There are a lot of things to consider when you are planning a trip to Disney, but one of the biggest factors is how busy the parks are going to be. With the way the parks have been lately, it’s almost impossible to know what crowds are going to look like. But while you can’t guarantee it won’t be busy during your trip, you can get an idea of what to expect by looking at previous years crowd patterns, off season times, major events, and more to find the best time to visit.
So to make your life easier, I have created a crowd calendar to help you more easily decide when to visit the parks! Not only have I predicted crowds for all of 2023 for you, I have also included major events in the parks that you may want to be aware of. To most accurately represent crowd levels, I have color coded days to make it even easier for you to see how crowd levels will differ based on a 6 color system so you will have a more accurate idea of how busy the crowds will be rather than just a basic not busy, normal busy, or busy category crowd calendar. Now that you’ve got the basic breakdown, let’s take a look at the month by month breakdown!
Note, not all dates are completely accurate this early in the year as exact dates haven’t been announced for many events. The dates for the Holidays are my estimate based on previous years and will be updated once official dates have been announced and I have not included dates for Oogie Boogie Bash or other events that have not been announced yet. Also keep in mind, these crowd levels are based on my own research and estimates based on previous years as you can’t really know for sure how busy the parks will be in the future.
Another thing to keep in mind is that during the off season (January-mid May) crowds will be lower but you can expect to see shorter park hours and more attractions being closed for refurbishment, so just keep that in mind when planning to visit during those months. If you visit during May-December, generally speaking the parks are busier but the park hours will be extended and less attractions will be closed for refurbishment. Definitely pros and cons to visiting during each time so I’d factor that in to planning your trip!
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I would also recommend that if you are visiting during the busier months, or if you just want to, add Disney Genie+ to your Get Away Today tickets and skip the extra step of purchasing them in the parks. When you select your tickets when booking your trip, select the option that says “with Disney Genie+” to take advantage of the lightning lane options in the parks and skip the lines! Adding Genie+ to your tickets with Get Away Today will get you the absolute lowest price on Genie+ instead of paying whatever amount they decide to charge that day in the parks.
JANUARY
The first week of January is usually pretty busy, but the rest of the month isn’t a bad time to visit. Here’s what you’ll want to look out for:
• The Holidays end on January th, expect higher crowds up until that day
• DCA’s Lunar New Year begins on January 20th
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day is January 16th so that long weekend will be busier
• The Disney 100 Celebration kicks off on January 27th so that day will be very busy and that weekend following. This is also the day that the new attraction Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway will open.
• There is a Sweethearts Nite on January 31st which will have dancing, character experiences, photo ops, entertainment, special food offerings, access to attractions, and more! This is a separate ticket event that is available for purchase now
FEBRUARY
February is a great time to visit the parks because many days have low crowds as well as various events happening throughout the month. Here are some things to look out for in February:
• There are several Disneyland After Dark: Sweethearts’ Nites to look out for on February 2nd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 14th, and 16th. These events will have dancing, character experiences, photo ops, entertainment, special food offerings, attractions, and more! This is a separate ticket event and are available for purchase now
• Valentine’s Day on February 14th, but you can expect to see Valentine’s decorations throughout the park in February. I would expect higher crowds due to the holiday and an after
• Lunar New Year ends at DCA on February 15th
• February 13th is the Super Bowl which is in LA this year so you can expect to see higher crowds that weekend
• President’s Day on February 20th will draw in larger crowds that weekend
• The Magic Happens Parade returns on February 24th. Because of it’s popularity, this will bring in large crowds that day for sure and probably that weekend as well
MARCH
If you are planning on visiting the parks in March, go earlier in the month because towards the middle of the month you will see the spring break crowds coming into the parks!
Here are all the happenings in the parks in March:
• Mardi Gras is on March 1st. Head over to New Orleans Square for decorations, entertainment, special characters, celebratory food offerings, and more to celebrate!
• The DCA Food & Wine Festival begins on March 3rd and runs all month long
• Toontown reopens on March 8 which will make this a very busy day
• A new Disneyland After Dark: Princess Nite will be held on March 7th and 9th. This separate ticketed event includes photo ops, event-themed food selections, attractions, character experiences, commemorative keepsakes, and more. Tickets are available now
• St. Patrick’s Day is March 17th
• Spring Breaks begin the second week of the month- expect higher crowds for most of the month
APRIL
The first half of April is the time to avoid at the parks! You are still in the spring break period so it will be super crowded. Toward the end of the month crowds will start to lighten so if you’re going in April, keep that in mind.
Here’s what to expect in April this year:
• Leading up to Easter, Disneyland usually does an Eggstravaganza hunt. Nothing official has been announced yet but they will most likely do something similar to previous years with Easter egg hunts and more!
• Easter is on April 9th, I’d be prepared for higher crowds that day
• The first Dapper Day of the year is April 16th so expect the parks to be very crowded.
• There is a Dapper Day Expo April 15th and 16th at the Disneyland Hotel. I would expect to see the parks a bit more crowded in correlation with the expo
• The DCA Food & Wine Festival runs through April 25th
MAY
May isn’t a bad time to visit the parks, especially on weekdays. You will notice higher crowds on the weekends and on the holidays during the month, but overall this would be a great month to visit. But even though the crowds are usually low, that could change as there are a lot of events happening this month.
Here’s what’s happening in the parks in May:
• May the Fourth be with you on May 4th. You will find some things around the park to celebrate Star Wars Day
• Cindo de Mayo is on the 5th
• May 7th is Bats Day so you may see some people in steampunk, goth, and Halloween type looks around the parks
• Mother’s Day is May 14th, expect higher crowds that weekend
• Memorial Day is May 30th, expect heavy crowds that entire weekend
• Also be aware there are various Grad Nites throughout the month where graduating seniors will be in the parks. These are after hour events in DCA, but grads can choose to purchase full day tickets so the parks will be much busier those days. Those dates are the 12th, 14th, 17th, 19th, 21st, 24th, 25th, 30th, and 31st
If you’re visiting Disneyland during the busy months, you may want to take a break from the lines. Here’s a list of the non-ride activities you can find in the parks to get the most of your trip even during busy season!
JUNE
Just like previous years, June is going to be busy pretty much all month because it’s summer vacation. If you are planning on visiting in June, your best guess is the first or second week of the month on weekdays, I would avoid weekends.
Even though June is a pretty open month with few events happening, here are a few things to expect:
• Father’s Day is June 18th
•Juneteenth on June 19th. I’d expect higher crowds that day and the weekend prior as some people have that day off work
• More Grad Nites for high school seniors on the 2nd, 4th, 7th, 9th, 14th, and 16th. Expect higher crowds those days.
JULY
July is probably one of the worst times to visit the parks because summer vacation is in full swing so no matter when you go, it’s going to be busy. If you are planning to visit in July, weekdays are your best best for lower crowds than the super busy weekends.
Here’s what to look forward to in July:
• The Fourth of July Celebration- The parks will be decked out in red, white, and blue with a special fireworks performance, flag raising ceremony, and more on Independence Day.
• Disneyland’s 68th anniversary is on July 17th! There will be fun birthday celebrations throughout the park to celebrate the big day. Just be aware that this day always comes with large crowds.
AUGUST
The first few weeks of August are still pretty busy, especially the weekends. If you are wanting to visit the parks, the last week or two in August are usually a great time to visit because kids are heading back to school so the crowds should die down quite a bit. There also haven’t been any major events announced for August which may make it an even better time to visit. The D23 expo does often fall in August or September, but nothing has been announced yet. I will update as information is released.
SEPTEMBER
This is a great time to visit the parks as the seasons start to change and the crowds die down after a busy summer. While there are some dates you may want to avoid, overall this is a great month to head to the parks.
Here’s what you can expect in September:
•Labor Day is September 4th, so expect higher crowds that weekend
• Halloween Time at Disneyland– Halloween Time will begin in September. There will be decorations, holiday treats, Haunted Mansion Holiday and other ride overlays, merch, and more! No dates have been announced yet, bit I would guess Halloween Time will kick off on September 1st. The calendar will be updated when Disney makes their official announcement. You can read all about what you can expect during Halloween time here
• Oogie Boogie Bash will take place on various days throughout September. Oogie Boogie Bash will be held in DCA, but no dates have been announced yet. They are usually held on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays starting at 6 PM. I will update when event dates are announced.
• Gay days will be September 22-24th, so crowds will definitely be higher that weekend
Maximize your time in the parks with these tips to make the most of your trip!
OCTOBER
October is hit or miss when it comes to crowds. Weekdays aren’t too bad but weekends are generally pretty busy. Schools also have fall break during this time and the parks get busier as Halloween approaches, so keep that in mind as you plan your trip to the parks.
Here’s everything to look forward to in October:
• Halloween Time runs through the entire month of October. Head to the parks to get seasonal treats, décor, characters in costumes, Haunted Mansion Holiday, other ride overlays, and more!
• Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples’ Day is on October 9th so that long weekend will be pretty busy.
• Many schools have fall break, usually October 12-15th or 19th-22nd which will make the parks extremely busy those weeks.
• Oogie Boogie Bash will be held all through October as well in DCA. No dates announced yet, but I would expect Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays as I mentioned earlier.
• I would expect Halloween Day to be busy in the parks
NOVEMBER
If you want to avoid crowds in November, go the very first week. But, if you are wanting to experience the Holidays at Disneyland, you will have to wait until the second week or later. I will update as soon as Disney announces their exact plans. When you get closer to the holidays the parks are going to get way busier!
Here are the details of what’s going on in November:
• The Holidays begin at Disneyland. Disney has not announced the official start date yet, but I am guessing the holidays will start on the 10th. I will update the calendar if Disney announces different dates. During the holidays, there are ride overlays, holiday treats, decorations, events, you can meet Santa, and more! For more information about what the Holidays at Disneyland are like, check out my full review of the 2022 season here
• Veteran’s Day is November 11th so crowds will probably be higher that weekend as Veteran’s Day will be observed on Friday the 10th
• Mickey and Minnie’s Birthdays are on November 18th so you can expect some fun birthday surprises throughout the park that day!
• Thanksgiving is on November 23rd. If you are in the parks that day, many restaurants will have Thanksgiving options that they only offer that day. Make sure to make your reservations in advance to secure your Thanksgiving Dinner!
For everything you need to know about the Holidays at Disneyland, check out this post!
DECEMBER
If you’re planning on visiting in December, the first two weeks are usually manageable on weekdays. That is your best bets if you are wanting to visit in December. Once you get halfway through the month, crowds will go up because kids are out of school and families are traveling for the holidays.
I will also say DO NOT visit the parks after Christmas. So many families buy their kids trips and come in that week so it is ridiculously crowded.
Here’s what else you can expect in December:
• The Holidays at Disney run through the entire month so you’ll be able to experience the treats, ride overlays, decor, and more anytime you visit!
• Candlelight processional- This is a super cool thing they do every year usually on the first weekend in December. A celebrity narrator is brought in to retell the Christmas Story and there is an orchestra and a choir that perform Christmas songs throughout. If you want to experience this, it only happens on two nights and is super hard to get a seat for.
• Holidays like Hanukkah and Kwanzaa may bring higher crowds to the parks those days
• Christmas Eve and Christmas Day may see a little drop in crowd levels but I would still expect them to be crowded.
• New Year’s Eve is absolutely packed in the parks so beware if you are there that day!
BOOK YOUR TRIP TODAY!
Now that you know when the best times to visit are, all you need to do is head to Get Away Today to book your hotel and tickets! They have amazing prices, excellent customer service, and I promise you will have a great experience with Get Away Today! At checkout, make sure you use code RAMBLING10 for additional money off of your package of 2+day tickets/2+ night hotel stay! You can also secure your tickets/package $175 down at the time of booking with the full balance being due shortly before your trip. You can also purchase a Peace of Mind plan so you can make any needed changes to your packages such as travel dates, hotels, or even tickets at no additional cost! Plus, they often run extra day and night free deals on tickets and select hotels so check those out to make the most of your vacation.
And there you have it! A complete run down of the crowds and events at Disneyland Resort for 2023! Hopefully this helps take the stress out of planning your trip so you can have a magical vacation!
