When is the best time to visit Disneyland? - Orange County Register

[Darkbeer1]

In today's OC Register, Robert Niles ask the big question...

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/park-737583-disneyland-time.html

>>If by “best” those people mean “not crowded,” then any recent visitor to the park would be able to give the correct answer – which is, of course, “a school day, 20 years ago.”<<

Sounds like the correct answer, give the writer a year's supply of Rice-A-Roni!!!

Then he looks at how Disney has found ways to make the off-season disappear...

And then end of the article is good...

>>If you stop treating the park like some reality-show competition, you might find a lot of fun waiting for you. Actually, that’s a pretty good lesson for anything ... not just a visit to Disneyland.<<

So if I had to give a "true" answer, I think it is weekdays in early March (first two weeks),and the first three weeks in May, mainly due to the fact that most schools are in session, and no weird Holiday weeks since they are about to go to Easter/Spring Break, or just before finals and the end of the year.

One thing Robert Niles doesn't mention, and that is the switch to surge pricing for one day tickets to the parks, and looks like Disney wants to expand on that in shifting discount offerings to match up with the Surge Pricing dates.

 

[cruisehopeful]

>>If by “best” those people mean “not crowded,” then any recent visitor to the park would be able to give the correct answer – which is, of course, “a school day, 20 years ago.”<<

Best answer ever.

>>If you stop treating the park like some reality-show competition, you might find a lot of fun waiting for you. Actually, that’s a pretty good lesson for anything ... not just a visit to Disneyland.<<

I can't imagine waiting to be fun for anything, but I also would never treat DL like a reality show competition. It seems like many people do and they get enjoyment from that, but it's not my style by a long shot.

The article brings up good points, though. Everyone can find something to do and kids are pretty happy with just about anything, even something as simple as playing checkers. I remember when my daughter was 3 and we were waiting for my husband to join us after a business trip he was on. She and I rode every ride up and down Main street. We had a great time.

 

[Donathius]

We're going for 5 days the first week in March (Tue Feb 27-Sat March 4 driving home March 5). Should be super low crowds and plenty of time for DS6 and DD3/4 (birthday trip) to do everything they want as much as they want. Can't wait for this trip!

 

[MillauFr]

We're going for 5 days the first week in March (Tue Feb 27-Sat March 4 driving home March 5). Should be super low crowds and plenty of time for DS6 and DD3/4 (birthday trip) to do everything they want as much as they want. Can't wait for this trip!

Don't count on super low crowds. We just went in early November which used to be very slow. It was wall to wall people and the security line took 45 minutes.

 

[chickapin parterre]

i treat it like a game show in the morning, but by noon, I use my resting tricks, by evening, it is all about the sights and sounds, I don't think I ride anything past 3:00, except for the train. anyhow, I am here to pitch the first two Wednesdays in December as not being crowded, which is where I have been the last years of the first week in december. But alas, as an old man, investing in a city called Yuma for my relaxation.

 

[GatorChris]

Yeah, this article nailed it. It's not so much the events that Disney puts in the off-season that makes it super crowded all the time. It's been the rise of the internet. Once DSL became normal and people started using the internet all the time because of fast speeds, all of those crowd calendars that used to be little-known are now wide spread and common knowledge. 10 years ago, a trip to WDW or DL in Feb was going to a barren wasteland. No one was there. Every year since then, the crowds have increased. They're still not as busy as summer, but man are they ever close.

 

[Donathius]

Don't count on super low crowds. We just went in early November which used to be very slow. It was wall to wall people and the security line took 45 minutes.

Ouchie. That's crazy. We went the first week in November last year during the 60th and it was fairly pleasant. It got more crowded on Friday, but nothing crazy.

 

[CateinPhoenix]

i treat it like a game show in the morning, but by noon, I use my resting tricks, by evening, it is all about the sights and sounds, I don't think I ride anything past 3:00, except for the train. anyhow, I am here to pitch the first two Wednesdays in December as not being crowded, which is where I have been the last years of the first week in december. But alas, as an old man, investing in a city called Yuma for my relaxation.

This made me laugh....I've been to Yuma!

 

[Darkbeer1]

OK, I just was at the park yesterday, Thursday, 12/8, a off-season weekday in early December.

The Mickey and friends parking structure had cars on all 6 levels. security lines were around 15 minutes, and the park was busy, so while not packed, still crowded.

 

[ClaraOswald]

Don't count on super low crowds. We just went in early November which used to be very slow. It was wall to wall people and the security line took 45 minutes.

Yeah...I agree. I am pretty sure "super low crowds" are a thing of the past. We went in early February 2015 and it was WAY more crowded than previous years.

I miss Disneyland in 2004-2006.

 

[Tattylou]

We went mid- April 2015 ( Easter was in March that year) and it was very pleasant crowds wise. We walked on btmrr multiple times in there afternoon. I'm so used to the crowd craze that is now WDW at all times that I was impressed with how light the DL crowds were.

 

[dshimel]

Written by a local that visits the parks frequently, with the intended audience likely being the same.

It is a lot different for people spending $5K for a once-a-decade family vacation including air, hotel, hoppers, meals, etc.

You go once a week, or even once a month, no big deal if you skip Space Mt due to FastPasses being gone and a 2 hour stand-by.

If this is going to be your only trip with the kids during their teen years, it is a bigger deal!

 

[Littlebitofsunshine]

That was great, and also sad!