Going to parks alone?

[MisterP]

I've never been to my home park alone (SFSTL), but I have been to World of Fun and Silver Dollar City by myself several times. I have also been to Kings Island once by myself as a detour on one of my solo baseball trips...

[jray21]

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)

 

I'm the same. It's so much less awkward when there is a fast pass option.

[Ridewatchers]

It all depends. Going with friends definitely makes stupid things like standing in huge queues and getting crappy food a little easier to...stomach. You'll be able to chat about that awesome B&M hyper you just went on or how that turn-of-the-century woodie makes some rides built 80 years later seem limp and lame. And if you're a hot chick (or are riding with one), you might "see" certain perquisites (from park employees). And perhaps best of all, our tips for riding more and waiting less work in groups!

 

Going alone has benefits, too. You'll have more freedom to do what you want and you'll be able to learn the layout of the park so that next time you and your friend will not be stuck reading maps and spending hours just walking around. Most importantly, you'll be able to do more rides as a "single rider." And this can save hours: head over to our "wait-time data" section for details!

 

Given the choice, going with friends gives a better experience, especially with a plan.

[ThemeParkJunkie51290]

I go alone most of the time. My parents tag along because they get to see a "new" scenery when I travel. Mostly everybody I know doesn't like theme parks, and they definitely don't like rides. Small or big! But that's cool because I meet new theme park junkies such as myself, and we have fun as if we've known each other for years. True, I would love for my friends to hang with me, but then I wouldn't. They complain too much! LOL!

[AirtimeAddict17]

I've never been to a park alone. Usually I go with at least one other person. Sometimes I find myself riding coasters alone if no one in my group wants to ride them. It's a bit odd getting off an awesome ride for the first time and not being able to share the excitement with anyone. I'm studying "abroad" in LA in the spring and I'm sure I'll be making quick solo trips to parks when my roommates/friends are busy and don't want to come!

[Password121]

Being in high school, going alone isn't really an option for me (travel and being just generally busy with school/friends). I went to my home park give or take six times this season, every time was with either a close friend/girlfriend/cousin.

 

I did make it up to Great Adventure several times and Cedar Point for a 2.5 day visit, and in both cases with my parents. They aren't enthusiasts, but both generally enjoy coasters. Both tolerated a 14 hour day at Cedar Point.

 

As someone mentioned above, I did actually take my first ride on Kingda Ka alone. I was fully prepared for the ride, but I did get quite nervous pulling out of the station alone. With that said, it was and always is a really incredible experience. I do enjoy riding with someone more (night ride on Dragster ), but it is enjoyable either way.

 

A great coaster/park is just that, whether or not you are with someone else.

[VF15]

I go to parks alone all the time and don't really mind it. I like being able to be free to go where I want and ride what I want without worrying about other group members. Going alone also allows me to take in the sights and sounds of the park better. Still, it is always nice when I can visit them with family/friends/coworkers.

[Chiselphane]

I've been to a few alone when I go on business trips/conferences and while I don't know if I would say it's *better*, it's certainly a different experience. You can really dig into the details of the park, last year I went to Disneyland solo and it was great being able to take the time to really study things rather than being dragged onto the next thing by the kids. I can just hear it: "Daddy why are we standing around watching you look at the roof of Mr Toad's?" It doesn't hurt that I am extremely introverted and go to great lengths to visit parks when they're not busy, so I'm already used to minimizing the impact of other people; going alone is just a greater extension of that.

 

At the end of the day I would say that going with my family is more actual fun, but there are a lot of things that are very personally gratifying when visiting alone. I might be able to swing a visit to Six Flags Fiesta next week solo actually, but the logistics are a little iffy and being spring break it's probably going to be busier than I'd like.

[storms555]

I never been to a full sized amusement park alone before however I did go into Adventuredome alone but we were staying that hotel anyways so its no biggie.However there was times Id break up with family and go off on my own. As for friends Id just stay with them at all times. I never thought of going to one on my room because Im afraid people will think im weird. However there is times I did wish I can go alone so I can ride what i want when I want! I know that may sound selfish but it gets annoying after a while when someone needs to take a bathroom break every half hour to an hour and then take 5 or more minutes to just pee! I mean wtf! Or when they want to go on the Spider spinning carnie ride and you want to go to the 200+ tall coaster right next door wasting all your time in line for a stupid carnie ride while you can be going on a ride tons time better! So yea there was many times I wish I can just take a trip to a park on my own. I dont drive but hey at least there is public transport. Oh and when I want to Cedar Point last summer the friend I was with was nice enough to let me go off alone while she needed a break. She gets sensory overload easily so she often needs breaks then there is my continuous needs for thrills,so its nice of her to let me go off on my own.

[boldikus]

I've done Moreys alone a million times. My parents live 10 minutes from Great White, am I just gonna sit in their hot tub sucking down their liquor cabinet when I could take a short walk to do some riding?

 

OK ok ok ya got me, I enjoy both.

 

I'm sure I'll be doing solo trips to GreatAdv this summer now that I feel comfortable Ubering there from Trenton. Half my day @ SFOG was alone and that was fine. Solo park experiences are nice cause you can just do whatever the feck you want. And you'll always make a friend or two on rides/in queues granted yer not a creep.

[thrillseeker4552]

The only time I've been truly alone at a theme park was my 4-hour visit to Dorney Park last summer. It was a "pit stop" on our way from Hersheypark to SFNE, so my parents dropped me off for a few hours so I could check out the park and pick up some credits while they run some errands.

 

Now that I finally have my license (don't judge), I definitely plan to head to Knott's alone a few times if the rest of the family doesn't feel like going. And when I head off to college this fall, I will likely do solo visits to Lagoon whenever I get the chance as well.

[coasterbill]

The only time I've been truly alone at a theme park was my 4-hour visit to Dorney Park

 

Taken out of the context of the thread, this is both hilarious and entirely believable.

[thrillseeker4552]

The only time I've been truly alone at a theme park was my 4-hour visit to Dorney Park

 

Taken out of the context of the thread, this is both hilarious and entirely believable.

 

Very true! I was the only one in the stations for Steel Force, Stinger, and Demon Drop! I had to double check the rides were actually open.

[KJ7500]

I recently went down to Florida to visit my elderly parents. We went to Busch Gardens and Sea World together, but at each park I spent the better part of the day by myself going on roller coasters and the Falcon's Fury drop tower. My dad did go on Kumba once with me and went on Mako, too, though he did that solo. Too bad. I would have enjoyed riding it with Pops. (Rode it 13 times on my own, though.)

I also stopped into both Fun Spots entirely on my own, though I didn't stay at either long. Wish I would have got an all day pass at thd Orlando location, though, even though I got there in the evening. White Lightning was a walk-on and I could've rode that all night.

[cparkes92]

I've done the Universal parks alone (my dad literally dropped me off in the bus dropoff area) and my 10 ride in 2.5 hour day (WITHOUT Fast Lane) at Cedar Point last year was a solo one (as my sister was getting ready and loading up the car).

[joelwee]

SFMM is on my way home from work. Sometimes I'll stop there for a few hours before heading home. (Such is life when you're not married.) Like somebody said above, it's not necessarily more fun to go by myself, but it's definitely a different experience. I get to decide what to ride, when to go eat, when to leave, etc. But the rides are definitely more fun when riding with family / friends.

[gerstlaueringvar]

For amusement parks, I prefer going with friends and family. For theme parks, it's about half and half. When you treat a theme park as an art piece and want to really appreciate the details, going alone gives you the freedom to do everything at your own pace and I love doing that. But on the other hand, you don't get to share how you think about stuff when you're alone.

[RCT3Bross]

Most of the time I'm going alone to parks and the freedom surely grew on me so I don't mind it as much. But sometimes I wish I could go with somebody that appreciate parks like I do, too bad I don't have that someone in my surroundings.

[Midgetman82]

^I'm kinda the same way, except I eventually made some local friends who enjoy the coasters as much (if not more) than I do. Doing solo trips has gotten significantly easier than when I first started, and I actually enjoy the time I get to go at my own pace, esecially when it comes to making photographs around the park. Though I do agree that going with some friends or family is a much better experience and something I would much prefer doing.

 

The only time going solo gets a little awkward for me is when the park is dead, as I've learned with one particular trip to KK when every-single-ride was a walk-on. Something about having an entire ride to myself (this mostly applies to flat rides) doesn't sit right with me somehow, so I'll usually skip or wait for other people who might be boarding before I do so myself.

[mr.sugar]

I was wondering, why not start a thread where people could gather and try to arrange trip together? If you guys don´t have anyone to go with, why not find that person here?

[williamj2543]

I would MUCH rather prefer going with other people but when my family was done at Disneyland late at night and I wanted to stay an hour longer, that was a fantastic experience. It's very different and I don't think it would be much fun at a park with little detail or themeing but being able to take in things at your own pace and without anyone else talking to you is quite unique and a great way to experience parks.

 

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[Genx24]

I did SFOT by myself last April. Although it was enjoyable to be able to do the park at my own pace, it certainly would have been nice to have someone to share the experience with.

 

I always consider driving down to GAdv by myself, but the idea of making the drive there and back alone always stops me.

[joelwee]

I always consider driving down to GAdv by myself, but the idea of making the drive there and back alone always stops me.

Ditto. I want to make a trip out to Cedar Point, but I don't really want to go by myself. On the other hand, nobody I know can afford it.

[Angle O. Descent]

I went to Cedar Point by myself after my last break-up, and it was an amazing experience. Sometimes you have a different appreciation for things when you get to think for yourself

[michaellynn4]

I used to go to SFGAdv all the time back when I lived down the street from it. I was in a long-distance relationship at the time and usually didn't have anything better to do in the evening, so when I'd get home from work I'd quickly change and drive over to the park. I lived so close I could leave the house at 6:50PM and be standing inside the park at 7:00PM.

 

I enjoyed the freedom of being there by myself; it helped clear my head after some long days in the office. Some nights I'd ride everything in the park within two hours, some nights I'd take my time and grab some dinner, and some nights I'd just walk around talking on the phone to my girlfriend at the time. I used the park as my exercise routine that summer, easily walking at least two miles each night. If I still lived close by, I'd definitely still be doing it.

 

Now, I rarely if ever go alone, but that's mostly because of where I am in life now. I'm usually at a park with Rikki, or occasionally my brother. The only recent exception was when I visited SC for work and I made a road trip up to Carowinds one night.

 

I would agree with those who've said that it's more fun to experience new parks with others. A big reason for why I enjoyed Knoebels and Dollywood so much was because of getting to expose Rikki to non-SF environments. That said, I'm someone who's known to enjoy his alone time, so popping over to SFGAdv if Rikki is tied up for the day isn't out of the question.