New to Doing Disneyland Alone

[CaptainDeke]

I am a new Disneyland fanatic. I've lived in Southern California since 1984 but only averaged about 1 trip every five or six years to Disneyland. I went about two years ago and was excited about the park and had wanted to attend more but nothing happened. I went again this summer and it all changed. For the past three months, I thought about it every day - I read all the web sites everyday and as you can tell I've even posted.

Disneyland is all I think about. Last week I bought a Socal select annual passport and I am going Wednesday. My girlfriend is getting her Masters in another state so she wont be here and with a short lead time I wasn't able to get friends to go, I am going alone. I've seen some posts about those who go alone but I wanted to get some more advice from those who do go alone.

I'm not really into the rides though I like them, I'm not into the characters, and I am too old to "scam on girls" like in high school. I am interested in the small details of theme, architecture, and "back-stage" things. I want to see every inch of every attraction - to the smallest of shops on Main Street to the nice bathroom that is hidden away near the wooden tunnel - that kinda stuff. What are some of your recommendations for a person new to Disneyland fanaticism going it alone?

[larasound]

Re: New to Doing Disneyland Alone

I am too old to "scam on girls" like in high school.

I have not heard the term scam used in many years. That's funny! Can't help with the question since I have only been once, alone.

[aashee]

Re: New to Doing Disneyland Alone

Hi and welcome to MiceChat.

If I'm alone I'm just like you. I love the history and such. 50th anniversary show is great, just hang around in the lobby. In DCA the animation studios is wonderful. Disneyana on main street is great too.

Just walk around and people watch. If money isn't an issue, take a Walk in Walt's Footsteps is well worth it. Oh, if Sunday is a good day for you, drop by the meet and introduce yourself. There are plenty of people who come alone.

Thanks for joining the fun!

[Koutesu]

Re: New to Doing Disneyland Alone

Telling by your post, you must already know what you plan to do. The best part about spending time in the park alone is you can go at your own pace.

If you're hungry, then eat. If you spot something interesting, stop. If you see someone who looks cute, stop, but be non chalant so that they don't know!

If you want to examine every detail of the park, then be prepared to many trips. Just remember to go on every attraction and go on each one more than just once (doesn't need to be 15 consecutive trips on a single attraction). Take a camera and take pictures of what you find is interesting. Watch the people and watch them interact with characters. Check out the park at different times of the day. Pay attention to the atmosphere. Disneyland after dark is different than the park during the day. The morning you can especially feel a lot of excitement for the day. Get that Disneyland experience. Indulge in a Dole Whip in the afternoon. Get a churro to warm your inside during a cool evening. Listen to the area music.

***Something else I recommend is to take a journal and write down how you feel.

[MarenBoBarren]

Re: New to Doing Disneyland Alone

WOOHOO FOR DISNEYLAND ALONE

great time to people watch and as you said really soak up the atmosphere...

[TrojanSkippa]

Re: New to Doing Disneyland Alone

I have not heard the term scam used in many years. That's funny! Can't help with the question since I have only been once, alone.

Man...

I just had a flash back to Jr. High.

my recomendation is not in the park, but rather the grand California hotel, you could spend hours just studying the architecture of the place, and there are more than enough hidden bathrooms to keep you occupied.

[dland_lover]

Re: New to Doing Disneyland Alone

I am a new Disneyland fanatic. I've lived in Southern California since 1984 but only averaged about 1 trip every five or six years to Disneyland. I went about two years ago and was excited about the park and had wanted to attend more but nothing happened. I went again this summer and it all changed. For the past three months, I thought about it every day - I read all the web sites everyday and as you can tell I've even posted.

Disneyland is all I think about. Last week I bought a Socal select annual passport and I am going Wednesday. My girlfriend is getting her Masters in another state so she wont be here and with a short lead time I wasn't able to get friends to go, I am going alone. I've seen some posts about those who go alone but I wanted to get some more advice from those who do go alone.

I'm not really into the rides though I like them, I'm not into the characters, and I am too old to "scam on girls" like in high school. I am interested in the small details of theme, architecture, and "back-stage" things. I want to see every inch of every attraction - to the smallest of shops on Main Street to the nice bathroom that is hidden away near the wooden tunnel - that kinda stuff. What are some of your recommendations for a person new to Disneyland fanaticism going it alone?

SSSHHHHHHHH!!!! Don't talk about the secret bathroom! haha


Seriously, though, welcome to MiceChat, and to the wonderful world of solo trips! Little things and obscurities, huh? Hmm... my favorite place in the park is the pond behind BTMRR (Big Thunder Mountain Railroad- so you can start learning the abbreviations, if you haven't already) on Big Thunder Trail. The spot is usually not crowded, and is quiet (with the exception of a BTMRR train whizzing by every few minutes. But, that's really easy to ignore- really). I love to watch the ducks, the fish, the scenery... it's a really gorgeous spot to get lost in. Here's a pic to give you an idea of what I'm talking about:



And the history of the spot, too. That tunnel (and one closer to the Mark Twain dock that's boarded up) used to be a train tunnel for the ride that was in there before BTMRR. It was called "Mine Train Through Nature's Wonderland" (MTTNW ) and it's a shame we lost the ride... but that's another subject altogether.

You can learn more about the old ride, as well as so many others (and so much more, too) in, as has been said before, the 50th movie in the Opera House- specifically the pre-show in the lobby. That's a real great place to mosey around in.

Do what you want, when you want, and how you want (as long as you don't break any park regulations or laws... ). That's the beauty of a solo trip. Again, welcome, and have fun!

[Datameister]

Re: New to Doing Disneyland Alone

I just went alone for the first time a few weeks ago. It's more fun that I would have thought, albeit just as weird as I expected. I'm very sentimental and accustomed to going to DL as a "family man," so it was pretty bizarre being there all by my lonesome.

The thing to focus on while you're there alone is freedom. Enjoy being able to do what you want when you want to do it, even if it's bizarre or unusual or childish. You won't be holding anyone up.

And then, as far as "back-stage" goes...well, I happen to have quite an interest in that. So--tasks for you:

* Ride the Disneyland Railroad from Main Street to New Orleans Square at least once. You'll get to see both Pirates of the Caribbean show buildings AND the Indiana Jones show building. (Look behind you, too.) You'll pass over the spike chamber in the Indy queue and the Davy Jones effect in POTC, though Disney won't tell you any of this.
* Ride the monorail. First-class views of the Indy and Pirates show buildings, with glimpses of Splash and the Haunted Mansion also visible.
* Ride the Haunted Mansion and make a point of always looking behind the Doombuggy. You'll catch interesting sights.

[Dustysage]

Re: New to Doing Disneyland Alone

I went to Disneyland alone for many years. I almost preferred it that way.

I'd start almost every trip alone with a complete walk through the park. Walking slowly and looking at the gardens, signs, theme, of the various lands. Then I'd get on the Train and take a lap or two around the park.

The park can be a very comforting place.

And if you'd ever like to do the opposite and go to the park with dozens of other Disnoids, then stop by the Hub (Walt and Mickey Statue) one Sunday at Noon.

[alphabassetgrrl]

Re: New to Doing Disneyland Alone

Go see the Toy Story zoetrope in the Animation building in DCA. It's amazing.

[Rex Dopey24]

Re: New to Doing Disneyland Alone

Hi Captain deke Im rex 22 I also like to go by myself sometimes because Im on my own pace No family bugging you to which way to go or arguments. lol.

You will have the most fun being there yourself.

[aashee]

Re: New to Doing Disneyland Alone

You will have the most fun being there yourself.

To be honest, I have the most fun with people who have never been before and are truly interested in listening to my rambling on Disney trivia and why this is the best place on earth.

Being alone isn't a bad thing at all. In fact as you get older, you'll learn to cherish that alone time.

Chad

[Rex Dopey24]

Re: New to Doing Disneyland Alone

Absolutely.

[Datameister]

Re: New to Doing Disneyland Alone

You will have the most fun being there yourself.

Mmmmm, I dunno...that's pretty big assertion to make. Disneyland is, after all, designed to be a family experience. A big part of why Walt created Disneyland was so that children, teens, and parents could all enjoy the same place together. I guess it depends on the group. If you're with an argumentative, bickering group, you'll wish you'd gone alone. If you're with a loving, easygoing group of people you like, you'll have a great time...albeit "great" in a different way from a trip alone.

Going alone and going as a group are two entirely different experiences. Probably not a good idea to generalize one as always being more fun than the other.

[Cokeswigga]

Re: New to Doing Disneyland Alone

Usually I experience Disneyland with my girlfriend and/or a group of friends or family.

Here are my thoughts on going to disneyland alone:

1.) It does take a while to realize and accept that you are at Disneyland alone. The sooner you get over it, the sooner you really start enjoying a solo Disneyland experience.

2.) The freedom is amazing. Every person has their own interests in Disneyland.
For example, my girlfriend loves the rides, especially Astroblasters. Personally, my favorite is the Steam Trains. My girlfriend doesn't like to wait around for a tender ride (sometimes it can take an hour), and when she does go on a tender ride, she's not interested in the boiler pressure, how an atomizer works, etc, instead she is more interested in the history of the park, hidden mickeys etc. So I took this opportunity to get a tender ride, and bombard the engineer and fireman about the operations of the steam engine. ( I highly recommend this by the way... the train engineers and firemen are very friendly and informative).

3)You get to do what you want, when you want!
Do you want to spend time looking for the secret bathroom?
Do you want to see how many hidden mickeys you can find?
Do you want to see if you can find other secrets in each of the rides?
do you want to take pictures of the current season's landscaping and decorations?

4)Mobility)
Do you want to get the best spot to watch fantasmic and the fireworks.
When you are alone, you are much more mobile, and you can weasel your way into crowded area. Last time, I was able to a waterfront seat for fantasmic, and then, because I was alone, I was able to move quickly to main street to get a great viewing spot for the fireworks.

6)You can also take advantage of single-rider passes.

Did I miss having my girlfriend around while at disneyland.... of course....I would have loved for her to experience disneyland the way I did alone, but it would be different.

Will I do it agian, absolutely! Will I go more times solo than with my girlfriend, probably not.

[startours1]

Re: New to Doing Disneyland Alone

if u wanna meet me, I might be going on wednesday alon too. I will post on here later tonight to let you know master Deke. Maybe we can meet up

[CrystalPalaceGirl]

Re: New to Doing Disneyland Alone

I had the best trip when I went by myself!
Could ride when and what I wanted...
Ate when and what I wanted...
Got up and went to the park and left for the day when I wanted...

I've said it many times on other threads here... I won't ever go with other people (until I have children) again!

[SorcererMickey]

Re: New to Doing Disneyland Alone

First off, welcome to MC!

I have a friend that I visit every time I go to CA. He works most days so I enjoy DL alone. I have taken the Walk in Walt's Footsteps tour and the Holiday Tour and they were both wonderful and full of extra knowledge for a Disney Fan like me.

While in the park I will go on the attractions if the line isn't extremely long. Otherwise I'll grab something to eat or drink and people watch. I love being able to tell when it's someone's first time there. There is so much to do besides attractions and entertainment!

[Druggas]

Re: New to Doing Disneyland Alone

To be honest, I have the most fun with people who have never been before and are truly interested in listening to my rambling on Disney trivia and why this is the best place on earth.

Same here. This also holds true when entertaining little kids who think that I live there too!

[Diznee55]

Re: New to Doing Disneyland Alone

I go by myself a lot. Like everyone else it is the best time to soak up thee atmosphere because you don't have to worry about fitting in everything other people want to do. I don't even use the fast pass because i'm not in a hurry and standing in line is a great way to meet new people. The walking in Walt's footsteps tour is a great way to learn of some of the history of the park. Also take the time to talk to some of the cast members, some can be a fountian of information