There are a lot of things to consider when you are planning a trip to Disney like weather, special events and celebrations, and crowd levels. With the way the parks have been lately, it’s almost impossible to know what crowds are going to look like. There really are no down times anymore at Disneyland, you will likely never be able to just walk onto rides in a fairly empty park. But with that being said, we can get an idea of what to expect in terms of crowds 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 given my estimate of what the crowds will look like (based on previous years trends, this does not guarantee full accuracy as that isn’t possible) but I have also included all of the major celebrations, events, and after hours parties that will be happening in the parks so you can see what is going on during the year. 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.

Be aware, not all of the events in the parks are on this calendar yet as dates for things like Oogie Boogie Bash and the CHOC Walk in the Park have not been announced yet, but as those become available I will update the calendars. Another thing to keep in mind is that during the off season (January-mid May) crowds will be lower at times but you can expect to see shorter park hours, more attractions being closed for refurbishment, and sometimes less entertainment options, 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, less attractions will be closed for refurbishment, and there will be more entertainment options to enjoy. Definitely pros and cons to visiting during each time so I’d factor that in to planning your trip!

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Before you plan your trip, I recommend you book your vacation through Get Away Today. I have used them for over 10 years to book my Disney trips and have always had the easiest time getting everything booked so I can fully enjoy my trip without any stress. Their ticket prices are lower than Disneyland’s gate prices, you can purchase a package that also includes your hotel stay which often times they offer free parking, extra nights free, and more. You can also add transportation and other services to your package so you have everything you need in one place! You will always get the best prices available with Get Away Today and with their amazing customer service, planning your trip will be easier than ever. You can also save additional money off your 2+day/2+night packages by using code RAMBLING10 at checkout! You can book your trip here! And if you can’t pay the full balance up front, you can secure your package for $200 down using their Layaway Plan with full payment due closer to the time of your trip.

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.

Also keep in mind, you must make theme park reservations for the days you want to visit the parks. If you purchase your tickets from any third party seller, like Get Away Today, you need to link your ticket to your Disneyland account and make theme park reservations for each ticket the day(s) you want to visit. If you purchase your tickets from the Disneyland website, you do not need to make theme park reservations as the reservation is already made when you select the date for your ticket. You can always check your theme park reservations on the Disneyland app where it says “future plans.” Any theme park reservations you have made will show up there.

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January

The first week of January is usually pretty busy as the holidays wind down, 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 7th, expect higher crowds up until that day

• RunDisney Half Marathon weekend is January 11-14, this will draw in a lot of crowds

• Martin Luther King Jr. Day is January 15^th so that long weekend will be busier

• Lunar New Year kicks off in DCA on January 23 and runs through the remainder of the month

• There is a Sweethearts’ Nite on January 23rd, 25th, and 30th which will have dancing, character experiences, photo ops, entertainment, special food offerings, access to attractions, and more! This is a separate ticket event and Disneyland will close early at 8 pm to all no ticketed guests.

• Pixar Place Hotel opens on January 30th, this will draw bloggers, influencers, etc. to the hotel which may potentially increase crowds in the parks later that day

While many days in January have lower crowds, that means shorter park hours, potentially more attractions closed for refurbishment, and limited entertainment opportunities. Anaheim weather in January averages mid to upper 60’s most of the time and is usually in the mid 40’s to mid 50’s at night. You will definitely want to pack layers and keep an eye on the forecast to see if you need to pack for rain. You can find some of my favorite items for rainy park days here.

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 1st 6th, 8th, 12th, and 14th. These events will have dancing, character experiences, photo ops, entertainment, special food offerings, attractions, and more! This is a separate ticket event and Disneyland will close early at 8 pm to all no ticketed guests.

• The Magic Happens Parade returns on February 2nd.

• Mardi Gras is on February 13th. Head over to New Orleans Square for decorations, entertainment, special characters, celebratory food offerings, and more to celebrate!

• Valentine’s Day on February 14th, you can expect to see Valentine’s decorations throughout the park in February. I would expect higher crowds due to the holiday.

• Lunar New Year ends at DCA on February 18^th

• President’s Day on February 29th which will draw in larger crowds that weekend

• Celebrate Gospel at the Fantasyland Theatre on February 17th and 24th.

• If you’re a hockey lover, the Anaheim Ducks Days are February 22nd and 23rd in DCA.

February weather is much like January, expect cooler temperatures in the mid 60’s to low 70’s getting down into the 40’s and 50’s at night, pack layers for the cooler mornings and evenings and check the forecast for rain before you leave. Park hours will generally be a little shorter still and there may be several attractions closed due to it being the off season.

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:

• The DCA Food & Wine Festival begins on March 1st and runs all month long. This also marks the return of Soarin’ Over California for the duration of the festival.

• A new Disneyland After Dark: Disney Channel Nite will be held on March 5th and 7th. This separate ticketed event includes photo ops, event-themed food selections, attractions, character experiences, commemorative keepsakes, and more. This is a separate ticket event and Disneyland will close early at 8 pm to all no ticketed guests.

• St. Patrick’s Day is March 17th

• Mickey’s Mix Magic will take a few weeks off, the last day it will show is March 21st

• The popular firework show Wondrous Journey’s will have a limited run this spring beginning on March 22nd and will run until mid-April.

• Spring Breaks begin the second week of the month- expect higher crowds the last 2-3 weeks of the month

• 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 March 31st, be prepared for higher crowds that day with the holiday and it being a weekend

Weather is typically in the 70’s in March with lows in the 50’s in the morning and evening hours. There’s a chance of a few rainy days so check the weather and come prepared with some of my favorite rainy day must have’s that you can find here.

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:

• Season of the Force, a Star Wars celebration, kicks off in Disneyland on April 5th. This will include new destinations on Star Tours, the return of Hyperspace Mountain, and a new experience in Galaxy’s Edge during the fireworks.

• The first Dapper Day expo of the year is on April 6th and the Dapper Day spring outing is April 7th, so expect the parks to be very busy that weekend

• Multiple Star Wars Nites in April on April 16th, 18th, 23rd, 25th, and 30th. There will be special character meet and greets, themed entertainment and food, a lightsaber meetup, and more. This is a separate ticket event and Disneyland will close early at 8 pm to all no ticketed guests.

• Wondrous Journey’s runs until April 14, so if you’re wanting to see this show one more time visit before that date

• Mickey’s Mix Magic returns to Disneyland for a limited run from April 15th through 25th.

• The DCA Food & Wine Festival runs through April 22nd

• Pixar Fest is returning this year and kicks off on April 26th. This includes a new daytime parade and the return of the “Together Forever- A Nighttime Spectacular” fireworks with new scenes from our favorite Pixar movies.

Temperatures in April are usually mid 70’s with lows in the mid 50’s at night, so you may need a jacket during the cooler hours but during the day the weather is quite nice.

May

May is a tricky month, with various special ticket events like Star Wars Nites and Grad Nites, those parks will close early on those days so make sure you know what parks have events which days and mnaybe make your reservation for the other park or purchase park hopper tickets so you can hop parks when one closes early.

Here’s what ese is happening in the parks in May:

• Season of the Force, a Star Wars celebration, will be happening the entire month in Disneyland. This will include new destinations on Star Tours, the return of Hyperspace Mountain, and a new experience in Galaxy’s Edge during the fireworks.

• Pixar Fest will be happening all month long in both parks. This includes a new daytime parade and the return of the “Together Forever- A Nighttime Spectacular” fireworks with new scenes from our favorite Pixar movies.

• Multiple Star Wars Nites on May 2nd, 7th, & 9th. There will be special character meet and greets, themed entertainment and food, a lightsaber meetup, and more. This is a separate ticket event and Disneyland will close early at 8 pm to all no ticketed guests.

• May the Fourth be with you on May 4th. You will find some things around the park to celebrate Star Wars Day

• Cinco de Mayo is on the 5th

• Bats Day is on May 5th and they are celebrating 25 years, so you may see some people in steampunk, goth, and Halloween type looks around the parks and be prepared for higher crowds that day

• Mother’s Day is May 12^th, expect higher crowds that weekend

• Fantasmic! returns May 24th

• Memorial Day is May 27^th, 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 and the park will close early to all other guests, but grads can choose to purchase full day tickets so the parks will be much busier those days. Those dates are May 10th, 14th, 15th, 17th19th, 22nd, 23rd, 28th, and 31st.

Crowds will definitely start picking up in mid-late may and will stay high through mid-August typically. Maximize your time in the parks with these tips to make the most of your trip!

Weather in May is much like April, expect mid 70’s with lows of mid 50’s but as you get closer to the end of the month, temperatures will start to get warmer so check the forecast before your trip so you know exactly what to plan for.

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 week of the month, but I would for sure avoid weekends.

Even though June is a pretty open month with few events happening, here are a few things to expect:

• Season of the Force, a Star Wars celebration, runs through June 2nd.

• Pixar Fest will be happening all month long in both parks. This includes a new daytime parade and the return of the “Together Forever- A Nighttime Spectacular” fireworks with new scenes from our favorite Pixar movies.

• Father’s Day is June 16th, that will draw in higher crowds that day

•Juneteenth on June 19th. I’d expect higher crowds that day as some companies give their employees that day off

• More Grad Nites for high school seniors on the 5th 7th, 9th, 12th, and 14th. These are after hour events in DCA and the park will close early to all other guests, but grads can choose to purchase full day tickets so the parks will be much busier those days.

• There are 2 Pride Nite’s in June on the 18th and the 20th. This is a separate ticketed event that will include food, entertainment, character meet and greets, and more. Disneyland park will close at 8 pm that day for the event.

The weather in June is pretty nice, I’d expect high 70’s and 80’s with low’s in the 60’s at night.

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!

July

If you’re planning to visit in July, your best best are the first few days of the month, which will still be pretty busy, any other time I would expect high crowds. There are only a few things going on, but here’s what you can look forward to in July:

• Pixar Fest will be happening all month long in both parks. This includes a new daytime parade and the return of the “Together Forever- A Nighttime Spectacular” fireworks with new scenes from our favorite Pixar movies.

• 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 69th 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.

• The CHOC Walk in the Park is happening on July 21 this year. Be prepared for higher crowds!

The heat will start picking up in July with average temperatures in the mid 80’s with lows in the mid 60’s but it can definitely get hotter than that on many days. If you’re visiting during the hot summer months, check out this post for tips on how to beat the heat and find some of my favorite must have’s for the hot weather here.

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. Here’s what you can expect in August:

• Pixar Fest runs through August 4th

• The D23 Expo is being held in Anaheim this year from August 9th to 11th, with a kickoff in Disneyland Park on August 8th. This will draw in high crowds that weekend so I would avoid that time if you can unless you are attending the expo.

• Halloween Time at Disneyland– Halloween Time is kicking off a little earlier than normal this year and will be starting on August 23rd. There will be decorations, holiday treats, Haunted Mansion Holiday and other ride overlays, merch, and more! You can read all about what you can expect during Halloween time here

• Oogie Boogie Bash is kicking off earlier than normal this year with the first event on August 25, as well as August 27 and 29. California Adventure will close early those days at 6 pm to all guests who do not have tickets to the after hours event.

Weather in August is much like weather in July, expect at least mid 80’s and lows in the mid 60’s, make sure you pack smart and bring things to help you stay cool, hydrated, and comfortable. You can find my favorite items for hot days in the parks here.

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 2nd, so expect higher crowds that weekend

• An all new Disneyland Halloween Half Marathon is happening September 5th-8th, so crowds will be higher those days

• Halloween Time at Disneyland– Halloween Time will run through the entire month. There will be decorations, holiday treats, Haunted Mansion Holiday and other ride overlays, merch, and more! You can read all about what you can expect during Halloween time here

• Oogie Boogie Bash will be happening almost every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday this month, excluding the Halloween Half Marathon weekend. OBB event dates are September 3, 10, 12, 15, 17, 19, 22, 24, 26, and 29. Remember that DCA closes at 6pm on those dates for all guests who do not have Oogie Boogie Bash tickets. You can read all about Oogie Boogie Bash and what it includes here.

• Gay days will be September 13th-15th, so crowds will definitely be higher that weekend

Weather is typically in the mid 80’s with lows getting down into the 60’s, so even though September is Halloween Time, the weather will definitely feel more like summer a lot of the time.

October

October is busier than September for sure. Schools also have fall break during this time and the weekends are really busy leading up to Halloween. 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 14th so that long weekend will be pretty busy.

• Many schools have fall break, usually October 10th-13th or 17th-20th which will make the parks extremely busy those weeks.

• Oogie Boogie Bash will be held all through October as well in DCA. The event dates are October 1, 3, 6, 8, 10, 13, 15, 17, 20, 22, 24, 27, 29, and 31. For more information about Oogie Boogie Bash and the latest updates on when tickets will be available, check out this post about Oogie Boogie Bash.

• For years, Halloween and the days leading up to it have been very busy, but recently crowds haven’t been too bad

Temperatures will start to drop a little so expect upper 70’s and low 80’s and upper 50’s or low 60’s at night. If you are planning on visiting during Oogie Boogie Bash, make sure your costume is appropriate for the weather if you can.

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 later in the month. The best tie to visit is weekdays before the week of Thanksgiving. 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 second Dapper Day Expo of the year is November 2nd and 3rd and the Dapper Day fall outing is on November 3rd so crowds will be higher that weekend

• The Holidays begin at Disneyland on November 15th. 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 2023 season here

• Veteran’s Day is November 11th so crowds will probably be higher that weekend as many people have that Monday off

• 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 27th. If you are in the parks that day, some restaurants will have Thanksgiving options that they only offer that day. Make sure to make your reservations in advance to secure your Thanksgiving Dinner!

The weather will start to cool down a bit in November with the average temperature being in the mid 70’s with lows in the low 50’s. This is also coming into the rainy season in Anaheim so check for rain in the forecast before you leave on your trip.

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, but the first week is the best bet for lower crowds. 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! For everything you need to know about the holidays, check out this post.

• 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. This year, it’s likely that it will be December 7th and 8th, but Disney has not announced the exact dates yet.

• 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 typically packed in the parks so beware if you are there that day!

December can get pretty chilly, the average temperature is in the 60’s with lows getting down into the 40’s. Pack warm clothes, especially for the morning and evening hours.

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 2024! Hopefully this helps take the stress out of planning your trip so you can have a magical vacation!