I’ve done my fair share of solo traveling in the last few years. I went to Bangladesh alone. I went to Canada alone during my Spring Break last year, which I have yet to write about (I’ll get to it eventually). I even just came back from a trip to Europe alone. While I do think everyone should travel solo at least once in general, there is one type of solo travel I hadn’t heard much about: Going to theme parks alone. I went to Universal Studios Orlando alone during my Spring Break this year and loved it. I want to go to Disney World alone now because theme parks are significantly less stressful without a group of people.
Here are some things I loved about visiting Universal Studios solo. I hope you enjoy.
Related – One Day Solo Trip To Universal Studios Recap
//You Have Complete Control Of Your Schedule
This is true for solo travel in general, but I think you reap the benefits the most at theme parks. Places like Disney World and Universal Studios are so big that it’s nearly impossible to get everything done. When you go on your own, you can watch the shows, meet the characters, and ride the rides that only you want to do. It’s fun going to theme parks with other people, but it’s nice not having to consider other people’s opinions. My parents and brothers aren’t super into Harry Potter, so they wouldn’t have enjoyed walking around Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade as much as I did. Because I went alone, I didn’t feel rushed to move on to other lands due to their indifference. I could just walk around and enjoy.
//Single Rider Lines
Most of the big attractions at theme parks have single-rider lines. When there’s an odd number of of people getting on a ride, the ride operators let in single riders. If you don’t mind being separated from your group, the single rider line is a great choice. When I was at Universal Studios, I almost exclusively waited in the single-rider lines. It’s one of the reasons I was able to get so much done. I rode Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey multiple times because the single rider line only took 20 minutes, while the regular line took nearly two hours. One of the downfalls of single rider lines is that you don’t get to see the queue, which is an experience in and of itself, but if you only care about the ride, the single rider line is the best bet.
//No One Will Force You On To Scary Rides
I love roller coasters, but I have limits. I don’t like the giant roller coasters that flip over. I refuse to go on them. I did all the rides in Marvel Land except the Incredible Hulk-Coaster because I didn’t want my brain to move around in my skull. In the same breath, I didn’t have to worry about other people being afraid of medium or small-scale roller coasters. I didn’t have to go through the mental exhaustion of convincing anyone that they would be fine or feeling guilty about riding anything without them. I only rode things I wanted to ride and skipped the things I didn’t.
//You Can Watch YouTube Videos And Listen To Music In Line Without It Seeming Rude
I went to Disney World with my friend Kat in 2017, and we did all four parks in two days. It was great. I remember on the last ride we rode, we were on our phones while we were in line. After speaking to each other non-stop for two days, we finally felt comfortable just reading Fanfiction on our phones for 15 minutes before riding Expedition Everest without it being a big deal. Because the truth is, it wasn’t.
While I was at Universal Studios, I didn’t feel guilty about watching YouTube for 20-minutes and not talking with anyone because I went there alone. It was actually really relaxing and the lines went by faster.
Related:
- Weekend At Walt Disney World Recap | Part 1
- Weekend At Walt Disney World Recap | Part 2
- Disney Trip Debrief | Budget, Planning Process, Etc.
//No One Is Slowing You Down Or Rushing You
I spent an hour browsing through the comic book store in Marvel land at the end of my day at Universal. I would not have been able to do that if I had gone there with my family. At this point, I had ridden all the rides I wanted to ride and was planning on going back to the Harry Potter side of the park that night, so I wasn’t in any rush. I personally love looking at fandom merchandise. I’m good about not spending all my money window shopping, so I wasn’t overly tempted by the signed posters and graphic tees after I bought my souvenirs (I bought a Black Widow necklace and a Captain America hat, which I gave to my brother. I already have enough Harry Potter merch). I just walked around and let my phone charge in the only open outlet in that entire park (It’s true! I checked.) I didn’t feel like I was wasting anyone’s time while doing so.
//You Are Less Tired At The End Of The Day
I’ve gone to a theme park almost every year since 2015, and this trip was the least tiring. I got to the park at rope drop and left well-after it closed (I snuck onto a few rides right before they shut down), but I wasn’t nearly as tired. I think it’s because my other trips were with family and they were big family reunion trips. I was the one making the schedule for everyone and corralling everyone together. My parents are very much “wing-it” travelers. They give me a location and tell me to look up things to do there. It works out pretty well, but I think I was less exhausted by the end of this day because I didn’t have to think about anyone else. There wasn’t stress about losing people and finding things to do that appeased everyone. That’s why my energy wasn’t drained by the end of the day.
Well, those are six reasons you should take a solo trip to a theme park. I had so much fun and I definitely plan on going again.
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What is your favorite theme park? Have you ever visited one alone?