There are a lot of things to consider when you are planning a trip to Disneyland like time of year, special events, school and work schedules, weather, and more. And with the way the parks have been lately, there really aren’t 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, special ticket deals, and more to find the best time to visit.
So to make your life easier, I have created a 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 taken into consideration special ticket deals and ticket tier pricing and 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.
Be aware, not all of the events in the parks are on this calendar yet as dates for things like 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) you can expect to see shorter park hours, more attractions being closed for refurbishment, and sometimes less entertainment options, while during times like the Holidays and Halloween, park hours may be longer and the park may have more to offer in terms of entertainment as well a fewer ride closures, but that also usually means higher crowds, so just keep that in mind when you are planning when you want to visit.
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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, they’re refundable if your plans change or something comes up, 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 Lightning Lane Multipass (formerly known as 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 Lightning Lane Multipass” to take advantage of the lightning lane options in the parks and skip the lines! Adding Lightning Lane Multipass to your tickets with Get Away Today will get you the absolute lowest price on Lightning Lane Multipass 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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Please keep in mind, since the reservation system was implemented a few years ago, it has drastically impacted crowd levels. This calendar is not a guarantee of what crowds will look like, but rather an estimate based on previous years, ticket deals, lowest ticket price days, and major events that I believe may impact crowd levels.
January
The first week of January is usually pretty busy as the holidays wind down, but I’m anticipating this year January may not be as quiet as it typically is for a few reasons that I’ll get into. Here’s what you’ll want to look out for:
• The Holidays end on January 6th, expect higher crowds up until that day
• Lunar New Year kicks off in DCA on January 17 and runs through the remainder of the month
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day is January 20th so that long weekend will be busier
• There is a Sweethearts’ Nite on January 21st, 23rd, and 28th 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 not included in your standard theme park ticket and Disneyland will close early at 8 pm to all no ticketed guests.
• Anaheim Ducks Day is on January 24th and will be held in California Adventure
• RunDisney Half Marathon weekend is January 30th-February 2nd, this will draw in a lot of people so be prepared if you’ll be there that weekend
• A $50 kids ticket deal also kicks off on January 7, which I believe is going to lead to higher crowds than normal for the duration of the month.
• January also has many tier 0 ticket days which means that those are the cheapest days to visit the parks. If you are looking to save money, the tier 0 ticket days are January 13-16, 21-23, and 27-29. While these days are cheaper, that can also mean more people visiting on those days so be prepared for the parks to be a little busier as that is a chance.
Once the Holidays are over, January typically has shorter park hours, less entertainment options, and potentially more ride closures. 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 has several things going on this year, here are some things to look out for in February:
• The RunDisney Half Marathon Weekend is January 30th-February 2nd, so those first two days of the month will be very busy in the parks
• There are several Disneyland After Dark: Sweethearts’ Nites to look out for on February 4th, 6th, 9th, 11th, and 13th. These events will have dancing, character experiences, photo ops, entertainment, special food offerings, attractions, and more! This is a separate ticket event not included in the standard theme park ticket and Disneyland will close early at 8 pm to all no ticketed guests.
• 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, especially because it falls on a Friday this year
• Celebrate Gospel at the Fantasyland Theatre on February 8th and 15th.
• There is a cheer nationals competition in Anaheim on February 13th and 14th that will draw in a lot of people, many of which will likely visit Disneyland so be prepared for higher crowds those days.
• Lunar New Year ends at DCA on February 16th
• President’s Day on February 17th which will draw in larger crowds that weekend
• The Food and Wine Festival kicks off on February 28th in DCA. This event is included with your theme park admission, and if you’re a fan of the original Soarin’ Over California, it will be returning for the duration of the festival. To learn more about the Food and Wine Festival and get a FREE printable foodie guide, head over here.
• The $50 kids ticket deal is valid through all of February, so I would expect there to be a little bit of an increase in the crowds as opposed to previous years. The lowest tier tickets are also available on the 4th-5th, as well as the 25th-27th. If you’re looking for cheaper days to visit, these are the ones you want, but that may also bring in higher crowds because of that.
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, as well as less entertainment options, but you may find some Valentine’s themed food items in the time leading up to Valentine’s Day.
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 and it can get pretty packed. Here are all the happenings in the parks in March:
• The DCA Food & Wine Festival will run for the entire month. Remember, this festival is included in your theme park admission and this also marks the return of Soarin’ Over California for the duration of the festival. To learn more about the Food and Wine Festival and get a FREE printable foodie guide, head over here.
• March 2nd is Adventureland Day, which is an event put on by a third party group, not Disney, but will draw in a lot of people, especially in the Adventureland area so be prepared for that. You’ll notice lots of people dressed up in Adventureland themed attire and doing a treasure hunt put on during the event.
• March brings an after hours event, 90’s Nite on March 4th and 6th. This separate ticketed event includes photo ops, event-themed food selections, attractions, character experiences, commemorative keepsakes, and more. This is a separate ticket event that is not included in your theme park admission and Disneyland will close early at 8 pm to all no ticketed guests.
• Mardi Gras is on March 4th, so make sure to stop by New Orleans Square for some festivities
• The very popular Season of the Force is returning this year, but earlier than normal, and will kick off on March 28th. This brings many special Star Wars inspired food items and the return of Hyperspace Mountain, which is a Star Wars inspired overlay on Space Mountain. If you want a FREE printable foodie guide to keep track of all the special food offerings and novelty items, click here!
• Spring Breaks begin the second week of the month- expect higher crowds the last 2-3 weeks of the month
• The $50 kids ticket deal runs through March 20, so I would expect a lot of people to be taking advantage of this deal at the last minute. The lowest tier ticket days in March are the 4th-5th, and the 11th. This may draw in more people than other days because of how cheap they are.
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, will be happening in Disneyland all month long. If you want a FREE printable foodie guide to keep track of all the special food offerings and novelty items, click here!
• Nurses day is April 2, expect even higher crowds that day on top of an already busy day
• The first Dapper Day expo of the year is on April 12th and the Dapper Day spring outing is April 13th, so expect the parks to be very busy that weekend
• Multiple Star Wars Nites in April on April 8th, 10th, 22nd, 24th, and 29th. 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.
• The DCA Food & Wine Festival runs through April 22nd. To learn more about the Food and Wine Festival and get a FREE printable foodie guide, head over here.
• April 27th is Bats Day in the park. This is a third party event, not put on by Disney, that will bring in a lot of people. You will notice a lot of people wearing black and goth outfits around the park.
• The lowest tier ticket days in April are the 29th and 30th, so that may draw in more people because they are cheaper.
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, one of the two parks will close early on those days so make sure you know what parks have events which days and maybe 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, ends May 11th. If you want a FREE printable foodie guide to keep track of all the special food offerings and novelty items, click here!
• Multiple Star Wars Nites on May 1st, 4th, & 6th. There will be special character meet and greets, themed entertainment and food, a lightsaber meetup, and more. This is a separate ticket event not included in your theme park admission 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. Be prepared for a lot of people in the parks this day, especially in Galaxy’s Edge. This is also an after dark nite so it will be pretty packed that day.
• Cinco de Mayo is on the 5th
• Mother’s Day is May 11th, I would expect higher crowds that weekend
• Disneyland’s 70th Celebration kicks off on May 16th. This celebration will include the return of the Paint the Night Parade, Wondrous Journey’s Fireworks, a new show World of Color Happiness and the return of the Pixar parade Better Together, as well as other fun experiences. This celebration will last through summer of 2026, but I anticipate the kickoff weekend will be very busy.
• Memorial Day is May 26th, 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 9th, 12th, 15th, 18th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 28th, and 31st.
• The lowest tier tickets in May are the 6th-8th, 12th-15th, 20th-21st, and 27th-28th. Again, these are the cheapest days to visit, but that may also draw in more people and up crowd levels.
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
• Father’s Day is June 15th, 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 1st, 4th, 6th, 8th, 11th, and 13th. 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 16th and the 18th. This is a separate ticketed event, not included in your theme park admission, that will include food, entertainment, character meet and greets, and more. Disneyland park will close to all non ticketed guests at 8 pm that day for the event.
• The lowest tier ticket days in June are the 3rd-5th, 10th-11th, and 24th. This is a great way to visit and save money, but also may increase crowds quite a bit.
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, especially weekends. There are only a few things going on, but here’s what you can 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 70th anniversary is on July 17th! This is the day Disneyland will be opening “Walt Disney- A Magical Life” in the Main Street Opera House which will feature an audio animatronic of Walt Disney himself, as well as debuting the third verse to “it’s a small world” written by Richard Sherman. There will also be fun birthday celebrations throughout the park to celebrate the big day. Just be aware that this day always comes with large crowd, but this year will probably be even busier with these new additions opening up.
• The cheapest dates to visit in July are the 1-2nd, 8-9th, 15-16th, 22nd, and 29-30th.This is a great way to visit and save money, but also may increase crowds quite a bit.
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 half of August is usually a great time to visit because kids are heading back to school so the crowds should die down quite a bit on weekdays. Here’s what you can expect in August:
• The annual CHOC Walk in the Park will take place Sunday, August 3rd. This event helps raise money to support children’s health, and this event may impact what time the parks open that day as well as increasing the crowd levels for the day.
• Halloween Time at Disneyland– Halloween Time is kicking off on August 22nd. 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 before Halloween Time this year. These events will be held on August 17th, 19th, 21st, 24th, 26th, 28th, and 31st. Oogie Boogie is a separate ticket event that is not included in your theme park admission, and California Adventure will close early those days at 6 pm to all guests who do not have tickets to the after hours event. Guests with Oogie Boogie tickets will be allowed to enter DCA at 3pm with their OBB event ticket. Tickets go on sale June 26 to the general public no earlier than 9 am pst on the Disneyland website. Check out my post on Oogie Boogie Bash for everything you need to know.
• The lowest tier ticket days in August are the 19th-21st and the 25th-28th. This is a great way to visit and save money, but also may increase crowds quite a bit since they’re the cheapest tier tickets Disneyland offers.
Weather in August is much like weather in July, expect at least mid 80’s if not higher and lows in the mid 60’s or 70’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 a little bit 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 1st, so expect higher crowds that weekend
• The Disneyland Halloween Half Marathon is happening September 4th-7th, so crowds will definitely 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 2nd, 9th, 11th, 14th, 16th, 18th, 21st, 23rd, 25th, 28th, and 30th. Remember that DCA closes at 6pm on those dates for all guests who do not have Oogie Boogie Bash tickets. Tickets go on sale June 26 to the general public no earlier than 9 am pst on the Disneyland website. Check out my post on Oogie Boogie Bash for everything you need to know.
• Gay days will be September 12th-14th. This is a third party event, not put on by Disney, but will draw in a lot of people so be prepared for higher crowds that weekend.
• The lowest tier ticket days in September are the 2nd-4th, 9th, 11th, and 16th-18th. This is a great way to visit and save money, but also may increase crowds quite a bit since they’re the cheapest tier tickets Disneyland offers.
Weather is typically in the mid 80’s, sometimes higher, 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. Check the weather and be prepared because it can get very hot.
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 13th so that long weekend will be pretty busy.
• Many schools have fall break, usually October 8th-12th or 15th-19th 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 2nd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 12th, 14th, 16th, 19th, 21st, 23rd, 26th, 28th, and 31st. Tickets go on sale June 26 to the general public no earlier than 9 am pst on the Disneyland website. Check out my post on Oogie Boogie Bash for everything you need to know. Remember, this is a separate ticket event, not included in your theme park admission, and DCA will close at 6 pm to all non ticketed guests. Guests with OBB tickets can enter the park at 3 pm with their event ticket.
• Halloween hasn’t been too bad the last few years, but this year it falls on a Friday and is an Oogie Boogie Bash night as well so it may be slightly busier.
• The lowest tier ticket days in October are the 1st-2nd. This is a great way to visit and save money, but also may increase crowds quite a bit .
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 time 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 in November, no dates have been released yet, but when that information comes out I will update.
• The Holidays begin at Disneyland on November 14th. 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 2024 season here. I would expect higher crowds for the kickoff as creators, influencers, and media come to try to cover the kickoff.
• Veteran’s Day is November 11th, some people have that day off so I would expect at least average crowds
• 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! Thanksgiving and the few days following will likely be very busy in the parks.
• The lowest tier ticket days in November are the 3rd-6th and the 10th-13th. This is a great way to visit and save money, but also may increase crowds quite a bit since they’re the cheapest tier tickets Disneyland offers.
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. Make sure to pack jackets as it gets cooler, especially in the evening.
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. 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 don’t visit the parks after Christmas if you can help it. 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 in front of the train station on Main Street USA. 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 twice a night on two nights, and can only be seen from the standing area behind the seated section which is only available by invitation only. Trying to find a spot in the standing section will be hard to get, so you definitely need to be in the area early to try to get a spot for this. This will happen on the 6th and 7th this year.
• Holidays like Hanukkah and Kwanzaa may bring higher crowds to the parks those days
• Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are surprisingly busy days in the parks
• New Year’s Eve is a fun time to be in the parks. They do have things to help celebrate the new year which is a great way to end the year, but it is typically packed so just be prepared for the high crowds that come with that day.
• Ticket tier prices have not been announced for December yet, but I will update with the lowest tier dates when that information is available.
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 $200 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 an estimate of crowds and events at Disneyland Resort for 2025! Hopefully this helps take the stress out of planning your trip so you can have a magical vacation!
