Is there such a thing as a slow season anymore?

[Pluto468]

I've been planning a sister trip but my sister HATES crowds (Who doesn't?) so I'm trying to think of the best time to go. She doesn't care much about rides so refurb season isn't an issue.

Maybe mid January- March? April? What do you guys think?

 

[Howry]

This may sound odd but I think Summer might be the slower season. A lot of the annual passholders are blocked out during this time plus it is usually pretty hot.

 

[DizMe]

This may sound odd but I think Summer might be the slower season. A lot of the annual passholders are blocked out during this time plus it is usually pretty hot.

I agree, although next summer is going to include the 70th birthday so not sure how much that will impact things. I would guess the July crowds would be higher, anyway.

Another slow time, usually, is January after the holiday season. Downsides are shorter hours and more rides down, but I've always enjoyed going around the 3rd week (which is when my birthday falls )

 

[DLandgirlie]

January

Just take a look at the hotel prices after the holidays, that's a quick way to tell.

On the other hand, January in SoCal is either rainy or sunny so it's a gamble on activity tolerance based on the weather. If the rain doesn't bother you, go for January.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

In general, summer. Though maybe not next summer due to the 70th.

Mid to late August after most kids go back to school is usually nice.

Certain times in winter are nice. I like January/February (not on holiday weekends though).

 

[LKing]

Crowds are relative. If your sister hates crowds, even a light day at Disneyland will feel crowded to her.

Have you considered visiting the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco or taking a studio tour in Burbank?

 

[OlliePop27]

No, there are no longer times that are legitimately uncrowded. Even a "slow" day at Disneyland is crowded by any objective measure.

One thing people often miss in the "low crowds" discussion is what else is happening operationally at the parks. On "slower" days, even though less people might be there, the park hours are shorter, there's less entertainment being offered, and Disney usually staffs the rides with less workers and/or fewer cars. All of this acts to worsen the crowds that are there.

On the busiest days there are more people in the parks, but they are operating for 16+ hours, offering tons of entertainment, and staffing rides with max cars/workers. All of this means the heavier crowds are more effectively dispersed and have more to do, so it can actually be a better overall experience.

 

[DizMe]

Crowds are relative. If your sister hates crowds, even a light day at Disneyland will feel crowded to her.

Have you considered visiting the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco or taking a studio tour in Burbank?

This is true. I am one who hates crowds also, but Disneyland is different for me unless it's so crowded I can't move much. I also tend to make more dining reservations than the average person because it gives me a sit-down break where I can enjoy the atmosphere without being in the crowd, and I choose restaurants I really enjoy that have fun views. For instance, I like Ballast Point, where you're up on a terrace overlooking DTD, or Craftsman Grill by the pool at GCH, or Hearthstone, MK terrace, etc etc. Many of the best for getting away from the crowds are the ones that require a reservation and/or are outside the parks, but Rancho del Zocalo, Harbor Galley where you can often find a relatively quiet spot back behind it, and maybe Hungry Bear dining deck towards the back are good choices. If you can swing it, Blue Bayou, of course, is a great spot!

But generally in January I don't find DL crowded. And DL crowds, when not too intense, are different from other crowds because mostly, people are happy and having fun. Just steer her away from the bubble wand fiends in strollers .

 

[Steven G]

really hot days or really rainy days, but those can be hard to predict.

 

[Pluto468]

Thanks everyone! I think we'll shoot for January. She's been there a few times but not in like 20 years. She isn't a Disneyland fanatic so she'd be fine with shorter hours and missing some of the rides.

The last time we went there together her daughter/my niece was 18 months old-she just turned 23! My niece is a Disneyland fan like me, so I'm going to invite her, too

 

[Louis63]

The two weeks after halloween have been pretty mellow the past couple of years

 

[ztonyg]

I went 2 weeks ago (October 9 and 10) during a supposedly busy season.

I didn't really think the crowds were that bad, to tell you the truth.

 

[MonocularVision]

Oddly enough the weekend of the runDisney event last month was the quietest we had seen DL in a while.

 

[SpaceMan5]

Having gone to DL in mid/late January for the last 2 years I felt the parks were pretty busy. Then come summertime (Julyish) I was blown away at the shorter wait times compared to Jan

 

[LilyJC]

Oddly enough the weekend of the runDisney event last month was the quietest we had seen DL in a while.

That was really only because it was hot as heck that weekend!!

Thanks everyone! I think we'll shoot for January.

Just a small heads up that another race weekend will be taking place January 30 - February 2, 2025

 

[obsesseddisneyfan]

I went to DL mid august this year. It was the week that the local (orange county school district) schools went back but was still a block out for pass holders. I went with a friends and her child who HATE crowds. I won't say it was not crowded. But was very doable even for her (she lives in the middle of no where and does not drive in traffic well). We got up for rope drop and enjoyed a fairly empty park until 10-11am. She then went back to our airbnb, and decompressed. Made lunch took a nap , watched a move made dinner and then went back to the parks around 6pm. We would stay until close. We had 3 day tickets and did everything we wanted. She said it was the perfect Disney trip, her kid got to experience it, and she will never be back.

 

[LKing]

When people talk about local school districts, it is important to note that there are 200+ independent school districts, serving over 3.5 million school aged children within 2 hour drive of Disneyland. Each school district has their own calendar with different start dates, end dates, spring breaks, etc.

As was mentioned above, weather is probably the biggest variable impacting local crowds. When it is very hot (ie. this past race weekend) or rainy, locals tend to stay home. Personally, we cancelled our recent reservations because, quite honestly, we're tired of Halloween.

 

[AndrewC]

When people talk about local school districts, it is important to note that there are 200+ independent school districts, serving over 3.5 million school aged children within 2 hour drive of Disneyland. Each school district has their own calendar with different start dates, end dates, spring breaks, etc.

As was mentioned above, weather is probably the biggest variable impacting local crowds. When it is very hot (ie. this past race weekend) or rainy, locals tend to stay home. Personally, we cancelled our recent reservations because, quite honestly, we're tired of Halloween.

How dare you! Halloween is the best, lol

I agree with just about everything said here. Even “low crowd” days don’t feel the same as years ago. Disney has gotten really good at managing the park… staff side that is. If they anticipate a lower demand, they staff appropriately and while you might not be soul crushing shoulder to shoulder inching forward in crowds, wait times and general experience won’t match that less chaotic feeling.

I’ve been surprised at how manageable the parks have been the last week. Halloween time is peak demand, but Oogie boogie bash has been pretty manageable (Villains grove often had under 10 minutes wait time!) and walking around has been noticeably easier than last year. BUT, general standby wait times have hovered around their norms, 40-90 minutes for big eTicket like Radiator springs, Rise, Guardians, etc.

One thing I’ll note, Lightning lanes have shown a peek at the lower demand and crowds since it’s been a lot easier pulling stuff with return windows almost immediately starting or within 1 hour. Now again big eTicket isn’t included, but if you trek ALL over the park, you can get on a lot of stuff really pretty quickly.

 

[LKing]

How dare you! Halloween is the best, lol

Yeah, but remember, I live locally so go to the parks frequently. Disneyland started Halloween on August 23. After two months, I'm burnt out on it.

Oogie boogie bash has been pretty manageable (Villains grove often had under 10 minutes wait time!) and walking around has been noticeably easier than last year.

That's good. There were a lot of complaints last year.

 

[Pluto468]

ok, change of plans. My sister wants to go in the summer! I'll look at mid June and avoid grad nights.

I always say I'll never go in the summer again yet almost always end up going in the summer. Oh well.