• ℹ️ Heads up...

    This is a popular topic that is fast moving Guest - before posting, please ensure that you check out the first post in the topic for a quick reminder of guidelines, and importantly a summary of the known facts and information so far. Thanks.

Impromptu Solo Visit?

S

s_g_k

TS Member
Favourite Ride
Oblivion
So I’ve found myself with some free time on Monday 8th April up until about 3pm in the very local vicinity and I’m thinking about booking a last minute solo trip.
I’ve never done this before - does anyone have any tips for a solo visit? I’m a thirty something bloke and I’m slightly conscious of looking odd just wandering around by myself 😆
 
JakeDLP said:
Did my first solo trip last year and had a lot of fun. Only tip I can give is just do what you want haha you can ride whatever you want how many times you want
Click to expand...
Thanks! Yes I think I’m going to do the major coasters and then have a good explore around the gardens and around the outside of the Towers. Things I can’t do when I visit with my usual group!
 
No tips needed really for a solo visit, just turn up and ride on whatever you want in whatever order you want and as many times as you want, it’s as simple as that. You can go around at your own pace whether that be fast or slow. And yes, if you want to ride everything in CBeebies land without your mates judging you then now is your chance.

If you think you might get bored waiting in queues on your own then just listen to some music on your headphones or whatever.
 
Last edited:
s_g_k said:
So I’ve found myself with some free time on Monday 8th April up until about 3pm in the very local vicinity and I’m thinking about booking a last minute solo trip.
I’ve never done this before - does anyone have any tips for a solo visit? I’m a thirty something bloke and I’m slightly conscious of looking odd just wandering around by myself 😆
Click to expand...

I did my first ever solo theme park trip last year to Universal in Singapore and i'm older than you so don't worry about it! Was great tbh, ran around and got on all the rides in a fraction of the time i would have otherwise plus got to use the single rider queues (sadly AT only have one of those AFAIK).
 
Solo visits are standard for myself. I love it. Great for exploring and basically doing whatever you want. I do like my own company though, so it depends what kind of person you are, to some extent. It's not for everyone.
 
I tend to visit solo most the time. I kind of prefer it sometimes! You’ll love taking the day at your own pace and riding whatever you want when you want. I also found out I enjoy taking in the ambience and people watching a lot more when I’m on a solo visit. I had some of my best ever solo trips abroad too! Going also towers alone really provided me with so much more confidence, you may feel a little odd time to time but just relax and remember the fact you’re doing what you love. Just wish towers brought back single rider queues in other rides.
 
Did a solo day of sorts a couple of years back, went in with the wife and daughter on our second day but left them to it in Cbeebies land and I went off to go on the bigger rides. Really enjoyed it, got multiple rides on everything (was on a Tuesday) and got talking to others in the queue (never been shy 🤣). Considering doing one later this year mid-week.
 
I went on my first solo holiday last year and really loved bits of it, although by day 4 I was beginning to miss some interaction - no problem for a single day at Towers though! It’s great to take things at your own pace without having to cater to a larger group. Can ride whatever and eat wherever takes your fancy, and you might even get chatting to some like-minded people (just keep an eye out for guests sporting ride t-shirts)!
 
I can only reinforce what the others have said, but another thing I’d say is that if you’re worried about standing out; don’t be. No one will bat an eyelid at you being stood in queues on your own; everyone is too absorbed in their own groups to pay attention to what anyone else is doing.

I’ve had about 5 or 6 solo park visits now, as well as various stints riding on my own during park days. I was worried before my first one, but I actually really enjoy a solo visit. No one pays any attention to you, the queues without anyone to talk to aren’t nearly as bad as you might expect (although I would take something to keep you occupied, such as a phone), and overall, I like being able to negotiate the park at my own pace and do things at my own schedule.

The only thing I would say is that slightly more intimately “social” ride experiences (the main one I’d cite is rapids rides) feel ever so slightly weird as a single rider. I rode Drayton Manor’s rapids during a solo visit, and they won’t let you ride in a boat on your own for safety reasons. As such, I was put with a mother and her young son. That was absolutely fine, and the ride was fine, but I definitely felt like a slightly awkward third wheel in a way I wouldn’t have if I’d been riding with company. I think I only felt like that because of the uniquely intimate nature of a rapids ride and how you’re all facing each other, though; on most other rides, it feels nothing like that.
 
Easy for me when I do my solo trips. Although I love my family dearly, they slow me down. Nag nag, winge winge, spending money like it's going out of fashion.

Stupidly, I have a job that involves interacting with people. And I dislike people. I don't like meeting them and I don't like talking to them. So a nice solo visit is a good break. Including a lot of time in the car alone, that's a good 12 hours with mostly my own company and very little human interaction. Blissful.
 
Matt N said:
I can only reinforce what the others have said, but another thing I’d say is that if you’re worried about standing out; don’t be. No one will bat an eyelid at you being stood in queues on your own; everyone is too absorbed in their own groups to pay attention to what anyone else is doing.

I’ve had about 5 or 6 solo park visits now, as well as various stints riding on my own during park days. I was worried before my first one, but I actually really enjoy a solo visit. No one pays any attention to you, the queues without anyone to talk to aren’t nearly as bad as you might expect (although I would take something to keep you occupied, such as a phone), and overall, I like being able to negotiate the park at my own pace and do things at my own schedule.

The only thing I would say is that slightly more intimately “social” ride experiences (the main one I’d cite is rapids rides) feel ever so slightly weird as a single rider. I rode Drayton Manor’s rapids during a solo visit, and they won’t let you ride in a boat on your own for safety reasons. As such, I was put with a mother and her young son. That was absolutely fine, and the ride was fine, but I definitely felt like a slightly awkward third wheel in a way I wouldn’t have if I’d been riding with company. I think I only felt like that because of the uniquely intimate nature of a rapids ride and how you’re all facing each other, though; on most other rides, it feels nothing like that.
Click to expand...
Yes, even as a happy and seasoned solo visiting veteran, the Rapids and other such rides (formerly the Flume) are and were no-go's. That's just too weird for me. All coasters are fine though. On a positive note, when I eventually do go with other people occasionally it's a bit of a treat to go those rides such as the Rapids that I havn't been on for a while.
 
Matt.GC said:
Easy for me when I do my solo trips. Although I love my family dearly, they slow me down. Nag nag, winge winge, spending money like it's going out of fashion.
Click to expand...
@Matt.GC raises a good point, I think. Since visiting parks on my own, I have noticed that visiting with company, as much as I enjoy it, definitely slows down proceedings. Although I think I feel “slowed down” for slightly different reasons to Matt.

The main thing I notice when I go to parks with other people is that I often forget just how much of a fast walker I am. I’ve been walking alone a lot more in the last few years, what with me walking to and from the train station to get to university multiple times a week, and when I do that, I can just trot off at my own pace and not worry about anyone else.

When I’m in parks with other people, though, I trot off like I usually would on a solo visit, but I either find that a member of the group quickly beckons me back and I have to double back on myself lots of times, or that I’m told to just carry on and end up waiting outside a ride for a good few minutes before the rest of the group turn up.

For instance, I remember my first day at Islands of Adventure on my trip to Florida last year. We got through the turnstiles and agreed on doing VelociCoaster as our first ride, so I trotted off in that direction… but my dad quickly shouted “Matthew, wait!”, came up to me, and said “You’re going to have to rein in your walking speed a bit during this holiday. Remember, we’ve got the grandparents with us.” before gesturing back to my grandparents, who practically hadn’t got past the turnstiles when I was already in Seuss Landing.

So if you’re a fast walker @s_g_k, you may find it refreshing not feeling held back or like you have to wait for people!

I do agree that company often slows things down overall, particularly when your group is larger. No one can coordinate when they want food, no one can coordinate their toileting, everyone wants to do different things… going on your own is definitely easier in that regard. With that being said, I do enjoy sharing theme park experiences with my family, and it is sometimes nice to have people to talk to in queues and things.

What I’d say is that I enjoy both solo visits and visits with company, but I enjoy them for very different reasons. I don’t necessarily prefer one to the other.
 
Last edited:
As someone who solos Thorpe Park regularly and did Chessington and Drayton Manor last season, I'd very highly recommend it and love visiting theme parks solo.

You can do things completely at your own pace and be in control the whole time. You choose what rides and attractions to go on when you want to.

One tip is that the Smiler has the single rider queue so I'd recommend utilising that. At Thorpe Park, there is single rider queues on Saw, Samurai and Walking Dead (soon to be Stealth and Hyperia too) and these work a treat when visiting solo which you can get on quite quickly for Saw and Samurai.
 
Matt N said:
I can only reinforce what the others have said, but another thing I’d say is that if you’re worried about standing out; don’t be. No one will bat an eyelid at you being stood in queues on your own; everyone is too absorbed in their own groups to pay attention to what anyone else is doing.

I’ve had about 5 or 6 solo park visits now, as well as various stints riding on my own during park days. I was worried before my first one, but I actually really enjoy a solo visit. No one pays any attention to you, the queues without anyone to talk to aren’t nearly as bad as you might expect (although I would take something to keep you occupied, such as a phone), and overall, I like being able to negotiate the park at my own pace and do things at my own schedule.

The only thing I would say is that slightly more intimately “social” ride experiences (the main one I’d cite is rapids rides) feel ever so slightly weird as a single rider. I rode Drayton Manor’s rapids during a solo visit, and they won’t let you ride in a boat on your own for safety reasons. As such, I was put with a mother and her young son. That was absolutely fine, and the ride was fine, but I definitely felt like a slightly awkward third wheel in a way I wouldn’t have if I’d been riding with company. I think I only felt like that because of the uniquely intimate nature of a rapids ride and how you’re all facing each other, though; on most other rides, it feels nothing like that.
Click to expand...
I recall a great time I had riding portaventura’s rapids solo with a group of Spanish guys, the only common knowledge we had was football. And obviously they’d heard of the famous Leicester City.
 
I’ve only done it once years ago when I booked a coach trip with a mate who missed the 6am coach. Debated not going for a few minutes and thought “bugger it” and just got on. The coach was a bit awkward being sat on my own whilst everyone else was in groups but once I got there, the freedom of going where I wanted and utilising the single rider queue was a blessing!

You’ll be surprised how many people join the main queue as a solo due to other people not wanting to ride through fear, feeling nauseous etc.

Embrace the freedom and have a quality few hours 💪🏼
 
s_g_k said:
Well it’s going well so far! Rita opened early so did that before 10am. Thirteen was walk in, then did Rita again. 3 rides in 15 minutes. Now heading to the smiler SRQ.
Click to expand...
That's awesome! I hope you're having a good time at the park, it felt a bit weird my first solo trip but I quickly got used to it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top