How I Solo at Disneyland

Putting my Best Foot Forward with the Squad

Friday night I was in the dumps. As much as I wanted to have a great day and tried to make it so, the political environment and the fact that I'd gone another week unemployed had shaken me. I was tired of isolating and sticking inside. One can only walk around their home during a rainy day so many times before they go stir crazy.

The "freezing" Southern California temperature and stormy weather had either trapped people on the freeways or kept them in their homes. I decided to take advantage of my Disneyland annual pass and take myself out for the night.




I packed my purse with a backup charger and cord, my wallet, backup meds, and my work phone. Making sure I was dressed for the weather, aka Hunter Boots, Boot Socks, thick scarf/wrap, and a trapeze dress, I called a Lyft (hey, I live close enough that it's more economical to pay $6-$7 for a Lyft than pay $18 for a long wait and parking in a huge structure).

Grabbing a Venti latte from Starbucks I decided to just take the night as it came. Here's all the rides I tackled and some thoughts:

1. Soarin' - I hadn't been on the new Soarin' since they turned it from the classic "Soarin' Over California" and it was so nice to walk in and almost straight onto the ride. I liked the new Soarin', I think I need to go on it at least one or two more times to get a real impression.
2. The Little Mermaid - this ride is my favorite. It's a classic. But it was the first time I had gone on it since I had gone through a relationship breakup with someone I had ridden it with previously and well....my emotions were....there.
3. California Screamin' - yes, the famous Mickey Loop roller coaster. The single rider line is always a great shot. I was actually put in my favorite row, the last one, and just had fun laughing and nervously giggling away all my sadness from the previous ride. 
4. Radiator Springs Racers - Taking my chance with single rider lines was a great bet, there was absolutely no single rider wait for this! Fun Fact: every time I've been on this ride I've been in the first row on the first car and have always won. Never asked for it, just always happened!
5. Sadly this is where I wanted to ride Hollywood Tower of Terror, but it had closed about two weeks ago for a re-upholstering with a "Guardians of the Galaxy" look. As a rabid Guardians Fangirl, even I'm a little slow to warming up to this.
   
6. The Electrical Parade - Okay so this isn't a ride, but it was the first night the parade was back and it was awesome! I hadn't seen the parade since I was 5 years old and went to Disney World. So pretty much it was my first time seeing it on Friday, because I do not remember that trip.
7. Hyperspace Mountain - cutting short from the parade, I took advantage of the crowds clogging up Main Street and zipped to the newishly Star Wars themed indoor roller coaster. No single rider sadly but it didn't matter, there were absolutely no stops or slowdowns in line. I got right on and had a great time!
8. Big Thunder Mountain - I was chosen....okay well I mean I was given the red lanyard which they use to track how long the line is in time from the entrance of the queue to the point at which you're put in a line for a row. It was awesome. I sat in front and even though that's the slowest part of the ride, I got to appreciate it more.
9. The Haunted Mansion - classic. So over the bride in the attic though. Come on Imagineers, there's got to be a better visual or something. Still impressed by the Hat Ghost and I have a new favorite part: the three shrieking kitties when you first enter the graveyard!
10. Pirates of the Caribbean - Look, all I can say is, I'm Captain Barbos(s)a!
11. Peter Pan - This line is always packed and even with the ride shutting down every once in a while, I still waited and just even as it started sprinkling while I was in line, I took it as magic and was glad with waiting for the pixie dust.
12. Alice in Wonderland - The last ride of the evening, I was glad I was able to get on this one, again I avoided it because it normally has a long line, but as the night closed in on midnight it was a perfect 15 minute wait and I was amazed with the digital projections and just the pleasure that I checked off a little bucket list that had accumulated over time.