Are you wondering what is the best day of the week to visiting Disneyland? In this guide we will look at the days of week and how traditionally they have been for crowds as well as looking at specific days at Disneyland where you can expect to see high crowds.
Is there a best day of the week to visit Disneyland?
When we look at our California. itinerary we always look at whether or not there is a single best day of the week to visit Disneyland? We know that there is definitely a best day of the week to go to Magic Kingdom and there is also a best day to visit Disneyland Paris – but can the same be said for Disneyland and California Adventure?
The problem is that unlike Disney World, Disneyland doesn’t have traditionally crowded and less crowded dates but is more affected by time of year. One of the reasons for this is because at Disneyland there are only two parks rather than 4 at Disney World (not counting the two Disney World water parks.). This means that the crowds don’t have as much choice on specific days.
Saying that I would still say there are better and worst day to go to Disneyland for crowds.
What is the best day to go to Disneyland to Avoid Crowds
Best day of the week to visit Disneyland
Note: Although below we will discuss the best day to go to Disneyland and California Adventure to avoid crowds, we have found that since 2022 there really is no none crowded day and as more people follow this advice the best day of the week can change. We will do our best to follow wait times and crowd levels for the days of the week but this should be considered rough guidance not a definitive promise for less crowds.
If you want to get on lots of rides and do many characters meet and greets at Disneyland it is important to find one of the less crowded days?
I would definitely say that if you want to avoid crowds at Disneyland then you should prioritise going on a week day as opposed to a weekend. Crowds do tend to surge more at weekends as more locals who work during the week will come to the park.
Weekends also tend to be very popular with annual pass holders and locals who have school aged children. Therefore weekdays are better than weekends to go to Disneyland.
And if you can go in during the week, especially if you are traveling to Disneyland with toddlers as opposed to school aged children, we recommend going on either:
- Tuesday
- Wednesday
- Thursday
The reason for this is that it avoids people who are traveling to Disneyland for a long weekend. These days are always what we pick when going to Disneyland.
Also at the minute you can check the online reservation system to see park ticket availability which should give you some idea as the crowd levels you can expect.
Also a great way of checking the expected crowd levels is to look at the black out dates for the annual pass or Magic Key holders. If a date is blacked out for them it is usually because Disneyland is expecting very high crowds on that day.
Worst Day of the Week for Disneyland by Month
Is Disneyland Crowded on Halloween? Is Disneyland Crowded on Thanksgiving?
While the above is a good general overview of crowds at Disneyland it is worth looking at the best day of the week by month as it will change depending on school vacations and public holidays.
Although you can look at crowd calendars and the online reservation to gauge the relative crowds week on week there are certain days of the week in certain months you will want to avoid. These tend to be public and federal holidays as well as state specific days off. They included but are not limited to:
- 3rd Monday in January – this tends to be Martin Luther King Day and some states offer this as a public holiday. Any public holiday will see crowds surge at Disneyland regardless of the day of the week.
- Last Monday in May – this is Memorial Day and as this is a public holiday the crowds will swell in Disneyland.
- Juneteenth – whatever day this will fall will be very busy at Disneyland and California Adventure as this is a federal holiday.
- 4th July – click here for more information on is it busy at Disneyland on 4th July.
- 1st Monday in September – the 1st Monday in September tends to be Labor Day. This will make this Monday very busy.
- 3rd Thursday in November –Wondering is Disneyland busy on Thanksgiving? Well I can tell you that Disneyland is VERY Busy and crowded. In fact is one of the busiest days of the year at Disneyland. So although Thursdays are traditionally one of the least crowded days to go to Disneyland this particular day should be avoided.
- Christmas – New Year – this will be very busy as children are not at school.
You will also find certain weeks are busier than others due to school vacations. Weeks you may want to consider avoiding for Disneyland are:
- March into April – Spring Break in California and the surrounding states plus Easter depending on the year.
- May – avoid Mother’s Day Weekend and Memorial Weekend.
- June – July – summer vacation
- October – Halloween has arrived. Disneyland on Halloween is usually a very busy period due to the amazing decorations and the parties.
Are you visiting on one of these busiest days at Disneyland? Fear not check out our guide on how to reduce wait times at Disneyland and how to use single rider lines at Disneyland.
FAQS about what is the best day to visit Disneyland and California Adventure?
Best day of the week to visit Disneyland
What day of the week is the least busy at Disneyland?
In my personal experience of visiting Disneyland and tracking wait times of rides and meet and greets on the Disneyland app I have to say that I think the least busy days at Disneyland tend to be Tuesday, Wednesday for Thursday,
Is it better to go to Disneyland on a weekday or weekend?
I would choose to go to Disneyland on a weekday over a weekend every day due to traditionally lower crowds (school vacations discounting of course).
What day is the busiest at Disneyland?
The busiest day at Disneyland tends to traditionally be a Saturday or Sunday however there are some weekdays i.e. Thanksgiving for instance where the weekday crowds will surge.
Is it better to go to Disneyland on a Friday or Saturday?
If you only have a choice of going to Disneyland on a Friday or Saturday I would choose Friday every time. That is because you will get lots of locals and Magic Key / annual pass holders going into the park on a Saturday.
They may also arrive in the park for a Friday night after work or school however usually I would expect the crowds in the morning and early afternoon of a Friday to be quieter than a Saturday.
Is Friday or Sunday busier at Disneyland?
As above I would choose a Friday over a Sunday at Disneyland.
Have you been to the Disneyland? What day did you go? Was it busy or not so crowded? We would love to know in the comments.