When to visit?

[CarolynFH]

DH and I want to visit DLR sometime between mid-October 2025 and March 2026, and I’d appreciate y’all’s thoughts on when to go, primarily based on weather and secondarily based on special events during those months (especially special events where the event ticket could substitute for a park ticket that day). We’re WDW regulars, DVC owners, and have visited DLR three times, most recently in 2019, but we didn’t have as much freedom in choosing dates for those three visits as we have now. We’d plan on four nights, three full park days, probably arriving on Sunday and departing on Thursday or arriving Monday, departing Friday, IOW weekday park visits. And I hope to book a 1BR at VGC but would take a studio at VDH if 7-month availability doesn’t work in our favor.

Thanks in advance!

 

[LKing]

Things to consider:

Unlike WDW, weekdays at DLR (especially Monday) can be more crowded than weekends (especially Saturday).

October is often one of our warmest months. It is also the most crowded in the parks. After Halloween, there are less crowds for a couple of weeks until the holiday season starts.

Thanksgiving will be late again this year. Some report visiting the week after Thanksgiving and having the park relatively calm, but that didn't happen this year with Thanksgiving being so late.

After the first of the year, Small World and Haunted Mansion both close for a short time to remove their holiday overlays. Others follow those dates more than I do. January and February are often cold and rainy, plus the days are shorter. This year we obviously have not had rain, but it is relatively cold. World of Color runs throughout the week, but other shows such as Fantasmic and fireworks are only on weekends after the holidays. @joseph821 has been tracking the Fantasmic show availability this month.

This is the 2025 calendar of events. 2026 will have similar dates. Personally, I think Lunar New Year is more unique and fun than Food & Wine. Celebrate Gospel has been disappointing for me.



I'm not sure what special events you are referring to where a ticket could substitute for a park ticket. Disney After Dark events separately ticket events. If you don't have a daytime ticket, you can enter the parks around 6 pm

 

[irlandaise]

Carolyn, were any of your previous visits to DLR around Hallowe'en or Christmas? You'll need to decide whether you want to see Haunted Mansion Holiday or the original theming, and also to make sure you don't miss HM entirely by coming during the installation or removal of the makeover. Same with the it's a small world's holiday makeover. The Touring Plans website has historical information about those dates, which you can correlate with the calendar LKing posted to get an idea of the 2025-26 downtimes.

 

[cruisehopeful]

I love the Halloween stuff. So, October is great for that, but extremely crowded because most people want to go then. If you buy tickets for the Oogie Boogie Bash, you can enter the park usually 3 hours before the party. It's literally the most crowded 3 hours I have ever seen.

I've only been to Sweetheart's night in February once and I didn't like it. The temperature will either be in the 40s or it might be raining (it's the rainiest month). That is held at Disneyland Park. There are other after hours nights, but keep in mind that they don't give you park access during the day with the exception of the " mix in" time just before the party.

November can be nice if you like the Christmas decorations, but don't want to visit during the coldest and darkest months. January has always had the least crowds when I have gone, but also many attractions are closed for refurbishment.

 

[CarolynFH]

Thanks, all, lots to think about!

It’s interesting that weekdays can be more crowded than weekends. With DL reportedly being a “locals park” I thought it would be the opposite. I haven’t studied plane fares in depth, but I had the impression they tend to be lower on weekdays, and so are DVC points costs, thus our projected days.

I'm not sure what special events you are referring to where a ticket could substitute for a park ticket.

At WDW, it’s often possible to do as much at a Christmas party, After Hours, or other separately ticketed event, even entering later in the day, that it can substitute for a day on a park ticket. So I was wondering whether OBB, etc., might be similar.

November or December are starting to sound attractive. I didn’t know that TP had historical information about the dates that HM and IASW are being changed out, so thank you for that too.

 

[LKing]

You can get a lot of rides done at OBB, but there are so many other things to see and do that people often don't go on the rides. The Disneyland after hour events might be more of what you are looking for.

 

[OlliePop27]

Thanks, all, lots to think about!

It’s interesting that weekdays can be more crowded than weekends. With DL reportedly being a “locals park” I thought it would be the opposite. I haven’t studied plane fares in depth, but I had the impression they tend to be lower on weekdays, and so are DVC points costs, thus our projected days.


At WDW, it’s often possible to do as much at a Christmas party, After Hours, or other separately ticketed event, even entering later in the day, that it can substitute for a day on a park ticket. So I was wondering whether OBB, etc., might be similar.

November or December are starting to sound attractive. I didn’t know that TP had historical information about the dates that HM and IASW are being changed out, so thank you for that too.

@LKing and others have provided great info.

DLR is a locals park, but that's why weekends and holidays are better. There's so many annual passes that DLR is able to block out some pass levels on weekends and holidays. They further manipulate crowds by offering ticket deals for locals on weekdays during the off-season.

All this means that weekends and holidays are less crowded than weekdays. I went last year on July 4th weekend and it was great. All summer is really a good time to go, especially July, because the bottom 2 passes are blocked all summer and the third level pass is blocked on Saturdays. July Saturdays might be the single best dates to visit all year. Summer also tends to have less rides closed for refurbishment and nightly entertainment.

I'm going this year Thanksgiving weekend. I expect it to be crowded, but manageable.

It's always crowded at DLR nowadays, but I tend to look for dates when at least the lowest 2 passes are blocked and preferably even the third tier pass.

 

[PHXscuba]

If you haven't been during the Christmas season I can highly recommend. There's no hard-ticket party so nothing is behind a paywall, park hours are long, and they have some great overlays -- Haunted Mansion Holiday, It's a Small World Holiday, the decorations and overlays in Cars Land. Even teeny tiny decorations on the houses in Storybook Land Canal Boats! Plus WOC Season of Light, fireworks, parade, etc. The charm-per-square-foot is high. Don't get me started on the seasonal treats!!

I understand the biggest reason weekends and holidays are less busy is the ticket pricing structure. If you don't mind shelling out a few bucks to go on high-priced days right before/after lower-price days, you can usually get lower crowds. Anytime mid-November to mid-December is good, avoiding Thanksgiving week.

PHXscuba

 

[OlliePop27]

If you haven't been during the Christmas season I can highly recommend. There's no hard-ticket party so nothing is behind a paywall, park hours are long, and they have some great overlays -- Haunted Mansion Holiday, It's a Small World Holiday, the decorations and overlays in Cars Land. Even teeny tiny decorations on the houses in Storybook Land Canal Boats! Plus WOC Season of Light, fireworks, parade, etc. The charm-per-square-foot is high. Don't get me started on the seasonal treats!!

I understand the biggest reason weekends and holidays are less busy is the ticket pricing structure. If you don't mind shelling out a few bucks to go on high-priced days right before/after lower-price days, you can usually get lower crowds. Anytime mid-November to mid-December is good, avoiding Thanksgiving week.

PHXscuba

If you are buying multi day tickets, prices are the same regardless of day of week or date. Single day prices are variable based on date though.

 

[hardcorestitch]

It really boils down to what attractions you want to do, not necessarily just when you visit. When I visited Disneyland and DCA I already scripted the attractions that I felt mattered that time, like Haunted Mansion Holiday and Incredicoaster. Double check the refurbishment calendar so that unlike other foolish mortals, you don’t get shown disappointment midway through your visit.