Practical Tips For Staying Safe While Traveling Solo To Walt Disney World Resort

Resort.Even at Walt Disney World, there are some easy practical tips for staying safe, even at the most magical place on earth, If you know me, then you know that my suitcase is always packed and it is not unusual for me to wake up in the morning and be on a plane a few hours later and along the way I certainly picked up a few practical tips for staying safe while traveling solo to the Walt Disney World Resort.

I came into the art of being a solo traveler a bit late to the game and as a mom of 5, I was a person who’s not accustomed to traveling alone so it has definitely been a learning curve but one I have loved and the one place I feel the safest is when I visit  Walt Disney World Resort. In September 2012, I took my first solo trip to Walt Disney World Resort and that started the first of many, many trips in my future.  I met up with some great Disney Twitter and Facebook buddies once I arrived, I felt safe and secure in the Disney bubble. Walt Disney World Resort is probably one of the safest destinations you’ll ever find, especially for a person traveling alone. Disney security is discreet and cameras and security in plain clothes are everywhere.

Think about it~ you fly into MCO then jump on the Magical Express and arrive at Walt Disney World Resort. Time to check in, then head to your room and during your stay use resort transportation the entire time. Now its departure time~ jump back on the Magical Express and head back home. You’re in pretty safe hands if you use Disney transportation.

It’s the place I felt most safe, I never worried about leaving my resort early or coming in late due to an Extra Magic Hours. I felt totally comfortable conversing and sharing the magic with complete strangers in our special place.

When you’re at the Walt Disney World Resort, practical tips for staying safe are easier because Disney takes security and “Protecting the Magic” very seriously. There are security cameras throughout the parks and attractions and lots of cast members are employed by Disney Security to keep our “World” safe and secure, even ones you may not notice. With that said, let your conscience be your guide, lol!

Here are some rules for solo travel (Disney or not) that make me feel very secure.

• Use precautions~ I never disclose my resort or room number to people I don’t know.
• I never leave my food or beverage unattended with strangers.
• I always pay attention to my surroundings and keep my “street smarts” with me at all times. Just because I’m in the gates of the “World” doesn’t mean something CAN’T happen, it is a fantasy of sorts and definitely not the time to be naïve.
• If you’re really worried about safety, do not stay at properties where your bedroom door is also an exterior door. Interior hallways just feel safer to most people. They tend to be better lit~ which is important at night. I personally stayed at Port Orleans Riverside with an exterior door and I felt safe, I actually loved it….
• Reserve or request a room closer to the main buildings at Moderate and Value resorts. This will at least put you closer to the front desk and hopefully more guest/cast member foot traffic.
• One thing at Disney that’s good and bad is the crowds. Bad if you’re waiting in them for attractions; but good when you’re a part of a crowd and going to your resort early morning or late at night or in a more isolated place in the parks.
• Don’t carry mounds of cash on you, use your in-room safe.
• Don’t announce to the WORLD that you’re alone.
• Even though you are miles away from friends and family, another way you might feel safe and secure is to connect with them through technology. You can talk, text, skype even post status updates, photos, and videos to Facebook or Twitter.
• If you have a blog you can vlog your vacation. If you are active in any of the online fan communities, like DISboards, you can do a daily trip report.

On my solo trip, I met up at a meet & greet. They are “official” meets organized by podcasters, bloggers, or message board operators and sometimes they are just informal gatherings organized on message boards by the people who post there. Either way, they are a way to not only spend time with like-minded Disney lovers but a chance to make new friends. If you happened to be down for a specific event there could be meets set up around that event. I’ve now been to more meet & greets than I can count and it’s the perfect mixture of solo with a touch of magical friends.

Last but definitely not least~ simply enjoy being on your own schedule, at your pace enjoying the most magical place on earth. What are your favorite practical tips for staying safe when you travel?