Changes in crowds over the years

[Yusani]

Hello.

I have been to DL 3 times, but they have all been within the past 5 years:
Summer 2012
Summer 2013
Spring 2015

I went to WDW in August of last year (2016).

I hear a lot of folks who have a long history at DL saying that there are no slow times anymore and that the park is "always crowded". I am assuming this is a relative statement? I found the WDW trip in 2016 to be abhorrently crowded at times. Swarms and swarms of people walking. A sea of strollers. Parks opened until 1 in the morning and still throngs and throngs of people. None of my DL visits have been like this. Sure, there have been crowds, but nothing that compared to Aug 2016 at WDW.

We are going back to DL the first week of December (Sun - Thur) and I am trying to get my mindset right before I go. What kind of "crowds" should I prepare for? Have crowd levels changed dramatically since 2015? If you have been around long enough to have seen that crowds have changed, about what year did it start moving towards "crowded all the time"?

The blogs I have been reading online say that weekdays during the first 2 weeks of December are lower crowds time. Do think this is inaccurate?

Thank you.

 

[figment_jii]

When in the Spring of 2015 did you go? Spring Break Season (usually around Easter) can be pretty crowded in DLR, but early/late-Spring may not be. I was there late-March 2015 (Easter was on April 5, so just before the peak Spring Break crowds were expected) and felt that crowds were manageable. The week days were pretty nice, but the weekends were busy (especially Sunday). I wasn't in WDW in August of 2016, so I really can't help with the comparison.

I personally feel like crowds have increased and crowd patterns have changed a lot with the start of the 60th anniversary celebration (Memorial Day weekend of 2015), the implementation of variable one-day ticket prices, changes to AP offerings, and various promotions (e.g., ticket deals).

In terms of December, I do think that the first few weeks in December (not counting weekends, Fri evening through Sun) tend to have lower crowd relative to other times during the Holiday Season. Any "special" season (e.g., HalloweenTime, Spring Break, Summer, Holiday) are bound to bring in the crowds. It won't be as crowded as the week between Xmas and New Year or just after the AP are unblocked, but I don't think you should go to DLR expecting the parks to be empty and attractions to be walk-on.

You can get a sense of what other "crowd calendar" think of the first few weeks in December.
IsItPacked: http://www.isitpacked.com/disneyland-crowd-forecast-predictor-calendar/
TouringPlans (paid if you want to see December): https://touringplans.com/disneyland-resort/crowd-calendar
RMH Travel: http://www.rmhtravel.com/disneyland-365-crowd-calendar.html

 

[Sherry E]

I'll throw my 2 cents in about early December, as that has been a period of time to which I have gravitated over the years.

It's not that the first couple of weeks of December will necessarily have lower crowds in general, compared to any other time of year. The holiday season at DLR is extremely popular from start to finish, and that does not seem to be changing any time soon. However, as figment_jii mentioned, relative to the other points in the holiday season, the first 2 weeks of December might be a bit easier to deal with, crowd-wise. My feeling on that has always been that the crowds are probably a wee bit lighter off and on over the first half of December because many people have just ended their Thanksgiving vacations/breaks and headed back to work and school, and it's too early for a lot of them to be taking their Christmas breaks.

So it stands to reason that the time frame immediately after Thanksgiving weekend ends and before, say, mid-December might be a little better, crowd-wise, than the times when a lot of people are off of work and school.

However, other factors play into it -- including AP days that are blocked or not blocked, whatever new events Disney may have added in to the season (last year it was the Festival of Holidays), and weather. For example, if we suddenly have a day or two with rain in SoCal, that rain will scare away some folks. I was once in DCA on a very, very windy early December day, and I noticed the crowds were significantly lighter than I expected. Certain unofficial events (not events presented by Disney) in the parks can bring in large groups of people too, whenever they happen. You never know. You might happen to end up at Disneyland on "We Love Snowmen Day" or something, bringing in 5000 people clad in Frosty attire. (I'm just kidding about We Love Snowmen Day, but I think there actually is some sort of unofficial Ugly Sweater Day.)

Some people have reported that they've encountered enormous crowds on early December weekdays, and others have said the crowds were very tolerable -- so I would bet that it is a bit subjective as well. What one person thinks is "too crowded" might be what someone else deems "reasonable." I have encountered very pleasant, low-crowd days in December, as well as some pretty frustrating, overly busy days and long lines.

 

[chickapin parterre]

Big hello to sherry E!!!!! We have missed your two cents....because your advice and observations are worth more than a nickel!!!!

 

[chickapin parterre]

mindset ....it is about mindset. I visit the week days after candle and manage my weekedays in that from noon-4, Disneyland for me is unmanagagle and i park hop to DCA.

I am at the gates 45 mins before opening, take advantage of the early morning opportunities.

I also have the mindset that not all attractions will be operating..when i want them operating.... so i have to be flexible..

and last of all....look for that one magical moment that everyone is missing...I always suggest riding the SW mine car, in the same seat, three times in a row and take in the kitchen.

One year , on dumbo, it was seeing peter pan weather vane, in the clouds, in the setting sun....nothing has replaced that personal magic moment for me....and that is how I manage that december week....look for that magic...because thinking about it will diminish the experience

And oh, it is Christmas, you don't even have to ride attractions to take in the magic. Decor loaded, photography all day will not be long enough..

 

[Jperiod]

We've been going to DLR in December for years. It's definitely become more crowded, but I'm not sure it'd be much worse than summer crowds from a few years ago. I think the week you picked, in my experience, has the best chances of being the lightest crowds of December (we're going then as well). It's well worth the effort, even if you get some unexpected crowds as we did last year (Dec 5-11). The Christmas season there is like no other.

A word of caution on touring plans. I just looked back at their historical crowds for the dates we were there. I think they have actually changed the ratings so I don't trust it muchl! They had initially predicted 5-6's but we had insane crowds Dec 9-11 we've personally never seen early December before. I remember people reporting it here and Touring Plans rated those days 9-10's right after! Now looking at the days, they have them 5-8. I'm not sure what to make of that.

 

[chickapin parterre]

it is because the week after thanksgiving has returned, it returned last year and i was telling folks not to worry, but I think the fear of el nino in 2015 kept folks away. so they came in droves for christmas 2016..el nino came but not till2017. so this year and 2018, the extra week returns, then in 2019 disappears, but then after 2018, there is no history of how crowded Disneyland will be, the culture of visiting disneyland will be turned upside down and will be 8-10s for a long time

 

[Yusani]

When in the Spring of 2015 did you go? Spring Break Season (usually around Easter) can be pretty crowded in DLR, but early/late-Spring may not be. I was there late-March 2015 (Easter was on April 5, so just before the peak Spring Break crowds were expected) and felt that crowds were manageable. The week days were pretty nice, but the weekends were busy (especially Sunday). I wasn't in WDW in August of 2016, so I really can't help with the comparison.

I personally feel like crowds have increased and crowd patterns have changed a lot with the start of the 60th anniversary celebration (Memorial Day weekend of 2015), the implementation of variable one-day ticket prices, changes to AP offerings, and various promotions (e.g., ticket deals).

In terms of December, I do think that the first few weeks in December (not counting weekends, Fri evening through Sun) tend to have lower crowd relative to other times during the Holiday Season. Any "special" season (e.g., HalloweenTime, Spring Break, Summer, Holiday) are bound to bring in the crowds. It won't be as crowded as the week between Xmas and New Year or just after the AP are unblocked, but I don't think you should go to DLR expecting the parks to be empty and attractions to be walk-on.

You can get a sense of what other "crowd calendar" think of the first few weeks in December.
IsItPacked: http://www.isitpacked.com/disneyland-crowd-forecast-predictor-calendar/
TouringPlans (paid if you want to see December): https://touringplans.com/disneyland-resort/crowd-calendar
RMH Travel: http://www.rmhtravel.com/disneyland-365-crowd-calendar.html

I can't remember exactly except that it was during our Spring break (Houston area) which was a few weeks before LA county spring break. I heard the cast members say a couple days were "spring break busy" while we were there, but I really only felt the crowds bearing down during the middle of the day and we just left and came back later.

 

[Yusani]

mindset ....it is about mindset. I visit the week days after candle and manage my weekedays in that from noon-4, Disneyland for me is unmanagagle and i park hop to DCA.

I am at the gates 45 mins before opening, take advantage of the early morning opportunities.

I also have the mindset that not all attractions will be operating..when i want them operating.... so i have to be flexible..

and last of all....look for that one magical moment that everyone is missing...I always suggest riding the SW mine car, in the same seat, three times in a row and take in the kitchen.

One year , on dumbo, it was seeing peter pan weather vane, in the clouds, in the setting sun....nothing has replaced that personal magic moment for me....and that is how I manage that december week....look for that magic...because thinking about it will diminish the experience

And oh, it is Christmas, you don't even have to ride attractions to take in the magic. Decor loaded, photography all day will not be long enough..

This describes exactly how I have felt at Disneyland before. I start feeling the crowds bear down about 11:00 so we eat lunch then, head back to the hotel for a nap and then return to the park in the late afternoon and it is all good. That level of crowds I can deal with. But, the sea of people and strollers all day long at WDW August 2016 was exhausting and I am hoping that is not the new normal everywhere.

We rope drop also and I love the little moments like you described.

What is the SW mine car and the kitchen?

 

[chickapin parterre]

snow white , when you board, your attention, as in most of the attractions and every day live is to focus forward, but once you pass he smiling CM, you turn into the kitchen, really fast, super fast, then boom turn to the cuckoo clock wall, way to fast to find out

who is helping snow white in the kitchen, who is the pie made for, who is the sink, what are facial features, etc....I find that this is the best detailed 10 feet in all of Disneyland, so i ride it three times in a row, wednesday morning It is usually in the same mine car, I ride it for the kitchen and cuckoo clock wall, then after that take a nap, wake up , wave myself on to stay in the car "this is not the droid you are looking for" CMs are so weak minded and do it all over again.

 

[GatorChris]

I can tell you right when crowds got crazy. The Diamond 60th celebration. We went in mid-November '13 and '14 with very low crowds. In fact, 2014 was unbelievable at times as I remember walking into Pirates 15 minutes after the park opened and we were the only ones in line!!! For real! We went a few months later at the end of Feb/early March 2015, and the crowds were still low. That was when they were prepping the park for the 60th. In June of '15 it was crowded, but that was expected in the middle of summer. And then we went back in November '15 and the crowds were much bigger - like almost as busy as summer time. Mid-November '16 was a little more crowded than '15, which surprised me as the 60th had ended. And then this year we went late Feb/early March and it was insane! The summer crowds we experienced during the 60th celebration were small than what we got on the first Friday in March (nowhere near Easter or Spring break). So far, the crowds have not let up. And who knows if they ever will.

Plain and simple....DLR needed a whole new park, not a new Star Wars Land shoved in the corner of an already-too-crowded DL.

 

[Epek]

I think your December trip will most likely have similar or lighter crowds to your last trip. I think in the last 6 months, crowds have started leveling off post 60th Anniversary. With exception to this spring where we had some insane days due to the So-Cal ticket deal. If the trend stays and there are no ticket deals in December, I imagine it'll only be moderately busy at that time.

 

[tarheelalum]

In my experience the period between October through the first couple of days of January is the most crowded time of the year. The rest of the year is still very crowded, but not as much as during the Holidays when the crowds get ridiculous.