HOW TO SPEND A PERFECT DAY AT DISNEYLAND... BY YOURSELF!
Before I start… I just want to take a minute to give a very special thank you to Visit Anaheim for partnering with me on this very magical visit to Anaheim, California. Thank you so much!
Yay! You’re going to Disneyland… the happiest place on earth! Who are you going with?! Your spouse? Your girlfriends? Your kids? Yourself? Wait… what?! People go to Disneyland by themselves? Is that even any fun? YOU BET IT IS. I am here to tell you all the reasons why going to Disneyland on a solo trip can be so magical, and what to do on your solo trip to Disneyland! But first… let’s talk about why one would choose to take a solo trip to Disneyland…
YOU DON’T HAVE ANYONE TO GO WITH
There are going to be many times throughout your life where you want to go on a vacation, but you’re not going to be able to find anyone to go with you. This can be for a plethora of reasons… but here are a few common ones. While you might have the paid time off to take a trip, not everyone else does. Along those same lines… while you might be in a financial situation to take a trip, not everyone else is in that same financial situation. And one of the biggest reasons many people don’t have a travel buddy? Not everyone agrees on the same place to take a trip! While I might really, really want to visit Disneyland… the person I’m planning to go with might not want to visit Disneyland at all. My Disney motto in life? Don’t let other people stop you from enjoying the magic that is Disney! If you don’t have anyone to go with… you should still go if you truly want to!
YOU WANT TO TAKE SOME TIME FOR YOURSELF
There is nothing wrong with wanting to take a vacation by yourself! Many times, this is viewed as not the “norm” in society… but don’t let this get you down! There are so many benefits to traveling solo… and traveling solo specifically to Disneyland. When you travel solo to Disneyland, you can literally do whatever you want! Don’t want to ride a certain ride? You don’t have to! You can eat a handful of Mickey ice cream sandwiches instead! There is something so refreshing about being able to do 100% of what YOU truly want to do. In all honesty, taking a solo trip to Disneyland can be viewed as a method of self-care. So many people (myself included) feel very refreshed after coming back from a solo vacation. When you give yourself complete undivided attention, you are able to refresh and rejuvenate yourself. Disneyland is a stellar place to do this!
So, you’ve made the decision to take a solo trip to Disneyland. Now, the big question… what are you going to do by yourself? While there is so much fun to be had at Disneyland by yourself… I have a few favorite things that I love to recommend to every solo Mouseketeer!
HUNT FOR HIDDEN MICKEYS
This is such an enjoyable activity, that most people actually forget about! There are hundreds of hidden Mickeys scattered throughout Disneyland… some more hidden than others! Searching for hidden Mickeys is a fantastic way to explore Disneyland, and see some parts of the parks (and Downtown Disney) you may not have typically ventured off to. When you find a hidden Mickey, it honestly gives you such a giddy feeling! Looking to get a little head start on your hidden Mickey search? Check out this hidden Mickey blog post from Visit Anaheim.
PARTAKE IN A FOOD CRAWL
One of my favorite activities at Disneyland… eating all the food! Disneyland has so many amazing quick service food options that are all delicious and so adorable looking! I like to check out all the food options online and make a list of everything I want to try before I head off to Disneyland. This way I can make a game plan of what treats I want to try, and then I can also find out if there are any fun and festive seasonal offerings!
For your reference, here are some of the sweet treats I tried while at Disneyland…
-Galactic Parfait: This can be found at Galactic Grill in Tomorrowland. It is composed of layers of chocolate cake, blue cheesecake, purple mousse, and raspberry marmalade.
-The Macarooooon: This can be found at Alien Pizza Planet in Tomorrowland. It’s a macaron that looks just like the aliens from Toy Story!
-Disneyland 66th Birthday Cupcake: This can be found at Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe. It is a double chocolate chip cupcake, filled with cookies and cream mousse, and topped off with a cream cheese frosting filling.
-Grey Stuff Gâteau: This can be found at Red Rose Taverne. It is a mixture of white chocolate cookies and cream mousse, red velvet cake, with a raspberry center.
-Haunted Mansion Wedding Cake: This can be found at the French Market Restaurant. It is a white cake with buttercream frosting, sour cherries, cream cheese filling, and topped off with a sprinkling of cherry sauce.
-Confetti Mickey Bar: This can be found at Clarabelle’s Hand-Scooped Ice Cream. It is a hand-dipped ice cream bar, with a chocolate flavored inside and outside, and topped off with colorful Mickey sprinkles.
-Mickey Milkshake: This can be found at the CrazyShake window by Black Tap in Downtown Disney. It is a strawberry shake with these toppings… a vanilla frosted rim with Mickey sprinkles, a Mickey Rice Krispie treat, white and red rock candy, whipped cream, and a cherry. The big secret? This specific milkshake is not actually listed on the menu. You have to specially ask for it at the window.
RIDE YOUR FAVORITE RIDES
I have one thing to say when I go on rides by myself at Disneyland… I see you, single rider line! Even though I totally still go on rides that don’t have a single rider line at Disneyland… it’s so nice to take advantage of this time-saving feature.
Here are all the rides at Disneyland that have a single rider line…
-Matterhorn Bobsleds
-Splash Mountain
-Indiana Jones Adventure
-Space Mountain
-Star Tours: The Adventure Continues
-Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
-Grizzly River Run
-Incredicoaster
-Goofy’s Sky School
-Radiator Springs Racers
SHOP FOR ALL THE THINGS
It wouldn’t be a great trip to Disneyland without getting some fabulous goodies to take home… right?! This is actually one of my favorite things to do while at Disney. It’s just so relaxing and entertaining to walk through all the various shops located within the Disney parks and Downtown Disney. My Disney trip tradition? I always buy a new plushie while I’m at the parks!
Here are some of my favorite shops at Disneyland, and they’re all located in Downtown Disney…
-The Disney Dress Shop: For a pretty and whimsical dress, or other adorable fashion pieces! I absolutely love just wandering through this shop… wishing I had a magical ball to get all dressed up for!
-Disney Home: For all the cutest home goods! I’m usually always coming back with something from this store, as I love adding little Disney touches to my home. Make sure you venture all the way to the back… as you can pick up some goodies for your furry friends back home!
-Marceline’s Confectionery: For some sweet treats! I typically will stop here when I arrive at Disneyland, so I can have some snacks for the time I’m there. Then I will stop again right before I leave to head back home, so I can have some snacks in the following days I’m back at home.
-WonderGround Gallery: For all the artistic pieces! This is, without a doubt, my favorite store in all of Disneyland! All the fabulous art pieces just give me all the happy feelings. They have ears, apparel items, keychains, prints, and so much. It’s truly the best!
CREATE YOUR OWN PHOTOGRAPHY TOUR
One of the best features of Disneyland? It is so aesthetically pleasing! From the pink hues of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle to the golden glow of Cars Land at sunset… photography at Disneyland is an absolute dream. When you visit Disneyland by yourself, I encourage you to slow down and capture your memories of Disneyland through the lens.
Some of my favorite photography stops throughout Disneyland…
-All angles of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle during golden hour
-Fantasyland during golden hour
-The walls of “it’s a small world” when they’re shaded
-Cars Land at sunset
-Mickey’s Fun Wheel at park opening
-Pixar Pier at night
But guess what? There are so many more areas for spectacular photos at Disneyland, and to find them, you just have to take the time to search them out. That’s one of the wonderful things about roaming around the parks by yourself… you can set your own pace and set your own schedule… and little details you would normally just graze over, you can discover and focus on. I’ve been to Disneyland countless times, and the times I go by myself are the times where I’m always finding new and beautiful details.
CHECK OUT SOMETHING NEW
There is always something new popping up at Disneyland… and right now, that’s the extraordinary Avengers Campus. Avengers Campus officially opened in June over in Disney California Adventure, and it is welcoming super heroes from all over the world!
Avengers Campus houses so many fantastic opportunities to be had for all…
-WEB SLINGERS – A Spider-Man Adventure: Get your spidey hands ready to sling all the spider bots you can! This immersive ride will leave you feeling thrilled and ready to take on the super hero world! You DO need a boarding pass within the virtual queue for this ride. Make sure to check out all the information on how to obtain one of these boarding passes from the Disneyland website.
-Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! This is my favorite ride in Avengers Campus! It’s so much fun and gives you such an adrenaline rush! Unless you have a boarding pass for WEB SLINGERS right away in the morning, I would head to this ride first.
-Ancient Sanctum: Head here to meet Doctor Strange and feel all of his mystical powers. When is the best time to wander this way? Most definitely at night! Once the darkness hits, the lanterns and Orb of Cagliostro light up, and it is a true sight to see. And don’t forget about an epic photo opportunity within this area!
-Avengers Headquarters: Looking to see the Avengers come to life? Then make your way on over to Avengers Headquarters! Many different Avengers will make their way out, and you may even see the Black Panther’s bodyguards (the Dora Milaje) teach you their loyal ways of Wakanda.
But here is a list of some of the Avengers you can meet within Avengers Campus…
Iron Man
Black Panther
Captain Marvel
Black Widow
Thor
Doctor Strange
Ant-Man
The Wasp
The Guardians of the Galaxy
-Pym Test Kitchen: If you love yourself some delicious food, then the Pym Test Kitchen is your new best friend! Not only do they have the yummiest food, but they have the best theming to their food. This food has definitely undergone some of that shrink-and-grow technology!
-Pym Tasting Lab: For just a sip of something delectable, the Pym Tasting Lab is the lounge for you! With a vast array of drinks to choose from, there is something tasty for everyone! My favorite? The Particle Fizz!
-Shawarma Palace: Honestly, one of my favorite foods came from here… the New York’s Tastiest! It’s a chicken shawarma wrap, with a delightful yogurt dipping sauce. Do yourself a favor and please make sure you stop here for a mid-day snack!
-Terran Treats: Feeling something sweet? Then head on over to the Terran Treats cart, and treat yourself to a churro. I recommend trying the Cosmic Cream Orb option. With the whipped raspberry cheesecake filling… it is so yummy!
-WEB Suppliers: Just finished riding WEB SLINGERS and looking to continue using your spidey senses when you return home? WEB Suppliers has everything you need!
-Campus Supply Pod: The place to be if you’re looking for some super fashionable Avengers attire!
-The Collector’s Warehouse: After you’re done having the time of your life on Guardians of the Galaxy, make your way through this shop to find some goodies to take home with you. My favorite finds are always the Groot pieces!
When you make your way out to Avengers Campus, make sure to take your time exploring this new part of Disneyland. There are so many intricate details to be seen and so many memories to be made. One aspect of Avengers Campus that often goes unnoticed… all the photo opportunity installments throughout the area. They are so creative and unique! And don’t forget… you can even find Avengers Mickey Mouse!
The most important aspect of a solo trip to Disneyland? Just take it all in. Embrace the magic… feel the pixie dust… and live the life of a big ‘ol kid. Disneyland is an extra magical place that everyone should experience. As the original Disney park, and the only Disney park that Walt Disney, himself, actually had the opportunity to see out through fruition… it’s a trip that will leave you feeling an extra special feeling.
Again… I want to give a very special thank you to Visit Anaheim for partnering with me on this pixie dusted visit to Anaheim, California. Thank you so much!
Don’t forget to pin me!