Plan your vacation with our Disneyland crowd calendar for 2025! Helpful tips for choosing the perfect date. I must preface this post by saying this is purely my opinion based on attendance at the parks over the years. Honestly the parks are busy all the time now, but this article will help you maybe avoid the busiest times. The crowd calendar is the most popular post on my website every year because I really try hard to give the most up to date information! There are many factors I consider including history, school calendars, holidays, blockout dates for Magic Key passes, ticket deals and special events. I’ve created a color coded calendar for each month in 2025 and a brief explanation of things going on each month that affect the crowd level.
This post contains affiliate links which means I make a little something when you purchase through the link with no extra cost to you.
When is the best time to go to Disneyland?
#1 question I get asked! Gone are the days when you could walk onto attractions and low crowds. Disneyland is a popular vacation destination! There are select times when it’s not as busy, let’s dive into how to determine the best time to go. There are some things that you can do to plan your visit around the crowds if your dates are flexible. But if you can’t don’t worry I have lots of tips to help you navigate the parks on a busy day!
Disney fills their calendar with events and holidays to keep people coming back. For instance we already know that Disneyland celebrates 70 years in 2025! They have announced the return of Paint the Night parade on May 16, 2025 when the 70th celebration begins!
It helps to know when scheduled events take place so you can plan your trip. Celebrations include Halloween and Christmas, but they also schedule events throughout the year like Food & Wine Festival, Grad Nites and After Dark Nites. I have another article that explains more about the holidays and events at the Disneyland Resort. It also includes details like when they change the Haunted Mansion or It’s a Small World to holiday overlay and the attractions are normally closed.
Tips for planning dates for your vacation.
Every weekend on the calendar below is red. Weekends tend to be crowded all the time no matter the time of year. People are off work, kids don’t have school and it’s most convenient. So if you can avoid the red dates, weekends and holidays that would be my suggestion. When kids are out of school you can expect the parks to be crowded! But not everyone can go during the week I realize this. And that’s why I created tips for navigating the crowds. And my number one tip, arrive at rope drop.
Tuesday and Wednesday are the best days to go with lower crowds. Keep in mind during the less crowded times you often run into shorter park hours, ride closures and less entertainment.
But really anytime you go if you have a good touring plan you will have a wonderful time, there is so much to see and do at the parks. Start your day early and use these touring plans to maximize your day at Disneyland or Disney California Adventure. Another way to save time is by purchasing Lightning Lane Multi Pass which allows you to “skip the line” for certain attractions. Read more about Lightning Lane Multi Pass.
Discounted Ticket deals and Hotels
If you are planning a Disneyland trip in 2025 or 2026, I would recommend you purchase discounted tickets from Get Away Today. Tickets are good until 12/31/2026, no black out dates and the tickets are emailed immediately after purchase. This is why I use Get Away Today! Plus, you can get an additional $10 off your vacation package (tickets + hotel) when you use promo code DTG10. Need a place to stay, read over 20+ hotel reviews I have personally stayed at or toured. Hotels ranging from budget to 4 star hotels near Disneyland. I also have room tours for many of these hotels near Disneyland over here.
Disney has ticket promotions that affect the crowds in the park. There is a new ticket offer for Disneyland’s 70th anniversary that’s available NOW!
- Tickets start at $94/day for 4-Day 1-Park per Day Tickets and less than $120/day for 3-Day
- Tickets must be used for travel May 16 – August 14, 2025 and do NOT have to be used consecutively (you can get that 4-day ticket and go twice!)
- Tickets can be upgraded to include Park Hopping and/or Lightning Lane Multi Pass.
- Guests can save up to $111 per ticket with this offer!
You can also book rooms at select Disneyland Resort Hotels for travel over the same dates at up to 25% off regular rates. Call 855-GET-AWAY for the BEST deals when you mention Magical Tour Guide!
2025 Disneyland Crowd Calendar
Below you will find each month color coded. Here is what each color means.
- Green is GO! It’s not empty, but these are days with fewer people.
- Blue is expect some crowds but not terrible.
- Red is very crowded, but you can still have a magical time.
January tends to be less crowded, but this also means hours are shorter, rides could be closed for refurbishment and entertainment is limited. For instance, fireworks are only shown on the weekend. During the week the nighttime show has projections only. Disney has already announced that It’s a Small World will be closed for an extended refurbishment. Haunted Mansion will be closed to change back to the original attraction in January as well. They will not be closed at the same time, but both are closed at some point in January. The $50 kids ticket promotion starts January 7th and will keep the parks busy! January 20th is Martin Luther King holiday so that weekend will be very crowded. This year there is a Run Disney event from January 30 – February 2, 2025. Lunar New Year begins on January 17th – February 16, 2025. We also now have Sweethearts’ Nite dates Jan. 21, 23, 28 and Feb. 4, 6, 9, 11, 13. Disneyland will close early those nights. Read more about After Dark events.
February is a great time to go to Disneyland. The weather is amazing and there’s not much happening in the parks so the crowds are typically less. Keep in mind often the parks have shortened hours, a few refurbishments and possibly less entertainment. February 17th is President’s Day and many schools have the entire week off of school.
In March we start to see spring break crowds that go well into April. School districts from CA, AZ, NV, NM, TX, ID, UT, HI have spring breaks at all different times. And some even have two weeks off. Disney also announced an After Dark event, 90’s Nite on March 4 and 6, so Disneyland will close early those nights. The entire month of March is the Food and Wine Festival in Disney California Adventure. This year it begins February 28 – April 21, 2025.
Star Wars nite an After Dark event takes place in April and May on the following nights…April 8, 10, 22, 24, 29; May 1, 4, 6 which means Disneyland will close earlier than normal those nights. These events don’t impact the attendance at the parks during the day, read more about After Dark events here.
If you’re planning a Disneyland trip in May or June of 2025 you should try and avoid these days. The following dates are grad nites in 2025 at the Disneyland Resort.
- May 9, 12, 18, 21, 22, 27, 28 and 30
- June 1, 4, 6, 8, 11, and 13
These days are busy in both parks even though the event takes place after hours in Disney California Adventure. Schools can opt to arrive at park opening and use park hopper tickets until the special event starts at 9 p.m! Read more about Grad Nite tips and how to navigate the parks if you’re there on a Grad Nite.
June is the beginning of summer crowds. When kids are out of school the parks are packed with families that are on vacation when it’s most convenient for them. Expect crowds most of the month. Same with the whole month of July. Summer vacations, 4th of July and kids are out of school still. There is also Pride Nite on June 16 and 18 at Disneyland. The park will close early those nights for the After Dark event.
August we start to see a break in the crowds as kids go back to school and summer ends. Halloween time at the Disneyland Resort starts on August 22nd through October 31st. Oogie Boogie party dates start in August! Dates are as follows for 2025…
- Aug. 17, 19, 21, 24, 26, 28, 31
- Sept. 2, 9, 11, 14, 16, 18, 21, 23, 25, 28, 30
- Oct. 2, 5, 7, 9, 12, 14, 16, 19, 21, 23, 26, 28, 31
September used to be one of my favorite times to visit the parks because of low crowds, but over the years this has become busier than October. It’s due to ticket promos that Disney runs now during this month to fill the parks and it’s working. Another thing to keep in mind during September is normally there are shortened hours, some refurbishments and usually no fireworks during the week. Plus Disney California Adventure hosts the Oogie Boogie Bash which means the park closes early to regular day guests. Check the 2025 party dates so you know which days to avoid being kicked out to Disney California Adventure at 6 p.m.
In October many school districts have a fall break. Most schools are off for a week, but many of these school districts have a modified school year which means they get two weeks off in October. Keep this in mind when planning an October Disney trip.
Veteran’s Day in November is a busy day at the parks. It’s a Small World is closed the first 1/2 of November to decorate for the season. The holiday season begins the middle of November. It starts November 14th through January 7, 2026. The holiday decorations are up, the entertainment is in full swing and it’s not as busy as December. Fireworks happen every night as soon as the holidays kick off. Note that later in the month many school districts have the entire week of Thanksgiving off. That’s a busy week for sure!
The first weekend in December, on the 6th and 7th in 2025, is when Disneyland hosts the Candlelight Processional. The parks are very crowded for this event. Then as the month goes on and kids are let out of school you see a huge influx into the parks. It gets very crowded until kids return back to school after the New Year.
I hope you find this information useful. Another good resource to check is the Anaheim Convention Center’s calendar. When they are hosting large events that can affect the crowds at Disneyland. People will go over to Disneyland after their convention day is over.
Happy planning your magical vacation to Disneyland in 2025! I also share when new or special events are coming to the parks in my newsletter. So make sure you’re signed up so you don’t miss out on important information for planning your trip! Sign up for the newsletter, I only send emails when I need to share news or updates about Disneyland.
Visiting Disneyland for the first time here’s a lot of help.
My 5 top planning tips!
Why I don’t recommend Rise of the Resistance at rope drop!
Want to know how to skip the lines at Disneyland, use Lightning Lane Multi Pass!
