When is the Best Time to Visit Disneyland?

“Here You Leave Today And Enter The World of Yesterday, Tomorrow and Fantasy” - Walt Disney

You're planning your dream vacation to Disney, yay!

And like most people, the very first question you have is, when is the best time to visit? Makes sense. I mean you can’t really plan a vacation without specific dates in mind.

So, when is the best time to visit Disneyland? Well, part of that depends on what you are looking to get out of your vacation. Disney does a great job of keeping the parks fresh and new so depending on the time of year you visit you might experience a totally different theme. So, ask yourself what’s most important to you and your family. Weather? Crowds? Holidays and Events? And then find the coordinating section or read all of them to help you decide. 😄

With that said, here are our top tips on when to visit! 👇

When is the best weather? ☀️

Disneyland is located in Southern California where most days of the year you can expect to find sunshine and warm 70–80-degree weather. I mean that is why Walt decided to put Disneyland where it is. But maybe you would rather live in a snow globe than visit any destination that has lizard-like living conditions. So, when is the best time to visit when it comes to the weather?

If you are looking for that lizard-like weather then you should visit during the summer months, typically late June through early September. You will enjoy 80+ degree weather which also makes it a great time to visit and enjoy the hotel pools.

If you would rather live in a snow globe, I’m not sure I can help you. It is southern California meaning it doesn’t actually ever snow there. But the closest option I can give you is the typical winter months anywhere from late November to early February you will enjoy high 60 to low 70-degree weather during the daytime and drop to high 40 to low 50s in the evenings. Now note, that even though it is Southern California it does rain, and you are most likely to see rainfall during these months. On the plus side, outside of the holiday season, you will likely also see some of the lowest crowds.

Outside of winter and summer months, fall and spring, you can expect warmer weather typically mid 70’s to low 80 degrees. Spring is a beautiful time to visit, and you will get to see all things blooming at Disneyland, while fall is also a really fun time because you will get to enjoy the Halloween season. Spring does bring a little more rainfall, but because you are in Southern California you may not see any rain.

When is Disneyland the least crowded? 🏰

If you are like most people, you’d rather visit Disneyland during the least crowded dates. However, keep in mind that Disneyland has a max capacity of 85,000 guests and California Adventure of 50,000 guests. So, while I would strongly recommend you avoid peak seasons, trust me it’s not worth it, you may not be able to completely avoid crowded days at Disney.

Typical dates that are less crowded are during the off-season. Think of when kids are in school and go then. Meaning avoid visiting for spring break, summertime, and winter break. But typically, if you visit during the last few weeks of January through the beginning of February, early march, weekdays in May, the beginning of June, late August through the beginning of September, and weekdays at the beginning of November you will see the best crowds. As far as days of the week to visit I have found that typically Tuesdays are the least crowded.

Now all of that usually comes at a cost because Disney is very intentional about how they run their operations if you visit during the off-season, you will likely see more ride closures for maintenance than you would during peak season. So, make sure you check for ride closures on Disney’s site before booking so you don’t miss out on any must-do rides.

Even though the off-season is typically less busy I will say I have been when it was “supposed to be slow” and it was not. So, a word of advice is to go in with an open mind and you may be surprised to find that it’s better than you expected. The choice is yours, is having all the rides available more important, or is it being less crowded more important?

Holidays & Events at Disneyland 🎄

Disney does an amazing job at celebrating the holidays. Some of my favorite times for visiting were during the holidays. What’s even better is depending on the time of year you visit you may get to experience different park decorations, special fireworks and parades, and even special merchandise and foods. So, when to go?

In late January through early February, you can expect to see Lunar New Year’s Celebrations with a special parade Mulan’s Lunar New Year Procession, and special merchandise. At DCA you will find special New Year’s foods that are only available during the Lunar New Year Celebration. And you will even get to see special and rare characters out and about like Mulan and Mushu.

September usually kicks off the Halloween season at the parks. Both Disneyland and DCA get a spookover with fun holiday-themed décor and festive music. You don’t want to miss the Main Street Pumpkin! You will see Micky and Minnie in their Halloween costumes along with their friends and you might even see more villains than you would any other time of year. You can also expect to see a special firework show “Halloween Screams”. At both Disneyland and DCA, you’ll find yummy Halloween treats and dishes to celebrate the holiday. You’ll also get to experience special ride overlays; the Haunted Mansion gets an overlay for Nightmare Before Christmas starting the Halloween season and going through the New Year. And you can go on a special adventure with the Guardians of the Galaxy Monsters After Dark at DCA. Special Halloween merchandise will be out. At DCA Oogie Boogie Bash is a special ticketed event where guests get to dress up in costume, visit the park, trick-or-treat, and see a special parade.

Christmas and New Year’s is a truly magical times to be at Disney, yet if you plan to go during this season the weeks of Christmas and New Year's are typically the most crowded that the parks see throughout the year. Thankfully Christmas season typically kicks off mid-November and runs through the first week or two of January. So, there is plenty of opportunity to visit. During Christmas time you will find a special firework show Believe.. In Holiday Magic, and yes it snows! Both Disneyland and DCA are decked out for the season with Sleeping Beauty’s Castle turning into a beautiful show-stopping display each night. Santa can be found in the parks and will also make an appearance in A Christmas Fantasy Parade. You will find yummy treats and special foods at Disney restaurants and food carts along with hand-pulled candy canes. And it’s A Small World gets a holiday makeover to celebrate holidays around the world.

All in all, no matter what time of the year you visit Disney you will find there to be new magic and experiences to be shared. Send us an email with questions and don't forget to follow Disneyland Dreaming on social!

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