Planning a visit to Disneyland and attempting to find out the most effective month to go to in 2023? We analyze crowds, climate, seasonal occasions, park hours, and different components to rank each month of the yr for Disneyland on this submit, plus our 3 favourite weeks to go to. (Updated January 4, 2023.)
It’s been a wild experience since Disneyland and DCA reopened. There have been waves of pent-up demand made for a busy summer season, adopted by attendance petering out, and that course of repeating itself a number of instances. The debut and subsequent suspensions of Magic Key Annual Pass gross sales has additional sophisticated crowd predictions, as have ticket offers for Southern California residents.
The excellent news is that issues have began getting again to regular within the final 8 months. Looking ahead to 2023, this must be the primary regular yr at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure since 2018. (Due to the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, 2019 was something however regular. Ditto the next two-plus years, for apparent causes.)
With that stated, there’s no such factor as a completely regular yr at Disneyland Resort. While we’re absolutely anticipating acquainted patterns to return to the attendance dynamic over the course of all the yr, there are some monkey wrenches thrown into the combo very early on.
Thanks to the debuts of Wondrous Journeys Fireworks at Disneyland and World of Color – One at Disney California Adventure for the Walt Disney Company’s one hundredth Anniversary plus the debut of Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, Winter 2023 received’t play out as it will usually. Then there’s the return of the short-lived Magic Happens parade and opening of the reimagined Toontown. All of that may upend crowd calendars early within the yr. The excellent news is that virtually every thing ought to return to regular by April 2023.
Accordingly, we’re rating all months of the yr. Even if our expectations about crowds are barely off, climate, seasonal occasions, and different components are constant from yr to yr, making this useful resource equally helpful for planning a visit to Disneyland in 2023 or 2024.
A number of sources exist already to assist planners select the most effective time to go to Disneyland, however they achieve this from an goal, statistical perspective. While crowd calendars are a terrific useful resource, we imagine in a extra holistic strategy to planning a Disneyland go to.
To make sure, everybody loves low crowds, however these low crowds don’t inform the entire story. When it involves Disneyland, low crowd ranges are generally accompanied by shorter working hours, poor climate, extra refurbishments, and an absence of seasonal occasions. Few individuals consider their trip’s success by some statistical ‘fun quotient’, so we really feel it solely is sensible to strategy the most effective months to go to Disneyland from the same qualitative strategy.
That’s our perception, no less than, and one which has confirmed widespread with readers of our 2023 Disneyland Crowd Calendars: When to Visit & Avoid. We’ve had a variety of questions for larger steering in that submit, so we thought we’d present that right here. In this, we offer the professionals & cons of each month at Disneyland and rank the most effective and worst instances to go to accordingly.
As such, the purpose of this submit is to rank each month of the yr for visiting Disneyland in mild of all related issues. After rating every month with accompanying evaluation (so you’ll be able to decide whether or not you’d weigh the components in another way) we additionally reduce to the chase and select our 3 favourite weeks of the yr for visiting Disneyland.
In order of worst to finest, right here’s how each month of the yr at Disneyland ranks…
12. June 2023 – Last yr, June was the busiest month of the yr, with a mean wait time of 38 minutes throughout all points of interest in each parks over the course of all the month. That made it busier than July, which was once the busier summer season trip month. (It’s unclear whether or not rising gasoline costs contributed to or induced this, however it’s the second consecutive yr, so we’re simply going to imagine June 2023 would be the busier month given the absence of ‘evidence’ on the contrary.)
June being busier than July truly is sensible for one massive motive: decrease tier Magic Key passholders are usually not blocked out earlier in June 2023, inflicting them to descend upon the park. That means there’s a dynamic with each vacationers and locals in June, whereas July has fewer of the latter.
The solely different main consideration for the summer season months is climate. While June is among the hottest months of the yr in California, it’s usually not as scorching and humid as Florida. Beyond that, it comes down (largely) to luck whether or not June, July, or August may have the “worst” climate. Click right here to view our June Disneyland Crowd Calendar.
11. July 2023 – Pretty a lot the identical story with July. This is commonly the height of California’s summer season vacationer season, however it has extra narrowly-tailored Magic Key blockouts. We may find yourself being “wrong” and misjudging the brand new crowd dynamic, however for now, we’d choose a unique month if visiting Disneyland as vacationers. At finest, July 2023 will rank #9 on this record. There’s an excessive amount of draw back and never sufficient potential upside.
In common, July isn’t as dangerous at Disneyland as Walt Disney World. You nonetheless have the potential for warm climate, however it’s not almost as humid. There’s additionally an inflow of summer season vacationers, however far fewer than Florida. The days round Independence Day are an exception, as they’re exceptionally busy regardless of the blockouts. The upside to July 4th at Disneyland is added leisure and particular fireworks. Click right here to view our July Disneyland Crowd Calendar.
10. April 2023 – Easter is April 9, and the week main as much as that shall be Spring Break for Los Angeles County School District. The week earlier than that’s Spring Break for many Orange County School Districts. That plus Spring Break season in California and different western states means you’ll have a mixture of locals and vacationers who’re on trip descending upon the parks throughout the first half of the month. Consequently, April 2023 shall be busier than regular.
This makes for the primary couple weeks of April the busiest time of yr, and likewise most costly dates of the yr at lodges close to Disneyland Resort. This is very irritating at Disneyland, a park that was merely not constructed to accommodate as many visitors as cram into the parks throughout the month of April.
Normally, there can be two silver linings. First, that the final two weeks of April must be quieter as Spring Break winds down. Second, April climate in Southern California is nice, with little precipitation and hotter temperatures–however not too heat. Click right here to view our April Disneyland Crowd Calendar.
9. October 2023 – Last yr, October was as soon as once more the second-busiest month, and solely narrowly edged out by June for #1. That shouldn’t come as a shock, as October had grow to be more and more chaotic in “normal” years. In giant half, this may be attributed to Oogie Boogie Bash – A Disney Halloween Party at Disney California Adventure and extra demand for all issues Halloween at each parks.
On high of that, October 2023 has a surplus of “crazy” holidays–half of which I feel Utah and Nevada are making up simply to mess with Disneyland crowd ranges. Nevada, you don’t get your personal vacation. I’ll sooner acknowledge “Whacking Day” as an official vacation. Aside from this nonsense Utah and Nevada are celebrating, there’s additionally Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples Day. While not main holidays on their very own, many college districts use that as a proxy for fall breaks. And the colleges that don’t usually have their breaks scattered all through different lengthy weekends in October.
Then there’s Halloween, and everybody is aware of that these heathens in California have fun by taking 13 days off work. 😉 Seriously, although, October has grow to be a very busy month at Disneyland. The climate and seasonal leisure are each nice (simply take a look at our Ultimate Guide to Halloween at Disneyland), however crowds are too unpredictable and heavy. Click right here to view our October Disneyland Crowd Calendar.
8. February 2023 – This month goes to spike significantly this yr. First, there’s the beginning of the Walt Disney Company’s one hundredth Anniversary on January 27, 2023. With that ‘100 Years of Wonder’ celebration comes new nighttime spectaculars in each parks, plus the opening of Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway in Disneyland. All of it will make everything of February 2023 busier than January–and the very same dates final yr.
On high of that, there’s the week of Presidents’ Day, which can considerably spike crowds (keep away from that total week). Even exterior of that, you begin to see a slight uptick in crowds later in February. Even earlier than that, the Lunar New Year celebration runs till February 15, 2023…inflicting elevated crowds the primary half of the month. Things don’t get any higher the ultimate week of the month, because the Magic Happens parade returns on February 24, 2023.
All of that’s the draw back of February 2023. The upside is fewer refurbishments and hotter climate than January. Click right here to view our February Disneyland Crowd Calendar.
7. December 2023 – This month slips a bit for our Disneyland rankings for one motive and one solely: crowds. Everything else about December at Disneyland is nice: cool climate, lovely decorations, fantastic leisure, and nice meals. (See our Ultimate Guide to Christmas at Disneyland for extra on why that is the best time of yr on the parks.)
We spend a variety of time at Disneyland in December, and love each minute of it. If we had no selection however to go to throughout this month, we completely would. So don’t let that rating discourage you an excessive amount of–it’s largely that November is way superior to December. Even this comes with an asterisk, as the primary week of December is often the least-busy of the vacation season. (That’s a relative time period–it’s nonetheless normally round 5/10 on the group calendar.)
That ‘confluence of greatness’ at Disneyland in December implies that a variety of Magic Key passholders prioritize visiting in December, as do locals who are usually not passholders however go to a few times per yr. Add to that vacationers, who’re drawn to the parks this time of yr, and it’s a recipe for heavy attendance. About the one instances that aren’t chaotic are the couple of days after most blockouts take impact–however earlier than Christmas trip crowds arrive–and any day that it rains. Click right here to view our December Disneyland Crowd Calendar.
6. August 2023 – This month has seen its inventory soar within the final two years, pushed largely by the brand new dynamic of summer season trip crowds dropping precipitously on the begin of August, relatively than midway by means of. There’s no motive to count on this development to vary for August 2023.
The largest draw back is the potential for actually scorching climate, however you continue to have that reprieve from locals. The extra upside to August is that you simply don’t have the Independence Day spike. While everything of August has improved, crowds get actually good mid-month, as that’s when colleges begin going again into session.
While it didn’t make the reduce for our greatest weeks of the yr, there’s a fourth “sweet spot” within the precise center of the month that has lengthy working hours, decreased crowds, and Magic Key passholder blockouts. Strongly take into account this week in the event you’re considering of doing a late Summer 2023 trip at Disneyland. Click right here to view our August Disneyland Crowd Calendar.
5. March 2023 – This month truly “springs forward” significantly, as Los Angeles and Orange Counties received’t have their Spring Breaks in April, making March rather more engaging. Other Spring Breaks for out of state colleges shall be scattered all through the month, however they shouldn’t be too dangerous.
Then there’s climate, which is beginning to enhance in March. It’s additionally the primary full month of Disney California Adventure’s Food & Wine Festival, which normally runs by means of April. It’s an pleasing occasion that doesn’t actually draw crowds, however offers a pleasant solution to get a style of California’s numerous delicacies.
One wildcard is that the Magic Happens parade will carry the return on February 24, 2023. That’s excellent news from an leisure perspective, however it’ll doubtless impression crowds all through the month of March 2023 as locals attempt to see it–many for the primary time ever.
4. January 2023 – The first month of the yr ranks extremely and is as soon as once more the winter doldrums, stuffed with refurbishments and low crowds. With that stated, there are some vital caveats to that, as January 2023 will most undoubtedly be a month of excessive highs and low lows.
First, you do not need to go to within the first week of the brand new yr. That’s as a result of Los Angeles and Orange County colleges don’t return into session following their winter breaks till January 9, 2023. Up till then, it’s nonetheless the vacation season at Disneyland–particularly since ALL Magic Keys had been blocked out for (no less than) the 12 days earlier than that. Expect crowd ranges on par with the worst of Christmas because of this.
Second, you do not need to go to within the final week of the month. That’s as a result of, as mentioned above, the Disney100 celebration kicks off on January 27, 2023. That date (or maybe a pair days earlier than if there are tender openings or previews) till the tip of the month shall be extremely busy.
However, nearly every thing in between ought to have low crowds. After January 9, it’ll really feel just like the true low season at Disneyland. With that stated, the Martin Luther King vacation weekend and Southern California ticket specials usually converge to spike crowds a bit in mid-January. There’s additionally the beginning of the Lunar New Year Celebration at Disney California Adventure, which causes a spike to attendance at DCA. It nonetheless shall be top-of-the-line months of all the yr when all is claimed and carried out. Click right here to view our January Disneyland Crowd Calendar.
3. May 2023 – Normally, May is a “sweet spot” for Disneyland. It’s earlier than colleges are out for summer season and likewise earlier than Magic Key passholders who’re blocked out for the summer season begin making their “last visits.” As such, May usually sees a lull in demand earlier than the arrival of summer season vacationer season, and every thing that brings with it.
That occurred to a lesser extent final yr, however that’s largely attributable to the return of the Disneyland Forever Fireworks, Main Street Electrical Parade, and World of Color. That was a recipe for an enormous surge of attendance amongst locals, which is exactly what occurred. As such, May was busier than anticipated.
Nothing like that’s scheduled for May 2023, with new nighttime spectaculars and points of interest all debuting a number of months earlier than this coming May. As such, it’s doubtless we’ll see a return to regular, and May 2023 will as soon as once more be the candy spot between spring break and summer season seasons. It’ll be a good time to go to after the preliminary surge for the Disney100 nighttime spectaculars, Toontown, and Magic Happens parade.
On high of that, May can be normally a robust month weather-wise, with delicate temperatures. The draw back is that Grad Nites can throw a wrench into crowd ranges on any explicit night. Click right here to view our May Disneyland Crowd Calendar.
2. September 2023 – Disneyland in September shares the identical low crowd ranges as Walt Disney World, however what it doesn’t share is humidity and scorching climate. Last yr, September was surprisingly busy, however it nonetheless had the bottom common wait instances of the yr. That was pushed no less than partly by the D23 Expo, which won’t happen in September 2023.
Halloween Time will doubtless begin the Friday after Labor Day, and that’ll trigger a little bit of a bump to crowds. However, that’s largely a plus because the added seasonal leisure far outweighs the elevated attendance. Moreover, the spook season crowds shouldn’t present up in full power till October. September is reliably low season, as college has simply gone again into session and California’s summer season vacationer season has come to an finish. Weekends can nonetheless see greater crowds, however weekdays are usually nice. We count on the identical for September 2023.
As an added bonus, September is often heat however completely bearable in Anaheim. On high of the crowds and nice climate, you’ve gotten the Halloween leisure, particular meals, and attraction overlays, which we extremely suggest seeing. Click right here to view our September Disneyland Crowd Calendar.
1. November 2023 – Christmas is the very best time of the yr at Disneyland from a qualitative perspective. The candy spot for having fun with the vacation season leisure is the start of November and proper after the favored Veterans Day vacation in mid-November till Thanksgiving.
With that stated, it’s vital to notice that from a quantitative perspective, November 2023 isn’t #1. Average wait instances will virtually actually be decrease in January, March, May, August, September, and possibly July. If this had been purely a crowd calendar rating, November 2023 can be #6.
However, the elevated attendance isn’t that pronounced till Thanksgiving week (one of many very worst weeks of the yr), and early November (minus Veterans Day weekend) will be comparatively relaxed. Moreover, this isn’t a merely a rating of the months based mostly on crowds–it’s qualitative, and no month is healthier than November from that perspective.
Unlike the Florida parks, the vacation season all begins in Disneyland and Disney California Adventure on the identical day, so there’s no drawback in going early. This leisure is phenomenal, and makes the upper crowd ranges completely value it. The festive ambiance, attraction overlays, decorations, and seasonal meals–plus usually good climate make mid-November an unbeatable time to go to, even with solely so-so crowds. Click right here to view our November Disneyland Crowd Calendar.
Best Weeks
Want to chop previous all of these rankings and easily on the lookout for a point-blank advice as to when it is best to go to Disneyland? Here are our 3 favourite weeks of the yr, adopted by some clarification:
- Thanksgiving “Bookends” (November 12-18, 2023 or November 26 to December 2, 2023)
- First or second week of September (August 27 by means of September 9, 2023)
- Mid-May (May 7-21, 2023)
Our first (and favourite) week to go to is the weeks earlier than and after Thanksgiving week. Typically, Christmas season at Disneyland begins the weekend earlier than this, that means you’ve gotten every week hole between the beginning of Disneyland’s vacation season and the beginning of precise vacation journey. This is a ‘sweet spot’ for low crowds, excellent climate, and seasonal leisure.
September 2023 is trickier as a result of there are a few vacation weeks within the second half of the month. While these don’t have a significant impression on crowds, we’d nonetheless skew in the direction of late August and early September 2023 because of this. We’d undoubtedly go for the sooner window right here, as Halloween Time at Disneyland shall be absolutely kicked off by then.
Another good week shall be September 17-23, 2023. For the spook season followers on the market, that’s truthfully the most suitable choice, as all West Coast colleges shall be again in session and everything of these dates are throughout the Halloween Time at Disneyland. This is an efficient possibility as a result of these dates are usually not so late throughout the Halloween season that it’s important to deal with the crowds that present up in full power to see the particular choices and overlays. Southern California climate is often fairly good right now of the yr, too.
Finally, we like nearly any dates in May 2023 up till the tip of the month, when locals shall be scrambling to make use of the rest of their SoCal tickets, which expire on May 25, 2023. This is after the insanity of Spring Break and Easter, however earlier than summer season vacationer season. It’s additionally earlier than locals attempt to get their final visits in earlier than the summer season blockouts. With nothing new of import debuting in May 2023, it must be a terrific month to go to.
All in all, this must be a helpful information to strategically plan your go to (or visits) to Disneyland Resort in 2023 and even 2024. While a few of the dates will shift–and any impression of issues debuting or returning in 2023 received’t be related, the overall contours of those rankings stay (largely) constant from yr to yr. Even in the event you solely observe this information loosely, we predict you’re sure to decide on an excellent time to move to Disneyland!
Planning a Southern California trip? For park admission offers, learn Tips for Saving Money on Disneyland Tickets. Learn about on-site and off-site lodges in our Anaheim Hotel Reviews & Rankings. For the place to eat, take a look at our Disneyland Restaurant Reviews. 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 Vacation Planning Guide. Finally, for guides past Disney, take a look at our Southern California Itineraries for day journeys to Los Angeles, Laguna Beach, and tons of different locations!
Your Thoughts
What do you concentrate on the most effective and worst months to go to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure in 2023? Any particular very best months/weeks of your personal that you simply’d suggest individuals go to Disneyland? Do you suppose climate performs any issue on the subject of the SoCal parks? Do you suppose crowds have elevated over the past couple of years, throughout the board? Any questions? Hearing from you is half the enjoyable, so please share your ideas within the feedback under!