips for Going to Theme Parks Alone
Now that we have the basics out of the way, let’s get into the best tips for going to any theme park by yourself.
1. Pack Lightly
If you’re planning a half a day or even a whole day, it’s important that you pack light. I recommend wearing shorts or pants with pockets to place your essentials in.
The most I’d recommend bringing is a small camera bag, a fanny pack or crossbody bag to use instead of your pockets.
Read: Minimalist Packing List for Your Solo Theme Park Trip (Vacation Packing Checklist)
2. Bring Your Camera
Capture your newly created memories and replay them over and over once your day or vacation is done.
Your mobile phone may do the job, just as long as you have enough memory on it (and that your phone is fully charged). A tough lesson that I have learned on many occasions.
3. Plan Out Your Day
There are days when the voyage is sweeter with spontaneity. Mapping out your day is a good way to make sure you’re able to enjoy each must do item.
Plus, having a plan takes the edge off of being alone on your solo trip.
Route your path around the park in advance by downloading a map online or on your phone.
Planning a trip soon? If so, read the Disney Vacation Planning Guide for your next dream trip!
4. Start Your Day Early
The early bird catches the worm, you snooze, you lose…well you know what I’m trying to say.
It’s the classic tip for any theme park goer in Florida particularly any fans of the famous Mouse or Wizard.
Plus, starting early helps you see and do all the attractions you planned out for yourself without the stress of waiting in long lines.
Read: 7 Easy Ways to Plan for a Day at a Theme Park Alone
5. Go During the Slow Season
The best times to visit Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando Resort, or the other Florida parks are:
- second week of January
- late February
- between the second week after Easter and the week before Memorial Day
- September
- mid to late October
- second to third week of December
Get the Complete Orlando Theme Park Crowd Calendar here!
6. Try Something New
Get out of your comfort zone. Enjoy a new attraction, show, drink, or photo-op you’ve had on your theme park bucket list for a while.
7. Bring Distractions
Bring books, magazines, your phone, a great podcast episode, or a great conversation starter to have with another theme park fan in line.
Having some type of distraction helps ease the edge off of being alone.
Also consider having a solo travel journal on hand for your adventure!
A solo travel journal not only shows you how to travel alone and not be lonely, it also allows you to breakdown your vacation into digestible moments that are easy to share with family.
8. Maximize Your Hobby
Make the most of a hobby such as photography, tasting new dishes, or even starting your own Disney blog. I’ve see people on social media with accounts dedicated to Disney ducks.
Others have turned to Disney for their running passion. Some hobbies are specific to your personality and is a great way to expand yourself.
Recommended: How Our Co-founder, Nikida, Grew Her Blog From 0 to $10K+ a Month
9. Get Uncomfortably Comfortable with Dining Alone
Dining alone is still a little bit uncomfortable for some. It’s more uncomfortable for me to dine alone than to go to a theme park alone.
Yeah, I know that sounds crazy seeing as I love taking on a whole theme park by myself.
Dining alone is a great way to expand food based hobbies such as, food touring and food photography. The parks offer great restaurants too.
They have improved from the normalcy of hot dogs, hamburgers, turkey legs, and funnel cakes.
Read: Solo Dining: Tips for Eating Alone at Disney World
10. Take Your Time and Explore Theme Parks Alone
This is the time for you to get into the nooks and crannies the theme parks have to offer. Explorer the shops and alleys.
You can even enjoy different parades and shows that you wouldn’t normally do in a larger group.
Ready to plan your theme park trip? Watch the best vacation planning tips on YouTube. Get started here!
11. Enjoy a Nice Cocktail with a View
I love combing a good cocktail and a great theme park. You can enjoy the ambiance of having a drink in one hand and a roller coaster behind you.
You can also do this inside a theme park resort.
Ready to plan your theme park trip? Watch the best vacation planning tips on YouTube. Get started here!
12. Be Sociable when Visiting Theme Parks Alone
You may think only families go to theme parks, but other solo adult park hoppers meet up and go together. It’s an aspect of solo theme park hopping most people don’t think about.
Be sure to use social media to link up with people in the solo travel theme parks groups.
Join the Conversation on the Solo Disney Traveler Community on Facebook!
13. Take Lots of Photos with Characters in the Parks
This may seem a little childlike, but it’s actually a pretty cool thing. I know people who go alone just to do character photos.
Character lines can be long and are considered as important as an actual attraction.
Hipster Power Tip: Go to Disney on special event nights. You may meet a very rare character out in the park taking pictures.
14. Decide on a Destination for Your Solo Theme Park Trip
Decide which park you would like to try on your adventure. I would say this tip is very important.
It helps make you more excited than nervous because you’re in vacation planning mode.
One of my favorite parks to go alone is Epcot.
If you’re a first timer it will be hard for me to give you a recommendation on which park to start your first solo trip.
I would have to know what kind of things you like to do, what city you will be in, and for how long?
Read: 21 Solo Travel Quotes to Inspire You to Go to Disney Alone
15. Keep in Touch with Your Love Ones or Someone that’s Close to You
Safety in solo traveling should always be at the top of your priority list. The theme parks are definitely safe places to be, especially here in Florida.
Tighter security measures have also been added to the theme park protocols.
Hipster Power Tip: Let people know what your itinerary is, the park you will be attending, and ways to contact you.
16. Do a Special Theme Park Tour
A great solo tour for any theme park goer is the Keys to the Kingdom tour. It takes you on a thorough behind-the-scenes tour of the Magic Kingdom.
The Universal VIP Experience is also an option and gives you an in-depth guided tour throughout Universal Studios.
Busch Gardens offers so many tours that a lot of people are not aware of, including a Keeper for the Day tour.
You go through to the Complete Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Guide for a list of each tour.
ORDER NOW to secure your Orlando theme park ticket reservation in the parks! GET MY TICKETS.
17. Take Advantage of the Single Rider Line
This line can cut your wait time in half and that’s always a benefit of going to theme parks alone.
It allows you to get around to many of the attractions quickly, because you don’t have to wait in the normal ride line.
Be aware that on busy days if the regular line is long, then there’s a chance the single rider line may be long as well.
Here’s a tip from Rick, a YouTuber, about single riders.
Nemo and Friends is not a bad single rider type ride. So, if you come to a theme park by yourself…you get a clam by yourself!
I agree with Rick. The Seas with Nemo & Friends usually doesn’t have a long line. It’s a nice ride to do alone.
You will enjoy peacefulness while looking at the marine life in the aquarium at Epcot.
Excuse of the Day: I don’t have the money!
Solution: Change your lifestyle and budget. Remember, we always make time and money for the things that are most important to us.
Read how to save for your Solo Disney World trip here!
18. Have Fun on Your Solo Theme Park Trip!
Solo travel is what you make it, so please try to enjoy yourself.
Sometimes the unexpected or annoying points of your vacation are the best stories.
Ready to start planning your next Universal Orlando vacation? Listen to the latest podcast episode on Apple or on your non-Apple device now!
My Final Thoughts on Going to Theme Parks Alone
The best tip that I have for you today is to go to a theme park alone and have fun. These tips are here to help you get out of your comfort zone.
Going to theme parks alone improves your inner self because you have to:
- figure out what to do
- how to do it
- AND how to enjoy it pushing pass the anxiety or fear
I hope this post has given you some tips and a brand-new light on how to go to theme parks alone.
Now go enjoy Disney, Universal, Busch Gardens, SeaWorld, Cedar Point, or any park in the world!
Until next time, Happy Park Hopping Hipsters!
About the Author
My name is Nikky. I’m a wife, a mother, a pharmacist turned theme park blogger, USA Today 10Best Contributor, and a writer who loves ALL things amusement park related!
Traveling alone to the parks has changed my life and I want to show how you can create your own solo theme park memories.
Connect with me on Instagram!
Theme Park Travel Guidebooks
(Original Article Date: April 2017/Updated On: January 30, 2024)
Just the advice I was looking for. I really want to go to Canada’s Wonderland this year but I don’t have many people who’d want to go with me. Thanks so much!
I’m so happy I was able to help. Canada’s Wonderland is on my theme park bucket list. It looks absolutely amazing! I hope you have a great trip and please let me know how it goes whenever you make that solo journey 🙂
This is just the article I was looking for. 2018 was a good year, but I didn’t take a vacation because I was too busy waiting on other people to go with 🙄. Nw I am planning a trip to Florida to hit up Seaworld and Busch Gardens, as well as Los Angels to hit up the infamous Magic Mountain. I will be vlogging the experience on my YouTube channel, Coragee. Thanks for the encouragement!
Oh wow! I’m soooo happy that you’re taking the leap and doing a theme park vacation solo…insert my happy dance, lol!
You’re going to have a blast and if you need any additional help with planning just hit me up.
I can’t wait to see all of your adventures on your YouTube channel 🙂
As a coaster/ amusenent park enthusiast this dosnt seem like a bad idea. And since being an enthusiast i feel like it would be less weird to go to an amusement park alone. On the flip side however would be the by yoyrself part. I dont want it to look like im isolating myself espesialy since im a lone wolf who isnt the most socialble person out there.
The good thing about the theme parks, especially the ones in Florida, is that everyone is usually in a really good mood. I mean, who could be sad at a place like Walt Disney World.
Plus, no one ever notices that I’m alone when I go. Usually everyone is deep into jumping from ride to ride or trying to get a last minute seat at a popular show or parade.
You will definitely not feel alone or isolated.
To help alleviate the anxiety, I always recommend having somewhat of a plan of the rides you want to enjoy that way you’re not constantly thinking about being there alone. I also recommend maybe starting out small at a local amusement park for about an hour or two just to see if you like going by yourself.
You may come to really enjoy it and want to do a whole day alone.
I also love having my favorite Disney Pandora station or my favorite theme park podcast playing in my ears.
It really helps me feel like I’m on the most EPIC vacation ever!