Laughing Lindsay

Travel Reviews, Giveaways, & More!

Solo Disneyland: Tips for Going Alone

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Earlier this year, I took a solo Disneyland trip to experience the Disney100 at Disneyland Resort. So, I thought I would share a few tips for anyone considering visiting the resort alone.

Solo Disneyland

Solo Disneyland

I know that most people think of theme parks, particularly Disney parks, as places for children and/or families to enjoy. However, I am a prime example of why there are so much more than that. If you ever get the chance to visit Disneyland alone, I highly recommend it. You are free to come and go as you please (as long as you have park reservations).

Tips

Here are some tips for making the most of a solo Disneyland trip:

  • Have a list of things to do/see/eat – You are free to do exactly what you want. However, I think it’s best if you know which things you actually want to experience. Then, you have an idea of which direction you would like to head in when you arrive.
  • Utilize the Single Rider Line – Several rides have a Single Rider Line, which means you can ride a favorite ride quicker if you are willing to be added to another group. This would happen anyways as a single person, so you might as well cut down on the wait time. I rope dropped and then entered the Single Rider Line for Radiator Springs Racers at DCA. It was a blast! You can see a full list of attractions with this special line at the link above.
  • Change your mind – The beauty of being alone is that you can have a plan and then change it if your mood changes. Want to run across the park to get in line for a ride and then realize you’d rather do something else? Do it!
  • Relax – I enjoyed people watching on this trip and just taking in the ambiance of being at Disneyland. I rode lots of rides, but I also tried to make time to just chill.
  • Speed walk – I also ran around the park riding rides with Genie+. I took a much slower approach when my mom went with me in September. Not having to worry about losing or tiring another person means you can travel at your own pace.
  • Book a meal or two – I really enjoyed dining by myself at Cafe Orleans. I highly recommend taking a breather with a nice meal if you visit by yourself. I also liked sitting outside at Plaza Inn while the band played nearby.

So, do you have any tips for a solo Disneyland trip?

Halloween Horror Nights Solo Tips

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I recently took a trip to Universal Orlando Resort for a Halloween Horror Nights solo visit! I know the slogan for the event tends to be “Never Go Alone”. However, I decided to brave it in order to experience it on my own to see what it’s like. I thought I would share a review and some tips in case anyone else in considering doing the same.

Halloween Horror Nights Solo

Halloween Horror Nights Solo Tips

I know that everyone online makes a big deal about having a Scare Squad to visit with. Unfortunately, I don’t have much in the way of an extended group of people to travel with. So, that wasn’t an option for me. That’s how I ended up doing this year’s HHN by myself.

My Experience

I entered the park during the daytime with my annual pass and queued up for Stranger Things during Stay and Scream time. I managed to go through the house and get a Hellfire Club Sandwich by the time the event officially started at 6:30 PM! So, I highly recommend getting there early.

Also, I’m actually not really into haunted houses, however I really like Stranger Things. I was even more nervous about going through a house alone. However, I found that it didn’t really matter that I was alone as they kind of just push people through the house in a constant single file line.

After the house, I enjoyed some Stranger Things themed food (I enjoyed the sandwich even if it was a little too spicy for my sensitive lips and the Hawaiian Surfer Boy pizza was neat). Then, I sat and listened to the jams blasting from the Vamp ’69 scare zone. I also attended the live show and saw the Death Eaters. It was nice to go at my own pace and do as I pleased.

With this experience in mind, here are my tips for anyone planning to brave HHN alone.

Tips

  • Familiarize yourself with the park. I don’t think I would go to HHN alone if I had never been to the park before. I think knowing where at least a few things are makes it easier to navigate the park alone.
  • Pre-game during the daytime. On that same note, I highly recommend at least arriving early enough to see some stuff in the daylight and get a feel for things. I walked through the park the day prior to spot scare zones and the food that I wanted.
  • People watch. This is probably one of my favorite things to do when traveling alone. I enjoy sitting down and people watching. Doing that at HHN is even more fun if you get a view of a scare zone! I recommend getting something to eat prior to sitting down too.
  • Research your must-do’s. Being alone means you can do what you want. However, having an idea of which houses, zones, and foods you want to try is best so you can allocate time to each thing. If you decide to switch to something else, it’s no big deal.
  • No pressure. If you don’t feel comfortable going into a haunted house, don’t go. Being alone means no judgement from anyone else. It’s your night. Spend it however you want.
  • Book a tour. You can book a group RIP Tour to have a group to walk through the houses with. Alternatively, you can do as I did and book the daytime lights on houses tour to look at the houses without the scares.

So, have you ever attended Halloween Horror Nights solo? If so, what was your experience like?

8 Tips for Going to Disney World Alone #DisneySMMC

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Today, I’d like to share my own personal tips for going to Disney World alone. These tips come from having visited Disney Parks 5 times with another person and once by myself as an attendee of the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration in 2016.

Disclosure: I received discounted lodging, park tickets, meals and experiences as an attendee of the 2016 Disney Social Media Moms Celebration.

Tips for Going to Disney World Alone

Tips for Going to Disney World Alone

When I told some people that I was going to Disney World by myself, they seemed surprised. While Disney is known for creating family entertainment, many may not consider the fact that attending a Disney Parks by yourself is actually just as awesome! I mean you can do whatever you want, whenever you want to at the Most Magical Place on Earth! How could you be sad?

So, here are my tips for going to Disney World alone:

  1. Do a little research. This is YOUR trip. Research something that interests only you and then plan to do it.
  2. Have a loose schedule. Book your FastPasses in advance and have an idea of what you want to accomplish on YOUR trip to Disney World alone. If you do # 1 and research and then # 2 to plan a little bit, you won’t have to walk around the park wasting your precious time alone.
  3. Don’t be afraid. Going to Disney World alone means that you can ride that ride that no one else in your family wants to go on. It also means that no one is there to make fun of you or what you choose to do. Plus, I was pleasantly surprised to realize that most people don’t even seem to notice that you are alone. So, go ahead and do what makes you happy.
  4. Go at your own pace. If you want to ride as many rides as you can, then go for it. If you’d like to take a slower pace and enjoy the scenery, then do that instead. Do what feels right.
  5. Go off schedule. Have a loose schedule, but don’t feel like you have to stick to it… Unless you are in to that sort of thing. If a certain restaurant catches your eye or nose, check it out. If you see something you’ve never noticed or done before, then by all means do it now.
  6. Enjoy the resort. Personally, one of my favorite parts of any trip alone is the time to relax alone. Disney has some of the best resorts to do this in. Jump in and enjoy that big comfy bed all by yourself!
  7. Do something you wouldn’t normally do. This could include getting a spa treatment, trying a new dish, riding a different ride, anything. Just try stuff.
  8. Enjoy! Enjoy being able to do whatever you want while you are at a Disney Park. Do a little or a lot. Just enjoy the trip!

I will admit that I had some reservations about going to Disney World alone. I was afraid that it would be weird or I wouldn’t know what to do. However, I had a blast! I loved being able to just roam around Magic Kingdom without keeping up with someone else. I liked being able to change my plans at a moment’s notice without having to discuss it with someone else. Visiting Disney World alone was freeing and exciting. I hope I can take another solo trip to a Disney Park someday.