Use the 2026 Disneyland crowd calendar to plan the best time to visit the parks this year! Find helpful tips for choosing the perfect date. I must preface this post by saying this is purely my opinion based on attendance over the years. Nowadays the parks are busy all the time, 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. Use the color coded calendar for each month in 2026 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 in 2026?
This is the #1 question I get asked! Disneyland is a popular vacation destination! Gone are the days when you could walk onto attractions and low crowds. There are certain times of the year when it’s not as busy. Let me help you determine the best time to go. You can plan your visit around the crowds if your dates are flexible. But don’t worry if you have to travel over a busy time I have lots of tips to help you navigate the parks when it’s busy!
This year in 2026 Disneyland will continue with the 70th anniversary celebration through the summer! The celebration includes Paint the Night parade and Wondrous Journeys nighttime show! Check out the complete guide of this celebration!
Disney schedules events throughout the year and it helps to know when these take place so you can plan your trip. Celebrations include Lunar New Year, Food and Wine Festival, Season of the Force, Halloween, Christmas and After Dark Nites to name a few.
Tips for planning your vacation dates
Weekends are the busiest days of the week no matter the time of year. People are off work, kids don’t have school and it’s most convenient for so many. Every weekend on the calendar below is red. If you can avoid the red dates, weekends and holidays that would be my recommendation. When kids are out of school you can expect the parks to be crowded! But not everyone can go during the week. And that’s why I created tips for navigating the crowds. Plus my number one tip, arrive at rope drop.
Tuesday and Wednesday are typically the best days to go with lower crowds. But keep in mind that during the less crowded times like January or February you often run into shorter park hours, ride closures and less entertainment.
Honestly though anytime you go if you have a good touring plan you can accomplish so much. There is so much to see and do in each park. Start your day early and follow my touring plans to maximize your day at Disneyland or Disney California Adventure. Another way to save time is by using Lightning Lane Multi Pass which allows you to “skip the line” for certain attractions. Read more about Lightning Lane Multi Pass. And become a Lightning Lane pro after you watch this video!
Discount Tickets and Hotels
If you are planning a Disneyland trip in 2026 or 2027 purchase discounted tickets through my travel partner Get Away Today. Tickets are good through 12/31/2027 with no black out dates. I personally have been using Get Away Today for over 15 years! And you can get an additional $10 off your vacation package (tickets + hotel) when you use promo code DTG10. Looking for hotel recommendations? I have personally stayed at over 20+ hotels in Anaheim and have lots of reviews on my website and YouTube channel. Hotels ranging from budget to 4 star hotels near Disneyland. I also have room tours for many of these hotels near Disneyland over here.
Starting December 3, 2025 there is a California Resident ticket special for purchase to use the first few months in 2026. I will have a link here to share once it goes live, so check back for that ticket offer! Another great offer for everyone is up to 25% off at the Disneyland Resort Hotels. Call 855-GET-AWAY for the BEST deals when you mention Magical Tour Guide! Or use the QR code here to book online.
2026 Disneyland Crowd Calendar
Below is each month color coded and here’s 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 is my favorite time to go with lower crowds and the weather is amazing! But January also means shorter park hours, ride closures and entertainment is limited. For instance, fireworks are only shown on the weekend. During the week the nighttime show has projections only. It’s a Small World changes back to the original version and is closed part of the month. Haunted Mansion also changes back to the original attraction in January, but not both at the same time. Martin Luther King holiday is January 19th so that whole weekend will be very crowded. There is a Run Disney event from January 29 – February 1st that will bring people to the parks. And we don’t know the exact dates but Lunar New Year begins the middle of January through middle of February. When Disney shares the exact dates I will update this post. Also in years past there has been Sweethearts’ Nites mid Jan to mid Feb as well. I’ll update when we have dates. Disneyland will close early those nights. Read more about After Dark events.
February is also a great time to go to Disneyland except for one weekend. The weather is fantastic and crowds are lower. Remember that the parks will have shortened hours, a few refurbishments and less entertainment options. President’s Day is February 16th and some schools have the entire week off.
March begins spring break season and the crowds are in full swing well into April. School districts from CA, AZ, NV, NM, TX, ID, UT, HI have spring breaks at all different times. Some schools even get two weeks off. In the past there have been a few more After Dark events in the beginning of March which means Disneyland will close early those nights. The entire month of March is normally the Food and Wine Festival in Disney California Adventure. I will add dates when Disney announces more info.
April continues with more spring break crowds. And in the past Disney has offered several After Dark Star Wars nites the end of April and beginning of May. We don’t know the dates for 2026 yet but I will update when we know. Keep in mind this means Disneyland will close earlier than normal those nights. These events do not impact the attendance at the parks during the day, read more about After Dark events here.
If you’re planning a trip to Disneyland in May or June of 2026 try and avoid these days. The following dates are Grad Nites in 2026 at the Disneyland Resort.
- May 8, 12, 13, 15, 17, 20, 21, 28, 29 and 31
- June 3, 5, 7, 10 and 12
Even though Grad Nites take place after hours in Disney California Adventure, these days are busy in both parks. Schools can opt to arrive at park opening and use park hopper tickets until the event starts at 9 p.m! So that means the parks have an influx of teenagers! 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. Kids are out of school and the parks are packed with families on summer vacation. This is one of the most crowded months of the year. Same with the month of July. It’s most convenient for families to go when the kids are off school. 4th of July will be so busy this year cause it’s on a Saturday.
In August we start to see a break in the crowds later as the summer ends. Middle of August the Haunted Mansion will close to change to the Haunted Mansion Holiday and reopen on the kick day for Halloween time. Halloween time at the Disneyland Resort starts the end of August. Disney has not shared the exact dates yet but I will update when we have them. And in August Oogie Boogie parties begin! When we have dates I will add them here so make sure you bookmark this article and refer back again!
September used to have low crowds, but over the years this has become busier due to Halloween and Oogie Boogie parties. September normally has shortened hours, some refurbishments and there are no fireworks during the week. Also Disney California Adventure hosts the Oogie Boogie Bash which means the park closes early to regular day park guests at 6 p.m.
October is busy due to many school districts that have a fall break. Most schools are off for a week. But some school districts have a modified school year which means they give students two weeks off in October. Keep this in mind when planning an October Disney trip.
The first week of November after the Halloween decor is down and it’s not quite the Christmas season is a good time to go if you don’t care about seeing holiday entertainment. Veteran’s Day, November 11th is a busy day at the parks. It’s a Small World is closed the first half of November to change to the holiday version of this attraction. The holiday season begins in the middle of November. Holiday decorations are up and the entertainment is in full swing. I will update when we have a start date for 2026! Fireworks happen every night as soon as the holidays kick off. The week of Thanksgiving is a very busy week!
Disneyland hosts the Candlelight Processional the first weekend in December. The parks are very crowded that weekend. Then as the month goes on and kids are let out of school you see a huge influx of guests visiting the parks. And it’s very crowded until kids return back to school after the New Year.
I hope this information is useful to help you plan your trip dates in 2026. I also like to check the Anaheim Convention Center’s calendar. This is another good resource to check. When Anaheim is hosting large events that can affect the crowds at Disneyland. People visit Disneyland after their convention day is over so keep that in mind too.
Happy planning your vacation to the Happiest Place on Earth in 2026! Let me know if you have any questions! Below are some other helpful links.
Visiting Disneyland for the first time here’s a lot of help.
My 5 top planning tips!
How to use Lightning Lane Multi Pass at Disneyland (the skip the line option)
