Thinking of going alone for 40th birthday....

greenmonk

Earning My Ears
Joined
Sep 6, 2013
So I'm one of the unlucky ones that just happen to be born around Christmas (12/20). I've spent about 90% of my birthdays alone because of that. Since this year is the big 4-0, I wanted to do something special. I've never done anything special for any of my birthdays. I'm a huge Disney fan and between Disneyland and Disney World, I've gone about two dozen times. I've never done Christmas time as an adult though and haven't done a birthday at Disney since I was 8 years old. And just so you know, I've been asking and begging people to do something with me for this big birthday and no one can or will (family or friends).

Has anyone done a birthday at Disney alone as an adult? For once, I'd love to be treated like my birthday is special and not have it get lost in the Christmas holiday. I'd be doing a week at Disney World and am thinking of 12/16-23 since I can use my parent's timeshare for that week. Any other solo travelers planning to be there during that week?
 
I'm debating the exact same thing in January. Traveling solo for your birthday like this sounds awesome.
 
I have travelled solo a LOT to Disney, and it is always a fun time! You get the freedom to do whatever you'd like whenever, and the added bonus is that everyone in Disney is usually pretty friendly, cast members seek out conversations with you, even other guests sometimes.
I technically spent 1/2 my birthday solo in Epcot last year between leaving work & waiting for friends and it was fine, I was a little disappointed in the "Happy birthdays" I got since it was actually my birthday, but I know how exhausting it can get.

I've also seen PLENTY of extra magic for adult birthdays, on our way into the park, my Mom's 80 year old friend was stopped by a cm who sang happy birthday while sprikling her with pixie dust for the day, magical moments are sure to happen!

I think Disney is a wonderful place to go to get your birthday to stand out!
 
If I was you, I would totally go for my 40th birthday at Disney! (BTW my sister has the same birthday) Four years ago i went to Disney for the Christmas decorations. It was fabulous. We loved the Candlelight Processional and we spent a day doing the monorail loop of the 3 resorts and then went to check out Wilderness Lodge. A great day. Can you stay at a resort you haven't been to yet? You could book a special dinner ADR for the 20th - maybe even do the Candlelight Processional that night. :bday:

The last three birthdays I have had, I have been on a vacation to somewhere special. I would totally go to WDW for my BD also but its mid Sept - too hot for me!
 


Not quite the same thing, but I love my solo cruises, so I suppose I can say I'm a fan of solo travel in general. :)

(Not sure I would cruise Disney solo though.)
 
I have travelled solo a LOT to Disney, and it is always a fun time! You get the freedom to do whatever you'd like whenever, and the added bonus is that everyone in Disney is usually pretty friendly, cast members seek out conversations with you, even other guests sometimes.
I technically spent 1/2 my birthday solo in Epcot last year between leaving work & waiting for friends and it was fine, I was a little disappointed in the "Happy birthdays" I got since it was actually my birthday, but I know how exhausting it can get.

I've also seen PLENTY of extra magic for adult birthdays, on our way into the park, my Mom's 80 year old friend was stopped by a cm who sang happy birthday while sprikling her with pixie dust for the day, magical moments are sure to happen!

I think Disney is a wonderful place to go to get your birthday to stand out!
I've actually only been to Disney solo since about 16 years old. For the strangest reason, I can't find a single person to come with me when I go. Shocking! Now I hope I get sprinkled with pixie dust!!! :-)

If I was you, I would totally go for my 40th birthday at Disney! (BTW my sister has the same birthday) Four years ago i went to Disney for the Christmas decorations. It was fabulous. We loved the Candlelight Processional and we spent a day doing the monorail loop of the 3 resorts and then went to check out Wilderness Lodge. A great day. Can you stay at a resort you haven't been to yet? You could book a special dinner ADR for the 20th - maybe even do the Candlelight Processional that night. :bday:

The last three birthdays I have had, I have been on a vacation to somewhere special. I would totally go to WDW for my BD also but its mid Sept - too hot for me!
Yay!!! I love learning about other people that share my birthday! It's shocking how many people I know that are born between 12/17-31. What is it with parents getting busy in March??? LOL

I won't actually be staying at a Disney resort. It's way too expensive around Christmas and I have to bring my dog. Plus, thanks to use-or-lose vacation time, I'll be doing 2 weeks. I actually prefer that for Disney trips so I can be relaxed instead of trying to cram everything into 7 days. It also makes getting an Annual Pass worth it!

I was thinking of doing the Candlelight processional and trying to figure out where to eat on my actual birthday. I have to do something special!

Not quite the same thing, but I love my solo cruises, so I suppose I can say I'm a fan of solo travel in general. :)

(Not sure I would cruise Disney solo though.)
I was actually thinking of doing a cruise solo. I've never been on a cruise before. Unfortunately, I can't find a single person to watch my dog and she doesn't board well, so I can only go where she can come with me. I usually stay off-site at Disney at my parent's time-share. Since they allow dogs and are literally across the street from Disney, that's where I'll have to stay. I still really want to do a cruise though!!!!
 
would love to meet you - but my annual pass stops working on the 16th and does not start again until Jan 3rd. I have a seasonal weekday pass.
 


I've been solo on my birthday a number of times, as a matter of fact it's my favorite birthday present to myself. I always try to go somewhere, my honey hates to travel and unless there is diving involved just won't. My grown son loves to travel but he is back in college after some time off in the Navy so we have to work around his class schedule. I wear the birthday button the entire week. A few times I've received an extra dessert but most of the time it's just happy birthdays all over the place. Go enjoy.
 
would love to meet you - but my annual pass stops working on the 16th and does not start again until Jan 3rd. I have a seasonal weekday pass.
I'm actually trying to be there from December 11-23rd. I'll hopefully be making my reservations today. I always try to do 2 weeks if I can when going to Disney World. One...I drive, so driving 13 hours is much more tolerable if I'm there 2 weeks. Two...have to get the most out of the Annual Pass as possible! lol

I've been solo on my birthday a number of times, as a matter of fact it's my favorite birthday present to myself. I always try to go somewhere, my honey hates to travel and unless there is diving involved just won't. My grown son loves to travel but he is back in college after some time off in the Navy so we have to work around his class schedule. I wear the birthday button the entire week. A few times I've received an extra dessert but most of the time it's just happy birthdays all over the place. Go enjoy.
I try to always travel where I can dive also. That's why Disney always works. I love diving at Epcot! Nothing in the tank is scared of you and will swim right up to your face. I almost got run over by both turtles last time. They didn't care at all that I was in their way. LOL

I will definitely be wearing the birthday button the entire time and since I have the ability to make t-shirts, I'll make a Disney themed one for every day I'm there and a very special one for my actual birthday. I'm going to make sure every single person in the park knows! ;-)
 
most of the time just wearing the birthday button was enough for me - even strangers will say happy birthday !

I will be there Dec 9 16 - also staying offsite for this trip. only live an hour away - so driving works for me too. my pass will stop on the 16th
 
I went solo to Disneyland for my birthday this year (though it ended up being the week after because of a work thing - still it was my Birthday present to myself). I had a great time and enjoyed myself. I didn't think much about it being my birthday though, though I occasionally wished I had less lame friends who would hit Disney as much as I do. I kinda like DL better for solo trips because it is more compact with less down time (like riding around on buses). I say go and enjoy your birthday!
 
I didn't do Disney solo for my birthday, but I have been to Paris and Florida. While there's always a certain comfort in touring the parks with people you know - going with fewer people/yourself does have it's benefits. The Florida birthday trip was just me and my partner, and really it was a wonderful relief to do Disney with someone who was more easygoing and shared the interests I had. Your also not constantly worrying about losing anyone in busy park moments.

I will always stress to anyone who does a Birthday at Disney, absolutely make the very first thing you do a trip to the "Customer service" reception near the entrance of the parks and let them know it's your birthday to get the Birthday badge. Then wear that thing the entire time - it's your special trip and you absolutely deserve to let the world know.

That and additional plus is the parks are really super dressed up for the holidays, June babies like me don't get all those fancy decorations and extra effects ; ) additionally maybe worth considering Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party? - I went last year on a short 2 day visit to Orlando and really had a swell time. But then I'm a major Disney nut who loves the extra shows, Christmas stuff in general and some of the character stuff

Disney is really great about birthdays, other park visitors will give you well wishes, cast members might interact, and you get a treat if you go to a table service meal. I did it for all my meals on that birthday trip (as I knew it was likely to be the last visit in a while).
 
I've actually only been to Disney solo since about 16 years old. For the strangest reason, I can't find a single person to come with me when I go. Shocking! Now I hope I get sprinkled with pixie dust!!! :-)


Yay!!! I love learning about other people that share my birthday! It's shocking how many people I know that are born between 12/17-31. What is it with parents getting busy in March??? LOL

I won't actually be staying at a Disney resort. It's way too expensive around Christmas and I have to bring my dog. Plus, thanks to use-or-lose vacation time, I'll be doing 2 weeks. I actually prefer that for Disney trips so I can be relaxed instead of trying to cram everything into 7 days. It also makes getting an Annual Pass worth it!

I was thinking of doing the Candlelight processional and trying to figure out where to eat on my actual birthday. I have to do something special!


I was actually thinking of doing a cruise solo. I've never been on a cruise before. Unfortunately, I can't find a single person to watch my dog and she doesn't board well, so I can only go where she can come with me. I usually stay off-site at Disney at my parent's time-share. Since they allow dogs and are literally across the street from Disney, that's where I'll have to stay. I still really want to do a cruise though!!!!


Howdy. I jut wanted t chime in on your comments about cruising. If you can work it out with a reliable dog sitter, cruising is truly a great solo vacation. I am an avid Norwegian cruiser and their newer ships have a special "solo only" set of cabins with a lounge just for that group. The cabins are very, very small but the community within the group is absolutely amazing. Every night the solos (including those not staying in the solo lounge area) can gather in the lounge for cocktails. Norwegian dedicates a cruise staff member to arrange activities which include dinner and shows each night. On my recent cruise, the solo group was a mixture of younger singles (20's and 30's) plus widows like myself in the mid-50 range. The group was made up of both men and women, and several were from other parts of the world (Scotland, England, Ireland). You can do as much and as little as you like with the group. I understand your concern about your dog. I have two cats but luckily have good neighbors on either side of me with kids who like earning extra $ while I am away.
 
Howdy. I jut wanted t chime in on your comments about cruising. If you can work it out with a reliable dog sitter, cruising is truly a great solo vacation. I am an avid Norwegian cruiser and their newer ships have a special "solo only" set of cabins with a lounge just for that group. The cabins are very, very small but the community within the group is absolutely amazing. Every night the solos (including those not staying in the solo lounge area) can gather in the lounge for cocktails. Norwegian dedicates a cruise staff member to arrange activities which include dinner and shows each night. On my recent cruise, the solo group was a mixture of younger singles (20's and 30's) plus widows like myself in the mid-50 range. The group was made up of both men and women, and several were from other parts of the world (Scotland, England, Ireland). You can do as much and as little as you like with the group. I understand your concern about your dog. I have two cats but luckily have good neighbors on either side of me with kids who like earning extra $ while I am away.

That's great to hear! I've thought about trying to do a cruise solo but didn't really want to pay the double rate. What are some of the destinations/itineraries you enjoyed best?
 
Yay!!! I love learning about other people that share my birthday! It's shocking how many people I know that are born between 12/17-31. What is it with parents getting busy in March??? LOL

My oldest son was born 12/25. My granddaughter was born 12/22.
 
I spent my 44th birthday at Disney World - loved it - booked a special stay at Saratoga Springs. I would wear my "birthday" button occasionally and just sitting on the bench at Disney Springs had lots of folks wishing me a "happy birthday". It was fun and I didn't feel alone - it was nice just doing what I wanted when I wanted. Enjoy!
 
Howdy. I jut wanted t chime in on your comments about cruising. If you can work it out with a reliable dog sitter, cruising is truly a great solo vacation. I am an avid Norwegian cruiser and their newer ships have a special "solo only" set of cabins with a lounge just for that group. The cabins are very, very small but the community within the group is absolutely amazing. Every night the solos (including those not staying in the solo lounge area) can gather in the lounge for cocktails. Norwegian dedicates a cruise staff member to arrange activities which include dinner and shows each night. On my recent cruise, the solo group was a mixture of younger singles (20's and 30's) plus widows like myself in the mid-50 range. The group was made up of both men and women, and several were from other parts of the world (Scotland, England, Ireland). You can do as much and as little as you like with the group. I understand your concern about your dog. I have two cats but luckily have good neighbors on either side of me with kids who like earning extra $ while I am away.

I have done Western and Eastern Caribbean cruises along with a transatlantic cruise. I guess the Eastern itinerary is my all time favorite. It usually includes a couple of sea days on the front end where you can leisurely enjoy the ship and get to know people. The ports are all very safe (typically St. Maarten, St. Thomas, Tortolla, Nassau) and easy to navigate on your own. When I was in St. Thomas in July, I just hopped into a cab filled with other people. When the driver asked where I was going, I looked at my cab mates and asked where they were going. Instant friends!!!! LOL! Norwegian is ground breaking in their solo cabins and pricing so definitely check it out. Feel free to PM me if you want to find time to connect via phone and talk more.
 
I've done several solo Disney birthday celebrations over the years. I've done solo birthday celebrations at WDW, DLR and even on a Disney Cruise. I don't make a big deal of it and I typically don't invite anyone to join me since I enjoy my solitude. The best birthday celebrations I've experienced where on a Disney Cruise and this year when I celebrated my birthday in Iceland. Anyway, it's your special day and you should do what makes you happy even if no one can join you. There's nothing wrong with celebrating alone as long as it doesn't bother you.
 

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