Best days of the week to visit Disneyland

[DougK]

I consider myself well-versed in visiting Walt Disney World and I know how complicated things can be if you do not plan thoroughly however we have never been to Disneyland / California Adventure before so this will be a new experience for us. We will be visiting the Southern California area in early October 2019 for about 10 nights. We plan on spending 4 to 5 nights at the Grand Californian. We know the new Star Wars land will be open by then - as far as I have heard it is opening this June.

What I am curious about is which days of the week will have the lowest crowds? I know it will be very busy every day but common sense says Saturdays and Sundays would be the busiest days of the week however I heard the are so many AP holders whose passes are blacked out on weekends that weekends can actually be a bit less busy than weekdays. Is that actually true? Are we better off staying at Grand Californian from a Sunday night through a Thursday night or from a Wednesday night through a Sunday night? We will buy 5 day park hoppers.

I'd love to hear what you experts think!

Thank you!

 

[Zooey]

I think weekdays are better if you can get more done in the mornings. It will always be busier at night.

I see that SoCal APs are blocked on fridays and weekends but Deluxes are only blocked Saturdays. So maybe you want to extend over a Saturday / Sunday with like a wed-sun trip.

But as they say, it’s just always busy.

 

[Skyegirl1999]

Halloweentime is increasingly popular at DL, so you’re likely to see high crowds no matter which days you’re there.

If it’s early enough in October, weekends will probably be more crowded than weekdays, but you also might have lower hours/limited entertainment on weekdays. You’ll also have Halloween parties to contend with. By about the second/third week of October, a bunch of fall breaks start happen, and the weekdays get quite busy, too.

 

[MillauFr]

I have had good luck and lower lines on Saturdays. Monday is the worst day.

 

[DLgal]

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday.

In that order.

 

[DLgal]

Monday is the worst day.

Heed this warning! It is so true and cannot be overstated.

Do NOT go on a Monday. ANY Monday. All year. No matter what.

 

[WonkaKid]

Halloweentime is increasingly popular at DL, so you’re likely to see high crowds no matter which days you’re there.

Generally, that’s true. However, I was there last Halloween from open till about 12:30 and the park was so lightly attended that I thought Disneyland was dressed up as Six Flags ;-). Seriously, though: I’ve never seen anything like it. It was a blessing. In fact, here’s a pic of the line for PP at around 8:15. I’ve never seen it that short at the time of the morning. And it was a gorgeous day, too. Sunny - not even a hint of rain.

 

[Skyegirl1999]

Generally, that’s true. However, I was there last Halloween from open till about 12:30 and the park was so lightly attended that I thought Disneyland was dressed up as Six Flags ;-). Seriously, though: I’ve never seen anything like it. It was a blessing. In fact, here’s a pic of the line for PP at around 8:15. I’ve never seen it that short at the time of the morning. And it was a gorgeous day, too. Sunny - not even a hint of rain.

View attachment 385902

Halloween day itself has been extraordinarily light the past few years - when we went during the afternoon in 2017, they weren’t even staffing the FP lines for some rides because the standby was walk-on anyway.

Earlier in October, when OP is discussing, is not generally like that.

 

[chickapin parterre]

so as a first time visitor from WDW and falling in love with RSR at first curve and having no sentimental value with Disneyland, your days will follow, Monday in DCA, Tuesday in Disneyland, Wednesday at DCA and Thursday in Disneyland....avoiding the folks showing up for a four day weekend of Thursday-Sunday

As for your Sunday night, better off enjoying the cuisine of the Grand environment.....folks have actually built a Grand Californian room in their homes....it is that grand and so California!!!!

as for your parkhoppers, they won't come into play till Wednesday, because you will have no idea when to hop, and with the Grand yards away from Grizzly run, you may find the instant resort Disney living very tempting to return to lodging.........frequently!!!!

 

[GrumpyInPhilly]

If you want to experience Fantasmic!, know that during non-peak times it runs only on Fri. - Sun. nights so you may want to consider that when planning when to stay.

 

[Gisele]

Generally, that’s true. However, I was there last Halloween from open till about 12:30 and the park was so lightly attended that I thought Disneyland was dressed up as Six Flags ;-). Seriously, though: I’ve never seen anything like it. It was a blessing. In fact, here’s a pic of the line for PP at around 8:15. I’ve never seen it that short at the time of the morning. And it was a gorgeous day, too. Sunny - not even a hint of rain.

View attachment 385902

Oh WOW man! That is truly a picture of beauty! I've only ever seen it that way when either PP was down or the park was closed. Lol

 

[bayareadisneyland]

Why is Monday so bad?

 

[Geemo]

I consider myself well-versed in visiting Walt Disney World and I know how complicated things can be if you do not plan thoroughly however we have never been to Disneyland / California Adventure before so this will be a new experience for us. We will be visiting the Southern California area in early October 2019 for about 10 nights. We plan on spending 4 to 5 nights at the Grand Californian. We know the new Star Wars land will be open by then - as far as I have heard it is opening this June.

What I am curious about is which days of the week will have the lowest crowds? I know it will be very busy every day but common sense says Saturdays and Sundays would be the busiest days of the week however I heard the are so many AP holders whose passes are blacked out on weekends that weekends can actually be a bit less busy than weekdays. Is that actually true? Are we better off staying at Grand Californian from a Sunday night through a Thursday night or from a Wednesday night through a Sunday night? We will buy 5 day park hoppers.

I'd love to hear what you experts think!

Thank you!

Keep in mind the park hours will be shorter through the week. With reduced evening entertainment.
On top of that there will most likely be Mickey Halloween Parties (MHP) through the week. 1-2-3????
In years past the park closes to the general public at 6pm or 7pm on a party night.
On party days, a MHP ticket gets you into the park 3hours prior to the party.

That 3hour cross over can prove to be jam packed.

You might want to look at Historical Hours to get a feel for the park schedules.
https://www.disboards.com/threads/historical-dlr-park-hours-entertainment-and-refurbs.2291124/

Check out this thread - post #3 is about MHP from 2018
https://www.disboards.com/threads/2018-calendar-of-events-school-breaks-and-dlr.3635162/

This is for 2019 - Unofficial Park Events
https://www.disboards.com/threads/2019-calendar-of-events-school-breaks-and-dlr.3708938/

G

 

[DLgal]

Why is Monday so bad?

It's a combo of no AP blackouts and people who do long weekends.

 

[tarheelalum]

Give up on trying to figure out when it won't be crowded and just go when the time best suits you. Even on rare days when its not very crowded Disneyland will reduce staffing levels so much that lines will be just as long as crowded days. Disneyland wants the park packed everyday of the week and most of the time they get what they want.

 

[maryliz]

so the "NO Monday" advice ... is that just for DL or for DCA as well? Just trying to book WOC for our end April-early May trip. Thanks!

 

[friedela]

It's a combo of no AP blackouts and people who do long weekends.

I think too that a lot of people are flying out on a weekend and making Monday their first park day.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

It's a combo of no AP blackouts and people who do long weekends.

I think too that a lot of people are flying out on a weekend and making Monday their first park day.

And many people just assume that Monday will be a low crowd day ("hey, everyone else will be in school and at work, so let's go to DLR and beat the crowds!") -- then they, and everyone else who had the same thought, show up and make Monday a very crowded day!

 

[Belle5]

so the "NO Monday" advice ... is that just for DL or for DCA as well? Just trying to book WOC for our end April-early May trip. Thanks!

I would also like the answer to this! Thanks!

 

[DLgal]

so the "NO Monday" advice ... is that just for DL or for DCA as well? Just trying to book WOC for our end April-early May trip. Thanks!

Both parks get equally slammed on Mondays.