Selecting one of the best time to go to Disneyland and Disney California Journey is hard, particularly as crowds are much less predictable and fluctuate broadly between days or perhaps weeks. This information was designed with that in thoughts, sharing our favourite weeks to go and worst ones to keep away from all through the following 2 years primarily based on attendance and wait occasions forecasts, plus seasonal occasions, climate & extra.
These lists do issues a bit otherwise. As Disneyland locals, we regularly have household and buddies asking us when they need to take their journeys to Southern California. In the course of the course of answering these inquiries, we’ve discovered that crowd ranges in Disneyland and DCA are one issue, however not the overriding one.
We’re as a substitute addressing climate, particular occasions, and overarching vacationer traits. Not simply at Disneyland Resort, however in Southern California as an entire. As a result of, no less than in our expertise, few individuals we all know are taking Disneyland holidays–they’re visiting the seashore cities, Los Angeles, perhaps a Nationwide Park or two, and different standard cities and spots in California. Frankly, this balanced method is smart even with regards to simply Disneyland and being primarily involved with crowds.
The explanations for which are two-fold. First, because of the limitations of conventional crowd calendars with regards to trip planning. It’s typically the case that the worst and greatest particular person days are dotted all through the weeks and months. This may be useful should you’re searching for a single day to go to and your schedule is broad open. Much less so should you’re planning a 3-5 day go to that encompasses each good and dangerous days.
There’s additionally the unlucky actuality that crowd calendars are much less dependable than they was. That is true throughout the board. It’s not that we’re casting aspersions on different websites you employ our 2025 Disneyland Crowd Calendar. On the contrary, we belief all of them much less, and even warn that you simply shouldn’t over depend on any of them–ours included!
The truth is that there are too many variables, particularly within the period of park reservations, that give Disney granular management over attendance and staffing. (That is even worse with the automated crowd calendars that scrape final yr’s wait occasions information and make future “predictions” on that foundation.)
Not solely that, however traits and patterns change primarily based on circumstances. This makes reliance on previous wait occasions to foretell future crowd ranges for particular dates difficult. We lately addressed this at size in What to Anticipate of Crowds at Disneyland in 2025. That explains the 2 countervailing elements at play in 2025, and the way these will possible upend crowd calendars this yr.
The excellent news, fortunately, is that common traits nonetheless do apply. Even when it’s tough to foretell numerical crowd ranges for particular days, there are particular weeks we all know for sure will probably be higher or worse than others. We additionally know when seasonal occasions will occur, what climate is mostly like every month, when ticket offers will happen that drive attendance, and extra.
On high of all that, we stay pretty shut to a couple of the Finest Seashores in Southern California (and in our opinion, your complete world) and take common walks there. If there’s one factor we all know higher than Disneyland crowds, it’s Orange County seashore metropolis crowds! Whereas we don’t spend almost as a lot time in Los Angeles or the close by Nationwide Parks, we’ve been to all of them sufficient to know when to go to and keep away from these, too.
When mixed with our Finest & Worst Days to Do Every Park at Disneyland, this ought to supply definitive recommendation for choosing journey dates and when to prioritize the parks versus different issues to do in Southern California. This narrows down the week, after which that gives what you could know to decide on when to go to every park. It’s nonetheless extra of a “train an individual to fish” slightly than the “give an individual a fish” mentality of crowd calendars, however it additionally ought to show extra correct and helpful.
Past this, we commonly share large updates, reductions which are launched by Disneyland, crowd ranges change, and many others., we ship out electronic mail notifications. To obtain these, subscribe to our free electronic mail publication. This offers you a good suggestion of what issues are like ‘on the bottom’ at Disneyland, in addition to what to anticipate sooner or later.
With all of that mentioned, let’s dig into the information and different variables to rank the ten greatest weeks and 10 worst weeks to go to Southern California and Disneyland Resort within the subsequent 2 years–which means dates in 2025 and 2026, plus a few weeks in 2027…
Worst Weeks to Go to Disneyland in 2025 to 2027
Winter Break (January 1-5, 2026; January 1-4, 2027) – There’s the notion that vacation crowds die down instantly after New Yr’s Eve, that it’s like flipping a swap. That was the case, however not. Nowadays, post-holiday crowds stay heavy by the primary weekend in January, and don’t let up till native faculty districts return into session following winter break.
After that, vacationers are briefly supplanted by native Magic Key passholders who’re not blocked out however are nonetheless on vacation break from work or faculty. Annual Passholder blockouts for January don’t completely coincide with Los Angeles and Orange County College District winter breaks, and are rather more staggered than in earlier years.
Suffice to say, there’s a slight surge of pent-up demand amongst locals after multi-week blockouts carry within the New Yr after some blockouts finish however earlier than colleges return into session. The excellent news is that it is like flipping a swap after that, with the times that comply with being blissfully uncrowded till MLK Day Weekend.
Ski Week (February 14-24, 2025; February 13-23, 2026) – With out query, the worst dates of winter at Disneyland will probably be February 14-17, 2025, which is the Presidents’ Day vacation weekend. The whole week following that’s dangerous because of the dreaded “Ski Week” at Disneyland. (See Avoiding Ski Week at Disneyland for a full rationalization as to why a theme park, of all locations, is impacted by snowboarding crowds.)
In any case, the result’s that crowds will possible stay elevated by February 24, 2025 as a consequence of Ski Week. If in any respect doable, we’d keep away from all of those dates. Anticipate crowd ranges of round 8/10 in the course of the peak of Presidents’ Day and seven/10 or greater on the encompassing dates.
With Lunar New Yr ending earlier than this and no leisure or seasonal choices to take its place, this timeframe turns into even much less enticing. The shortage of parades, nighttime spectaculars, and so forth will exacerbate the looks like crowds, as there will probably be little-to-no leisure to ‘take in’ crowds.
Early Spring Break (March 24-31, 2025; March 23-31, 2026) – March will get progressively busier within the second half of the month, first because of the finish of the Youngsters Ticket Deal. The final two weeks additionally begin seeing spring break crowds as non-local markets and a few colleges in surrounding states (particularly Utah and Nevada) begin having their spring breaks.
Moreover, some colleges in Orange County–the place Disneyland is situated–have their spring breaks the final week of the month annually. Sometimes, native spring breaks trigger crowds to spike, particularly when overlapping with ticket offers that don’t have blockout dates, which means this would be the worst week of the month.
Nevertheless, March 2025 gained’t be almost as dangerous as final yr. The largest purpose is as a result of Easter isn’t till April 20, 2025. That is 3 full weeks later than the earlier yr, which can successfully unfold out the Spring Break season and dilute crowds.
Easter (April 11-21, 2025; April 1-6, 2026) – It is a pretty protected prediction yr in and yr out, no matter what else occurs. In truth, you may precisely predict in the present day that the week main as much as Easter will probably be busy in 2027-2030 or 2055.
Easter week has been the busiest of spring break season for so long as we’ve been protecting Disneyland, though late March when Orange County is out has come shut a few occasions. Nevertheless, this week is exacerbated by the Los Angeles Unified College District having a spring break that’s anchored to easter. LAUSD has an outsized affect on Disneyland attendance, and its Spring Break is April 14-18, 2025.
Ultimately, it doesn’t actually matter which of those spring break weeks has greater crowd ranges. That’s virtually totally educational, an fascinating factor to look at for these of us who obsess over crowd traits and attendance patterns. The underside line for many planners taking a look at this from a sensible perspective is that late March by the Monday after Easter will probably be very crowded.
Summer time’s Twin Peaks (Late Might/Early June 2025 and July 21-28, 2025; June 22-29, 2026 and July 20-27, 2026) – Summer time crowd calendars are snake oil. There’s little or no consistency in attendance patterns for June and July within the final a number of years. Typical knowledge was that the weeks round Fourth of July have been the peaks, however that hasn’t been the case shortly–every of the final two years, Independence Day was among the many slowest of summer time.
There’s now rising knowledge that summer time is the brand new low season. That additionally isn’t correct. Each week of June and July final yr–besides Independence Day–noticed above-average crowd ranges. When contrasted with shoulder season earlier than summer time or the low season after, the distinction was pronounced.
To the extent that there was a pattern, it’s that there are twin peaks in summer time. One across the midway level, and one which we’ve described as a “final hurrah” as vacationers scramble to take journeys earlier than faculty going again into session. These peaks aren’t utterly constant, however have kind of been the top of June and finish of July, with Mondays being particularly dangerous (therefore these dates being Monday to Monday).
Nevertheless, the brand new wrinkle for 2025 is the beginning of the Disneyland seventieth Anniversary Celebration, which begins on Might 16, 2025. Our expectation is that the occasion will begin out robust, with heavy crowds its opening weekend after which once more the next lengthy weekend for Memorial Day and into early June 2025. There aren’t precise dates above as a result of it’s tough to foretell how crowds will play out.
If in case you have no selection however to go to throughout summer time, and are selecting dates from a holistic perspective, we’d advocate aiming for mid-June. Crowds elsewhere round Southern California are extra like a bell curve, with the Fourth of July being the excessive level. Our tough rule of thumb is that Father’s Day usually alerts the arrival of peak summer time crowds within the seashore cities. Both go to earlier than then, or after mid-August as crowds begin departing.
Finish of Summer time Ticket Offers (September 19-30, 2025; September 19-30, 2026 or so) – There’s at all times an enormous spike in crowds over the last week of any ticket deal as locals scramble to make use of their remaining dates on these tickets. This dynamic happens because of the ‘use it or lose it’ rush to benefit from these tickets earlier than they expire. The identical factor at all times occurs when the winter/spring supply ends (Might 15, 2025), though that needs to be lessened this yr because it’s instantly earlier than Disneyland’s seventieth Anniversary.
Final yr, this ticket deal ended September 26; the yr earlier than that, September 28. Consequently, that final week had crowd ranges of 6/10 to 9/10 throughout every of the previous couple of years. We’d count on one thing related for 2025, however we gained’t know till it’s launched, which can possible happen in June–maybe July if Disneyland’s seventieth Anniversary proves a adequate driver of crowds.
As such, we’re erring on the facet of warning and forecasting heavy crowds (7/10 to 10/10) beginning September 19, 2025 and working by the top of the month. The week earlier than that may be elevated, however gained’t be so dangerous. It actually relies upon upon eligibility, when the ticket deal expires, reservation availability, and if individuals are “pressured” to take these last-minute visits earlier as a consequence of diminished reservations. We’ll replace all of this as soon as the ticket deal is stay and people particulars are launched.
Fall Breaks (October 10-19, 2025; October 9-18, 2026) – Up till the final two years, which have been arguably anomalies to an extent, October had develop into the #1 worst month of the yr at Disneyland. Excluding the primary week, the parks have been packed–for just about your complete month.
This was pushed by a combination of the Halloween season being extremely standard with locals and a scattering of fall breaks for college districts all through California and the West Coast. Disney’s resolution was to dramatically elevate the value of single-day tickets all through October (now probably the most costly month of the yr to go to, on common) and prolong the Halloween season into August.
This has largely labored. Demand has been pulled ahead into August and September, and locals with flexibility decide to go to when it’s cheaper. Excluding Fall Breaks, October’s highs aren’t as excessive as they as soon as have been. The rationale the final couple of years have been arguably anomalies to an extent is as a result of Disneyland has overcorrected, and it’s solely a matter of time earlier than issues swing again within the different path.
For now, simply remember that many districts in Utah and California have breaks that fall between these two weekends. There’s additionally Nevada Day on the finish of the month, however even that plus Halloween aren’t sufficient for that to make the listing.
Thanksgiving (November 21-28, 2025; November 20-27, 2026) – Nearly any Disney fan is acquainted with the crowds of the ultimate three weeks on this listing, that are virtually an identical for each Disneyland and Walt Disney World.
They’re hardly a secret or shock, and are predictably busy yr in and yr out. These weeks nonetheless catch some informal guests unexpectedly, as there are persistent city legends that the vacations are quiet as a result of “everyone seems to be at dwelling with their households.” Clearly, that’s hogwash.
Providing a bit extra perception right here, Thanksgiving week crowds are usually worst the Sunday by Tuesday earlier than Thanksgiving earlier than a comparative lull on late Wednesday and early Thursday. Friday and Saturday are wildcards; often each are very busy, however not at all times.
We’ve formally eliminated Saturday from the above dates to keep away from as a result of it was downright pleasant final yr. We’d advocate erring on the facet of warning and avoiding it if in any respect doable, however that’s not important. The Sunday after Thanksgiving has been uncrowded for years, making that an important first day within the parks.
Christmas (December 22-25, 2025; December 21-25, 2026) – Right here’s the place there’s deviation between Disneyland and Walt Disney World. On account of extremely aggressive Magic Key Annual Passholder blockouts, there’s truly this odd ‘calm earlier than the storm’ dynamic from round December 19 to 21 when blockouts have largely taken impact, however earlier than vacationers have arrived. Not sufficient to make {that a} really useful time to go to, however sufficient that it’s noticeable.
The arrival of Christmas week crowds are very dependent upon the day of the week of Christmas. On account of its timing final yr and this yr, the week after (between Christmas and New Yr’s Eve) noticed or will see the worst of the crowds.
Consequently, the true peak of Christmas crowds comes that Monday and Tuesday, just like Thanksgiving. And this week is rarely as busy because the week between Christmas and New Yr’s Eve. Regardless, all second-half of December dates are properly above-average and needs to be averted if doable. However not all days are equally busy. Some are far worse. That’ll in all probability be the case with the week earlier than December 25 in every of the following dozen years.
New Yr’s Eve (December 26-31, 2025; December 26-31, 2026) – It’s the very same story right here. The week main as much as New Yr’s Eve is nearly at all times 9/10 to 10/10 on the gang calendar.
Nevertheless, it as soon as once more shouldn’t be almost as dangerous as Walt Disney World (which has 10+/10 crowd ranges) because of the aforementioned across-the-board Magic Key blockouts. This truly brings the week of New Yr’s Eve extra in keeping with Easter, with the latter notably not having as aggressive of AP blockouts and being eligible for the SoCal resident ticket deal.
However, should you have been to put a guess on the busiest weeks of 2025 and 2026, the sensible cash can be on this week. If I needed to make the identical guess for the yr 2055, I’d nonetheless decide the week main as much as New Yr’s Eve. Doesn’t essentially imply it’ll have the worst wait occasions given the uncertainty of constructing predictions 1-2 years into the longer term, however it’s the odds-on favourite of claiming the crown.
Finest Weeks to Go to Disneyland in 2025 & 2026
Winter Doldrums (January 21-26, 2025; January 20-25, 2026) – After winter break ends, January is essentially quiet apart from the Martin Luther King Jr. Day vacation weekend and Disneyland Half Marathon–and even the runDisney occasion isn’t busy busy. This leaves three completely different weeks which are probably good choices for decrease crowds in January.
All of these needs to be equally good, and if this have been performed completely on the target foundation of crowd ranges, there’s a greater than respectable probability a few weeks would make the lower. These weeks will get you far sufficient outdoors the vacation season, with the post-blockout crowd wave having subsided, and native colleges being again in session.
Our favourite of those is January 21-26, 2025. This dates is in direction of the beginning of the Lunar New Yr festivities at DCA, which is at all times a enjoyable time to go to. It additionally advantages from fewer refurbishments and often higher climate. (Word: 2026 dates are topic to alter as soon as the Disneyland Half Marathon dates are set.)
Early to Mid-February (February 4-13, 2025; February 3-12, 2026) – This is kind of a continuation of the above, skipping the dates that coincide with the 2025 Disneyland Half Marathon. (Once more, this window may shift as soon as 2026 Disneyland Half Marathon dates are revealed.)
As a common matter, winter crowds regularly improve after bottoming out in mid-to-late January. Nevertheless, crowds additionally improve from low ranges to extra reasonable ones by mid-February. So you really want to optimize for what issues most to you–potential refurbishments and colder climate or crowds? It’s positively a ‘fly too near the solar and get burned’ kinda deal, with Ski Week coming instantly after these dates.
With all of that in thoughts, our favourite window to go to inside this timeframe is February 4-9, 2025. We’d additionally advocate February 11-13, 2025 as dates that ought to characteristic extra reasonable crowds. The final week of January into early February is often additionally a great choice. Nevertheless, the 2025 Disneyland Half Marathon is January 30 to February 2, 2025. Whereas it could have a negligible affect on crowds (as was the case final yr), we’re not assured in a repeat of that. Accordingly, we’d err on the facet of avoiding that week.
For all of those really useful January and February dates, it’s additionally price noting that we aren’t averse to winter climate. We love sporting sweaters to Disneyland, and don’t thoughts the occasional wet day that clears out crowds. We additionally love the extraordinarily uncrowded seashores, however we’re additionally by no means getting within the water. These aren’t good dates should you’re making an attempt to flee the snow and chilly of the Midwest or wherever and desire a heat climate getaway. We point out this as a result of it at all times journeys up planners–however Southern California and Central Florida do not share climates.
Early Spring (March 4-9, 2025; March 3-8, 2026) – These dates aren’t set in stone, and also you may need related success the next or earlier week. Nevertheless, there are a couple of particular the explanation why we’re recommending these dates. First, this gives adequate clearance from each Mid-Winter Break or Ski Week and Spring Break. Go per week earlier or later and also you may run into ever-so-slightly elevated crowds consequently.
Second, that is the week after the Disney California Journey Meals & Wine Competition begins. That attracts a variety of locals to the parks, particularly DCA, for its opening weekend and people aren’t at all times picked up by conventional crowd calendars since they’re visiting for the occasion and to not experience sights.
Lastly, this can be a couple of weeks earlier than the Youngsters’ Ticket Deal ends. This standard low cost is an enormous draw for households, and we’ve seen elevated crowds–and seas of strollers–in its ultimate week as vacationers and locals alike race to take benefit. It’s not as pronounced as the top of the SoCal resident deal, however it’s noticeable.
That apart, that is one among our absolute favourite weeks of the yr at Disneyland, owing to an important mixture of low-to-moderate crowds, pretty climate, and the DCA Meals & Wine Competition. If you happen to’re planning on a seashore go to, it’s additionally a good time to beat the crowds there–while not having to put on a parka whilst you’re lounging. We extremely advocate visiting Disneyland throughout these dates!
Put up-Easter (April 22-30, 2025; April 12-26, 2026) – For this week, we’re primarily wanting per week or two after Easter. Often, crowds die down within the week instantly after the vacation, however there are nonetheless some colleges with breaks then. The week following that’s often when the slower season arrives.
The added advantages listed here are (often) spring climate and decrease costs. That makes this an important choice should you’re searching for the optimum dates between spring and summer time faculty breaks. That is likewise a unbelievable time within the seashore cities, Los Angeles, and Common Studios Hollywood.
Shoulder Season (Might 1-8, 2025; Might 1-15, 2026) – In wanting on the wait time information, the primary full week of Might is often the slowest of the month. Not by a large margin, and the next week is typically higher. In truth, your complete month earlier than the Memorial Day vacation weekend is often fairly good, and reliably uncrowded because it’s the shoulder season between spring break and summer time trip.
The massive exception to that is usually the week to 10 days earlier than the expiration of the Southern California resident ticket deal, which often ends earlier than Memorial Day or in early June (if nothing particular is going on Memorial Day weekend). Nevertheless, this yr the ticket deal concludes on Might 15, 2025 because of the Disneyland seventieth Anniversary celebration beginning the following day. That may virtually definitely convey the shoulder season celebration to a untimely finish.
Admittedly, we don’t have a whole image of what to anticipate in Might 2025, which is a reasonably unprecedented month consequently to those countervailing elements. Given this, we’d personally be extra inclined to go to in late April than early Might, however each choices needs to be enticing.
Put up-Summer time (August 19-28, 2025; August 18-27, 2026) – August 2025 crowds drop when Orange County and Los Angeles colleges return into session. Orange County colleges resume round August 12, 2025 and Los Angeles County resumes on August 11, 2025. That second date is vital; there’ll virtually definitely be a precipitous drop beginning that week.
That’s partially offset by the summer time Magic Key Annual Passholder blockouts for the bottom tiers of passes ending round roughly the identical time. There will probably be a variety of pent-up demand for locals who’ve been blocked out for ~2 months, and they’ll return in droves that week.
On the opposite finish of the date vary, Halloween now begins earlier, on August 22, 2025. Anticipate that weekend and the next Monday to be barely elevated, earlier than returning to low season ranges on Tuesday. Whether or not you need decrease crowds or spook season festivities is a private query, and why this date vary provides each.
Our expectation is that the pre-Halloween interval in 2025 will probably be extra enticing than regular, correctly the primary window inside the Disneyland seventieth Anniversary celebration with low crowds. Against this, the beginning of spook season may convey with it locals benefiting from ticket offers who need to double-dip on the seventieth and Halloween.
Round Labor Day (September 2-7, 2025; August 28 to September 3, 2026) – The week beginning the Tuesday after Labor Day has been the least busy of your complete yr for 3 of the final 5 years.
This pattern will virtually definitely proceed in September 2025. That timeframe is after the preliminary rush of Halloween, properly earlier than Fall Break, and in addition sufficiently previous to the final hurrah of each time the upcoming ticket deal expires. This needs to be a unbelievable time to go to, with solely climate being a wildcard.
Against this, Labor Day will occur later in 2026 and the week after may be too near all of that for consolation. Accordingly, we’re transferring the really useful week in entrance of Labor Day. (Topic to alter as soon as the ticket deal is launched and Halloween dates are introduced.)
Between Two Holidays (November 1-6, 2025; November 3-10, 2026) – Final yr marked the primary time that the Christmas season kicked off after Veterans Day weekend. This yr will mark the second time.
Final yr, this primary week of November was one of many slowest of the yr consequently. It did get busier round Veterans Day, however nonetheless nothing like in earlier years when that vacation was a part of the Christmas season–to the purpose that we wouldn’t be averse to visiting round Veterans Day or anytime earlier than November 14, 2025.
Whether or not this pattern continues in 2026 is anybody’s guess. From a quantitative perspective, this timeframe is simply too good to disregard–particularly with Haunted Mansion Vacation already underway, Christmas decorations beginning to go up, and usually nice climate. From a qualitative perspective, we’d commerce the decrease crowds for a fully-fledged Christmas season. Accordingly, the following two weeks are a lot stronger suggestions.
Put up-Thanksgiving (November 29 to December 7, 2025; November 28 to December 6, 2026) – The start is instantly after Thanksgiving, which can name this advice into query. However crowds fall quick after the vacation as individuals there for that week head dwelling.
Every part about this week is nice–the climate, post-holiday lull in crowds, pricing, and the total slate of Christmas season leisure. We joke that this was Disney’s “second-best saved secret” after Disney Trip Membership, which is to say it was a secret in title solely since so many individuals knew about it.
Second Week of December (December 8-14, 2025; December 7-13, 2026) – The next week is simply barely busier, so it’s not like you could get out of city earlier than December 8. Final yr, each of the 2 weeks after Thanksgiving had a median wait time of 25 minutes, which may be very low.
We’ve come to actually just like the weekend of Candlelight Processional, which artificially suppresses attendance and wait occasions at Disneyland that weekend. Many assets will counsel avoiding that weekend. They’re improper–that’s an outdated perspective within the period of park reservations. You simply should be sensible about it, and use that particular occasion to your strategic benefit.
That is exactly why the second week of December is our #1 favourite time to go to Disneyland. It’s not the target greatest from a crowds perspective, however it does are usually very low (common wait occasions within the ~25 minute vary) and you’ll be able to leverage savvy technique to your benefit. Seeing Candlelight Processional, even when from a distance, can also be an superior expertise that’s extremely memorable.
Finally, that’s a rundown of the highest 10 weeks of the yr and the worst 10 weeks at Disneyland for all of 2025 and 2026. As you may’ve gathered by studying the entries, there are good and dangerous home windows that stretch past what’s coated on this listing–it’s best to be capable to deduce most of these primarily based the rundown above.
Planning a Southern California trip? For park admission offers, learn Suggestions for Saving Cash on Disneyland Tickets. Find out about on-site and off-site accommodations in our Anaheim Lodge Evaluations & Rankings. For the place to eat, take a look at our Disneyland Restaurant Evaluations. For distinctive concepts of issues that’ll enhance your journey, take a look at What to Pack for Disney. For complete recommendation, seek the advice of our Disneyland Trip Planning Information. Lastly, for guides past Disney, take a look at our Southern California Itineraries for day journeys to Los Angeles, Laguna Seashore, and lots of different SoCal cities!
Your Ideas
Do you agree or disagree with our Disneyland week rankings for now by early 2027? Are there any months you suppose are higher or worse than we now have them ranked? Any particular supreme weeks that you simply’d advocate individuals go to California? Different dates to keep away from the parks in 2025 or 2026? Any questions? Listening to your suggestions–even if you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
