A day alone at Disneyland.
Would it be magical? Would it be lame? It was hard to know. When I was 8 and throwing temper tantrums at that stupid Country Bear Jamboree show, going to Disneyland alone sounded like the ultimate freedom. When I was a teenager I began to realize going to Disneyland "alone" (aka sans parents) would be simply expensive. And in recent years as I've gone with friends and family, it seemed that going to Disneyland alone would be awfully lonely.
So today I faced this query head-on. Since 11/11/11 only comes once in our lifetime, I knew something exciting had to happen on it. We are having a roommate date to Color Me Mine in the evening, but what's a girl to do all day alone? Solo day at Disneyland it is.
I actually made the drive with my anxiety level floating a little higher than normal. I felt like the parking guy must have been judging my empty car. My fellow tram riders must have noticed me sitting there quietly. The bag check lady must have wondered who I'd be meeting. But once I got inside, I got swallowed up in the crowd, and relaxed while I took in the music, characters, and newly added Christmas decorations.
Now, I will admit that it did not occur to me that most schools have today off. So it was more crowded than I had hoped, which of course cut in to the amount of things I could do. But here is my list of things to do at Disneyland by yourself.
Number 1: Gather your Disney swag and march in like the BAMF that you are.
Number 2: Get really excited about 11/11/11 parking ticket. Save to frame.
Number 3. Utilize the Single Rider passes and bypass all those suckers who came with friends.
I did not look it up ahead of time, but I knew Indiana Jones offered it for sure, so I went there first. It's a little bit of an irksome process, as there are 5 different locations within the line that you have to stand and wait, but I got on in 15 minutes when there was an hour line, so whatever. And the lady in line with me told me the other rides you can do single rider on, which turns out is only Splash Mountain for Disneyland. Major bummer, since I am not a big fan of that ride (can't they just put in seat belts already??). But there are 4 in CA Adventure that offer it - CA Screamin', Soarin' Over CA, Grizzly River Run, and Goofy's Sky School.Beware. The pricks at Soarin' Over California WILL get testy with you when you step over the yellow line. Not the one at the boarding zone, no. The one where you're standing in an empty hallway waiting to go around the corner into another empty hallway. Whatever, Disney.
Number 4: Stop and stare as as an entire area is emptied and blocked off because someone left a suspicious bag at a table.
Sadly I then realized this meant the place I walked back across the park to eat at would not feed me. So I went on Indiana Jones again while I waited, partly to pass the time and partly to be far enough away in case the diaper bag in question really was an explosive. I sat next to two little boys who talked my ear off and made fun of me for being scared, then screamed the whole time and held each others hands. Made my day.Number 5: Eat somewhere you've never eaten before, to keep things exciting.
Number 6: Take said exciting food to a highly trafficked location, so you can sit and watch at all the people go by. Marvel at how many people wear those platypus shirts from Phineas and Ferb, and the fact that your delicious lunch only cost $3.50.
And finally, Number 7: Sit down on an empty bench and count how many kids point and laugh at the huge pile of horse poo on Main Street.
It only took 3 minutes (and 9 kids pointing and laughing) for this poor man to trudge over and clean it up
I tried to single out other people who were there alone, and took comfort in the fact that every time I saw someone walking alone I assumed they were merely waiting for the rest of their group. Interestingly, it seemed that every other person I was ever in line for Single Rider with was actually with a group, whether they were present or not. At first I couldn't decide if I should feel lame or superior, as I was actually using the passes for their true purpose, not just to cut the line. But my superiority was solidified when a group of teenagers came up next to me, one of them farted, and they ran around screaming and laughing like 4 year olds. Honestly, this is Disneyland, not Great America. Can we make some sort of screening process?
Anyways, I found most of the rides to be as fun alone as with others, though it is a toss up if the strangers around you will be fun and conversational with you, the weird alone girl. Especially when you finally work up the nerve to go on Pinocchio, where it will be painfully obvious that you are alone. I held my head high and hopped in to line.... mistake.
I was pleased that the party in front of me took up a whole car so I didn't have to wonder if I should squeeze in or not. I hopped in to the next one, pulled down my lap bar, and smiled at ride operator guy to let him know I was ready to go. Unfortunately, ride operator guy was looking at couple behind me, as though confused as to why they weren't joining me. Couple behind me was looking at me like, who is this weird girl going on Pinocchio by herself? I hung my head in shame as they noticed they were causing a hold up and awkwardly climbed in to the front row of my car without looking at me. Is it really that abnormal for a single adult to ride the storybook rides??
Oh well. Overall a good experience, and my life feels a little more complete each time I have a new Disney experience. Next on my list, finally doing that Mr. Lincoln thing on Main Street.
