Is there an off-season anymore?

[Pluto468]

So we just went to Disneyland in June and I already want to go back. I want to avoid the big crowds and it got me wondering if we have such a thing as an off season anymore. When I lived in Santa Monica and was an AP, I just went all year round whenever I felt like it, but generally avoided the parks in the summer or when I was blocked out with my socal pass. I seem to remember a number of months that I thought of as quiet and less crowded. If you'd asked me then the best time to go off season I would have said February, March, September or October. That was a long time ago, though!

My only guess for a less crowded time to go these days is maybe second half of January to the end of February? We might end up going to Star Wars nite again in May, and I suppose that would be at least somewhat less crowded than summer.

 

[dieumeye]

With changes to the resort like reservations, whatever happens with annual passes, new early entry procedures, not sure if anyone can say exactly what’s going to happen in the coming year but…

Summer has actually seemed to be one of the lighter times of year. Probably because many APs/Keyholders are blocked out.

February has some very busy holiday weekends. March starts to get into spring break crowds. And September, and especially October, are probably the most crowded time with the popularity of Halloweentime. Extreme crowds!

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

With the reservation system Disney will now ensure there are very rarely any slow days. If a time is forecasted to be slow Disney will release a ticket deal or new entertainment or something to get people in the parks.

 

[StormyCA]

Honestly, I don't think there's been a 'real' off-season since maybe 2015. I don't know what happened but that's about when our yearly off-season trip (usually in Feb) started getting 'crowded'. Add in the Covid closure and reservations and I wouldn't even hazard a guess as to when the 'best' time to visit is anymore.

 

[Lisa24jks]

I work in travel and I think pent-up demand is also affecting the park crowds like it has my entire industry. It's happening everywhere. (Took a flight this weekend and have never seen my airport that crowded when it wasn't a holiday.) Travel is absolutely booming after people couldn't go anywhere for so long, and Disney parks are being hit with that boom as well.

It will be interesting to see if it evens out after a year or so and we go back to ebbs and flows, or if it stays consistently crowded. That said, Disney is also good at suckering us all back in even in "slower" seasons (I say that with great affection) by introducing new entertainment or food options, or bringing back old favorites (literally all they have to do for me is bring back Soarin' Over California for a limited time, and I'm one of the suckers too).

 

[MonocularVision]

When you are looking for less busy times, what is it specifically about the experience you are looking for? Is it shorter lines? Generally less crowds?

Personally, I am definitely #teamsummer for the following reasons:

• Almost all of the rides will be open. There are often zero rides closed for refurbishment (minus the big work like Toontown).
• You will get all the entertainment. Right now there is MEP, Fantasmic, World of Color and Fireworks every night! (Maybe not fireworks? Not sure)
• The park will generally be fully staffed, although sounds like having COVID and other issues right now. But usually, you will have the whole park correctly staffed so you will get things like both sides of BTMR, both sides of Matterhorn, all the elevator shafts in GOTG, etc. And getting Genie+ mean even shorter lines.
• Long hours! The first few hours and last few hours are the best! When the park is open from 10-10, you will have less opportunity to maximize empty park time.
• Fewer passholders. This isn’t necessarily some big plus (I like passholders and they are less likely to compete with me for Genie+ LLs) but I think it can lead to unexpected slower days.

Anyway, I encourage everyone whoever asks me about “less busy” times to just not worry about it.