Disneyland Crowd Calendar

Our Disneyland Crowd Calendar will help you avoid the crowds and long lines at Disneyland. Theme park attendance fluctuates significantly throughout the year, so choose the optimal dates for your next magical vacation by avoiding crowds during peak season.

With this Disneyland crowd tracker, you will be able to compare crowds at different times of the year to determine the best period to visit Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure theme parks in 2024 and 2025. It is updated once a month with data for the following 12 months.

We hope our Disneyland Crowd Calendar will help you optimize your next magical Disneyland vacation!

Want free help deciding when to travel? Get personalized advice from The Vacationeer !

Crowd Level color key Low to High

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  • California Adventure » [3]
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Calendar updated through March 2025

ALL Guests are required to have a park reservation and a valid ticket for the same park on the same date. Some parks, restaurants, experiences, hotels, and other features may be modified, unavailable, or be subject to limited availability, capacity, or closure.

Our 2024/2025 Disneyland Crowd Calendar uses a 1-5 rating system for Disneyland’s two theme parks – Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure

(1) Green – Light Crowds Expected

(2) Blue – Below Average Crowds Expected

(3) Yellow – Average Crowds Expected

(4) Orange – Above Average Crowds Expected

(5) Red – Heavy Crowds Expected

About Disneyland Resort

Disneyland's Pixar Pal-A-Round

Disneyland Resort is usually referred to as simply “Disneyland.” The park opened in 1955 under the direct supervision of Walt Disney,  16 years prior to the opening of Disney World. The resort was the first Disney theme park location and the only one that was open while Walt Disney was still alive.

Disneyland Resort is located in  Anaheim, California , and is owned and operated by  The Walt Disney Company .

It’s home to two theme parks ( Disneyland Park  and  Disney California Adventure ), three Disneyland hotels , and Downtown Disney , the entertainment, dining, and shopping area of the park.

disneyland railroad

Speak with a Disneyland expert to plan your trip!

What are Crowd Calendars?

Crowd calendars  predict how many people will be at a theme park on any given day throughout the year. Since most people would rather avoid the crowds and long wait times for attractions (obviously), a crowd calendar can help you narrow down your vacation periods to the times of the year when the park is less crowded and more manageable.

In order to formulate this crowd calendar, we compile attendance data from recent years to help us determine which days will have the shortest lines and longest lines at Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure. 

When is Disneyland LEAST Crowded ?

Disneyland is the second most visited theme park in the world (18 million visitors per year compared to roughly 58 million at Disney World). Therefore, don’t expect that you will have the park to yourself at any given time of the year. But i f long lines are a major concern, then there are some less busy time periods you should aim for.

Disneyland’s less crowded times are:

  • Early January through the mid-February
  • The day after President’s Day (February) until Spring Break (mid-March)
  • The middle of April until Memorial Day Weekend (late May)
  • After Labor Day through the beginning of October
  • The second week of November (after Halloween and before Thanksgiving Week)
  • Weekdays are less crowded than weekends, especially Monday-Thursdays.
  • On weekends, Sundays are usually less crowded than Saturdays. Regular weekends tend to be less crowded than holiday weekends.

When is Disneyland  MOST Crowded ?

Disneyland is typically most crowded around holidays, weekends, or really just about any time schools are out of session. Here are some of the time periods to avoid, if possible:

  • Any school holiday weeks (February Vacation, Spring Break, Thanksgiving, Christmas/New Year’s).
  • Weekends, especially around holiday weeks and three-day holiday weekends (MLK Day (3rd Monday of January), Presidents Day (3rd Monday of February), Memorial Day (last Monday of May), July 4th, Labor Day (1st Monday of September), and Columbus Day (2nd Monday of October).
  • The park is busy right after the Disneyland Annual Passholder blackout dates come to an end. Check Disneyland’s website for blackout dates .

Questions? Do you want a free Disneyland quote? Contact the Disney travel agents at The Vacationeer !

When is the Best Time to Visit Disneyland?

There isn’t really a right or wrong time to visit. The best time to go to Disneyland will really depend on your own set of interests.

If you wish to visit when crowds are expected to be lower, then plan your trip mid-week if possible. Lines tend to be shorter Tuesdays through Thursdays during off-peak periods.

Which months are less crowded at Disneyland?

Lines will be shorter:

  • mid-January through mid-March
  • mid-April through mid-May
  • mid-September through mid-November

The disadvantages of going to Disneyland during the off-season are:

  • Some of the nighttime entertainment may be scheduled for weekends (and not during the mid-week)
  • Certain rides may be shut down for maintenance
  • The park hours are usually shorter during off-peak times and longer during the summer and other peak times, and 4. there are fewer events, fireworks, shows, and parades during the slow season.

With that said, the most crowded periods aren’t always the “worst” times to visit Disneyland Resort.

Disneyland’s two theme parks do tend to be more crowded during the summer months (June, July, August), and that can mean longer rides for rides, food, and even to speak with Guest Relations .  However, the parks extend their hours every day from late May until early September. You can also expect the theme park to operate with longer hours during holiday periods and school breaks, as well as host more shows, parades, and fireworks.  So there are plenty of trade-offs to consider when deciding when you should visit Disneyland; it just depends on your priorities. 

Check the Park Hours section for a list of the hours, events, entertainment, and refurbishments. 

Do you need some help with planning and booking your next Disneyland vacation? We trust the travel agents at The Vacationeer for all of our trip-planning needs.  Contact them for a free, no-obligation price quote for your next Disneyland vacation.

Disneyland Weather

Disneyland benefits from Anaheim, California’s warm and relatively dry climate. The city averages just 14 inches of rain per year compared to the US average is 39 inches. Here is a chart of what you can expect for weather at Disneyland .

                                                Month                    High / Low  (°F)                Rain

Disneyland Dining Reservations

Disneyland has a number of restaurants in the Downtown Disney District .

Depending on which Disneyland restaurant you choose – and the date/time of your visit – it may be wise to make dining reservations in advance to guarantee you will be seated. Dining reservations can be made up to 60 days in advance for most Disneyland restaurants.

You can book dining reservations online , call (714) 781-DINE, or let the  Disney Travel Agents at The Vacationeer make the dining reservations for you.  Click  HERE to request a free, no-obligation price quote .

Skip the Crowded Lines with Disney Genie+ and Lightning Lane Passes

Disneyland has retired its FastPass and MaxPass systems and replaced them with Disney Genie+ and individual Lightning Lane passes. These paid add-ons allow the user to bypass the normal standby lines and instead use the much quick Lightning Lane entrance.

  • Disney Genie+ : For the price of $25 or more per day, per ticket, Disneyland guests can reserve the next available time on a variety of attractions and experiences via the Lightning Lane entrance. You’ll be able to make one selection at a time, and make your next selection once the previous selection is used. Disney Genie+ also provides you with Disney parks-themed audio experiences and unlimited Disney PhotoPass downloads.
  • Individual Lightning Lane Selections: Guests can also purchase Lightning Lane access passes on up to 2 highly demanded attractions. For example, Radiator Springs Racers at Disney California Adventure Park is not available with Genie+ but it is available on a pay-per-ride basis with a Lightning Lane pass. Pricing varies by date, attraction, and park.

Note: Your Lightning Lane selections are made on the same day of your visit.

If you need help planning and booking your magical Disneyland vacation, please contact the Disney Travel Agents at  The Vacationeer .

Their services are always helpful and totally free of charge . Call  833-4MY-TRIP   (833-469-8747) for a free, no-obligation Disney vacation quote!

The MagicGuides Disneyland Crowd Calendar keeps you updated on the crowd expectations. Check back often so you won’t miss out!

If you enjoyed our Disneyland Crowd Calendar page, be sure to check out our other articles. Our Disneyland Map , Disneyland History , Disneyland Daily Income Estimates , Disneyland vs Disney World , Best Age for Disneyland , Disney Dining Plan Calculator , and Disney World Planning Timeline  may be helpful.

Thank you for reading our page, and we hope you have a magical Disneyland vacation!

Related Posts:

Universal Orlando Crowd Calendar: Understand Orlando Crowds with Our Crowd Calendar

MickeyVisit - Ultimate Disneyland Guide

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Disneyland Crowd Calendar – Best Times to Visit Disneyland in 2024

disneyland castle crowd calendar

Let's dive into when to visit Disneyland and how to avoid the Disneyland crowds. Below see the complete Disneyland 2024 calendar with crowds, holiday celebrations, and new attraction offerings to help you decide when to visit Disneyland.

Disneyland has over 18 million visitors per year and you will have the most pleasant vacation if you avoid as many of the crowds those visitors create as possible.

Note –  Currently, theme park reservations are required for all visits. Reservations are available up to 120 days in advance. Read our guide to Disneyland reservations for all details and how to make.

In this planning guide:

Disneyland Crowd Tracker 2024 – When to Visit

disneyland crowds

Two things affecting Disneyland crowd levels are the events happening throughout the resort and school holidays. These are the two most important Disneyland crowd indicators. So, let's dive into the question: “when will it be crowded at Disneyland?”

Most weekends will be busy no matter when you visit the resort. Disneyland has over 1 million annual pass holders who frequent the resort after school or work.

Take a look at our discount Disneyland tickets page for information on how to save money and info on how long you should visit.

Because Disneyland is both a vacation destination and a local hangout, it can be difficult to judge when there will be the most crowds. In the sections below we have taken into consideration the schedule from the nearby convention center and the previous year's crowd trends to create a calendar that will help you to avoid the crowds at Disneyland.

When to Visit Disneyland in 2024

worst time to visit disneyland

Most Crowded

  • The weeks before and after Easter: mid-March through mid-April, or Spring Break Season
  • October which will increase in crowd levels the closer it gets to Halloween
  • The week before Christmas through the first couple of weeks of January, Christmas Day and New Years Eve bring in some of the largest crowds the park sees all year long.
  • If July 4th falls close to a weekend, then it will be extremely busy
  • Check the Anaheim Convention Center website for large conferences. Busy in the late afternoon during these time periods.

Busy, But Not Overrun 

  • End of August through Labor Day
  • July through early August, during the time that schools have summer break
  • The month of December, leading up to Christmas week
  • Weekends throughout October and beginning of November while the theme parks are decorated for Halloween

Not Crowded

  • Late January through February
  • Late April unless Easter falls at that time

Read our full analysis of all the best months and specific dates to visit Disneyland and the worst, most crowded, times at Disneyland .

January through the beginning of May is what many call the “off season.” These weeks have the least amount of crowds, but a lot of the shows will not be running like   the fireworks. This is important to consider in the debate of when to visit Disneyland.

If you are considering visiting Walt Disney World in Florida, be sure to look at our guide to when to visit Disney World .

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You can read more about finding discounts and avoiding scams in our guide to   cheap Disneyland tickets .

If your Disneyland hotel prices  are coming up high during a time period that we list as not crowded, be sure to check out the Anaheim Convention Center schedule . During large conventions, the prices for hotels can skyrocket.

This time of year is a blessing and a curse. Many Disneyland rides are closed for refurbishment during the first two months of the year. Check the refurbishment calendar on the official Disneyland website, released 60 days in advance, for closures.

I spent some time putting together a Disneyland attendance calendar detailing all of the different pros and cons of the different months of the year when visiting. The information included in our best time to go to Disneyland calendar is basic Disneyland crowd levels, park hours, and weather.

Disneyland crowd calendar

Be sure to check the Disneyland calendar on the official Disneyland website for more info on closures, entertainment schedules, and other info. This will help you to decide when to visit Disneyland! You can also read our thoughts on the cheapest times to go to Disneyland .

January Disneyland Crowd Calendar and Events in 2024

disneyland tourist calendar

  • Valentine’s Month kicks off in late January- a celebration of the love of Mickey and Minnie Mouse. Disneyland park will feature lovely, festive Valentine’s décor, including a new Mickey Mouse flower “portrait” on Main Street, U.S.A. Guests may also choose to partake in Minnie’s Valentine Surprise, a special scavenger hunt experience in Disneyland park.
  • Disneyland After Dark: Sweethearts' Nite takes place on January 23, 25, 30.
  • The  Disneyland Half Marathon weekend  returns to Disneyland on January 11-14, 2024.
  • Be sure to read our guide  Visiting Disneyland in January  to get a detailed description of what to expect, what to pack, what to wear, and what current events are planned.

February Disneyland Crowd Calendar and Events in 2024

  • Disneyland Lunar New Year Celebration continues until February 18th at California Adventure.

Mickey and Minnie blowing kisses in front of Sleeping Beauty's Castle

  • There are special menus at some of the table service restaurants for Valentine's Day. You will also find lots of holiday-specific desserts and special treats all throughout the resort.
  • Disneyland celebrates Black History Month with Celebrate Gospel including Marvin Sapp (on February 17) and Tasha Cobbs Leonard (on February 24) performing at the Fantasyland Theatre.
  • In celebration of the Anaheim Ducks Hockey Club's 30th anniversary, Anaheim Ducks Days at Disney California Adventure Park will be a two-day event taking place in Hollywood Land from February 22-23
  • Disneyland After Dark: Sweethearts' Nite takes place February 1, 6, 8, 12 & 14.
  • Be sure to read our guide  Visiting Disneyland in February  to get a detailed description of what to expect, what to pack, what to wear, and what current events are planned.

March Disneyland Crowd Calendar and Events in 2024

disneyland tourist calendar

  • The Disneyland Food and Wine Festival takes place March 1-April 22. The Food and Wine Festival features special festival food booths, cooking demonstrations, and lifestyle presentations. This festival takes place in Disney California Adventure park.
  • You'll find special foods throughout the resort for St. Patrick's Day at Disneyland . Don't forget to wear your green!
  • Disney Channel Nite will take place March 5 & 7, 2024.
  • Be sure to read our guide  Visiting Disneyland in March  to get a detailed description of what to expect, what to pack, what to wear, and what current events are planned.

April Disneyland Crowd Calendar and Events in 2024

  • Spring Break season continues in Disneyland with lots of crowds expected every day. Follow our Disneyland crowd calendar tips seen below for help avoiding the crowds.
  • Pixar Fest starts April 26th and includes Pixar themed fireworks, a brand new parade, and more.

disneyland tourist calendar

  • Disney has an  Easter egg  hunt throughout both theme parks. You can purchase a scavenger hunt packet from participating shops throughout the resort, find all the eggs, turn in your packet, and then receive a prize. Disneyland's Easter Eggstravaganza will return in April.
  • Dapper Day at Disneyland is on April 7th. This is a celebration of the vintage style clothing that used to be worn to Disneyland and that was featured heavily in early concept artwork. About 1/10 of the park usually participates. It is lots of fun to be in the parks during the events. The Disneyland crowds in attendance are usually bearable as those who come out for the event are typically in the parks to take photos more than they are to experience attractions.
  • Season of the Force at Disneyland Park will be running from April 5 to June 2 with the return of Hyperspace Mountain, new Star Tours scenes, and more.
  • Disneyland After Dark: Star Wars Nite takes place April 16, 18, 23, 25, 30.
  • Be sure to read our guide  Visiting Disneyland in April  to get a detailed description of what to expect, what to pack, what to wear, and what current events are planned.

May Disneyland Crowd Calendar and Events in 2024

Light up grad night image

  • Pixar Fest continues and includes Pixar themed fireworks, a brand new parade, and more.
  • Disneyland After Dark Star Wars Nite takes place May 2, 7 & 9.
  • Enjoy Star Wars celebrations on May 4th in Tomorrowland like the transformation of Space Mountain into Hyperspace Mountain, Captain Phasma and her storm troopers along with Star Wars themed souvenirs and food options.
  • Be sure to read our guide Visiting Disneyland in May to get a detailed description of what to expect, what to pack, what to wear, and what current events are planned.

June Disneyland Crowd Calendar and Events in 2024

disneyland tourist calendar

  • Pride Month at Disneyland will feature a variety of themed foods and merchandise including Pride Nite which takes place June 18 & 20.
  • Be sure to read our guide  Visiting Disneyland in June  to get a detailed description of what to expect, what to pack, what to wear, and what current events are planned.

July Disneyland Crowd Calendar and Events in 2024

  • Disneyland 4th of July can be very crowded due to the popularity of the fireworks show.
  • Tickets for the popular Halloween Party  usually go on sale in July. If you have a preference for which date you attend the party you should be ready to book.

Disneyland 4th of July Fireworks

August Disneyland Crowd Calendar and Events in 2024

  • Disneyland Halloween will begin August 23 and run until Halloween.
  • Plaza de la Familia will run from August 23 to November 2.
  • Pixar Fest runs until August 4th and includes Pixar themed fireworks, a brand new parade, and more.
  • The popular CHOC Walk at Disneyland that raises money for the Children's Hospital of Orange County happens this month. The parks can open later on the day of the race.
  • Be sure to read our guide  Visiting Disneyland in August  to get a detailed description of what to expect, what to pack, what to wear, and what current events are planned.

September Disneyland Crowd Calendar and Events in 2024

Disneyland Mickey's Halloween Pumpkin

  • The first nights of Disneyland Oogie Boogie's Bash after hours event occur during this month. The event consists of a special Halloween entertainment, an opportunity to wear costumes in the parks, and lots of meet and greets.
  • Universal Studios Hollywood, another extremely popular theme park featuring the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter kicks off their Halloween Horror Nights mid September. You can read more about visiting Universal in our Universal Studios Hollywood guide and more about Halloween Horror Nights in our guide here .
  • The fan-created Disneyland Gay Days are held at the end of the month. You can expect quite a few people in the parks wearing red to demonstrate they are members of the event. Disneyland offers rainbow merchandise and food offerings throughout the park in recognition of the celebration.
  • Read our detailed monthly guide for  visiting Disneyland in September  to find our more details about crowd patterns, events, weather, and more.

October Disneyland Crowd Calendar and Events in 2024

  • Disneyland Halloween and Plaza de la Familia continue until Halloween with special attraction overlays and decorations throughout both theme parks.

Mickey and Minnie halloween costumes

  • October has increasingly become one of the busiest months of the year due to the increase in Fall breaks across the country and the growing popularity of the Halloween season at Disneyland.
  • Universal Studios Hollywood continues their Halloween Horror Nights through the first week of November.
  • Read our detailed monthly guide for  visiting Disneyland in October  to find our more details about crowd patterns, events, weather, and more.

November Disneyland Crowd Calendar and Events in 2024

  • There is another Dapper Day event each year in early November. This day is a celebration of the classic clothing that used to be worn to Disneyland. Sometimes you can find discounted rates at the Disney property hotels for the event by looking on the Dapper Day official website.  
  • Plaza de la Familia runs until November 2nd.

disneyland tourist calendar

  • Beginning Thanksgiving weekend, the parks are quite crowded all the way through the Christmas season.
  • There are a wide variety of food offerings for Thanksgiving throughout the resort. The Disneyland Hotel has a large Thanksgiving buffet with characters and all of the classic Thanksgiving fixings. See our Disneyland restaurant review article for information on booking dining.
  • Universal Studios Hollywood celebrates Christmas with a fantastic Christmas in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter featuring beautiful decorations, live entertainment, and a breathtaking new nighttime spectacular. They also have their Grinchmas celebration featuring characters from the Dr. Seuss classic.
  • Be sure to read our guide  Visiting Disneyland in November  to get a detailed description of what to expect, what to pack, what to wear, and what current events are planned.

December Disneyland Crowd Calendar and Events 2024

  • The Disneyland Christmas celebration continues and runs through the first week of January.
  • Universal Studios Hollywood also has fantastic Christmas offerings with their Christmas in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Dr. Seuss Grinchmas. Both of these are fantastic additions to any vacation and warrant a drive up to Universal Studios. (You can see information on discount Universal Studios Hollywood tickets her e).

disneyland tourist calendar

  • Disneyland Candlelight Ceremony on Main Street in Disneyland during the first weekend of December. This is the retelling of the birth of Jesus with hundreds of choir singers and a celebrity narrator. You can see video from last year here .
  • The two college football teams competing in the Rose Bowl visit Disneyland in the couple of days before the Rose Bowl Game in Pasadena, California. The bands from both schools usually also play either marching in the parade or in Town Square in front of the Train Station.
  • Disneyland is always crowded on New Year's Eve, but there are lots of special entertainment offerings including bands and the largest Disneyland fireworks celebration of the year. This fireworks show is made up of all of the fireworks shells that were not shot off during the preceding six months due to wind cancellation.
  • Be sure to read our guide  Visiting Disneyland in December to get a detailed description of what to expect, what to pack, what to wear, and what current events are planned.

Disneyland Through the Seasons 

Throughout the year there are a few huge special events that make the parks extra magical! The two main holiday seasons, Halloween and Christmas, both bring special entertainment, decorations, and food to the parks. You can also find smaller themed events throughout the year. In addition to holidays, the summer months are also a popular time for guests to visit as this is when Disneyland will typically introduce new additions to the park.

Christmas in Disneyland

At Christmas time you will find Sleeping Beauty Castle lit up with icicles, Main Street laden with decorations, and the rest of the parks beautifully decorated to celebrate the season. Regular shows and experiences are altered to match the holiday theme.

The Haunted Mansion and it’s a small world each receive holiday overlays that transform both attractions. The Haunted Mansion becomes the Haunted Mansion Holiday, which is themed to the “Nightmare Before Christmas.” it's a small world becomes “it's a small world Holiday” adorned with thousands of beautiful lights and the tune of the song inside changes to Jingle Bells.

I highly recommend visiting during Christmas, but expect to be joined by lots of crowds if you are there the week of Christmas through the first week of January. The best time to visit and see the Christmas decorations is the first two weeks of December or the second week of January. You can expect to see busy weekends in December as the locals turn out in droves to see the new holiday decor.

For more information on visiting Disneyland during Christmastime, visit our sister site Disney Dose  and read my top Disneyland Christmas must-sees .

Halloween at Disneyland

During Halloween time, the parks are decorated with jack-o-lanterns and the feeling of fall and Halloween is in the air. See all of the information on Disneyland Halloween in our huge guide.

Disney turns Space Mountain into Space Mountain: Ghost Galaxy. Space ghosts are added throughout this classic indoor roller coaster and also the soundtrack is switched to one a bit spookier. The Haunted Mansion is also transformed to be themed to Nightmare Before Christmas. This Haunted Mansion conversion runs from the end of September until the beginning of January.

Oogie Boogie Bash at Disney's California Adventure

Disneyland's California Adventure has taken over hosting the coveted Halloween Party! The Oogie Boogie Bash usually takes place on select dates through September-October at Disney's California Adventure. This party will run in conjunction with the Disneyland Halloween season .

The party consists of fun entertainment, attractions, and candy, all while you wear your Halloween costume inside California Adventure at the Disneyland Resort.

Check out our full guide to Oogie Boogie Bash at California Adventure>

Disneyland in Summertime

In Summertime , Disney often opens new experiences and attractions. This is the best time to “get em while they are hot,” but be careful because that is the same mindset of every visitor and new attractions often have long lines.

The rest of the year Disney has shorter weekend events going on that celebrate certain cultures or smaller holidays like the Lunar New Year, high school graduation, or the 4th of July. In the past they have also held 24 hour days where the parks operate around the clock.

Check out our full guide to summer here.

Recommended Length of Stay

The recommended length for a trip is anything between one and a half days and three full days. Anything more than three days isn’t quite necessary. When we do a trip to Disneyland, it is usually about 2 and a half days over a weekend.

Now that you know when you want to visit Disneyland, it is time to figure out the logistics of where and how you will book your trip. The benefit of staying longer is being able to see and do everything you want at a more leisurely pace. You would also have time to return to your favorite experiences.

Disneyland Crowds Specialists

Now that you have decided when you want to visit Disneyland, it is time to book your trip. We highly recommend a Disneyland package to have the best experience and save the most money while planning your Disneyland vacation. More info here>

More Disneyland Planning Tips

Be sure to subscribe to our Disneyland deals newsletter for all of the latest information on deals and saving tips to help you save money and experience more! Sign up here .

  • What hotel should I stay in at Disneyland?
  • Saving Money on Disneyland Tickets
  • Disneyland Package: Best Places to Save Money on a Disneyland Vacation
  • Every Disneyland Restaurant Reviewed
  • Five Different Ways to Save Time and Have More Fun at Disneyland
  • Best Disneyland Souvenirs 

Lea esta guía de mejor momento para visitar Disneyland en español .

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About Gavin Doyle

Gavin Doyle is a best-selling author and founder of Mickey Visit. He is an expert on helping families save money and experience more at Disney, Universal, and beyond. He has been featured in Forbes, ABC7, Travel+Leisure, the OC Register, Orange County Register, LA Times, Yahoo! News, and more.

Read more about Gavin.

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35 comments add your comment

Excellent information!! Thank you so much for putting all this together. You have answered all my questions!!

Will the D23 Convention August 23-25 bring more crowds before/after the event in August 2019?

It could impact crowd levels but likely we’ll see an increase that time of year regardless because of typical summer crowds and Star Wars land. I wouldn’t let it deter your trip!

Would you recommend going to Disneyland March 3-6 or the last week of April?

Either way you’re looking at good choices- the International Food and Wine Festival runs from March 3rd- April 23rd so if that’s something you want to see then I’d recommend March. If you’re looking to enjoy the Easter activities, you’ll likely still see those happening in the end of April. As for crowds- either date selection will have a similar crowd level that might be higher certain days with Spring Break season.

This is very helpful. How are crowds Jan 2nd. We ar going to the Rose Bowl and then want to go the day after. 2020. Thank you

There will be crowds because of the Rose Bowl but if you arrive early, use FastPass/MaxPass, and follow a plan you will be fine!

We’re looking at going in spring 2020, and need to book our hotel about a year in advance to get the best rates–any decent projections as to when the crowds might be lowest?

Spring can be tricky with predicting crowd levels- I would avoid typical ‘Spring Break’ periods as those weeks in late March/early April get quite busy.

I’m getting that impression–I’ve been to Disneyland more often in the fall (last time was just after Halloween, 2015), and Galaxy’s Edge is making next year all the more uncertain, but we’ve pretty much decided to go the first half of 2020, as the fall doesn’t work well for us next year. At this point, my best guess is last week April/first week May might be a good time–appreciate any thoughts!

I think that sounds like your best bet for avoiding the Spring Break crowds!

Will they have fireworks during May 12-16? Planning a trip for that week.

Yes, there will be! Check Disneyland’s daily events schedule here for times- https://disneyland.disney.go.com/calendars/day/2019-05-12/

Would it be super crowded Tuesday may 14th. I’m trying to avoid extreme crowds for my young child.

Visiting Disneyland in May: What to Bring, What to Do, What to Expect – this article will help you with visiting during May. If you arrive early, use FastPass, and have a plan for the day it will make navigating any crowds much easier.

We are visiting from Australia from the 20-24 June, I’ve just read the Star Wars is only open to public 24 June, with digital queing system? Is there anything we can do in adavance to get to see this?

If you don’t have a reservation for June 20-23rd- you won’t be able to access the land those days. June 24th is the first day it’s open to the public with no advance reservations required. I would recommend getting there as early as possible, that first day is going to be hectic. If it were me, I would line up two hours before the park even opens! Once the land hits capacity, that’s when they will move to that digital queuing system. The earlier you’re there, the better. Good luck!

What would be the be the best days, with the least crowds in November to go to Disneyland?

Disneyland will typically be crowded around any holiday weekends so you can expect Thanksgiving weekend to be busy. I would aim for earlier or later in the month, if you can.

We are visiting in January 2020, have 4 day hopper passes and looking to go 19,20,21,22,23 of January. Which days would be better to go and how busy do you think it will be given Martin Lurther King day on the 20th

Any holiday has an impact on the crowds at Disneyland plus you’re going right after the Rise of the Resistance (the new attraction in Star Wars land) is set to open so I would be prepared for crowds. Arrive early and use a good strategy each day and you’ll be fine.

Hi hoping you can help! My family and I are planning a trip to Disneyland this October. We’ve decided to either go on the days 22-24 or 29-31. We understand both weeks will have the Halloween party which we won’t be going to. My question is what would be the better week to go? The 22-24 or 29-31?

Halloween weekend will likely see larger crowds so if you’re trying to avoid crowds then I’d recommend the 22-24. But keep in mind this is a busy time of year for Disneyland regardless so you should be prepared for some higher crowd levels! Arrive to the parks early each day at opening and you’ll get plenty done before the crowds arrive.

Looking at the third week of January. How will the crowds look? In addition, will Jungle Cruise and/or Matterhorn Bobsleds be closed?

Would the 20-24th be better or 27-31st?

The new Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge ride, The Rise of the Resistance, opens January 17th so I’d pick the 27th-31st to give the parks a few more days to calm down with the excitement of the new ride. Although, it may still be busy either way since this ride is much anticipated!

I have been to both Disneyland and Disney at least, I kid you not at least 30 times since I was 18 years. My first visit was in Florida , at 18, where I fell in love with, It’s A Small World. Since then I lived in California for 2 1/2 years while it under a major refurbishing. Moved back to my home and it opened within one week!Last year I made another attempt to experience it again. It was closed to change into their Christmas decorations and reopened while I was on the plane flying home! This year we moved our trip to later in Nov. but I just ran across a site that said it was closed for an indefinite amount of time. PLEASE TELL ME IT IS NOT TRUE!! trying to experience that show again, from when I was 18 to my now 67 years of age, has been such a disappointment.

When I go I usually spend a week or more in California, but I usually do more than just Disney. I usually do two days at Disney, and a day at each: Universal, Knotts, and Six Flags. I also usually throw a chill day in there to go to the beach or something like that. Or, if I want to go the San Diego route I might throw in a day at Sea World or the San Diego zoo.

I’m wondering would Disney be less full on the 31st of October or on the first of November

Halloween is always a busy day to visit but it’s also a great day to spend at Disneyland- either day could be a bit busy due to the seasonal decorations for Halloween.

What days in October or November will maybe be less full

In all honesty, most of October and November will be busy since the holidays are a popular time of the year to visit! If you arrive early each day, make dining reservations and have a solid plan you should do just fine.

What about the 27 of October or should I just avoid that week all together?

When would be the best time to go to Disneyland around November/December 2021?

You can’t go wrong either of these months- with the holiday celebration it’s one of the best times of the year to visit. The parks will get more crowded the closer it gets to Christmas so that is something to consider.

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Disneyland Crowd Calendar: Best Time To Go To Disneyland

September 26, 2019 //  by  Disney Trippers //   1 Comment

If you’re looking for the best time to visit Disneyland in Anaheim, look no further than this Disneyland Crowd Calendar.  If you’re like us, you love all things Disney, but want get the most for our trip there.  If you are not a regular passholder, knowing the best times to go can be a daunting and overwhelming task.  Coordinating vacations and trips is already overwhelming enough.  Let us do the hard work of guiding you towards the best times to go to Disneyland.

Disneyland is a magical place, where kids can have fun and meet their Disney heroes and adults can become kids again.  With the hotels, rides, food, shows, and parades to think about, why not take one thing off your list.  The crowds!  We have put together a monthly breakdown for the ideal time to visit to avoid the crowds at Disneyland.  Keep reading and see our Disneyland Crowd Calendar.

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Disneyland Crowd Calendar:  Best Time To Go To Disneyland

Planning the perfect family trip to Disneyland can be overwhelming and knowing when the best time to go to Disneyland can seem like an impossible task.  When going to Disneyland, everyone wants the trip and experience to be the best value possible.  And unless you are a regular park goer, you may not know when that is.

Whether you want to go in the summer months for your family vacation to the West Coast or Christmastime to take park in the seasonal foods and enjoy the Christmas decor, like no one else but Disney can do, we have the guide for you.  We put together a calendar that shows the best time to go to Disneyland during the whole year, including peak travel times.

Check out our Disneyland Crowd Calendar below and then read about the month you want to go.  We’ve included weather and park events, so you can make this trip your best trip ever.

2019 Disneyland Crowd Calendar

Historically January is the coldest month of the year in most places across the United States.  In California, cold is relational. For some, who are used to more tropical climates, its pretty cold and for those from cooler climates, it won’t seem so bad.  With day time highs reaching an average of 68°F/20°C, after the sun goes down it gets positively chilly at an average of 48°F/9°C, so make sure you are dressing in layers.  This weather does not deter the crowds at Disneyland either, so be prepared to still have contend with crowds at particular times of the month.  If this weather has you wanting more, keep reading.

The beginning of January, you will still be able to see the end of the Christmas season at Disneyland.  The decorations start to come down right after New Year’s and the crowds know it.  The first week starting with January first is pretty busy that whole week.  Kids are still out of school, parents still on vacations, and Disneyland is still a winter wonderland.  If this is the only time you can make it, check the Disneyland Crowd Calendar below and consider California Adventure instead, as it will be busy but less so than the main park.  We advise going early in the day and to avoid the actual New Year’s Day, to counter as much of the crowds as possible.

Also, Run Disney takes place January 8-12.  This event will have runners from the morning in the park with their families and supporters afterwards.  Make sure to take that increased traffic into consideration if you choose to go in January.

During the middle two weeks of the month, the best time to go to Disneyland is Tuesday and Wednesday. Thursday’s start a long weekend and Monday’s ends it.  The end of the month, the crowd index starts to go down and Monday through Thursday is typically better for crowds at Disneyland.

California winter starts to trend warmer as the month progresses.  When considering the Disneyland Crowd Calendar, keep in mind while the daytime this month starts to get a little warmer as averages hit 71°F/22°C.  Nighttime still hovers around the same 48°F/9°C respectively.  Another month to still dress in layers and be prepared for chilly evenings while navigating lighter evening crowds at Disneyland.

The first two weeks are good weeks to go to Disneyland with average crowds on the weekend and slightly below average crowds at Disneyland during mid-week.  As Valentine’s Day rolls into the month, so does the busiest week of the month.  That third week of February, expect to see an above average ranking on the Disneyland Crowd Calendar.  The third week of February celebrates President’s Day and with all the three-day weekends, the crowds at Disneyland go up and stay up that whole week.

That last week of February, everything starts to go back to a normal crowd pace, with mid-week being the best and the flanking weekends having the higher traffic.  February, overall, is one of the months that is the best time to go to Disneyland, if you are looking for a balance between cooler weather and less crowds at Disneyland.  Make sure you head to New Orleans Square at the end of the month and see all the fun Mardi Gras themed decorations and try the themed food!

Spring is in the air everywhere, including Disneyland.  Spring weather definitely excites the Disneyland crowds.  With the weather beginning to be ideal this time of year, the crowds reflect that warming trend and start to really pick up during the daytime.  Daytime temperatures reaching 73°F/23°C and nighttime around 51°F/11°C at its coldest, even the evening crowds at Disneyland start to get busier.

The month of March comes with a lot of events and action.  March will start off with average to slightly above average traffic.  With the first Saturday being a busy day.   That first Saturday is typically Gay-Day, a non-Disney sponsored event, but an event that drives traffic just the same.  On this Saturday, traffic will definitely be up and park goers celebrating this unofficial event.  Make sure you check the Disneyland Crowd Calendar below for any updates that may happen with this day.

Mid March brings Spring Break for a lot of schools, local and otherwise and with that comes more people in the park.  March is one of the most consistent months with crowds at Disneyland hitting peak traffic only sporadically. Spring Break is happening, traditionally the Food and Wine Festival at California Adventure starts, which is guaranteed to bring some additional crowds for both parks.

March will start with average to slightly above average crowds at Disneyland, with mid month to the end really increasing to very high foot traffic days.  This will be a very busy time and will continue to see increased crowds going int the summer months.  Always check the Disneyland Crowd Calendar to see the day you want to go and how the traffic is expected to be.

Weather is even better in April than it was in March and now you can see why Walt Disney chose to build his park in Anaheim, CA.  Daytime temperatures will reach 75°F/25°C with nighttime still being a little cooler at 53°F/13°C.  During the day will be warm enough to walk around in shorts and a t-shirt, but after the sun sets you will want to make sure you have some layers to keep you comfortable as you traverse the park at night.  With the warmer days, the cooler nights do not deter the crowds at Disneyland.

Starting the first couple weeks of April, Disneyland does an Eggstravaganza event leading into Easter.  This will have more parents and young children in the park as they take part in this Disney themed event.  This will not overwhelm the park with traffic, though you will most likely still see some increased numbers as the Food and Wine Festival continues at California Adventure.  After the Eggstravaganza event ends as Easter passes, the following weekend will be Dapper Day.

Dapper Day will definitely see increased crowds as people dress up in their favorite vintage era and enjoy the park.  While this is not a Disney sponsored event, it is a fun time for all.  If you happen to go or want to see the park-goers dressed up, this is guaranteed to be a fun day as you see the many eras of the 20 th century and listen to overly courteous participants as they reminisce about a time gone by.

Overall, April is a lovely time of year weather-wise to attend the park.  Beginning of the month will see a slight above average crowd at Disneyland, mid-month will see a slight decrease with the month finishing up much lighter in crowds, which is nice right before summer starts to sneak in.  Please check the Disneyland Crowd Calendar below to see which of the days really appeal to you for your particular travel plans.

The weather is really getting warm now and dare we say hot?  With the average day hitting 77°F/25°C and nighttime at a much warmer than previous at 58°F/14°C, you will want to dress appropriately and make sure you hydrate.  With all the walking, heat, incoming humidity, and the crowds at Disneyland you will want to make sure to drink plenty of water.  Well there are a lot of shady spots in the park, they are guaranteed to be just as crowded as the pathways.

May is a busy month for Disneyland Crowd Calendar.  Not only are the warmer days and summer breaks increasing the crowd count, holidays and park sponsored events will keep this park hopping.  During the month of May you can expect there to be busy some peak days with above average traffic, with weekends being exceptionally busy.

May will start of with Bats Day on May 3 rd .  This day is an unofficial Disney event, but will be guaranteed to drive increased traffic.  If you are wondering what Bats Day is, it is a day dedicated to Gothic and Emo park attendees.  This day will be sure to have many people dressed in black and dark makeup, but always fun to see and recollect your days of youth.  Right after Bats Day, is Cinco de Mayo.  There are no park events scheduled for this holiday, but will most likely have increased crowds at Disneyland.  Mother’s Day is also Sunday, May 10.  Disneyland is a destination for mothers so expect to see the traffic increase sometime late morning.

From the middle of May to the end, Disney Parks host Grad Nite .  While California Adventure is the official host of these events, there will most likely be a surge in traffic in both parks as park goers start their day early or re-enter after it ends.  May also has Memorial Day, celebrated on May 25 th , that weekend will definitely have busier crowds as park attendees will have three day weekends.

As the whole month of May can fluctuate with traffic, make sure you check the Disneyland Crowd Calendar for the time that suits you and when the hosted Grad Nites are.  If you are going in May, typically, the weekdays, while busy, will still offer the least amount of crowd traffic.

June brings us halfway into the year and definitely into warmer weather as summer really starts to heat up.  At 81°F/27°C average during the day and 61°F/16°C averages during the night, the weather is definitely getting warmer.  Our advice about water and shade definitely carries over to this month.

There aren’t a whole lot of events this month, Grad Nite continues the remainder of this month and the same traffic patterns will continue with potential crowd surges during the day.  Father’s Day is on Sunday, June 21 st and will most likely see more traffic in the midday.  While events are light, crowds are heavy.  Summer is now in swing, school is out and families start their vacations.  Almost every day will see above average crowds at Disneyland.  Our Disneyland Crowd Calendar below will show you the busiest days and you can determine which you would like to avoid or attend.

July brings even hotter weather and warmer nights.  Daily averages around 86°F/30°C and nighttime around 65°F/18°C.  The weather is hot, humidity will be up and so will crowds.  It is now more important than ever to stay hydrated, wear appropriate clothing and sun protection.

July is another month light on events and it’s a good thing too as crowds will already be hitting close to capacity numbers with the summertime breaks.  The whole month of July is the busiest month of the summer.  The Fourth of July has the park regaled in red, white, and blue with specialty treats available for purchase.  The Fourth of July is one of the busiest days in the park, so if you want to go to enjoy the décor and food, be prepared to navigate the crowds at Disneyland.

Disneyland also celebrates its birthday on July 17 th .  There will be special souvenirs available to purchase and a possible slightly higher crowd count as Disney loyalists come to celebrate the day.  Even with these days being the only events for the park, the Disneyland Crowd Calendar will reflect those above average crowd counts.  If you absolutely must go to the parks in July, consider a Park Hopper pass, that way when the crowds at Disneyland overwhelm you, you can head to California Adventure, which will be slightly less crowded.

Disneyland carousel

August brings us the hottest month of the year and unbelivebaly the park will start to ease up in crowds as the month progresses.  August temperatures hit 87°F/30°C averages during the day and 65°F/18°C during the night.  However, this heat will not stop the crowds early in the month at Disneyland and while the temperature and other summer activities will start to reduce park goer counts, August will still be busy.

This month brings us the start of the CHOC (Children’s Hospital of Orange County) Walk in the Park.  While these events happen early in the morning before it heats up, the event attendees inevitably stay in the park after their event.  With this even drawing not only the participants, but their family, friends, and cheerleaders, the park will definitely hit peak capacity that day.  While the event has yet TBD for 2020, it is usually within the first two weeks of the month.

For the month of August, there will be higher and lower than average crowds at Disneyland.  If you’re looking to go to the park in the summer make sure you check the Disneyland Crowd Calendar for the best time to go to Disneyland this particular month.

September brings us into the last hot month of the year.  With the temperatures from August averages carrying over into September, you can look forward to a very slightly cooler nighttime.   87°F/30°C during the day, renders the same as August and 63°F/16°C during the night, is virtually the same.  This heat, will definitely keep you looking for shade and beverages, so make sure to drink and wear your sunscreen in that hot California sun.

After Labor Day, September 7, the crowds reduce considerably.  With school back in session, most days hit average park crowds and some times below average.  Halloweentime is now going and the park is decorated in all of its Halloween Glory.  Mid September to the end of September is a great time to see the park in all this splendor.  Right before the major Halloweentime crowds really begin.  If you’re looking for the best time to go to Disneyland, this might just be the month.  Warmer days, slightly cooler nights, festive decorations, and lower crowd count all make for a great experience.  Hands down one of the best times to visit the park.  Check out the Disneyland Crowd Calendar below to see just how light some of the traffic days can be.

This month you start to see a much greater cooling trend.  82°F/28°C during the day and 58°F/14°C during the evening, the temperature swing after the sunset is now noticeable.  While the warmer days have you dressed in summer attire, the cooler night begs for you to have layers ready to keep you insulated after that sun sets.

The beginning of October starts with the second unofficial Disney event of Gay Day.  Usually the first weekend of the month, traffic is definitely up this weekend as the LGBTQ community and allies are there to show their support for love.

Hallweentime is in full swing this month and so are the crowds.  If you are more of a holiday traditionalist and want to see the Halloween décor during the month of Halloween, look to go midweek and avoid the weekends.  While the park gets more crowded and the month progresses, the lightest days still invariably fall on the weekdays.  Weekends still being traversed by parents and their children who are no longer off for the summer, guarantees a busier experience.

A newer Disney event is Plaza de la Familia .  This event typically takes place during Hallweentime, though dates for 2020 have yet to be released.  This event celebrates Pixars “Coco” and family.  With Mexican specialty treats and a focus on Hispanic traditions, expect to see many park goers there to celebrate either their heritage or support others.  Make sure you check the Disneyland Crowd Calendar to see when this event is, once the dates have been determined.

Unbelievably, the best time to go to Disneyland in October is closer to Halloween on October 31 st .  Crowds start to die down, usually thinking that the park will be busier.

Disneyland holiday balloons

November brings a much cooler days and nights.  Daytime highs typically stay at 82°F/27°C  and nighttime with temperatures drop lower to the 52°F/11°C range.  While the days are still warm, evening is much cooler, making evident that a typical California winter is heading in.  Dress in layers and stop to get a hot coco after the sunsets to warm your bones.

The middle of November is another one of those best times to go to Disneyland.  Traffic is lighter as Halloweentime ends and Christmastime is yet to begin.  While the first week starts to see the transition happen with Halloween to Christmas, the crowds are busier.  The second Dapper Day of the year happens in November.  This unsponsored event typically takes place early in the month and falls on the first weekend.  Have the same expectations as before.  Increased crowds that day, but amazing costuming to view.

As the month progresses, more Christmastime decorations will appear and the crowds will stay low until right before Thanksgiving.  Come the week of Thanksgiving and you will be sure to see the whole park regaled in its festive decorations and also crowds will jump from minimal to above average seemingly overnight.  Thanksgiving (and the weekend that follows) is one of the other busiest days of the year for the park, so avoid going this day and weekend if at all possible.

And now the last month of the year, December, temperatures dip to 70°F/21°C during the day with a chilly 47°F/8°C average during the night.  Another big temperature swing, your teeth are sure to be chattering after the sun goes down if you are not attired properly.  Many attendees will put coats in lockers to put on once that weather turns cooler.  Scarves and mittens are a common site at the park during this month.

The month of December has minimal events, the park is mostly centered around Christmastime food and decorations.  Crowds will die down after Thanksgiving and make the park one of the best times to go to Disneyland at the beginning of the month.  The cooler weather and amazing decorations will transport you to another time and place.

Most weekdays traffic is moderate with some lighter days peppered in.  Weekends are busy as usual with the busiest time the last ten days of the year.  Disneyland will typically hit capacity from the week before Christmas to New Years, making this definitely one of the busiest times of the year to attend the park.  If you have to go this particular time, make sure you check the Disneyland Crowd Calendar for December to pick the days that will be the most manageable for your plans.

Snow White and Prince Charming

There you have it, a month by month breakdown for weather, the larger crowd drawing events, and what time of the month is the best time to go to Disneyland.  We hope you get to use this information and plan a fun for all vacation to, hands down, one of the happiest places in the world, Disneyland!

If this Disneyland Crowd Calendar helped you or if you have tips to share, let us know in the comments.

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Crowd Calendar

Updated April 8, 2024

Here we go!!

Before we browse calendars, please know that the park is truly crowded year round now. “Off season” is really a thing of the past, as Disney implemented tiered pricing and theme park reservations to balance out crowds. And, it’s working. Rather than banking on going during a “slow” time, I encourage you to do a little research so that you can enjoy your visit, regardless of the crowds.

Start with this post  for a basic overview of the parks with many links that will educate you on so many important parts of planning a Disneyland trip. Having some essential tools in place will make your visit a successful one, regardless of the crowds you encounter.

Use this post  to know how to start each day at each park, regardless of which days you visit. These strategies will help you get on every attraction in 20 minutes or less. It’s entirely possible! I test my plans once a month and edit them as needed to ensure you have the best strategy to avoid the crowds.

In this article

2024 Dates to Avoid if Possible

  • January: 1-7 ( Holidays at Disneyland wrap up ); 11-15 (Disneyland Half Marathon/MLK Day weekend); 23, 25, and 30 ( Sweethearts’ Nites )
  • February: 1, 6, 8, 12, and 14 ( Sweethearts’ Nites ); 16-19 (Presidents Day)
  • March: 5 and 7 ( Disney Channel Nites )
  • April: 1-5 (SoCal Spring Break), 6 and 7 (Dapper Day), 16, 18, 23, 25 and 30 ( Star Wars Nites )
  • May: 2, 7, and 9 ( Star Wars Nites ); 10, 14, 15, 17, 19, 22, 23, 28, and 31 ( Grad Nites ) 25-27 (Memorial Day)
  • June: 2, 5, 7, 19, 12 and 14 ( Grad Nites ); 18 and 20 ( Pride Nites )
  • July: 4-7 (4th of July weekend)
  • August: 9, 10, and 11 ( D23 Expo ); 30-31 (Labor Day weekend)
  • September: 1-2 (Labor Day weekend) 5-8 (runDisney Halloween Half Marathon)
  • October: 11-14 (Columbus Day weekend); 31 ( Halloween )
  • November: 8-11 (Veterans Day weekend); 22-30 ( Thanksgiving )
  • December: 7-8 (Candlelight); 20-31 ( Christmas and New Years )

Season of the Force – 4.5.2024 – 6.2.2024

Pixar Fest – 4.26.2024 – 8.4.2024

Spring at Disneyland

Halloween Time – 8.23.2024 – 10.31.2024

Holidays at the Disneyland Resort – 11.15.2024 – TBD

How Do I Predict Crowds?

I visit the Disneyland Resort once a week on average – sometimes more . I make notes from each visit regarding crowds and then compile that info when I create my calendars.

I also use local school info, Disneyland’s Magic Key calendars, and previous years’ info. My experience in the parks is my most effective tool, of course.

Tips on Choosing a Date

  • Weekdays are typically less crowded.  If you have to schedule during the peak months, go during the week.
  • Holidays, California Spring Break (the most frequently scheduled of the SoCal spring breaks), Summer Break, Halloween and Christmas through New Years are most crowded.
  • If sunny days are important to you, know that May and June can often be gloomy. September is usually our warmest month.
  • With park reservations in place, the crowds are pretty even these days. But, there are no guarantees. Go prepared.

My Best Advice

Park reservations, crowd calendars, dining reservations, MagicBand+, changes since Covid, Disney Genie, etc etc all require a decent amount of familiarity to get it right.

I can help you with many parts of planning, but I recommend booking your trip with an experienced agent who can handle some of these things for you and advise on all of them. Commission is built into every Disney package purchased, regardless of who you book with. So, you do not pay more than if you book with Disney directly. A good agency will also walk you through crowd predictors along with resort options to find the best price for you, too, as rates vary throughout the year.

I recommend booking with award-winning and fan favorite Love of the Magic Vacations for many, many reasons. I share all about this agency in this post . And, you can get a free quote from them at this link .

disneyland tourist calendar

Is It Packed? – Real-Time Crowd Tracking – IsItPacked.com

  • Crowd Guides
  • Live Crowd Trackers
  • Crowd Calendars

Disneyland Crowd Forecast Calendar

  •  Hey, It's Alright
  •  Yup, It's Packed
  •  Ghost Town

2024 Disneyland Crowd Calendar Updates

The Best Days to Go to Disneyland in 2024 January 2 – June 2 Southern California Resident Ticket Offer March 23 – April 6 Peak Spring Break season. Most schools are out of session on the weeks before and of Easter Sunday (March 31). April 7 “Dapper Day Spring Outing” (unofficial event) May 10, 14, 15, 17, 19, 22, 23, 28, 31 June 2, 5, 7, 9, 12, 14 Grad Nite. The event tends to make Disney California Adventure more crowded, so avoid going on these dates if you can. August 12-15 All Magic Key passes valid again after summer season blockout. August 23 – October 31 Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort November 3 “Dapper Day Fall Outing” (unofficial event)

Everything you need to know about visiting Disneyland

Ariana Arghandewal

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here .

Disneyland is one of those rare places that offers fun and entertainment for everyone, from bright-eyed kids to well-traveled adults. A visit is on every kid's wishlist and planning a trip to The Happiest Place on Earth is a rite of passage for every parent.

From figuring out the type of tickets to buy, knowing where to stay and how to get around, and avoiding long lines, a lot goes into creating a seamless experience on your trip to Disneyland. Lucky for you, we've done all the research to help you make those decisions.

Here's everything you need to know about booking a trip to Disneyland.

How to start planning a Disneyland vacation

Although a Disneyland vacation won't require as much planning as Disney World , a little organization can create a more enjoyable experience.

If the planning process is still overwhelming, you can actually hire professionals to do it for you, free of charge. TPG's Summer Hull and Richard Kerr have both utilized Mouse Counselors to plan their Disney vacations and both of them swear by it.

The planning service is free because the planners make their money via commissions paid out by Disneyland. All you have to do is submit a request for a quote and they'll plan your entire vacation. They'll even look for discounts, so you get the best deal possible.

FOR NO-COST ASSISTANCE WITH PLANNING AND BOOKING YOUR NEXT DISNEY VACATION, CHECK OUT TPG'S DISNEY BOOKING PARTNER, MOUSE COUNSELORS .

disneyland tourist calendar

Choosing the best hotel for your Disneyland vacation

There are many hotel options for your Disneyland vacation, depending on your budget and needs. You can pay a premium to stay on-site (which includes some added perks), or you can stay at a more budget-friendly off-site hotel within walking distance of the park that lets you book with, or earn, points.

Below is an overview of the best hotel options near Disneyland.

Disneyland hotels

Disneyland operates three on-site hotels. The main benefit of staying at a Disneyland resort is proximity to the parks, Early Entry (admission to the parks 30 minutes before it opens to the public), preferred dining reservation access, character wake-up calls and more.

Rates at Disneyland properties tend to be quite a bit higher than at off-site hotels. Disney does offer seasonal discounts and sales during lower-demand times of the year that can reduce the cost.

Operating since 1955, the Disneyland Hotel is the first and oldest property within the Disneyland Resort. The hotel had a minor renovation in 2021 and is next to the Downtown Disney shopping district.

Standard rooms typically go for around $500 to $650 per night.

disneyland tourist calendar

If you want a slightly more upscale experience in a better location, look no further than Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa . The hotel is behind California Adventure Park and offers guests an exclusive entrance to the park.

disneyland tourist calendar

While rates at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa start at around $700, they can creep up as high as $1,000 per night for a standard room during peak times.

Across from the Grand Californian, Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel is the cheapest Disneyland hotel option. Rooms are usually priced in the $400 to $450 range and the resort also has a private entrance to Disney California Adventure Park. The hotel is currently undergoing construction and will reopen as Pixar Place Hotel in the coming months.

disneyland tourist calendar

Disneyland Good Neighbor hotels you can book with points

There are currently 58 designated Good Neighbor hotels near Disneyland. These are hotels recommended by Disneyland for offering convenient locations and overall value. Many of these hotels can be booked with points; at some, you'll even find special deals and packages.

Related: Where to stay at Disneyland: On vs. off-property hotel comparison

Hyatt has three hotels near Disneyland and all of them are designated Good Neighbor properties. As of August 2023, all three properties are Category 4 hotels, with standard awards requiring 15,000 Hyatt points and off-peak awards available for 12,000 points. Alternatively, use an annual free night award from your World of Hyatt Credit Card.

The Hyatt House at Anaheim Resort Convention Center is the closest to the park entrance, just a block away. I stayed here three years ago and found the rooms spacious enough to accommodate three kids and two adults. Our room had a small living area separate from the bedroom and a pull-out couch for an extra person.

Everyone gets free breakfast regardless of Hyatt elite status , which is great for families. Overall, this is a solid choice for a Disneyland hotel.

The nearby Hyatt Place is a block farther, and it's a good option if you want a slightly cheaper limited-service hotel offering free breakfast. Room rates tend to be $20 to $50 cheaper than the Hyatt House when paying cash.

If you want a more upscale experience and don't need to be within walking distance of the park, the Hyatt Regency Orange County is the way to go. The hotel is in the Anaheim Resort area, about 2 miles from the hotel. For families needing more space, you can also opt for a Kids Suite starting at 21,000 points per night. The Kids Suite offers a king bed, bunk beds for the kids, and a microwave and fridge for those late-night snacks.

The Hyatt Regency Orange County operates a shuttle to Disneyland every half-hour. The cost is $6 per person per day and free for kids 3 and under. You can often find package deals that include shuttle service for four as well as parking and a Disney-centric welcome amenity.

Related: Here's how to quickly stock up on Hyatt points for your next vacation

IHG has five hotels near Disneyland, three of which have the Good Neighbor designation. The Holiday Inn Express & Suites Anaheim Resort Area is a Good Neighbor property and is the closest of them all; it sits about a 10-minute walk from the park entrance. Award rates fluctuate wildly and can sometimes be as high as 50,000-65,000 points per night, so it's sometimes a better value to book this property with cash.

disneyland tourist calendar

Marriott has 11 Good Neighbor hotels near Disneyland. The closest properties to the park entrance are the Fairfield Inn by Marriott Anaheim Resort and the Courtyard by Marriott Anaheim Theme Park Entrance . The Fairfield Inn charges anywhere from 34,000 to 59,000 points for an award night.

Depending on the date of your stay, you can redeem your up to 35,000-point certificate from the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card or the annual up to 50,000-point award from the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card. This could be a great redemption, considering the hotel can go for more than $250 per night at peak times.

The Courtyard is a higher-end hotel with a water park requiring 68,000 to 98,000 points per night.

Hilton has a whopping 12 Good Neighbor Hotels in the Disneyland area, although quite a few are not within reasonable walking distance.

For the best location, you'll want to consider the Home2 Suites by Hilton Anaheim Resort or the Hilton Garden Inn Anaheim Resort. These two hotels occupy a single shared building, which is nearly right across from the park entrance.

The Home2 Suites tends to be the better value of the two even though it usually costs a bit more, as it includes free breakfast. Additionally, a standard two-queen studio room at this hotel sleeps up to six, offering two queen beds, a sofa bed and a full kitchen. Even though the award rate is steep at 60,000, it could be worth it since most families will need just one room. That being said, TPG values Hilton points at 0.6 cents each, so it's generally not a good idea to redeem points unless standard rates are at least $360 per night.

The SunCoast Hotel is the next closest option, less than a mile from the park entrance. It's a doable walk, or you can opt to take the Anaheim Resort Transportation (ART) bus that stops outside the property. The SunCoast is a Tapestry Collection property offering beautiful, light-filled rooms with bright pops of color to give you that Disney vibe.

Related: I spent 6.5 hours on hold to buy Disneyland tickets — was it worth it?

Types of Disneyland tickets

disneyland tourist calendar

There are multiple types of Disneyland tickets available. The type of ticket you should get depends on factors like which park(s) you want to visit and for how long, how often you plan on visiting Disneyland and your budget.

Disneyland tickets fall into seven tiers (Tier 0 through 6). Tier 6 is unrestricted, and the remaining tiers are subject to increasing blackout dates . Before you purchase a ticket, be sure to check the theme park calendar for park reservation availability.

Let's take a look at each option.

Single-day tickets

Disneyland's single-day tickets range from $104 to $179 per day and provide admission to one park only (either Disneyland or Disney California Adventure). Disney classifies children as those aged 3 to 9 (and offers a slight discount on child rates); it classifies adults as those 10 and older. Children 2 and younger do not need a ticket.

Related: How to make a reservation at Disneyland

Ticket prices vary per day based on demand. You can search the ticket calendar to see prices on the day(s) you plan to visit.

Multiday tickets

Multiday tickets are a good option if you want to visit Disneyland parks for several days, with per-day prices being discounted the more days you add on. Two-day tickets cost $285 (an average cost of $142.50 per day), and five-day tickets cost $83 per day.

Multiday tickets get you into both Disneyland and California Adventure — but not on the same day. You'll need to stick to a single park per day.

Park Hopper

Park Hopper tickets allow you to visit Disneyland and Disney California Adventure on the same day. You can add this option to any multiday ticket for $60 per ticket or single-day tickets for $65. These tickets are ideal if you want ultimate flexibility in the attractions you visit in a day. The 1-Day Park Hopper tickets are especially ideal if you want to experience both parks on a short timeline.

Note that Disneyland currently only allows guests to park hop at 11 a.m. or later.

Magic Key (annual pass)

Disneyland also offers Magic Keys, which are annual passes. Passes are limited in number, so not all pass types are always on sale. Prices range from $449 to $1,599.

Related: Everything you need to know about Disneyland tickets and pricing

Disneyland ticket discounts

While Disneyland tickets can be pricey, there are several ways you can save money. Some discounts are exclusive to members of specific groups and may be limited to certain times of year, while others are open to the public.

Here's a look at common Disneyland ticket discounts:

California residents: California residents living within qualifying zip codes can sometimes purchase special multiday discount tickets for as little as $83 per day. Disneyland tends to offer these tickets to Southern California residents in spring and to all California residents in summer and early fall, but these offers are not guaranteed. Proof of residence and a valid government ID are required for purchase.

Military discounts: Qualifying military personnel can purchase three-day Disneyland Park Hopper Tickets for $245 and 4-day Park Hopper tickets for $280.

There is a limit of six discounted tickets and blackout dates apply. These tickets are available to active or retired military members, including the National Guard, Reservists and the U.S. Coast Guard.

AAA: AAA members can save on multiday Disneyland tickets, including Park Hopper tickets. However, the savings are not as big as advertised because AAA tacks a fee onto the final purchase page. Membership fees vary, ranging from $56 to $119.

CityPASS: CityPASS offers Disneyland ticket discounts ranging from $5 to $26 , depending on your ticket type.

Undercover Tourist: Undercover Tourist is a tried and true way to save on Disneyland tickets. The site currently offers discounts ranging from $7 to $33 per ticket.

Get Away Today: Get Away Today is another travel agency that specializes in Disneyland travel and offers discount tickets as well. Get Away Today will always price-match the best deals you may find elsewhere.

Related: How to use points to buy Disney tickets

Best time to visit Disneyland

The best time to visit Disneyland depends on a variety of factors.

For the best experience, you'll want to avoid school holidays, weekends and major ride openings. Late summer and early fall tend to be less crowded, but the weather in August and September can be excessively warm (although never as hot as Walt Disney World in Florida).

A great way to plan the best time to visit Disneyland is to check your desired travel dates against the IsItPacked crowd calendar . The calendar considers all of the previously mentioned factors to generate a crowd forecast.

Related: 9 things families should know before visiting Disneyland

How to reduce your time in line at Disneyland

Disneyland may be The Happiest Place on Earth, but it's not immune to long, stressful lines. That's especially true on weekends, holidays and when it comes to popular attractions.

Start at the back of the park and move your way up front

If you arrive just before the park opens, a good strategy to avoid crowds is to start at the back of the park and move your way forward. Many visitors (especially those with kids) will get caught up in the crowd-control mechanism near the entrance — character meetings, retail shops — before making their way to the rides closest to their path.

You can beat the crowds by moving in the opposite direction. The same goes with mealtimes: Plan to eat before or after the noon rush, and you won't encounter crazy long lines. You might also find shorter wait times at your favorite rides while most guests are preoccupied with lunch.

disneyland tourist calendar

Disney Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lanes

Disney Genie+ (along with a related service, Individual Lightning Lane) allows Disneyland guests to skip the standby line on many of the park's most popular attractions. The Disney Genie+ service starts at $25 per person per day and allows you to make Lightning Lane reservations throughout the day. You can make your first reservation after you enter the park and then subsequent reservations as you redeem each one or after two hours pass (whichever comes first).

Related: How I maxed out Disneyland's Genie+ and rode 26 attractions in a single day

You'll also get unlimited photo downloads from all attraction photos and those taken by PhotoPass photographers; and you'll receive features like audio tales and AR photo lenses to help you pass the time waiting in line.

There are a few attractions that do not participate in the Disney Genie+ service, but most of these attractions nevertheless have Lightning Lanes. You need to purchase an Individual Lightning Lane reservation (sold separately) to skip the line for these select attractions. Pricing ranges between $15 and $25 per person per attraction, and you can purchase up to two attractions per day. The current list of attractions participating in each program is available on Disneyland's website .

Related: 10 line-busting tips for less waiting and more playing

Early Entry

Guests staying at Disneyland resorts can enter either park 30 minutes before they open to the public. This is worth taking into consideration when making your hotel reservations since an extra 30 minutes before park opening means virtually no lines.

Use the Disney app

The Disneyland mobile app is key to a seamless Disneyland experience. Aside from storing your park tickets, the app helps users book restaurant reservations, make Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lane reservations, order meals to-go on mobile and see wait times for rides.

The Disney app can be an invaluable tool in avoiding lines for rides and restaurants, allowing you to enjoy your limited time at the park.

disneyland tourist calendar

Use the Ridemax app

If you want to avoid lines like a pro, consider downloading and subscribing to Ridemax . The app creates a custom itinerary for you based on the rides you choose and the amount of time you plan on spending at the park, to minimize wait times. A 90-day subscription costs $14.95, while an annual one costs $24.95.

There's also a 30-day money-back guarantee, so if it is not as helpful as you'd hoped, you can get a full refund.

Related: The best restaurants at Disneyland

How to save money on your Disneyland trip

There are many ways to save money on your Disneyland trip, whether it's getting discounted park tickets or deals on your hotel bookings.

We'd be remiss to start the money-saving portion of this guide without mentioning points. Whether it's your airfare, hotel or park tickets, you can use points to offset a large chunk of your Disneyland vacation. Disneyland has lots of point hotels starting at just 12,000 points per night for off-peak awards at any of the area Hyatt hotels.

With the 60,000-point sign-up bonus from the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening), you could cover up to five nights at one of these hotels.

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is another great option for earning and redeeming miles towards a Disneyland trip. The card currently offers 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

All you have to do is charge your Disneyland hotel or vacation package to the card and then redeem miles toward the expense. And if you don't quite have enough miles now, you have up to 90 days after purchase to save and redeem miles toward a travel expense.

Check for package deals

You can save a lot on your Disneyland vacation by booking a package deal through a site like Get Away Today . For example, a four-night stay in September in a one-bedroom suite at the Element by Westin Anaheim Resort Convention Center with three-day park hopper tickets for a family of four will cost $3,297.88 when booked with Disney directly.

disneyland tourist calendar

Through Get Away Today, the same package deal costs $2,682.53.

disneyland tourist calendar

Costco is currently offering Disneyland travel packages that include savings on on-property Disneyland hotels and a Disney gift card:

  • Stay two to four nights and receive a $185 Disney Gift Card
  • Stay five nights and receive a $205 Disney Gift Card
  • Stay six nights and receive a $225 Disney Gift Card
  • Stay seven or more nights and receive a $245 Disney Gift Card

Buy Disney gift cards on sale

Buying Disney gift cards can save you about 5-10% on the cost of food and merchandise at Disneyland hotels. Sam's Club, Staples, Target and Safeway occasionally discount the price of Disney gift cards by about 5%. Add cash back bonuses and savings from a card that earns bonus points at grocery and office supply stores , and the savings will stack up.

I've personally had success using my Chase Ink Plus Business card (card no longer available) to buy Disney gift cards at Staples, stacking the savings with 5% cash back through Dosh (Note: I will earn a $10 referral if you sign up with my link and make your first qualifying purchase).

The information for the Chase Ink Plus Business Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Bring your own swag

If you're taking your kids to Disneyland, buy all your swag ahead of time. Everything is incredibly overpriced at the park, and there's no reason to spend $30 on mouse ears when you can find equally cute ones on Etsy or Amazon for $5.99. The same goes for all trinkets and toys that end up in a forgotten pile somewhere.

Related: 7 Reasons why Disneyland is better than Disney World

You might feel sentimental about bringing back a $40 snow globe, but trust me: The memories you make are more important (and lasting) than the overpriced merchandise you buy at the park.

Related: How much does a Disneyland vacation cost?

How to get around Disneyland

Unlike the sprawling Disney World resort, Disneyland is easy to get around on foot. But if you get tired after a day of park hopping, you can take various modes of transportation around the park. The Disneyland Railroad offers an 18-minute ride with stops at Main Street, New Orleans Square, Mickey's Toontown and Tomorrowland.

The high-flying Monorail is great if you want a faster way to get around the park. The Monorail makes the 2.5-mile journey through the area in just 13 minutes, stopping in Tomorrowland and the far end of Downtown Disney.

For a slow, fun ride, you can hop aboard one of Disney's Main Street Vehicles near City Hall and Central Plaza. They include the Jitney, a horse-drawn streetcar, the classic fire engine and omnibus.

Over at California Adventure, the Red Car Trolley makes four convenient stops throughout the already walkable park.

Related: The essential guide to Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge in Disneyland

The best credit cards to use at Disneyland

disneyland tourist calendar

You may be surprised to find that the Disney Visa Card isn't among the best cards to use at Disneyland, though it can be a good option if you're looking to finance a Disney vacation. The best cards for booking Disneyland packages will be ones that earn bonus points on travel , like the Chase Sapphire Reserve . You'll earn 3 points per dollar and use your $300 annual travel credit to offset part of the expense.

When it comes to spending at Disneyland theme parks, you'll want to use a card that earns bonus points on dining . The Citi Prestige® Card (card no longer available) is a great option, as it earns 5 points per dollar spent in this category. The American Express® Gold Card is also a great choice, earning 4 points per dollar at restaurants.

The information for the Citi Prestige and Disney Visa card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Bottom line

While it's not as large as its Florida counterpart, Disneyland does require some planning. This guide should make the process of planning your Disneyland adventure a little easier.

Additional reporting by Leslie Harvey.

The Park Prodigy

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I change or modify my reservation?

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Los Angeles Theme Park Crowd Calendar

Choose Your Destination

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Which Month will you travel?

How Many Days Will You Visit?

The Best Time To Visit Disneyland - Universal Hollywood

What is a crowd calendar.

The Park Prodigy's Los Angeles Crowd Calendar is the best tool to see how busy each theme park will be during a specific month, week, and day. It’s the perfect resource for families to rely on as they begin to plan their vacation at Disneyland and/or Universal Studios Hollywood.

We Break Down

Crowd levels, ticket prices, park hours and historical weather. We also include special events going on around the park!

Use our Los Angeles Crowd Calendar for Planning

Plan which park (or parks) to visit on each day during your LA vacation. We provide park recommendations based on wait time data and park hours.

How to Avoid Crowds?

If avoiding large crowds is most important to your family use our “Save Time” button. First pick the month of your Los Angeles vacation, and how many days you plan to stay. Our Los Angeles Crowd Calendar will then pick the least crowded days to visit!

How to Purchase Discounted Disneyland & Universal Hollywood Tickets?

If saving money is most important to your family use our “Save Money” button. First pick the month of your Los Angeles vacation, and how many days you plan to stay. Our Crowd Calendar will then pick the cheapest Disneyland tickets and discounted Universal Hollywood tickets!

USE OUR CALENDAR TO AVOID THE CROWDS AND PURCHASE DISCOUNTED THEME PARK TICKETS

  • Start Here! - THE DAY CROWD LEVEL (1-10) & Daily Ticket Prices.
  • Lowest Crowds
  • Average Crowds
  • Highest Crowds

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Walt Disney World Tickets

Save time and money on your next Walt Disney World vacation with The Park Prodigy. With our discounted Walt Disney World theme park tickets guests can choose from the following parks!

  • Magic Kingdom Park
  • Disney’s Holywood Studios
  • Disney’s Animal Kingdom

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Universal Orlando Tickets

Save up to three hours at Universal Orlando with free vacation planning tools and added benefits. With our Universal tickets guests can choose from the following parks!

  • Universal Studios
  • Islands of Adventure

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Disneyland Tickets

Save time and money with our your next vacation with The Park Prodigy. With our discounted Disneyland tickets guests can choose from the following parks!

  • Disney’s California Adventure Park

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Purchase Walt Disney World Tickets

Purchase universal orlando tickets, purchase theme park tickets, the park prodigy 2024 disneyland crowd calendar.

Are you planning a trip to Disneyland and Universal Hollywood and worried about crowds and ticket prices?

Our 2024 Disneyland crowd predictor is the perfect tool to help you avoid peak times and make your vacation unforgettable. Not only do we use hundreds upon hundreds of days of historical data, but we track special events at the parks too!

Our 2024 Disneyland Crowd Calendar includes the following theme parks:

  • Disney’s California Adventure 
  • Universal Hollywood

We have found that the most accurate Disneyland crowd calendar depends on a few factors, including crowds, weather, park hours, and park ticket prices.

Average Temperature

Los Angeles is known for its sunny and very predictable weather. It is still an important part to consider when booking your next trip. Summer months tend to be in the high 80s while winter months tend to be cooler in the 40s. 

Our 2024   Disneyland Park crowd calendar tracks the average temperature range for each day of the calendar year. This will allow you to know exactly what to expect and pack accordingly!

Theme Park Hours

It doesn’t matter if you’re visiting Disney’s California Adventure or Universal Hollywood , we have found park hours can be confusing, especially with the recent additions of so many special event tickets that allow guests into the park earlier or later than other guests.

Our Disneyland crowd calendar includes the daily openings and closings for all Los Angeles theme parks.

The Park Prodigy 2024 Disneyland Los Angeles Crowd Calendar

The Park Prodigy also allows you to break down each park individually. Here’s how it works…

Disneyland Crowd Calendar 2024

Disneyland is one of the most visited destinations in the world, which makes it essential to choose your dates carefully. Disneyland’s busy times and ticket prices fluctuate throughout the year making a Disneyland crowd tracker a helpful tool. Our updated crowd calendar predicts Disneyland crowds one year in advance. This allows you to narrow down the months, weeks, and days of your next magical vacation.

How The Park Prodigy Disneyland Attendance Calendar is Organized

Our Disneyland crowd calendar gives you the option to look at each park individually. This allows you to organize our crowd calendars by:

  • Disneyland Park 
  • Disney’s California Adventure 

We also include extra magic hours, and special events when predicting Disneyland park attendance by day .

Disneyland Busy Calendar Extra Magic Hours

One of the benefits of staying at Disneyland hotels is extra magic hours. This perk allows hotel guests to experience extended park hours in the morning. Here’s how it works:

With Extra Magic Hour, registered Disneyland Resort hotel guests enjoy admission to select attractions, stores, entertainment, and dining locations in Disneyland Park or Disney California Adventure Park for one full hour before the park opens to the general public.  The extra magic hours at each park do change based on the day of the week so be sure to ask a cast member upon check-in if you are unsure of the EMH for that week.

Disneyland Special Events

A few of our favorite Disneyland additions over the past few years have been special events. These events range from concerts, holiday parties, and festivals throughout the year.

Although these events are typically held during off-peak times, we can see crowd levels spike during the fall. For these reasons, we make sure to include all special events on our crowd calendar for Disneyland .

Our Disneyland park attendance calendar is best used to simply avoid the busy days at the park, and visit during the slow days instead. We update our Disneyland California Crowd Calendar using the latest park events, national holidays, universities & k-12 school year plus our own personal wait time data and vacation planning experience.

2024 Disneyland Crowd Calendar and Disney Genie+

Disney recently introduced the newest addition to the Disneyland App and that is the Disney Genie+. This new feature is replacing Maxpass and for $20 per person per day guests can upgrade their ticket to use the lightening lane at select Disneyland attractions. But how exactly can you use a Disneyland crowd calendar to your advantage when deciding to buy Genie+?

Very simply guests can use our 2024 Disneyland crowd calendar to pick the slowest times of year at the parks. This in return might allow guests to not have to upgrade their ticket to buy the Genie+ all together. If you know that you will be purchasing the Genie+ you must also consider the individual premium Genie+ rides which can be purchased for a one time fee of $7-$15. These prices also will fluctuate based on crowd levels which you can track using our Disneyland California crowd calendar. 

The Park Prodigy’s Disney Crowd Forecast

So now that we have covered the basics, let’s go over what makes our crowd calendar so special. Unlike many other Disneyland crowd calendars, we allow you to customize your perfect family vacation. Simply pick which is most important to you:

  • Avoiding large crowds
  • Saving money

Then click our “save time” or “save money” button and let the crowd calendar do the rest. We will automatically pick the best days for your family to travel for that given month, and exclude the Disneyland busy days. 

2024 Disneyland Crowd Calendar FAQ

f-a-q

Below are a few of the most common questions we receive regarding our Disneyland Crowd Calendar…

Q: How busy is Disneyland this week?

A: To check on how busy Disneyland is during this week simply check out our Disneyland crowd calendar. 

Q: When is Disneyland least crowded?

A: We have found Disneyland to be least crowded during the month of September and from January 7th to February 1st. You can also find weeks spread out throughout the year with lower than normal Disney crowd levels.

Q: Is Disneyland at full capacity?

A: We are unsure if Disneyland has returned to full capacity or not, but we do know that guests do have to still make park reservations for both California Disney theme parks.

Q: Is Disneyland busy 2024?

A: If you’d like to see when Disneyland is busy for 2024, make sure to check out our Disneyland Crowd Calendar to avoid the most crowded times.

Q: Is the Disneyland Crowd Forecast accurate?

By tracking ride wait time data over the years we have been able to pick up patterns. Disneyland tends to be the most crowded during major holiday weekends and breaks. We recommend avoiding Presidents Day weekend, spring break, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas week. For additional information be sure to check out the best time to visit Disneyland!

Universal Studios Crowd Calendar California

Universal Hollywood is a top destination for thrill seekers as well as die hard Harry Potter fans. Just like our Disneyland crowd calendar , you can use our Universal Hollywood crowd calendar to track theme park attendance. Universal Hollywood park tickets do not fluctuate as much as Disney tickets which is a big plus. Our updated Universal crowd calendar predicts theme park attendance one year in advance and is updated frequently.

Our Universal Hollywood Crowd Calendar 2024  is best used to simply avoid the busy days at the park, and visit during the slow days instead. We update our Universal California Crowd Calendar using the latest park events, national holidays, universities & k-12 school year plus our own personal wait time data and vacation planning experience.

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ThemeParkHipster

2024 BEST Days to Go to Disneyland (Full Crowd Calendar Guide)

Are you trying to figure out, what are the best days to go to Disneyland Resort?

Here’s the deal – anytime you, your family, and friends can go on vacation, IS a good time to visit the Disneyland Resort. But some days are simply better.

When the crowd is less, wait times are minimal, and there’s worrying about packed resorts.

When’s that? That’s the mystery I’m are going to unravel in this guide as I should you how to choose the best days to go to Disneyland using the Crowd Calendar.

2024 Disneyland Resort Crowd Calendar

Disneyland California Adventure Crowd Calendar January 2024

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS. PLEASE READ MY  DISCLOSURE  FOR MORE INFO.  Which means if you click on certain links, I may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you.

Best Time to Go to Disneyland at a Glance:

  • The best months to visit Disneyland to avoid the crowds are: January and February
  • Your best days to visit Disneyland are:  Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays
  • Be sure to avoid all major holidays such as:  Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day Weekend,  Halloween,  Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas and New Year’s Eve

Disneyland vs. Disney World

When it comes to Walt Disney World (WDW), the answers to your trip are easily available online about when to travel, what to do, and how to go about your Disney World vacation.

Disneyland vs Disney World Castles. Keep reading to get the best days to go to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure and how to use the 2024 Disneyland Crowd Calendar.

But Disneyland, not so much.

But why should you bother? Is Disneyland Resort even worth the trip?

YES! Read on.

I am a Disney World fangirl. I’ve been going to Disney World since the mid-1990s before I even thought about planning a trip to Disneyland Resort.

NikkyJ at Disneyland in July. Keep reading to get the best days to go to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure and how to use the 2024 Disneyland Crowd Calendar.

When compared to Disney World, the Disneyland Resort has half the number of theme parks: Disneyland and California Adventure.

Ferris Wheel at Pixar Pier Disney California Adventure and Disneyland Halloween Event at Oogie Boogie Bash. Keep reading to get the best days to go to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure and how to use the Disneyland Crowd Calendar.

In my naivety, I assumed that the Disneyland Resort would be an exact replica to the Magic Kingdom.

Cinderella Castle for 50th Anniversary Celebration with the Magic Kingdom Band Performing on the Stage. Keep reading to get the best days to go to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure and how to use the Disneyland Crowd Calendar.

But boy, was I wrong!

I’d have known better if only I would have done the usual “Disney World vs Disneyland” Google search. But I was just way too confident.

Space Mountain Disneyland vs Disney World: Which is Better?

Rides, Attractions and Entertainment at Disneyland

Despite being small, the number of attractions at Disneyland are 36+ compared to the 27+ rides at the Magic Kingdom (the more similar park at WDW).

Mr Toad's Wild Ride Attraction Entrance at Disneyland. Keep reading to get the best days to go to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure and how to use the Disneyland Crowd Calendar.

Much like Walt Disney World, the Disneyland Resort also includes resort hotels. Although, few in number due to the limited space available in California.

Entrance to Halloween at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Oogie Boogie Bash Party. Keep reading to get the best days to go to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure and how to use the 2024 Disneyland Crowd Calendar.

There’s a Downtown Disney (instead of Disney Springs at Disney World) – the entertainment, dining, and shopping area of the California Disney Resort too.

Ralph Brennans Jazz Kitchen Downtown Disney. Keep reading to get the best days to go to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure and how to use the Disneyland Crowd Calendar.

In a nutshell, there’s a lot of things and attractions that make Disneyland Resort just as popular and crowded as Walt Disney World.

Disneyland Tomorrowland Ride Astro Orbital. Keep reading to get the best days to go to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure and how to use the Disneyland Crowd Calendar.

In fact, it is one of the most-visited theme park in the world with 18+ million annual visitors. This is why we need the Disneyland Crowd Calendar Trackers.

Get Your Discounted Disneyland Tickets here!

What is the Disneyland Crowd Calendar?

Disneyland Crowd Tracker, also known as Disneyland Crowd Calendar , is a curated planner that predicts just how crowded the park will be on any given date throughout the year.

Disneyland California Adventure Crowd Calendar Best Days to Go

Since it’s obvious that most of us would want to avoid busy days at Disneyland, this tracker helps us narrow down the ideal dates to travel.

How Does The Disneyland Crowd Calendar Work?

Typically, a Disneyland crowd predictor is made by collecting attendance data from recent years and observing which days usually see long queues at the Disneyland Resort parks.

Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind in Avenger's Campus Halloween at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Oogie Boogie Bash Party. Keep reading to get the best days to go to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure and how to use the Disneyland Crowd Calendar.

If there’s a major event that happens at the park, like a grand opening or a special holiday, the calendar algorithm will be adjusted based on previous Disney events.

Each level of busyness is categorized as: heavy, light, or moderate and will be color coordinated on the Crowd Calendar with:

  • Red  indicating high crowd levels
  • Yellow and Orange  indicating moderate crowd levels
  • Green  indicating low crowd levels

Once you have this information, you can then figure out which month, week, and day will work best for you when choosing when to visit Disneyland and Disney California Adventure.

Disneyland Storybook Ride with Boat Going Into Whale Mouth. Keep reading to get the best days to go to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure and how to use the Disneyland Crowd Calendar.

Today, the Internet floods with these calendars. You will find tons of them in a variety of formats, looks, and setups.

Don’t feel overwhelmed by this, because having multiple Disneyland Crowd Calendars will allow you to compare them all for a more accurate prediction.

Are Disneyland Crowd Calendar Trackers 100% Accurate?

To be honest, no, at least not always.

I still do recommend that you look at them as guides that will give you an idea and help you plan your Disneyland trip.

Though they are designed only after doing thorough research, it is easy to miss unknown future events, especially those by Disney .

Matterhorn Roller Coaster at Disneyland California. Keep reading to get the best days to go to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure and how to use the 2024 Disneyland Crowd Calendar.

There is a variety of insider news that a calendar-curator is simply unaware of, including annual conventions that bring attendees to the resort during the off-season months.

Disney California Adventure and Disneyland Halloween Event at Oogie Boogie Bash. Keep reading to get the best days to go to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure and how to use the Disneyland Crowd Calendar.

So, you’ll want to keep that in mind when you’re choosing the best days to go to Disneyland Resort.

REVIEW: Is the Disney Princess Breakfast Adventures Worth It? (2023)

The real question should be is if Disneyland Crowd Calendars have any value?

Yes, they do. Sure, there’s no iron-clad guarantee, but these predictive theme park crowd calendars are a great way to get an idea of what to expect on your day.

Quick Tips for Choosing the Best Days to Go to Disneyland:

  • Continue to do your online research
  • Choose a time-frame that looks ideal to you
  • Finalize your date based on the information that you have discovered

Hipster Power Tip: Continue to recheck the Theme Park Crowd Calendars every week up until your trip to stay in the know.

What Are the Main Causes of the Crowd in Disneyland?

Two things that affect (or determine) the crowd levels the most are the events happening in the resort and school holidays.

This is mainly because of the many locals who hold an Annual Pass to the park. A major difference than the Walt Disney World Resort.

Also, the weekends will be busy, no matter when you choose to visit Disneyland.

Disneyland Carousel Ride in Fantasyland. Keep reading to get the best days to go to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure and how to use the Disneyland Crowd Calendar.

With that in mind, you should be able to make an educated guess about when will it be crowded at the resort.

Needless to say, this makes it super tough to know when the crowd will rise. That’s when those Disneyland Crowd Calendars come in handy. They save you from all the trouble of researching.

You can also know what to expect by reading the regular “when is the best time of year to visit Disneyland” guides/answers – just what I am about to talk about below.

Recommended: How to Plan the BEST California Road Trip Itinerary for 7 Days

When IS the Best Time to Go to Disneyland?

For starters, any time when kids are in school is a good time to visit Disneyland.

Dr. FAcilier from Princess and the Frog Disney California Adventure and Disneyland Halloween Event at Oogie Boogie Bash. Keep reading to get the best days to go to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure and how to use the Disneyland Crowd Calendar.

That generally means visiting in January, February, May, September, and the early days of November.

Disneyland Mary Poppins and Bert in Parade. Keep reading to get the best days to go to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure and how to use the Disneyland Crowd Calendar.

Remember that this is predominantly a local’s park.

Even in these slow months , you’ll have to avoid holidays and weekend s to avoid the crowd.

I’d even suggest you plan your Disneyland vacation to avoid popular holidays like Christmas, New Year’s, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, Halloween and Easter.

By saying so, I mean travel about a week after or before a major holiday. This would give time for the seasonal guests to leave for their homes, leaving the parks emptier.

Fantasmic Disney Company Photo. Keep reading to get the best days to go to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure and how to use the Disneyland Crowd Calendar.

Hipster Power Tip: Although January through May might be off-season months and least crowded, but they come with a downside. A lot of fabulous shows like Fantasmic! tend to have sporadic showings instead of nightly during peak season.

These are also the months when Disney may close some their popular rides for refurbishment. So, you must check the refurbishment calendar on their official website .

The thrilling Incredicoaster at Disney California Adventure Park, brings guests the first ride-through attraction in the world to feature characters from Disney Pixar’s The Incredibles. Keep reading to get the best days to go to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure and how to use the Disneyland Crowd Calendar.

The Disneyland Refurbishment Calendar is usually released 60 days in advance to help you guide through the bookings, especially if you’ve already made them.

As said before, you can always cross-check your information about Disneyland crowd levels by referring to any of the online Disneyland Crowd Trackers.

Recommended: What’s the Magic Behind the Famous Beignets at Disneyland?

What are the Best Days to Go to Disneyland?

Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the best days of the week to go to Disneyland and California Adventure.

Ernesto De La Cruz from CoCo Halloween at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Oogie Boogie Bash Party. Keep reading to get the best days to go to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure and how to use the 2024 Disneyland Crowd Calendar.

It’s best to get there early especially since the locals usually come after work in the late afternoon/early evening.

This is the ranking of the best days of the week to go to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure (from BEST to WORST):

5 BEST Things to Do in Avengers Campus at Disney California Adventure (2023)

Perks of Visiting Disneyland During Worst Crowded Days

Yeah I know that “Perks” and “Worst” do not go together , except when it’s about the Happiest Place on Earth.

Disneyland Darth Vader on Stage. Keep reading to get the best days to go to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure and how to use the Disneyland Crowd Calendar.

Just like visiting the Disneyland Resort during the offseason has its disadvantages, visiting the resort during the most crowded days has its advantages.

Disneyland Oga’s Cantina DJ Rex in Star Wars Galaxy's Edge. Keep reading to get the best days to go to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure and how to use the Disneyland Crowd Calendar.

The two parks tend to get jam-packed during summer months, between June through August.

Carsland and the Headless Horse Halloween at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Oogie Boogie Bash Party. Keep reading to get the best days to go to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure and how to use the Disneyland Crowd Calendar.

However, it is also during these months that the parks extend their opening hours . Even on holidays and school breaks, the resort operates longer.

During the maxed-out crowd days, you can also expect Disney to host more shows, parades, and fireworks.

In short, there are some awesome trade-offs that Disneyland offers if you are ready to face the crowd. It all depends on your priorities and preferences.

Disneyland Space Mountain. Keep reading to get the best days to go to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure and how to use the Disneyland Crowd Calendar.

You always have the Genie+ to buy, save wait times, and enjoy a potentially smoother time hopping from one popular attraction to another.

What’s the Best Airport for Disneyland? LAX vs. John Wayne Airport

What to Know Before Your Disneyland Resort Trip

Now that we have the basic information out-of-the-way, let’s go through the frequently asked questions for choosing the best time to visit Disneyland with the Crowd Calendar.

Disneyland Winnie the Pooh Ride. Keep reading to get the best days to go to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure and how to use the Disneyland Crowd Calendar.

Are Disneyland Crowd Trackers reliable?

To a good extent, yes. These trackers give you a general idea of how crowd levels can be in Disneyland on a particular day.

Dr. Strange Show in Avengers Campus Disney California Adventure. Keep reading to get the best days to go to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure and how to use the Disneyland Crowd Calendar.

But there’s no iron-clad guarantee. Calling them 100% accurate would be as wrong as calling weather reports 100% reliable.

5 BEST Things to Eat at Docking Bay 7 in Disney (2024)

If trackers aren’t enough, how can I make sure my trip goes as planned?

The best way to ensure your trip is not ruined by access crowd is to check a Disneyland Crowd Calendar and then research a little around it.

Disneyland Star Tours Entrance. Keep reading to get the best days to go to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure and how to use the Disneyland Crowd Calendar.

For example, if the calendar says the resort will see fewer guests because of school breaks ended, look online to check if any district near the park still has its schools closed.

Star Wars Galaxy's Edge Smugglers Run at Night. Keep reading to get the best days to go to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure and how to use the Disneyland Crowd Calendar.

If there’s a new addition in the resort (like Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge) , never be fully convinced of “downtimes” even after six months. Always expect to see an extra crowd at Disneyland.

The thrilling Incredicoaster at Disney California Adventure Park, brings guests the first ride-through attraction in the world to feature characters from Disney Pixar’s The Incredibles (1)

You can also use the Disneyland Crowd Calendars to your advantage by looking at one week over another to get an idea which of them will potentially be less busy.

You should also look into the Disneyland hotel rates as high prices = busy days.

What is the best weekday to visit Disneyland?

Activity-wise, the best days of the week to visit Disneyland, crowd-wise, are Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

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How many days do I need to explore Disneyland Resort?

Although there are only 2 parks at Disneyland Resort, both have a lot of rides, attractions, events, food , and activities.

Disney California Adventure Flos Cafe in Carsland. Keep reading to get the best days to go to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure and how to use the Disneyland Crowd Calendar.

Ideally, you should plan to spend between 3 to 4 days to cover almost all of them, including rides, meet-and-greet with characters, live shows, and fireworks.

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Is it possible to explore both Disneyland parks in just 1 day?

Yes, you should be able to travel both the theme parks of Disneyland Resort if you get a Park Hopper Ticket or an Annual Pass .

Treat or Treat Stations at Halloween at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Oogie Boogie Bash Party. Keep reading to get the best days to go to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure and how to use the Disneyland Crowd Calendar.

Sometimes, the Park Hopper Ticket gets included in certain Vacation Packages . Check if you have one to maximize time throughout the trip.

Space Mountain at Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California. Keep reading to get the best days to go to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure and how to use the Disneyland Crowd Calendar.

Also plan out your trip and create an itinerary to conquer both Disneyland Resort parks in only one day.

If you’re thinking about making a trip out to any of the parks at the Disneyland Resort in California, then be sure to get your tickets here!

Let’s Wrap It Up

Being one of the most popular theme parks in the world, Disneyland Resort sees a lot of the crowd throughout the year.

Minnie Mouse and Marabel at the Sanderson Sisters from Hocus Pocus Halloween at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Oogie Boogie Bash Party. Keep reading to get the best days to go to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure and how to use the Disneyland Crowd Calendar.

If you are someone who hates getting squished in parades of people, don’t let this dishearten you.

Disneyland Matterhorn Ride Mountain. Keep reading to get the best days to go to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure and how to use the Disneyland Crowd Calendar.

Just like any other vacation destination spot, Disneyland Resort also has its off-season months.

You can always rely on a Disneyland Crowd Tracker to help you with learning which is which.

My opinion? Why take a chance on anything that might dampen a memorable trip to the Disneyland Resort?

What is the best time to go to Disneyland Crowd Tracker. Keep reading to get the best days to go to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure and how to use the Disneyland Crowd Calendar.

Double-check everything – even down to the busiest days of the resort to make your  trip as pleasant as it should be.

Until next time, Happy Park Hopping Hipsters!

Hoop Dee Doo Revue NikkyJ Dinner Show Disney World. Author bio of theme park expert Nikida Metellus.

About the Author

My name is Nikky. I’m a wife, a mother, a pharmacist turned theme park blogger, USA Today 10Best Contributor , and a writer who loves ALL things amusement park related!

Traveling alone to the parks has changed my life and I want to show how you can create your own solo theme park memories.

Connect with me on Instagram!

UP NEXT: 7 BEST Places to Eat at Disneyland on a Budget! (Disney Food Guide)

(Original Article Date: July 19, 2020/Updated on January 8, 2024)

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2024 Universal Studios Hollywood Crowd Calendar: Your Best Days to Visit This Year

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December 2024 Disneyland Crowd Calendar

disneyland tourist calendar

Our guide to December 2024 at Disneyland offers a free crowd calendar for picking best days to visit & avoiding the busiest ones during Christmas at Disney California Adventure and Disneyland. Plus, what’s new, ride closures, what you should expect from a winter visit to Southern California, and more.

As with November, December features highs and lows, with some of the absolute worst crowds of the year, along with weekdays earlier in the month that are not nearly as bad. This is a result of mostly-light tourist numbers earlier in the month, coupled with Christmas vacation and school breaks in Los Angeles and Orange Counties (and around the country) later in the month.

Then there’s the the big reason so many people descend upon Disneyland in December: Christmas. It’s the most wonderful time of the year at the Happiest Place on Earth! Truly–not just in the cliched sense. Disneyland Resort is normally a magical place, but during the holiday season, it just oozes magic.

For more on what makes this season our favorite time of the year in the parks, read our Ultimate Guide to Christmas at Disneyland . We aren’t the only ones who think this is the most wonderful time of the year at Disneyland, and the crowds bear that out.

Fortunately, this has improved a bit in recent years, and that trend should continue this year. As with this Halloween season, Disneyland Resort has gradually increased the Christmas offerings at Disney California Adventure to better distribute crowds between the two parks.

To accomplish this, Festival of the Holidays–which includes both a foodie event and more entertainment–has been added to the slate of seasonal offerings at DCA. You can read our Guide to Festival of the Holidays at Disney California Adventure for tips on the best way to experience that.

December Weather at Disneyland

disneyland tourist calendar

Weather is a bit of a mixed bag. First, it’s Southern California’s rainy season. This is almost meaningless, as average rainfall during the month is only around 2″, but that’s still much more than the norm. The average high in Anaheim during December is around 70º and the average low is around 47º.

Personally, we like these cooler daytime temperatures, as this type of weather is perfect for racing around a theme park, especially if you’re carrying a backpack or have kids in tow. However, once the sun goes down, it can be a bit too cold, especially if you stay past 9 p.m. or watch World of Color.

Due to the potential for rain and frigid temperatures in the evening (or even during the day if it gets unseasonably cold), we recommend consulting our What to Pack for Disney in Winter post. Some of that might seem like overkill for Southern California, but it’s better to be over-prepared than under-prepared. Trust me, I’ve made that mistake before.

disneyland tourist calendar

Before consulting this or any December 2024 crowd calendars for Disneyland, it’s worth understanding the limitations of projecting attendance, wait times, crowds or congestion. Our main post: 2024 Disneyland Crowd Calendars: Best Times to Visit & When to Avoid goes into extensive detail about why Disneyland crowd calendars are currently unreliable, which is why there’s no color-coded calendar or numerical scores for each day of the month.

Suffice to say, this is due to changes in attendance trends, reservation availability for Magic Key passholders , staffing shortages, ticket promotions, and other factors. General trends are a bit easier, but it’s difficult to say a particular day will have low, moderate, or heavy crowds–or how one day of the week will compare to days around it.

What happens going forward with Magic Keymaster demand is an unknown. Pent-up demand among locals could fizzle out, but that could be offset by more reservation availability. If you’re planning a last minute visit, consult Disneyland’s Magic Key Access Calendar . This shows blockout dates and reservation availability all in one handy location—both offer insight into crowd forecasting. Similarly, there’s the Disneyland Theme Park Reservation Calendar for single and multiple-day tickets. (Those are only useful on short notice—dates fill up a couple weeks in advance, at most.)

With that said, here are the best and worst times to visit Disneyland in December 2024…

disneyland tourist calendar

We’ll start predictions here with high-level advice and narrow it from there. As a general matter, earlier in December 2024 is better than later in the month, which is probably patently obvious given the school breaks for Christmas and New Year’s the last two weeks. However, we still encounter people who are surprised the holiday season is busy because they expect everyone to be at home with their families.

Second, weekdays are mostly better than weekends. Wednesdays and Thursdays followed by Tuesdays will probably be the best overall full days of the week to visit in December 2024. Other times we really like are Friday mornings and Sunday evenings (before the locals arrive and after they leave). Monday has been the busiest day of the week for a while, and we don’t expect that to change.

Saturdays and Sundays will busy despite the lower tier Magic Key passholders being blocked out. Trends changed last year and that was not the case, which is reflected in Best & Worst Days of the Week to Visit Disneyland & DCA . A lot could happen between now and December 2024, but we’re once again expecting Saturdays and Sundays to be busier.

disneyland tourist calendar

In past years, evenings were busier as many local Annual Passholders would visit Disneyland and Disney California Adventure after work to get their Christmas fix, and for the holiday season entertainment. Consequently, even “light” days on the crowd calendar would be much busier at night.

That’s still true to some extent, but less so given that only the highest tier of Magic Key passes includes free parking. Now, more locals start earlier in the day, often taking a half-day off work to get more bang for buck from their visit. The most popular day for doing this, without question, is Friday. Even other days of the week, it’s common to see crowd levels spike in the mid-afternoon.

This is why we’re big fans of Friday morning. You beat the late-arriving locals and get to enjoy low crowds and short waits for rides. Of course, if you stay the whole day, you also have to deal with the heavy crowds at night, so there’s that.

disneyland tourist calendar

Digging into specific dates, the first week of December 2024 is our #1 week of the entire year to visit Disneyland. On the crowd calendar, this will be the week for the lowest crowds of the month, and is unquestionably the best week of December to visit. The dates we recommend are November 30 (arrival) to December 8, 2024. The beginning is immediately after Thanksgiving, but crowds fall fast after the holiday as people there for that week head home.

The underrated reason why this week is so good is because of Magic Key Annual Pass blockout dates. The three lowest tiers of APs all have very aggressive blockouts for the weekend after Thanksgiving. The lowest tier is also blocked out for the entirety of December 2024. Between a lot of locals being unable to visit and tourists heading home, this first week is blissfully uncrowded.

Last year, both of the two weeks after Thanksgiving had an average wait time of 25 minutes, which is very low. Due to Thanksgiving falling later than normal and Christmas season starting later, we wouldn’t expect both of those weeks to be so slow. Accordingly, the best week to visit is the one ending December 8, 2024.

disneyland tourist calendar

With that said, if that week won’t work, December 9-15, 2024 should still be below average. Those dates would be moderately crowded in a normal year, but there’s always a bit of variance–they can be slightly above or slightly below average. Either way, you’re not looking at high crowd levels.

The following week is where things get tricky. The two lowest tiers of Magic Keys are blocked out for the entirety of that week, but the Believe Key is open December 15-16, 2024. As such, we’d expect the parks to be busy as those locals sneak in their final visits before Christmas. The top-tier Inspire Key is blocked out starting December 20, 2024–after that, all Magic Keys are blocked out until (at least) January 4, 2025.

In the past few years, there has been a bit of a lull after Magic Keys are blocked out but before tourist crowds arrive. However, that had been happening mid-week with Christmas falling over the weekend. In 2024, the blockouts hit on the weekend with Christmas arriving on Wednesday, December 25, 2024.

disneyland tourist calendar

With Christmas Day and New Year’s Day both falling on Wednesdays in 2024, it’s a bit more difficult to predict how bad that week will be, as this is something we haven’t seen since 2019. All years since, Christmas has fallen over a weekend or long weekend (Friday or Monday). As a result of that dynamic, crowds were mostly consolidated into the week  between  Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

In 2024, we’re expecting crowds to be more spread out between the two weeks. That’ll mean the peak week (always Christmas to New Year’s Eve) isn’t quite as bad and the week leading up to Christmas is much worse. That’s how it was way back in 2019…and every year before that.

With that said, every single day from December 22, 2024 should see peak attendance and high numbers on the crowd calendar–you’re looking at a solid string of 10/10 dates. The last 10 days of December 2024 will likely be the busiest stretch of the year at Disneyland. This is one of the worst times of the year to visit unless you know what you’re doing.

disneyland tourist calendar

The weeks around Christmas and New Year’s Eve are busy with tourists. The days before those blockouts will be bonkers with locals trying to get their last visits prior to Christmas. Accordingly, expect December 15-19, 2024 to be particularly busy, too. Various lower tier passes have blockouts within that time frame (particularly Saturday), but it’ll still likely be a 9/10 crowd level.

The biggest wildcard is the days of December 20-21, 2024. That’s right after the blockout starts, but before tourists arrive in full force. To be sure, those days won’t be uncrowded; they will be some degree of ‘very busy’ regardless. Los Angeles and Orange County school districts are on break, and those weeks are tremendously popular with tourists.

It’s simply a question of whether they’ll be 10/10 days or maybe there will be a bit of drop-off and they’re “only” 8/10 or 9/10 days. Or 10/10 days, but with slightly lower wait times. That’s a big difference this time of year.

disneyland tourist calendar

During the height of Christmas season, we recommend Park Hopper tickets. Tourists with these should strongly consider mornings at Disneyland before Park Hopping to DCA. Locals from Los Angeles and Orange County who arrive after work tend to make Disneyland more crowded in the evenings.

For most of the month, 1-day tickets have Peak Season pricing. Read our Tips for Saving Money on Disneyland Tickets post for multi-day ticket recommendations to avoid having to deal with seasonal pricing. On the plus side, there are some multi-day ticket discounts currently available for all guests.

disneyland tourist calendar

If there is rain in the forecast, we highly recommend visiting Disneyland on that day. Locals tend to avoid rainy days at Disneyland and DCA, making the parks considerably less busy than normal. This leads to a surge in attendance the day following the rain (avoid those days, or visit DCA the day after a rainy day). This might sound a bit odd or extreme, but (Southern) Californians are not used to rain, and tend to stay inside when it’s raining. We are not even kidding or exaggerating.

Early December is Southern California’s off-season in terms of tourism. Even though Disneyland and Disney California Adventure can be busy in early December, it’s primarily with Californians. As such, off-season occupancy rates will be reflected in hotel prices the first couple weeks of December. With almost zero transition, the week before Christmas through New Year’s is peak season, with exorbitant rates reflecting that.

disneyland tourist calendar

You can find deals on off-site hotels, the first couple of weeks, but don’t expect the same for closer to the holidays. We rank our favorite (and least favorite) hotels in the area in our Disneyland Area Hotel Rankings & Reviews post. Check out discounted hotel + ticket vacation packages on Get Away Today to save money on off-site hotels.

Overall, December tends to be busier, colder, and wetter than November, which is why it falls a bit on our Best and Worst Months to Visit Disneyland . With that said, it’s still a wonderful month to visit. Even if you’re traveling during a time with yellow or red crowds, there are ways to beat the hordes of other tourists–namely by rope dropping the parks, having an efficient itinerary , and efficiently using Genie+ and Lightning Lanes (it’s worth the money) . Beyond that, Disneyland Resort’s Christmas season is incredible, with holiday entertainment that makes the hassle of any crowds worthwhile.

Planning a Southern California vacation? For park admission deals, read Tips for Saving Money on Disneyland Tickets . Learn about on-site and off-site hotels in our Anaheim Hotel Reviews & Rankings . For where to eat, check out our Disneyland Restaurant Reviews . For unique ideas of things that’ll improve your trip, check out What to Pack for Disney . For comprehensive advice, consult our Disneyland Vacation Planning Guide . Finally, for guides beyond Disney , check out our Southern California Itineraries for day trips to Los Angeles, Laguna Beach, and tons of other places!

YOUR THOUGHTS

If you’ve visited Disneyland during December, what did you think of the experience? Have you braved the crowds during Christmas or New Year’s weeks? Did the holiday entertainment make the insane crowds ‘worth it’ for you? What are your thoughts on Holiday Time at Disneyland? Do you agree or disagree with our December 2024 crowd calendar for Disneyland and DCA? If you’ve visited Southern California in December, do you have any tips to add? Share any questions, tips, or additional thoughts you have in the comments!

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Written by Tom Bricker

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Sorry Tom, but this blog is a trap. Every single link takes you back to the top of the same page! Why not offer useful links?

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Any intel on why Dec 5-9 are fully booked? Yet weekends surrounding are open.

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Disneyland staffs better on the weekends, which increases capacity–particularly at restaurants.

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I was wondering the same thing. Dec 2-10 all booked, while there is still availability for Nov 28-Dec 1 and Dec 11-20. Very odd!

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Hi Wow is Wonderful to See the Snow and The Magic in Disneyland Christmas is my Favorite Holiday Season Wow i Want to Be There to Have Fun My Happiness is Endless

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planning on going with the family including 1 toddler to Disneyland on dec 25th any advise or line information?

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Do we just extrapolate this into corresponding 2019 weeks? I’ll keep checking back and hope that you update the calendar, especially after Star Wars opens.

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Thinking of surprising my kids and drive down after we open presents Christmas day-the 28th. Everything I have read say its the most busiest. What are you thoughts??

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Planning to take the kids the day after Christmas for the week. I’ve followed this blog for World advice (you single handedly convinced me Victoria and Alberts was worth it; it was) I’ve been to Land once last October. It seemed more packed than world on a random week, yet easier to navigate. A lot of people are tellingus to avo8d Disney and do universal instead. The kids really really want to see Nightmare before Christmas haunted mansion. Plus nola to LA is a cheap flight. Thanks for the info.

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Your site is very helpful. We are planning on going right after New Year’s. Our school is still off. Which day would be less busy? I am taking my 92 year old dad who hasn’t been in decades. I want him to see the holiday decorations.

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Does anyone know why the park hours are shorted the week of Dec 18th at Disneyland? Park is open until midnight every day in December, but closes at 9pm in the week leading up to Christmas. Do you think these hours could be extended?

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I was wondering the same thing…the first two weeks of December DL is open til midnight then the traditionally busier week before Christmas it closes at 9pm when all the schools are out for winter break….that doesn’t make sense…do they ever change the hours?

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Hey Tom! I love your site, thank you. We plan to be there the first week of January…how are the crowds. I see mid January is a great time to come, but I am anticipate mass crowds first week. Am I correct?

That really remains to be seen–particularly with regard to the SoCal resident ticket deal. We’ll be posting a January preview within the next couple of weeks, but the short version is “we don’t know yet.”

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We are hoping to visit Disneyland with our young children in Late January early February and were wondering what the best dates are in 2018. Our son is on the spectrum and we would like to have a favorable experience so the less crowded the better. Any suggestions?

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Love your website Tom, thank you for all your help! We’ll be staying at the California Grand Hotel next week right before Thanksgiving. In past years, we used the California Grand Hotel’s entrance to California Adventureland, and the line was always very long. Do you think it’s quicker to use California Adventureland’s main entrance even if staying at the Grand Hotel, especially during this busy season?

Thank you for anybody’s thoughts!

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You know, my initial reaction to people saying Cali gets cold at night, is that they are nuts because 47 degrees doesn’t seem that cold (I lived in Idaho for 10 years where the winter temps sometimes sank to -20.) However, we went to Disneyland last May, and I, being a know-it-all, didn’t think I’d need a jacket at night. Yeah… I was wronger than wrong. I could not believe how cold it was. I don’t know if it’s something funky with the coast or what, but I was dying. In any case: At least pack a jacket because somehow the cold in Cali feels colder than normal.

I think maybe it’s the cool wind, or perhaps that your body becomes acclimated to the sunshine and warm weather during the day, so it’s more jarring when it gets cold at night. Or maybe both?

We’re the same way though–originally from the Midwest, and we get cold at Disneyland during November and December.

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There are several reasons it “feels” colder than the actual temperature my friends. The air is damper in the winter months which is not what we’re used to here, the disparity between daytime and night time can be a 40 degree swing in just a few hours, both Disney and DCA have many “corridors” that direct the chilly winds right at you (this is most noteworthy in the path from Big Thunder to Fantasyland, by the smoking area and lastly, the many man-made bodies of water that the winds are peeling off moisture into the winds.

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This is our favorite time of year at DLR!! And, given the changes in pricing, it has become harder to know the crowd calendar. But, I think you both have the right ideas about this time of year with regard to crowds, how to plan accordingly, and the disbursement of crowds between the parks. We start with Fantasyland, move into Tomorrowland, then jump over to NOS and CC before heading over to DCA. Back to Disneyland for nighttime magic… MAXpass will be our friend this season – thanks for the reminder! Merry Christmas and happiest holidays, Sarah & Tom!

Especially during the busier days, it’s definitely a good time of year to purchase MaxPass. It’s our favorite time, too–enjoy your visit and happy holidays!

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Will Disneyland get an Avatar land? It’s likely. Here’s what else may be in store

Conceptual art that shows a lush alien world and a boat ride.

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With the city of Anaheim unanimously voting to pass DisneylandForward , the Disneyland Resort will be forever changed.

Twice in the last 69 years, Disneyland has been significantly transformed. Four years after the park opened in 1959, Disneyland added its monorail, the Matterhorn Bobsleds and a submarine ride and expanded Autopia. It was a message that would begin to fulfill Walt Disney’s promise that Disneyland would never be completed.

Anaheim, CA - March 11: Visitors walk down Main Street, U.S.A. at Disneyland Monday, March 11, 2024. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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More than that, however, it revealed that Disneyland would continue to look to the future. Disneyland in 1959 showed its guests possibilities — a transportation system in the monorail that could remake urban communities, a tease of the freeway system that would reshape travel and a glimpse at the sort of deep-sea excursions only a lucky few could witness. The Matterhorn, while inspired by the film “Third Man on the Mountain,” also was meant to be a transportive experience, to not only bring to Disneyland a new kind of thrill ride but give visitors a taste of international adventure.

Disneyland’s second reimagining came much later. In 2001 the Walt Disney Co. would open Disney California Adventure, the Grand Californian hotel and the Downtown Disney District. These additions would attempt to make Disneyland, the company’s original park, one that could, in theory, rival Florida’s Walt Disney World by becoming a resort that could demand multiday stays.

This expansion succeeded as well, but not overnight.

A map illustrates the area around Disneyland in Anaheim

The original vision of Disney California Adventure proved to be lackluster, relying heavily on on-the-shelf rides and lacking emotion-driven experiences that take visitors out of their daily life. While the Grand Californian is a Craftsman-inspired triumph, Downtown Disney is in the midst of a transformation and is still attempting to outgrow its reputation as a home for chains and midtier eateries.

And now we’re entering a new era of possibilities, one that likely will look much different from the prior two. Modern Disney is centered on intellectual property — or IP, in corporate speak — rather than Walt-era idealism, and the most tantalizing prospects of DisneylandForward center on building around existing structures rather than erecting a new park.

With DisneylandForward, the company won the flexibility to redesign the resort. Zoning rules will be amended so that Disney can add new attractions alongside hotels on the west side of Disneyland Drive. These will, if they come to fruition, likely be extensions of Disneyland or Disney California Adventure rather than a third park. Additionally, a new shopping, dining and entertainment district can be created to the southeast on what is currently the Toy Story parking lot at Katella Avenue and Harbor Boulevard.

Company brass and the DisneylandForward materials have offered teases of what could be built. Most of these have centered on recent expansions at Disney’s international parks, such as the World of Frozen at Hong Kong Disneyland or Zootopia at Shanghai Disney Resort. There’s been little ideological talk about the future of Disneyland, as the focus has centered squarely on popular properties and franchises rather than the resort’s status as a cultural hub and gathering space.

But DisneylandForward came with a pledge. The Walt Disney Co. has promised to spend a minimum of $1.9 billion on Disneyland attractions, lodging, entertainment, shopping and dining in the next 10 years. That money can go quickly, with modern attractions costing sometimes in the high six figures, but the Walt Disney Co. also is in the midst of doubling down on its theme parks. Disney has guaranteed to spend $60 billion over the next 10 years in its experiences division, with at least half of that total dedicated to parks and resorts, according to a recent SEC filing .

It’s safe to say that the next 10 years will shape Disneyland for decades to come. While there’s much to be revealed, there are, perhaps, some safe bets. Here are a few educated guesses as to what to expect with an expanded Disneyland in the near term.

Get ready for Pandora

DisneylandForward materials reference everything from “Tangled” to “Peter Pan” to “Tron” as possible experiences that could come to Anaheim. One word, however, is missing, and it’s one that’s been regularly referenced by Disney brass in recent weeks: “Avatar.”

Disney CEO Bob Iger mentioned it at a recent shareholder meeting, even sharing the “Avatar” concept art, which was referred to as “inspirational artwork.” Josh D’Amaro, chairman of Disney Experiences, wrote in a blog post after the shareholder event that further news on Disneyland-related attractions such as the “Avatar” experience was tied to the approval of DisneylandForward.

“We are excited about the stories our guests could experience at Walt’s original theme park destination after approval of DisneylandForward — including the chance to experience all-new Avatar adventures with a visit to Pandora,” D’Amaro wrote . And last night in Anaheim, Disneyland Resort President Ken Potrock again teased “Avatar” at the DisneylandForward hearing and vote. Finally, one of Disney’s most respected theme park creatives even posted the “Avatar” concept art on Instagram , expressing the hope of sharing more on the project in the future.

Princess Tiana, in a green explorers outfit, is one of Disney's most lifelike robotics.

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Consider a large-scale “Avatar”-inspired land all but a done deal, and the art shared for Disneyland isn’t an exact replica of Florida’s Pandora — The World of Avatar, which resides in that coast’s Animal Kingdom park. Now where to put it? Expect Pandora to be bound for Disney California Adventure. There’s been speculation that it could replace the area currently served by water ride Grizzly River Run or move into a largely vacant slot of Hollywood Land, but neither is ideal. The latter requires a rerouting of the monorail, and Grizzly River Run remains a popular attraction.

Here’s betting it’s positioned in one of the DCA expansion areas near the Pixar Place Hotel, as that would allow the company to give the James Cameron property a plethora of space, especially if Disney must hide a large show building behind an illusion of floating mountains.

Colorful renderings of potential hotel and dining space.

Expect more hotel options

With Disneyland lacking the acreage of Florida’s Walt Disney World, hotel prices in Anaheim are at a premium. Rooms for the recently revamped Pixar Place Hotel — Anaheim’s “budget” option — can routinely top $500 per night. More hotel space is needed, and if Disneyland goes all-in on “Avatar,” expect lodging and more entertainment options to follow close behind. Disney has long touted development of the Toy Story Lot as prime space for hotel, dining and entertainment modeled after Florida’s Disney Springs district.

The DisneylandForward materials mention the land as “the perfect location to cater to locals, conventioneers, hotel and Disneyland Resort guests with restaurants, hotels, live music, shopping, ticketed shows and theme park experiences.” A new proposed parking structure to the north would solve the parking issue, and Disney has done extensive research on this already, as it was part of an earlier, pre-pandemic planned development known as the “Eastern Gateway.”

Walkways to and from the new parking structure would connect the current resort to the new entertainment area. And while fans may want Disney to rapidly fill the available space with theme park attractions, if the resort is planning to increase capacity it’s first going to need a spot for those guests to park. Additionally, Iger at a recent media event said the company likely would hold back some of its theme park funds so the organization could move on the popularity of new films or franchises.

“We actually have a fairly good idea in the near term of what’s being built, but we’re purposefully not going to allocate it all,” Iger said. “Because who knows? In five years we can end up with a giant hit movie — think ‘Frozen’ — that we may want to mine essentially as an attraction, or a hotel or restaurant in our parks. So you want to maintain some flexibility.”

Arendelle, the fictional kingdom in "Frozen," at twilight.

What about ‘Frozen’s’ Arendelle? Or a ‘Coco’-themed experience?

Beyond “Avatar,” which seems a sure thing as it’s been mentioned by Iger on multiple occasions, any future aspects of DisneylandForward become pure speculation. But a couple of franchises may have higher priority than others.

Disney now has a “Frozen” attraction in Walt Disney World, a land in Hong Kong and experiences in the works for Disneyland Paris and Tokyo DisneySea. Walt Disney Imagineering, the company’s secretive arm devoted to theme park experiences, clearly has done the work on bringing “Frozen” to life in physical spaces, and it stands to reason that expansions to the original Disneyland Park, with its fairy-tale feel, would go more of a Fantasyland-inspired route.

What’s more, re-creating Arendelle in the expansion plots located near the Disneyland Hotel would give Disney the opportunity to construct a second castle, as any extensive changes to park centerpiece Sleeping Beauty Castle are prohibited due to structural limitations . The enduring popularity of “Frozen” seems relatively assured at this point, so bringing the franchise to Disneyland is far from a risk.

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But if the company opts to create something unique for Southern California rather than importing Hong Kong’s World of Frozen or Shanghai’s Zootopia, one franchise that seems to be routinely brought up by executives is “Coco.” When mentioning blue-sky concepts last year year at an investor event in Florida, D’Amaro teased “Coco” as a key film that has yet to be properly explored in the Disney parks.

Potrock again mentioned “Coco” in an op-ed in the Orange County Register touting the benefits of DisneylandForward, writing that the initiative could pave the way for “the chance to celebrate Dia de Los Muertos in a ‘Coco’-themed experience.” Disney California Adventure, of course, is home to a Dia de Los Muertos celebration that does center a short “Coco” show, and the property seems especially ripe for Southern California and our heavily Latino communities. That makes it an opportunity to give Disneyland an unique land not found in other parks while also tapping into the region’s diverse fan base. Walt’s original park deserves no less as it looks ahead to closing out its first century.

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Anaheim, CA - March 11: Visitors ride the Disneyland Monorail past the Matterhorn Bobsleds at Disneyland in Anaheim Monday, March 11, 2024. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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Anaheim, CA - March 11: Visitors wait in lines inside their idling cars at the end of the ride at Autopia in Tomorrowland at Disneyland. Environmental activists Zan Dubin and Paul Scott, not shown, recently filed a complaint about air pollution and noxious smells from Autopia with Southern California air quality regulators at Disneyland in Anaheim Monday, March 11, 2024. They want Disneyland to convert Autopia to electric vehicles, and to find other ways -in Tomorrowland and across the park - to bring clean energy into its storytelling. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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disneyland tourist calendar

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disneyland tourist calendar

Todd Martens joined the Los Angeles Times in 2007 and covers a mix of interactive entertainment (video games) and pop music. Previously, Martens reported on the music business for Billboard Magazine. He has contributed to numerous books, including “The Big Lebowski: An Illustrated, Annotated History of the Greatest Cult Film of All Time.” He continues to torture himself by rooting for the Chicago Cubs and, while he likes dogs, he is more of a cat person.

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Santa Ana, CA - April 16: Mai Vo and Zach Elefante of Magic United, a bargaining unit of 1,700 workers in the characters and parades departments at Disneyland Resort who have moved to unionize under the Actors' Equity Assn. Mai works in the characters department, and Zach works in the parades department. Photo taken in Santa Ana Tuesday, April 16, 2024. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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Business | Anaheim approves Disneyland expansion plan,…

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Business | tech layoffs jolt bay area economy with hundreds of new job cuts, business | anaheim approves disneyland expansion plan, paving way for decades of new experiences.

disneyland tourist calendar

Disney’s proposal for growing its theme parks in Anaheim received approval from the Anaheim City Council early Wednesday, a consequential vote that will shape the resort and city for decades and is expected to bring in millions more visitors a year.

The development agreement the city is agreeing to maps out where new theme park construction could occur over the next 40 years, giving Disney flexibility to determine what exactly would be built – though all still within the footprint of its current properties. The goal, Disney officials say, is to use underutilized land around the resort to build immersive experiences in Anaheim as the company has done elsewhere around the world.

“We are ready to bring the next level of immersive entertainment here to Anaheim,” Disneyland Resort President Ken Potrock said at the meeting , describing a mixing of rides and attractions with hotels, dining and more not seen yet at the Anaheim parks. Disney promises at least $1.9 billion in investments in the first 10 years.

A collection of homemade signs outside the Anaheim City Council...

A collection of homemade signs outside the Anaheim City Council Chambers urge a slowdown of the DisneylandForward proposal that the council was voting on during Tuesday evening’s city council meeting on April 16, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)

Ken Potrock, the President of the Disneyland Resort, address the...

Ken Potrock, the President of the Disneyland Resort, address the Anaheim City Council ahead of the $1.9 billion DisneylandForward vote during Tuesday’s city council meeting, touting the foreseen positive economic impact on the local economy, on April 16, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)

A contingent of Disney supporters, many of them cast members...

A contingent of Disney supporters, many of them cast members at the Disneyland resort, applaud in support of one of their fellow cast members, who was encouraging the Anaheim City Council to accept the proposed DisneylandForward plan during Tuesday’s council meeting on April 16, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)

Ken Potrock, the President of the Disneyland Resort, address the...

One attendee at the Anaheim City Council meeting wears a shirt that reads “Let’s Move Disneyland Forward” ahead of a vote on the DisneylandForward vote on Tuesday, April 16, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)

Ken Potrock, the President of the Disneyland Resort, address the...

Adriana Perez Rosas of Anaheim expresses her strong disapproval of the DisneylandForward proposal, talking about Disney’s “greed,” asking “when is enough enough?,” and expressing her anger that dozens of Disney cast members were speaking, “while local residents are having to wait outside in the cold to have their voices heard,” during the Anaheim City Council meeting on Tuesday, April 16, 2024. (Photo by Jeff Antenore, Contributing Photographer)

Ken Potrock, the President of the Disneyland Resort, address the...

The council unanimously approved the project at the end of an eight-hour-long meeting – the first of two needed votes. It will vote again on May 7 to fully approve the DisneylandForward plan.

City staff believe that DisneylandForward will help the city’s general fund and continue its mission to grow and expand as a nationally recognized tourist destination. Anaheim Finance Director Debbie Moreno said the resort district generates about 31% of the city’s general fund.

“This project will bring a benefit to the community, not just in the near future, but for decades to come,” Mayor Ashleigh Aitken said.

The council heard presentations from Disney and listened to arguments for and against the project from dozens of people. There was much opposition over the sale of Magic Way to the company, which locals said they use to get to the 5 Freeway.

The council’s final vote would sell Magic Way and sections of two other roads to the company for $40 million.

Disney CEO Bob Iger has teased an “Avatar”-themed land to investors as a possibility to be built and said Disneyland could increase in size by 50%. Potrock said Tuesday night that “Avatar” remains at the top of the list for what could be built, but “what we can do with this experience regarding the size and scope is inherently influenced by DisneylandForward.”

“It takes three to five years for Imagineers to bring an idea to fruition and the company is deciding which parks will receive funding right now. Right now. We want to make sure we get part of this investment, I would kindly say more than our fair share, part of this investment,” he said, adding later, “We want to go beyond replacing and removing current attractions and lands. We want to bring new experiences to the Disneyland Resort.”

The city is set to get more than $100 million in community benefits from Disney. Most of that money is for acquiring streets and funding infrastructure improvements, such as sewers and roads. Disney will also give Anaheim $30 million to use to help build affordable housing and $8 million for city parks, money that the city will decide how to use.

Rachel Alde, Disney’s senior vice president of global development and strategy, said the contribution to affordable housing in Anaheim is similar in value to one the company is making by contributing land to develop a 1,400-unit affordable housing complex near Walt Disney World in Florida.

Potrock called DisneylandForward a legacy project that will benefit both Disney and the city.

“Nothing is perfect,” he said in his closing remarks, “but we have worked so hard over the last three years to make this an incredible project.”

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Disneyland clears major hurdle in $1.9B expansion plans

T he Anaheim City Council has given its preliminary approval of a measure allowing for the massive, $1.9 billion expansion of Disneyland, known as Disneyland Forward.

City council members voted 7-0 in favor of the proposal early Wednesday morning following an 8-hour public hearing.

It will face a final city council vote on May 7. Should the proposal be approved then, land use changes related to Disneyland Forward wouldn’t be implemented until 30 days later.

Many people, ranging from Anaheim residents and Disneyland cast members to officials from neighboring cities, took the opportunity to speak at Tuesday’s hearing, expressing both support and opposition to the expansion.

The Disneyland Forward proposal is a 40-year agreement that would guide where and how future developments would occur, allowing for new attractions, shops and restaurants to be built within areas of the resort that Disney already owns and operates.

Park attractions would be built alongside hotels on the west side of Disneyland Drive, along with buildings, shopping, dining and entertainment where the Toy Story Parking Area at Katella Avenue and Harbor Boulevard stands today.

The company would also pay $40 million to buy Magic Way, Hotel Way and a part of Clementine Street from the city.

Magic Way serves drivers using the Pixar Pals Parking Structure and visiting the Disneyland Hotel. If Disney bought Magic Way, it would be transformed into a pedestrian walkway, a city spokesperson previously told KTLA.  

During Tuesday’s meeting, many residents expressed disapproval with the potential sale of Magic Way.

However, with the approval the city ended up transferring “responsibility for Magic Way” over to Disney.

“The city is transferring responsibility for Magic Way because the road overwhelmingly serves the Disneyland Hotel, Disney employee parking and the south end of the Pixar Pals Parking Structure,” a news release from the city said.

During the public comment portion, some residents asked why the city had to rely on Disney to provide money for streets and infrastructure, while others proposed that Disney donate more money to the city without the need to expand its theme park resort.

During its presentation, Disney once again expressed its commitment to spending at least $1.9 billion on the resort over the next decade.

The city specified in the proposed development agreement for Disneyland Forward that the minimum investment would go towards theme park attractions, entertainment, lodging, shopping and dining.

Investments for parking, road improvements and bridges would be separate.

The expansion plans could also benefit the city outside of the theme park resort since Disney has set aside millions of dollars for improvements to infrastructure, such as sewers and roads around the resort area.

The company also announced it‘s committed to spending $30 million for affordable housing, $8 million for city parks, and continuing workforce programs in Anaheim.

In his comments to the council, Disneyland Resort president Ken Potrock described Disneyland Forward as the resort’s “legacy project.”

“We are ready to bring the next level of immersive entertainment to Anaheim,” Potrock said during the meeting. “We are committed to starting right away.”

As for the new experiences and attractions coming to the resort, no official plans have been announced, but some have been teased by the company and fans have theories.

Disneyland fans hope that lands, rides and attractions based on “Tangled,” “Zootopia” and “Tron” and expanded areas based on “Peter Pan” and “Toy Story,” will be in the works.

Disney Parks Chairman Josh D’Amaro also talked about the possibility of bringing F rozen’s Arendelle, Black Panther’s Wakanda and Coco’s Santa Cecilia to life in some capacity at the “Happiest Place on Earth” and potentially its sister park in Orlando last year.

During the meeting, Potrock talked about the potential of bringing expanded experiences to Star Wars: Galaxy Edge, Avengers Campus and Cars Land.

Aside from the proposal, an “Avatar”-themed experience is expected to come to the resort at some point in the future, based on comments from Disney CEO Bob Iger. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is also slated to open later this year at Disneyland.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.

Conceptual artwork for Disneyland’s expansion plans, dubbed Disneyland Forward. (Disney)

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Business | tech layoffs jolt bay area economy with hundreds of new job cuts, business | disneyland annual passholder fights 1-year ban for selling tickets on ebay, andrew rich found out the hard way that disneyland’s magic key review board and revocation team does not accept appeals..

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Magic Keyholder Andrew Rich found out the hard way that Disneyland has a Magic Key Review Board and Revocation Team after he sold a pair of Sweethearts’ Nite tickets on eBay and had his annual pass revoked for a year.

Andrew and his wife, Jen, both in their 50s, are hard-core Disney fans who have been annual passholders since the late 1990s and travel to Disneyland from their home in Spokane, Washington, half a dozen times a year.

They renewed their Disneyland Magic Key passes in September — paying $2,198 for a pair of Believe passes.

Just before Christmas, Rich bought Sweethearts’ Nite tickets as a Valentine’s gift.

During the holidays, the couple spent New Year’s Eve at Disneyland, flew to Florida for the Disney World Marathon Weekend, hopped on a cruise aboard the Disney Wish and then jetted back to Anaheim for the Disneyland Half Marathon .

After the New Year’s trip, they both came down with COVID-19 — forcing them to cancel their plans to travel to Disneyland for Sweethearts’ Nite on Feb. 6.

Rich put the tickets for the sold-out event up for sale on eBay — without reading the fine print on his annual pass or the special event tickets.

“To ensure somebody would use the tickets, I offered them for sale at face value,” Rich said by email.

The tickets got snapped up almost immediately.

That’s when the trouble started.

An eagle-eyed Disneyland fan notified the park that Sweethearts’ Nite tickets were being resold on eBay and Rich immediately lost his annual pass privileges.

“Because I was logged into my Magic Key account when purchasing the tickets, my Magic Key privileges were revoked for one year,” Rich said by email.

His annual pass suspension stretches to Jan. 24, 2025.

The Disneyland website says special events tickets may not be resold or transferred. Disney reserves the right to cancel, suspend or revoke any Magic Key pass at any time for any reason, according to the park’s website.

Issues related to Magic Key policy are handled on a case by case basis, according to Disneyland officials. Guests with extenuating circumstances are encouraged to contact Disneyland regarding potential options based on ticket type, according to Disneyland officials.

Over the past few months, Rich discovered through calls to Disneyland’sMagic Key Revocation Team that appeals were not accepted.

Rich wrote follow up letters to Disneyland Resort President Ken Potrock and Disney Parks Chairman Josh D’Amaro admitting with a “heavy heart and regret” that he’d broken the rules and took full responsibility for his mistake.

The Disney executives — through their representatives — declined to overrule the decision of the Magic Key Review Board.

Besides losing his pass, Rich learned he’d get no refund for the 257 unused days on his revoked $1,099 Believe annual pass that he paid for in full.

The monthly payment plan would not have saved him any money. A member of Disneyland’s Executive Correspondence team told Rich that Magic Keyholders must continue making monthly payments after their annual passes are revoked — before wishing him a magical day.

Feeling unfairly treated and with no recourse, Rich now calls the consequences for selling his Sweethearts’ Nite tickets a “wildly out of scale response” to a comparatively minor infraction.

Rich reached out to the nonprofit consumer advocacy organization Elliott Advocacy to intervene with Disneyland on his behalf. Disney told Elliott Advocacy it would not consider changing its decision.

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Kanye West's partner Bianca Censori seen walking around shoeless at Disneyland, where bare feet are prohibited

The theme park's posted dress code cites bare feet as a style that "may result in refusal of admittance or ejection."

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A stir was afoot at Disneyland after Kanye West and his partner, Bianca Censori, were seen strolling through it in a bizarre fashion, with the latter appearing shoeless. This would violate the California theme park's posted dress code , which explicitly prohibits "bare feet" on the property.

Videos circulating online show Censori, 29, holding the 46-year-old rapper's hand as they walked through the park's Star Wars– themed Galaxy's Edge area toward the land's Smuggler's Run interactive simulator ride.

One video zooms in on West and Censori, revealing what looks to be tan-colored material wrapped around her otherwise bare feet.

An entourage follows close behind the couple, while a Disneyland cast member leads the group through a corridor flanked by other park officials wearing bright vests.

Swan Gallet/WWD via Getty; Amy Sussman/Getty

According to Disneyland's website, "attire that is not appropriate for the theme parks (and which may result in refusal of admittance or ejection) includes but is not limited to" things like character costumes worn by people over the age of 14 and clothing featuring "objectionable material," as well as "bare feet."

EW has reached out to representatives for Disneyland and West for comment.

Censori and West (now known professionally as Ye) went public with their relationship in 2022, following the musician's separation from Kim Kardashian . That year marked a turbulent one for the performer, who courted controversy when he voiced both admiration for Adolf Hitler and anti-Jewish sentiments.

In April, Trevor Phillips, a former employee of West's Donda Academy and Yeezy clothing brand, sued the rapper in Los Angeles after alleging racism, homophobia, antisemitism, and harassment. (Representatives for West did not respond to EW's request for comment on the lawsuit.)

See another video of Censori and West at Disneyland here .

Sign up for  Entertainment Weekly 's free daily newsletter  to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.

Related content:

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  1. Disneyland Crowd Calendar 2024-2025 [UPDATED]

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  11. Crowd Calendar

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    April 7. "Dapper Day Spring Outing" (unofficial event) May 10, 14, 15, 17, 19, 22, 23, 28, 31. June 2, 5, 7, 9, 12, 14. Grad Nite. The event tends to make Disney California Adventure more crowded, so avoid going on these dates if you can. August 12-15. All Magic Key passes valid again after summer season blockout. August 23 - October 31.

  13. Everything you need to know about visiting Disneyland

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  14. 2024 Disneyland Crowd Calendar

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  17. 2024 BEST Days to Go to Disneyland (Full Crowd Calendar Guide)

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