Going to parks alone?

[Swede]

I don't mind going alone but it is nice to have someone with you. Next year I hope to go on a TPR-trip somewhere in the world. I think that will be the best company.

[shangalaing]

I love going to Parks in the UK alone. I did however do Disneyland Paris alone and that was just weird.... never again

[aCoasterStory]

The only downside is the water-park where they have rides designed for 3 or more peeps......can't go on those.

 

Or you very awkwardly ask or are grouped with strangers...BTDT

[Midgetman82]

I started doing solo park trips since August of last year, starting with when my dad dropped me off at SeaWorld Orlando to spend the day there as he and my brother went to the airport to fly home a few hours before my afternoon flight, same-day. A lot of times, I'll just plan park trips out that I can do in a day and try to go for it solo. The furthest I've driven so far was Kings Island at 2 hours, and the longest overall trip was for Holiwood Nights (two day event) when I decided to go between Louisville and Santa Claus, Indiana, instead of renting a hotel room. Doing these are definitely not as fun as bringing a friend along (and I'd prefer visiting with friends), but I don't know any other people locally who are even remotely as interested in the amusement park industry as I am.

 

I've also recently learned to befriend people at parks, and have finally started to bump into familiar faces at a couple of parks (namely Kentucky Kingdom and Holiday World)!

 

The only downside is the water-park where they have rides designed for 3 or more peeps......can't go on those.

 

Or you very awkwardly ask or are grouped with strangers...BTDT

Done it twice at the same water park one day. First time, got a solo ride on a family raft . Second time, got paired with a random father and his kid... my new policy is: unless it has a single rider line or I can bump into someone else looking for a single rider, skip it.

[saweetdude05]

So far this year I have been to Silver Dollar city (2.5 days), Six Flags Great America (2 days and my home park), Holiday World, and Kings Island by myself. I have enjoyed my time immensely.

 

I will second what a lot of people are saying. I like it because you can do what you want and get instant gratification with out worrying about other people. It can get a little lonely, but I have found that interacting on Twitter really helps with that lonely feeling. If I am at a park I have never been to, I will live tweet my day and interact with people that way. I will also tweet the parks or their PR department and get info that way. I had a great time with Twitter at Holiday World and Kings Island. Both of their PR departments were on top of their Twitter game when I visited. I have also been fortunate that the parks were fairly empty when I went and did not have to wait too long in lines. Kings Island was busy when I went, but I sprung for a Fast Lane + and was able to bypass the waiting with that.

 

I also enjoy going with people, but as an adult single male, I find it difficult to find friends to go on some of these trips with me. I know that I want to go, so I just go and I am happy that I have taken these trips this year.

 

I have the same issue with finding friends willing to go on the long trips. Planning on hitting Kings Island in August for the first time since 2001, friends bailed, but I'm still planning on going as I've missed quite a bit and nothing is going to stop me from trying out Banshee this year.

[aCoasterStory]

The only downside is the water-park where they have rides designed for 3 or more peeps......can't go on those.

 

Or you very awkwardly ask or are grouped with strangers...BTDT

Second time, got paired with a random father and his kid... my new policy is: unless it has a single rider line or I can bump into someone else looking for a single rider, skip it.

 

I generally agree, but then I went to Wet'n'Wild, and most of their slides (especially the cool ones) are group only (and I didn't do enough research beforehand to know this), so I had to suck it up and ride with people. There are few things more awkward than riding a water slide with girls that are half your age.

 

When I went to Splashin' Safari at HW, I did the single-rider lines for Wildebeest and Mammoth. Mammoth wasn't too awkward, but I ended up with this family on Wildebeest, and the design of those rafts makes it interesting riding with random people...you have to get a little friendly with them. But of course I did it (because I really didn't know any better beforehand and also because it's one heck of a water coaster).

 

Suffice it to say, I really need to stop going to waterparks by myself.

[Canobie Coaster]

I enjoy visiting parks alone the first time (that way I can ride all of the credits and rides that I want) but then I like to go to parks with others.

[Eaglefan9727]

I go to Six Flags New England twice a year. One trip with my wife and one trip being a solo trip.

[singemfrc]

Echoing what a lot of people have said, I often go to parks and on trips by myself but also enjoy going with others when I get the chance. I usually only go in groups to my local park (SFDK) though or occasionally the 6 hr drive down to SFMM, it's hard to convince others to go farther than that. People always tell me they're down to go on a trip but when it comes time to buy tickets they always back out. I flew to Cedar Point by myself last year, and I'll probably be doing Kings Dominion/Busch Williamsburg or SFNE/SFGAdv either this summer or next also by myself.

[Genx24]

Going to a park alone is like seeing a movie or going out to eat alone. It will only be awkward if you make it so. Or if you try to get on waterslides.

[Superbatboy]

I went to CP amd KI alone this year, it wasn't bad. Sometimes it gets lonely when you have to wait in a long line or you find yourself alone in a car with 4 abreast seating

[rcjp]

or you find yourself alone in a car with 4 abreast seating

Oh yeah, that's pretty depressing. Luckily it hasn't happened to me many times.

[Heth]

or you find yourself alone in a car with 4 abreast seating

Oh yeah, that's pretty depressing. Luckily it hasn't happened to me many times.

 

I managed to achieve a fantastic 'ride of shame' when in Efteling in January. Managed to be on Vogel Rok with no-one else. It was just me, on the left-hand side of the front row, and not one solitary human being in the train with me. The most tragic/hilarious part was returning to the station at the end and a queue had finally developed...watching me returning from my coaster-ride-for-one.

[JJLehto]

To each their own, if you enjoy yourself at the park then awesome!

I could understand it, I do often like to move at a pace (and organization) that clashes with groups, and I enjoy some things many of my friends don't, like wooden coasters (back seat for max pummeling!).

 

That said, I personally can't do it, need at least one person with me. I just feel...too weird. Can't explain it, the rides are still there and all, guess for me having another person just adds a key part to the experience. Thank god for TPR so I can travel alone but still have people to meet up with!

 

Also the stories about having a row to yourself is priceless

[alilstronger]

^ Yes, TPR has helped me dramatically with finding people to meet up with. I plan on using this when I go to SFOT next summer if none of my friends in that area are free.

[chickenbowl]

I have visited parks by myself, but it isn't something I particularly like. I really enjoy the social aspect, like being able to experience a coaster together. I find theme parks to be a very special place, and I think you connect with people you visit with. Friends and fun, shared experiences are what have made some of my favorite theme park memories, especially including TPR trips/events!

 

I'm going to Orlando with two of my best enthusiast friends next week, and having the shared interests really boosts excitement and fun!

[Voyager6442]

Going to parks alone is fine with me. I know hardly any other guys who are interested in driving 8+ hours to ride roller coasters. If the choice is between going by myself or not going, I will always choose to go by myself. I enjoy driving, so I always drive instead of flying. Having your own car feels like having a piece of home with you. I like to listen to books on CD and think about all the fun I'm going to have (or have had). My longest drive in a day was 987 miles from King's Dominion to Little Rock, Arkansas.

At a park, there are usually at least a couple of times a day when you can have a good time visiting with the people waiting in line with you. A couple of times I've paired up with another guy who was there by himself, and we've spent the day together. Something else that helps is looking for opportunities to do good to other people, like letting them go ahead of you in line so their group can ride together. In fact, I think it would be really interesting if people posted stories about times they've done good to other people, or other people have done good to them. There's something about that that just makes the day go better.

[tidecat]

I have made several visits each to Kentucky Kingdom, Holiday World, and The Beach by myself over the past few years. This September, I actually had someone else who was by himself at Kentucky Kingdom talk me into riding Deluge.

[gerstlaueringvar]

I prefer going to parks alone when I'm not with enthusiasts unless I'm on family vacation. When I'm alone at a park, I go insanely fast for the whole day without stopping. When I'm thirsty, I chew ice cubes. In this way, I hardly spend any money which is exactly opposite of what I did at Silver Dollar City.

 

Some of my friends and my cousins can deal with my park routine so we sometimes go to parks together. They say they have much more fun with me than with their family. But after a day like that, getting completely exhausted is nothing strange.

[Woodie Warrior]

I've never been to a park alone. I always go with at least one other person. I hate going with huge groups though. 4 other people at the most. I don't see how being at a park by myself would be any fun at all.

[Midgetman82]

My preferred pick for going to a park with groups is somewhere around 3 or 4, mainly because me going with one other person typically comes to be a coaster geek and a GP trying to find a middle-ground on what to do next. A 3rd would tend to be the deal breaker, and a 4th would be 'just right' for a group to fill a coaster car (or water slide raft) together. Any more, and it had better be a party (like a TPR event!).

[Moose]

In general I don't like going alone unless there is a fast pass like option and or lots of stuff to do without waiting in lines (ie shows)

[grsupercity]

I can not go alone, I feel so weird standing in lines all by my self. I am a car salesman with a big personality and I still cant do it. I usually like groups of 2 of four. odd numbers make 3rd wheel situations

[TPDave]

So much of the park experience is about having fun with friends that I don't think it'd be worth me visiting a park alone. They'd have to have something amazing to entice me!!

[Beni_Rodriguez]

In my experience, I've found that the freedom of going to a park alone is quite liberating and makes it a unique experience. You are able to take in more of your surroundings without the distraction of having someone else with you.

 

However, I will say it's better to do it at a park you've already been to and ridden everything before. It is slightly disappointing to be all pumped up before/during/after a new ride and not having anyone to share that excitement with. I had my first ride on a B&M invert on a solo trip and I was high with adrenaline coming down the exit ramp. I wanted to share that feeling with someone so I called my wife on my cell. She was like, "Yeah...so it was fun? That's cool. Well I gotta go, the kids are trying to tip over the recliner." *Click* Talk about a Debbie Downer...wah...wah...wah. In that situation, it would have been much better to have someone with me. Imagine taking your first ride on Kingda Ka or Millie solo. I'm sure it cheapens the experience slightly for the same reason.

 

I laughed out loud during the "...wah...wah..wah." part. The reason being is that although I have never gone to a park solo yet, I have gotten off rides all pumped up and seen that those around me did not share the same sentiments. There really should be some sort of forum area where site members can hook up with people at parks if they go solo. I don't care what differences there may be between an absolute stranger and I; if they are a roller coaster ethusiast I am sure I will get along with them. Well....for the most part.