undercover tourist crowd calendar june 2022

2022 Disney World Crowd Calendars – When to Go

by Rain Blanken | Feb 2, 2021 | Animal Kingdom , Disney's Hollywood Studios , EPCOT , Magic Kingdom , Walt Disney World News , WDW Blog

Everything you need to know about using a 2022 Disney World crowd calendar, and which are the most reliable.

If you’ve never used a Disneyland or Walt Disney World crowd calendar before, here is what you should look for in a reliable source and what those calendars just can’t predict. (Updated 01-08-2022)

What is a 2022 Disney World Crowd Calendar?

Crowd calendars offer an estimate of how crowded the Disney Parks will be on a specific day.

Disney World crowd calendars can include weather, crowd levels, ticket prices, hours, and seasonal event information. They typically are created a year in advance , so most information is estimated.

2022 WDW Crowd Calendar Inclusions

🧑🏻‍🤝‍🧑🏿Crowd Levels: Usually indicated by attention-grabbing green, yellow, or red symbols. This information is at the heart of the crowd calendar, so it is usually the most prominent and accessible element.

☀️Weather: Crowd calendar weather is typically derived from historic weather in Anaheim and Orlando… sunny, rainy, cloudy? These are put in simple terms, sometimes with an average temperature.

🎃Seasonal Events: Some crowd calendars will also list seasonal events, like EPCOT Festivals, runDisney events, or Magic Kingdom after-hours parties. This information can help you to determine why the crowds are so high in a day or week.

🎟️Ticket Prices: The cost to enter a Disney Park can vary depending on the time of year. Demand and capacity dictate which days are more expensive. Crowd calendars follow official posted Disney prices, so this tends to be one of the most accurate stats in a crowd calendar.

⏰Hours: Some crowd calendars list operating hours for all of the Disneyland or Disney World parks. This information could have changed since the calendar was posted.

📝Excess Info: Some crowd calendars track a lot of information you’ll never need. Like when SeaWorld is open, for instance. Make sure you’re using a simple crowd calendar that helps, not one that hides what you need among a lot of other info that doesn’t apply to your vacation.

How Do Crowd Calendars Help Plan Your Trip?

Different crowd calendars use various colors, numbers, and rating systems to give you the info on Disney World crowds.

Make sure you’re familiar with their system before you go making reservations! Crowd calendars can be confusing, especially if you are consulting a few with different tracking systems .

NOTE: ALL crowd calendars are an estimate of what will come to pass, based on previous years. While crowd calendars can offer some basic advice, make sure you are double-checking the information.

Top 2022 Disney Crowd Calendars

Not sure which calendar to go with? Here is a quick rundown of what each of the most popular crowd calendars has to offer:

1. Dad’s Guide to WDW Crowd Calendars

• ✔️Crowd Levels, Weather, Events
• ✔️Easily shareable calendar images
• ✔️Simple symbols and information
• ✔️Dedicated full pages to explain crowd levels each month

We have a soft spot for Dad’s Guide Crowd Calendars (as part of our parent company), but our team really does prefer Dad’s crowd control.

The easy-to-read crowd level indicators, weather, and special event notes are all we need. The best part is that the calendar images are easy to screenshot or share so that you have the info at your fingertips without sifting through a lot of extra text.

But you need more crowd details? Well, there’s a whole page dedicated to every calendar month in case you want to read a bit more.

2. Touring Plans Crowd Calendar

• ✔️Crowd levels, park hours, ticket prices, events
• ✔️Extra price and hourly information
• ❌Number system and extra info can be confusing
• ❌Redundant with MDE app info
• ❌Hard to look at on mobile
• ❌No shareable calendar images

The Touring Plans crowd calendars include crowd levels, park hours, ticket prices, and events. However, they are not easily shareable images and can be difficult to read. Much is info that My Disney Experience already has, like attraction wait times.

3. Undercover Tourist Crowd Calendar

• ✔️All the info you ever wanted
• ✔️Park-specific crowd levels
• ❌TOO MUCH info you never ever wanted
• ❌Hard to see the month on mobile

The Undercover Tourist crowd calendar has information for SeaWorld, Universal, etc. That can be a good thing but can make you go cross-eyed trying to look at it all. If you want something easy to read and share, avoid this beast of a mega-planner.

4. WDW Prep School Crowd Calendar

• ✔️All on one page
• ❌Per week, not per-day estimates
• ❌Only crowd levels and holidays
• ❌Not a true calendar; it is a list
• ❌Monthly information is not easily shareable

The WDW Prep School info is not a crowd calendar so much as a one-page list of which weeks are more crowded and the holidays that accompany them.

So, maybe you need some of what these calendars are offering, but Dad’s Guide is the one we stick with for our WDW-specific needs! The info is just what we need for at-a-glance planning, and the images are easy to share on mobile.

2022 Disney World Crowd Calendars

What is the best day to go to Walt Disney World? Photo by Rain Blanken

Are crowds down at Disney World? These monthly crowd calendars from Dad’s Guide give us a quick at-a-glance for each month alongside in-depth articles on what is happening each month (and how to make the most of the events and weather each month!)

January 2022 Crowd Calendar

• January Events: New Years Day, marathons, and Festival of the Arts. Which weeks will these events impact?
• View the January 2022 Crowd Calendar…

February 2022 Crowd Calendar

• February Events: Valentine’s Day and chillier weather can mean thin crowds:
• View the February 2022 Crowd Calendar…

March 2022 Crowd Calendar

• March Events: Most of March seems moderate… but wait till Spring Break hits:
• View the March 2022 Crowd Calendar…

April 2022 Crowd Calendar

• April Events: Easter, Spring Break, and the Flower & Garden Festival all build the crowd:
• View the April 2022 Crowd Calendar…

May 2022 Crowd Calendar

• May Events: Flower and Garden Continues, and May the 4th festivities may appear…
• View the May 2022 Crowd Calendar…

June 2022 Crowd Calendar

• June Events: Summertime is here, and Dad’s has tips on how the rain could actually save your park day…
• View the June 2022 Crowd Calendar…

July 2022 Crowd Calendar

• July Events: Fourth of July brings in lots of guests, but part of July is sparse…
• View the July 2022 Crowd Calendar…

August 2022 Crowd Calendar

• August Events: August is… HOT in Florida. But these crowd levels may convince you…
• View the August 2022 Crowd Calendar…

September 2022 Crowd Calendar

• September Events: The holiday season starts early at WDW, and Food and Wine is well underway…
• View the September 2022 Crowd Calendar…

October 2022 Crowd Calendar

• October Events: Time to howl at the moon, it’s Halloween at WDW!
• View the October 2022 Crowd Calendar…

November 2022 Crowd Calendar

• November Events: Next month may sound cozy, but Festival of the Holidays in November could be the perfect jolly getaway…
• View the November 2022 Crowd Calendar…

December 2022 Crowd Calendar

• December Events: It’s the most, crowded time… of the year! But who can resist the holidays with Mickey?
• View the December 2022 Crowd Calendar…

A crowd calendar above will tell you all the details, but in case you’re just looking for the least-crowded and most-crowded months, here is your briefing.

When is Disney World Least Crowded?

For the least-crowded months at Disney World, keep your eyes on these two chunks of the year:

• The last half of January—February
• The last half of August—September
• The last week of November—first full week of December

Kids are freshly back in school at these times, so not many families will have vacations planned. Spring break ramps up after February, and before that, marathons are happening in the first half of January.

Summer is busy, then in October, the Halloween crowds come in. That will immediately transition into Thanksgiving crowds. The last week of November/first week of December seems to be the eye of the holiday storm with a good lull in crowds.

When is Disney World Most Crowded?

The holidays are the most crowded time to visit at Disney World and tend to be more expensive too, as the resort rates and ticket prices fluctuate for demand.

Summer months also tend to be very crowded , and any other minor holiday when kids are out of school. Spring break (March—April) could also be avoided.

Disney World is most crowded during these chunks of the year:

• The last half of December
• Spring break months: March—Early May
• Summer months: May—the first half of August

Even in the low-crowd months, you’ll get more out of your park ticket if you visit on a weekday instead of a weekend when local Annual Passholder families are roaming the parks.

To see the Christmas decorations without the crowds , hit up Disney World in the first week of December, or immediately after Thanksgiving weekend.

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2024 Crowd Calendar Orlando

What is the orlando crowd calendar.

The Park Prodigy's Orlando park crowd calendar is the best tool to see how busy each theme park will be during a specific month, week, and day. It’s the perfect resource for families to rely on as they begin to plan their 2024 and 2025 vacation at the Orlando theme parks.

We Break Down

Crowd levels, ticket prices, park hours and historical weather. We also have special events and festivals happening around the parks!

Use our Orlando Crowd Calendar for Planning

Plan which park (or parks) to visit on each day during your Orlando vacation. We provide park recommendations based on wait time data and park hours.

How to Avoid Crowds?

If avoiding large crowds is most important to your family use our “Save Time” button. First pick the month of your Orlando vacation, and how many days you plan to stay. Our Crowd Calendar will then pick the least crowded days to visit!

How to Purchase Discounted Orlando theme park Tickets?

If saving money is most important to your family, use our “Save Money” button. First, pick the month of your Orlando vacation and how many days you plan to stay. Our Orlando Theme Park Crowd Calendar will then pick the cheapest Disney tickets and discounted Universal tickets!

USE OUR ORLANDO CROWD CALENDAR TO AVOID THE CROWDS AND PURCHASE DISCOUNTED THEME PARK TICKETS

• Start Here! - CROWD LEVEL BY DAY (1-10) & Daily Ticket Prices.
• Lowest Crowds
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The Park Prodigy Orlando Crowd Calendar

Are you planning a trip to Orlando in 2024 and 2025 and worried about crowds and ticket prices? Our crowd calendar for Orlando, Florida is here to help! There has never been a more important time to prepare and plan for your next Disney and Universal vacation. There are a few reasons why we do expect crowd levels to be higher than in years past, including the fact that both Disney and Universal Orlando are expanding their parks with new rides and lands and, of course, just the simple fact that families still love visiting the parks!

Our Orlando theme park crowd calendar is the perfect tool to help you avoid peak times and make your vacation unforgettable. Not only do we use hundreds upon hundreds of days of historical data, but we track special events at the parks too. We understand 2024 will be unlike any other year, and that’s why we are keeping a close eye on crowd trends and breaking news from around the parks.

Our Orlando Crowd Calendar includes the following theme parks:

• Walt Disney World
• Universal Orlando
• Sea World Orlando

We have found the best days to visit Orlando depend on a few factors, including crowds, weather, park hours, and park ticket prices. So that’s exactly what we have included in our 2024 Orlando Florida crowd calendar. 

Average Temperature

Orlando, Florida, is known for its sunny yet sometimes unpredictable weather. This makes it an important part to consider when booking your next trip. Summer months tend to be in the high 90s, while winter months tend to be cooler.

The Park Prodigy crowd calendar for theme parks tracks the average temperature range for each day of the calendar year. This will allow you to know exactly what to expect and pack accordingly!

Theme Park Hours

It doesn’t matter if you’re visiting Walt Disney World or Universal Orlando , we have found park hours can be confusing, especially with the recent additions of so many special event tickets, which allow guests into the park earlier or later than other guests.

Our 2024 Orlando Florida theme park crowd calendar includes the daily openings and closings for all Orlando theme parks.

Best Disney World Crowd Calendars

By: Author Courtney Derqu

Posted on Last updated: January 8, 2022

The hunt is always on for the best time of year to visit Disney World. And with the start of the new year, there’s no time like the present to start planning your Walt Disney World vacation. Crowd calendars can be a great gauge on when to be where at Disney World. Unfortunately, there is a bit of bad news I have to pass along about this. In recent years, there has become a shortage of these “dead” periods at Disney World. Disney is just becoming more and more popular so crowd calendars are becoming more important when it comes to Disney World vacation planning.

What is a Disney World Crowd Calendar? 

A Disney World crowd calendar is a type of methodology that helps guests know when is the best (and worst) times to visit Disney. Crowd calendars examine all sorts of data, including previous park attendance rates, resort and ticket prices, holidays, and different promotions such as the summer and fall sales that offer 25% off room rates when booked during a certain period. 

This data is used to make future predictions about attendance trends in the coming year. 

Disney World Crowd Calendar Options

Some popular Disney World crowd calendars are both  Touring Plans  (paid) and  Undercover Tourist.  These two calendars are based on a database of collected information.

We also enjoy the crowd calendars from the  Disney Tourist Blog  as well as  WDW Prep School.  These two crowd calendars fall into the category of well-thought-out opinions. Despite these two sites’ calendars not coming from a database of scientific information, we wanted to share them because they are two trustworthy Disney World opinions. Both teams have vast knowledge and frequent experience traveling to Disney World.

What Factors Affect Disney Crowd Calendars? 

Unfortunately, many things. Let’s look at the COVID-19 pandemic as the best example. Since data from the previous year is looked at, it was very difficult to make predictions about what the crowds would be like in 2021 since the data from 2020 was so unpredictable, thanks to park closures, limited tickets, and travel restrictions. However, this example is the exception rather than the rule as pandemics aren’t usually a common thing. 

Traditionally speaking, the most common factors that affect the reliability and accuracy of Disney crowd calendars has a lot to do with special events, annual passholder tickets, and in recent years, influencers. 

Disney World holds a lot of events throughout the year. That, combined with the onset of new attractions and experiences at an almost unprecedented rate, you’d be hard-pressed to find a time to visit Disney when there isn’t something special going on. Here’s a list of all the special events happening in Disney World in 2022 (so far): 

• Re-opening of the Festival of Fantasy parade 
• Epcot’s Festival of the Arts : January 14, 2022: February 21, 2022
• Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser resort : March 1, 2022
• Epcot’s Flower & Garden Festival : March 2, 2022 – July 4, 2022
• Finding Nemo: The Big Blue….and Beyond
• Epcot’s International Food & Wine Festival: July 15, 2022 – November 20, 2022
• Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon weekend: November 3-6, 2022
• Tron Lightcycle Power Run
• Mickey’s Royal Friendship Faire
• Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind

This, of course, doesn’t include everything that occurred in the latter half of 2021 that many people haven’t yet experienced such as the opening of Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure , La Creperie De Paris, and Space 220 in Epcot, as well as the new firework show, Enchantment in Magic Kingdom, KiteTails in Animal Kingdom, and Drawn to Life, the new Cirque du Soleil show at Disney Springs. Nor does it include special ticketed events such as Boo Bash or other festivities such as the park’s 50th Anniversary Celebration . 

These events and attraction openings usually result in higher crowds, which can dramatically skew these numbers. Another factor that may affect Disney crowd calendars are annual passholders, as these not only have blackout dates but can fluctuate throughout the year. For example, many annual passes for out-of-state visitors were paused in late 2021 due to the influx of travelers over the holiday season.

Another more recent trend affecting the reliability of Disney crowd calendars is the rise of influencers. While Disney has always been synonymous with families, it has increasingly become more popular with millennials. I could see this shift a few years ago at the Disney Store (rip) when they started introducing cookware, jewelry, and fashionable adult clothing in the front of the store that appealed to adults, rather than the kids they’ve always marketed to.  

Furthermore, with the rise of social media apps like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram, there has been an influx of Disney influencers and creators spending time in the parks documenting all of the latest events and new merchandise for their YouTube channels and Instagram accounts. Disney themselves have taken advantage of influencers and use them as part of their promotion for these events, as well. With the addition of creators in the parks for grand openings, festivals, and other special occasions, this may inflate the number of park attendance, regardless of whether or not these individuals are riding rides or staying on property. 

What Month is Disney the Least Busy?

Typically speaking, Disney World is usually less crowded during off-periods, such as right after the holiday season and the week after Labor Day when kids have already returned to school. However, with many children still taking part in remote learning, this allows families a little bit of extra flexibility to travel to Walt Disney World outside of summer and winter break. 

Final Thoughts

While it may seem like a Disney crowd calendar won’t be too helpful, the opposite is exactly true. Even though the park attendance changes due to the factors mentioned above, it doesn’t change that much from year to year. The parks usually hit max capacity during the holiday season, especially during the week of Christmas. Special dates, such as the introduction of Enchantment and Harmonious saw increased attendance, and the first couple of months of Tron’s and Guardians of the Galaxy’s opening will see increased attendance at both Epcot and Magic Kingdom. 

When it comes to booking your Walt Disney World vacation, a crowd calendar can help you make an informed decision based on previous data, and you can come up with your own plans after doing a little research on any upcoming events that may be taking place during your proposed dates. Even going during a crowded season, chances are, you probably won’t be waiting more than an hour for the majority of the rides. Plus, even if you are waiting, there are a lot of  things to do waiting in line at Disney World  that can pass the time. 

Do you use Disney crowd calendars to help plan your trip? Let us know in the comments below and don’t forget to follow us on Instagram for all the latest Disney tips and tricks. 

As a self-proclaimed Mouseketeer, Courtney Dercqu is a fan of all things Disney. Between decorating her desk with souvenirs from the park, to making unique mouse ears and having a dedicated Disney Instagram, Courtney is a true believer in the magic of a Walt Disney World vacation. Having had more than 200 articles published on various content, Courtney’s excited to share her knowledge and experience with everyone! Be sure to follow her on Instagram for all the Disney magic.

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FREE Universal Orlando 12-month crowd calendar with park hours & special events

PLEASE READ THIS – changes in park hours and other data

Universal does not provide notifications when it changes park hours after they are initially published, which can happen once, twice, or several times each month.

While we work diligently to provide you with the most accurate information possible, the policies and procedures of other businesses may change at any time without notice. Therefore, we’re unable to make any warranties regarding the accuracy or completeness of the projections and posted information below.

Our very earnest recommendation is that, regardless of what our calendar or Universal’s website shows, please contact Guest Services directly a day or two before you travel to confirm park hours for your visit: 407-224-4233, or toll-free at 1-877-801-9720.

You can view projected wait times, weather, and more

Click on any date to view detailed information about that day, including useful links, the weather forecast, which park Early Park Admission is located at, and our projected maximum wait times.

If Universal has not published park operating hours for a particular month, we provide last year’s hours and put an asterisk (*) next to them.

12-month crowd calendar legend

Theme parks are at their busiest. Expect huge crowds, very long lines for the popular attractions with wait times over 120 minutes, and extended park operating hours. Express Passes are highly recommended and may possibly sell out. Typically, during very busy days, USF and IOA are open until 10:00 pm or later. In addition, the parks may open to the general public at 8:00 am, an hour earlier than usual. (Need a touring plan ?)

Theme parks are busy. Expect large crowds and long lines for the popular attractions with wait times between 90 to 120 minutes (lines will be noticeably shorter in the morning and evening). Express Passes are recommended but not necessary with good planning. Typically, during busy days, USF and IOA are open until 9:00 pm. (Need a touring plan ?)

Theme parks are moderately busy. Expect ample crowds and long lines for the popular attractions with wait times between 30 and 90 minutes (lines will be much shorter in the morning and evening). Keep in mind that Universal usually performs its routine ride maintenance during moderate and slow periods, meaning that one or two major attractions could be closed – this page lists all ride closures currently scheduled. Express Passes are only recommended for those guests who don’t want to deal with any lines, or who are trying to visit both parks in one day. Typically, during moderate days, USF and IOA are open until at least 8:00 pm. (Need a touring plan ?)

Theme parks are slow. Expect few crowds and minimal lines with wait times for popular attractions 45 minutes or less. Keep in mind that Universal usually performs its routine ride maintenance during moderate and slow periods, meaning that one or two major attractions could be closed – this page lists all ride closures currently scheduled. Express Passes are not recommended. Typically, during slow days, USF and IOA are open until 7:00pm.

USF 9 am – 7 pm

Scheduled operating hours for Universal Studios Florida (USF). Please be aware that theme park operating hours may change at any time without notice. If there is an asterisk next to the time, it is last year’s hours. This year likely hasn’t been released yet.

IOA 9 am – 7 pm

Scheduled operating hours for Islands of Adventure (IOA). Please be aware that theme park operating hours may change at any time without notice. If there is an asterisk next to the time, it is last year’s hours. This year likely hasn’t been released yet.

Orlando Informer Crowd Calendar

Park hours with an asterisk (*) indicates projected hours based on historical data.

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First-time visitors, please read this page: How to use our FREE online guide to plan your Universal vacation

Oi universal center table of contents, overview and introduction:.

• Read guest reviews of Universal or submit your own
• View our daily updates
• 12-month Universal Orlando crowd calendar

Tickets and Planning

• Best Day of the Week to visit Universal Orlando
• Best Time of the Year to visit Universal Orlando
• Which Universal Orlando Theme Park is Better?
• The Best Orlando Theme Parks by Age Group
• How to Save on Flights to Orlando
• How Many Days to Spend at Universal Orlando?
• Maps, Rider’s Guide, & Vacation Brochure
• Universal Orlando Annual Passes – Complete Insider’s Guide
• Accessibility Accommodations
• Universal Vacation Packages – An Insider’s Guide
• Top 10 Easiest Ways to Save Time & Money at Universal
• Ride Wait Times Based on Crowd Levels
• Universal Express Passes – Complete Insider’s Guide
• The Secret to Getting UNLIMITED Express Passes
• Universal Dining Plans – Complete Insider’s Guide
• Dining Reservations at Universal Orlando
• Parking & Universal’s Transportation Hub
• Shuttles, Taxis, & Ride Sharing – Transportation Recommendations
• Orlando Average Monthly Temperatures
• What to Pack for Your Vacation
• What’s Coming to Universal in 2024 and Beyond

Insider Tips on Your Vacation

These guide pages will give you the inside scoop on how to get the most out of your vacation to Universal Orlando Resort. From internet access to mobile food ordering, all your questions can be answered here. Perusing these pages now will save you countless hours later, allowing you to spend more time on what’s important – your trip!

• Shopping & Merchandise at Universal Orlando
• Ultimate Adult’s Guide to Universal Orlando Resort
• Visiting USF with Kids – Complete Insider’s Guide
• Visiting IOA with Kids – Complete Insider’s Guide
• Visiting VB with Kids – Complete Insider’s Guide
• Virtual Lines at Universal Orlando
• Single-riders’ Lines at Universal Orlando
• Mobile Ordering at Universal Orlando
• Rental & Ride Lockers at Universal
• Characters at Universal’s Theme Parks
• Child Swap at Universal’s Thrill Rides
• Men in Black – How to Max Out Your Score at 999,999
• Refillable Cups, Popcorn Buckets, & Coke Freestyle
• Free Internet Access at Universal Orlando
• Phone Charging at Universal Orlando
• My Universal Photos & Ride Photos
• 20 Ideas for Free or Inexpensive Entertainment around Orlando
• Breakfast at Universal Orlando Resort
• Grocery Delivery in Orlando
• VIP Tour Experience at Universal Orlando
• Ultimate Seating Guide to ALL the Rides

Insider’s Guide to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

With Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade Village, Universal Orlando changed the game for what it meant to be immersed in a theme park. These guide pages will cover our best insider tips on getting the most out of your visit to the Wizarding World.

• Only Guaranteed Ways to Beat the Crowds at the Wizarding World
• How to Ensure Your Trip to the Wizarding World is a Success!
• Early Park Admission to the Wizarding World – A Complete Guide
• Return Tickets & Standby Line to Enter the Wizarding World
• Interactive Wands & Spell-Casting in the Wizarding World
• Complete Insider’s Guide to Butterbeer
• The Specialty Drinks, Meals, and Desserts of Diagon Alley
• Leaky Cauldron: The Grandest Feast a Wizard Can Have
• Three Broomsticks & Hog’s Head: Drink in the Details
• Shopping & Merchandise at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley
• Shopping & Merchandise at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade

Annual Events at Universal Orlando

There’s more to do than just rollercoasters! The following guide pages provide information on annual events at Universal Orlando Resort. Check here periodically for updates and news.

• Rock the Universe 2024
• Mardi Gras 2024 parade
• Mardi Gras 2024 exclusive food and drinks
• Easter 2024
• Fourth of July 2024
• Admission guide: tickets, Express, & tours
• HHN 2022 tips, tricks, & secrets
• How to get HHN early admission
• HHN 2024 touring plan
• HHN 2024 exclusive food and drinks
• Thanksgiving 2024
• Universal’s Holiday Parade Featuring Macy’s
• Grinchmas Who-liday Spectacular
• Christmas in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
• New Year’s Eve 2024

Universal Orlando Touring Plans

We combined our years of expertise and insider experience to build the best touring plans for you so you don’t have to! Whether you’re staying one day, or all week, we’ve got you covered!

• Universal Studios & Islands of Adventure 1-day Touring Plan
• Ultimate Universal Studios 1-day Touring Plan
• Ultimate Islands of Adventure 1-day Touring Plan
• Volcano Bay Touring Plan
• 3-day Touring Plan for Hotel Guests: Day 1
• 3-day Touring Plan for Hotel Guests: Day 2
• 3-day Touring Plan for Hotel Guests: Day 3
• Wizarding World of Harry Potter Touring Plan
• Bite-Sized Touring Plans
• Design Your Own Universal Orlando Touring Plans
• OI Priority List: Universal Studios Florida
• OI Priority List: Islands of Adventure

Universal Studios Florida – Complete Guide and History

Universal Studios boasts The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley, Men in Black, Springfield, U.S.A, and more. Use these guide pages to help plan your ultimate vacation.

• Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit
• Despicable Me Minion Mayhem
• Universal Music Plaza
• Transformers: The Ride – 3D
• Studio Sweets
• Illumination’s Villain-Con Minion Blast
• Illumination’s Minion Café (quick-service)
• Freeze Ray Pops (quick-service)
• Pop-A-Nana (quick-service)
• Illumination Theater
• Bake My Day
• Revenge of the Mummy
• Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon
• The Blues Brothers Show
• Marilyn & the Diamond Bellas
• Beat Builders
• Finnegan’s Bar & Grill (full-service)
• Louie’s Italian Restaurant (quick-service)
• Guido’s Gelato (quick-service)
• Starbucks (quick-service)
• Auntie Anne’s (quick-service)
• Fast & Furious – Supercharged
• Lombard’s Seafood Grille (full-service)
• Richter’s Burger Co. (quick-service)
• San Francisco Pastry Company (quick-service)
• Chez Alcatraz (limited-service bar)
• San Francisco Candy Factory
• Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts
• The  Hogwarts Express
• Tales of Beedle the Bard & Celestina Warbeck
• Ollivanders Wand Shop in Diagon Alley
• London taxi hut store
• Madam Malkin’s Robes for all Occasions
• Quality Quidditch Supplies
• Shutterbutton’s Photography Studio
• Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes
• Magical Menagerie
• Wiseacre’s Wizarding Equipment
• Globus Mundi
• Gringotts Money Exchange
• Sugarplum’s Sweet Shop
• Wands by Gregorovitch
• Knockturn Alley
• The Leaky Cauldron (quick-service)
• Florean Fortescue’s Ice-Cream Parlour (quick-service)
• The Fountain of Fair Fortune (quick-service)
• The Hopping Pot (quick-service)
• Eternelle’s Elixir of Refreshment (quick-service)
• London taxi hut (quick-service)
• Men in Black Alien Attack
• The Simpsons Ride
• Kang & Kodos’ Twirl ‘n’ Hurl
• Bumblebee Man’s Taco Truck (quick-service)
• Lard Lad Donuts (quick-service)
• Duff Brewery (limited-service bar)
• Moe’s Tavern (limited-service bar)
• Fast Food Boulevard (quick-service)
• Animal Actors on Location!
• DreamWorks Destination
• E.T. Adventure
• KidZone Pizza Company (quick-service)
• The Bourne Stuntacular
• Horror Make-Up Show
• TODAY Cafe (quick-service)
• Mel’s Drive-In (quick-service)
• Central Park Crepes (quick-service)
• Schwab’s Pharmacy (quick-service)
• Cafe La Bamba (quick-service)
• DreamWorks Land
• Park-wide Entertainment

Universal’s Islands of Adventure –  complete guide and history

Islands of Adventure features lands such as Seuss Landing, Jurassic Park, and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade Village. That means you can ride The Cat in the Hat, come face to face with dinosaurs, and attend Hagrid’s magical creatures lesson. These pages contain great insider tips and tricks to make sure you have a great vacation.

• Confisco Grille & Backwater Bar (full-service)
• Croissant Moon Bakery (quick-service)
• Starbucks Coffee (quick-service)
• Cinnabon (quick-service)
• The Incredible Hulk Coaster
• Storm Force Accelatron
• Doctor Doom’s Fearfall
• The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man
• Captain America Diner (quick-service)
• Cafe 4 (quick-service)
• Me Ship, the  Olive
• Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges
• Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls
• Comic Strip Cafe (quick-service)
• Blondie’s: Home of the Dagwood (quick-service)
• Wimpy’s (quick-service)
• Cathy’s Ice Cream (quick-service)
• Skull Island: Reign of Kong
• Jurassic World VelociCoaster
• Raptor Encounter
• Pteranodon Flyers
• Camp Jurassic
• Jurassic Park River Adventure
• Jurassic Park Discovery Center
• The Burger Digs (quick-service)
• Pizza Predattoria (quick-service)
• The Watering Hole (quick-service)
• Thunder Falls Terrace (quick-service)
• Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
• Filch’s Emporium of Confiscated Goods
• Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure
• Flight of the Hippogriff
• Triwizard Spirit Rally & Frog Choir
• Ollivanders Wand Shop in Hogsmeade
• The Nighttime Lights at Hogwarts Castle
• Dark Arts at Hogwarts Castle
• The Three Broomsticks & Hog’s Head (quick-service)
• The Mystic Fountain
• Mythos (full-service)
• Doc Sugrue’s Desert Kebab House (quick-service)
• The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride!
• Caro-Seuss-el
• One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish
• Oh! The Stories You’ll Hear
• The Cat in the Hat
• If I Ran the Zoo
• Circus McGurkus Cafe Stoo-pendous (quick-service)
• Green Eggs and Ham Cafe (quick-service)
• Moose Juice, Goose Juice (quick-service)
• Hop on Pop Ice Cream Shop (quick-service)
• Marvel Character Dinner

Universal’s Volcano Bay – complete guide and history

The water theme park at Universal Studios, Volcano Bay takes your vacation to a whole new level of relaxation and excitement – all in the same day! Go with the flow in a raft, or climb to the top of Krakatau volcano just to slide back down again! But whatever you do – use our guide pages to plan your day at Volcano Bay and maximize your trip.

Park-wide tips

• Volcano Bay’s TapuTapu – complete guide
• Volcano Bay’s cabana rentals – complete guide
• Volcano Bay tickets – complete guide
• Visiting VB with kids – a complete guide
• Early Park Admission to Volcano Bay
• Complete Guide to Shopping at Universal’s Volcano Bay
• Ko’okiri Body Plunge
• Waturi Beach
• Kohola Reef Restaurant & Social Club (quick-service)
• Koka Poroka (quick-service)
• Dancing Dragons Boat Bar (limited-service bar)
• Krakatau Aqua Coaster
• Honu ika Moana
• Runamukka and Tot Tiki Reefs
• Kopiko Wai Winding River
• Whakawaiwai Eats (quick-service)
• Kala & Tai Nui Serpentine Body Slides
• Punga Racers
• Ohyah & Ohno Drop Slides
• Maku Puihi Round Raft Rides
• TeAwa the Fearless River
• Tonga and Raki of Taniwha Tubes
• Puka Uli Lagoon
• Bambu (quick-service)
• The Feasting Frog (quick-service)
• Kunuku Boat Bar (limited-service bar)

Universal’s Epic Universe – complete guide and history  (opening expected in 2025)

Epic Universe will be Universal Orlando Resorts’ biggest park, housing three major intellectual properties: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Nintendo, How to Train Your Dragon, and Universal Monsters.

• Atlantic (full-service) at Universal Epic Universe
• Constellation Carousel at Universal Epic Universe
• Starfall Racers at Universal Epic Universe
• The Blue Dragon Pan-Asian Restaurant (full-service) at Universal Epic Universe 
• Dark Universe at Universal Epic Universe
• How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk at Universal Epic Universe
• Super Nintendo World Food Guide
• Super Nintendo World Merchandise Guide
• The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic at Universal Epic Universe

Universal CityWalk Orlando

These guide pages will walk you through everything you need to know about Universal City Walk and all you can find there! With formal dining options, to-go pizza, and even a tattoos parlor, you’ll find what you need (and more) at City Walk.

• Antojitos Authentic Mexican Food
• Bob Marley – A Tribute to Freedom
• Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.
• The Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar
• Hard Rock Cafe Orlando
• Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville Orlando
• NBC Sports Grill & Brew
• Pat O’Brien’s
• Toothsome Chocolate Emporium
• VIVO Italian Kitchen
• Bend the Bao
• Bread Box Handcrafted Sandwiches
• CityWalk food court: BK Whopper Bar, Moe’s Southwest Grill, Panda Express
• Cold Stone Creamery
• Hot Dog Hall of Fame
• Lone Palm Airport
• Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt
• Red Oven Pizza Bakery
• Starbucks Coffee
• Voodoo Doughnut
• Auntie Anne’s
• Dippin’ Dots
• Fat Tuesday
• Universal’s Fresh Eats
• Breakfast options at Universal CityWalk
• Hollywood Drive-In Golf
• Universal Cinemark
• Universal’s Great Movie Escape
• Red Coconut Club
• Universal Legacy Store
• Universal Studios Store

Universal Orlando’s hotels (general information)

Universal Orlando Resort boasts eight hotels, and each has something the others don’t! Use these guide pages to read about each one and decide which is best for you and your family on your unforgettable vacation.

• Comparing Universal Orlando’s on-site hotels
• Portofino Bay: Rooms
• Portofino Bay: Public spaces & Harbor Piazza
• Portofino Bay: Mandara Spa
• Portofino Bay: Pool areas
• Bar American (full-service bar)
• Bice (full-service)
• Mama Della’s Ristorante (full-service)
• Sal’s Market Deli (quick-service)
• The Thirsty Fish (full-service bar)
• Trattoria del Porto (full-service)
• Portofino Bay: Distance from the parks
• Hard Rock: Rooms
• Hard Rock: Public spaces
• Hard Rock: Pool area
• Hard Rock: Dining & lounges
• Hard Rock: Distance from the parks
• Royal Pacific: Rooms
• Royal Pacific: Public spaces
• Royal Pacific: Pool area
• Bula Bar & Grille (quick-service)
• Islands Dining Room (full-service)
• Jake’s American Bar (full-service)
• Orchid Court Lounge & Sushi Bar (full-service)
• Jake’s Beer Dinner
• Despicable Me Character Breakfast
• Wantilan Luau
• Royal Pacific: Distance from the parks
• Sapphire Falls: Rooms
• Sapphire Falls: Public spaces
• Sapphire Falls: Pool area
• Amatista Cookhouse (full-service)
• Drhum Club Kantine (quick-service)
• New Dutch Trading Co. (quick-service)
• Strong Water Tavern (full-service bar)
• Sapphire Falls: Distance from the parks
• Cabana Bay: Rooms
• Cabana Bay: Public spaces
• Cabana Bay: Pool areas
• Atomic Tonic (quick-service)
• Bayliner Diner (quick-service)
• Galaxy Bowl (full-service)
• Hideaway Bar & Grill (quick-service)
• Swizzle Lounge (quick-service bar)
• Cabana Bay: Distance from the parks
• Aventura: Rooms
• Aventura: Public spaces
• Aventura: Pool area
• Urban Pantry (quick-service)
• Bar 17 Bistro (full-service bar)
• Bar Ventura (limited-service bar)
• Bar Sol (limited-service bar)
• Aventura: Distance from the parks
• Surfside: Rooms
• Surfside: Public spaces
• Surfside: Pool area
• Beach Break Cafe (quick-service)
• Sand Bar (limited-service bar)
• Surfside: Distance from the parks
• Dockside: Rooms
• Dockside: Public spaces
• Dockside: Pool areas
• Pier 8 Market
• Sunset Lounge (limited-service bar)
• The Oasis Beach Bar (limited-service bar)
• Dockside: Distance from the parks
• Stella Nova: Rooms
• Terra Luna: Rooms
• Universal Helios Grand Hotel (opening in 2025)
• Hotel discount for annual passholders & the logistics of checking in
• Breakfast options at the hotels

The Prop Graveyard: TOURING THE EXTINCT ATTRACTIONS

Unfortunately, even good things must come to an end. Universal Orlando Resort opened more than 20 years ago, and in their journey to keep things fresh and updated, sacrifices had to be made along the way! Use these guide pages to read up on the attractions of days gone by.

• Twister: Ride It Out
• Beetlejuice’s Graveyard Revue
• Cinematic Spectacular Dining Experience
• Terminator 2 3D: Battle across Time
• Superstar Character Breakfast
• Flying Fish Market
• Beverly Hills Boulangerie (quick-service)
• A Day in the Park with Barney
• Fear Factor Live
• Curious George Goes to Town
• Woody Woodpecker’s Nuthouse Coaster
• Fievel’s Playland
• Dragon Challenge: Secrets of the Queue
• The Eighth Voyage of Sindbad
• Honk Honkers (candy store)
• Poseidon’s Fury
• Universal’s Q-Bot Ride Reservation System
• Universal Orlando Dining Plans
• Halloween 2020
• Emeril’s Orlando
• Blue Man Group
• Fusion Bistro Sushi & Sake Bar
• Summer Concert Series
• A Celebration of Harry Potter
• Crowd Levels
• Hours/Weather

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Countdown to Magic

How to Avoid Insane Crowds When Visiting Disney World

Planning a trip to Walt Disney World this year? There are many factors that come into play when choosing the dates for your vacation.   This article looks to identify the best times to plan your vacation to Walt Disney World based on historical crowd levels at the parks—because who doesn’t want to avoid massive crowds at Disney World?

Disney Crowd Calendars

The first step in discovering the best dates for your upcoming trip is to consult multiple Walt Disney World Crowd Calendars.   These calendars detail by week and date the predicted number of people who will be vacationing to Disney World based on historical data and trends. 

And, before we get started, please do note that we have written twelve in-depth articles on Disney World crowd levels for every single month of the year .  Therefore, if you’re planning on visiting Disney on a specific month, you’ll probably want to also read one of these articles:

• Disney World Crowd Levels in January
• Disney World Crowd Levels in February
• Disney World Crowd Levels in March
• Disney World Crowd Levels in April
• Disney World Crowd Levels in May
• Disney World Crowd Levels in June
• Disney World Crowd Levels in July
• Disney World Crowd Levels in August
• Disney World Crowd Levels in September
• Disney World Crowd Levels in October
• Disney World Crowd Levels in November
• Disney World Crowd Levels in December

You can also read my in-depth article on Disney World Crowd Calenders here .

Listed below are some of our favorite Crowd Calendars to consult when planning our WDW vacations:

The Undercover Tourist

A great all-around resource, The Undercover Tourist creates an easy to read calendar with simple Red, Yellow, and Green days to indicate crowd levels and Check Marks next to recommended parks for that day. 

Undercover Tourist will also make note of the weather and any special events that may be happening each day, such as a holiday or Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party.   You can also filter information on the top of the page, allowing you to focus on what is important to you. Undercover Tourist publishes their calendars up to a year in advance, much earlier than other resources, so this is a great place to start!

Easy WDW & Dad’s Guide to WDW

I grouped these two together as they both provide a great general overview on how the crowd levels will fluctuate throughout the current year.   If you are a more visual person, Dad’s Guide To WDW creates simple calendars that make it very easy to pinpoint low and high crowd levels, while providing relevant and witty commentary about key events affecting crowds. 

Easy WDW provides a written overview by month for the current year, detailing each month’s crowd levels, refurbishments, events, and any other relevant information.   This website also publishes monthly crowd calendars about one month in advance which can be useful to reference before you leave for your trip!

Disney Tourist Blog

An amazing all around resource for all things Mickey Mouse, the Disney Tourist Blog provides an overview of the types of crowds you can expect at Walt Disney World by month.   Tom Brickner, the author of the blog, also provides in depth information on restaurants, attractions, special events, and recommended touring plans.   This website is an invaluable resource when planning a Walt Disney World vacation.

Kenny The Pirate

A Disney veteran, Kenny uploads his Crowd Calendars about 6 months in advance.   From each month’s individual page, you can view recommended parks by date.   More detailed than Undercover Tourist, Kenny classifies the Disney Parks each day as “Best Park,” “Median Park,” and “Worst Park” making itinerary planning much easier. 

These calendars also include parade and firework showtimes, park hours, and even 180-prior, 90-prior, and 60-prior dates for dining and Fastpass+ reservations.   Kenny also offers an incredibly useful Character Meet & Greet Locator and Touring Plan for a small fee on his website. 

Touring Plans

The ultimate in Walt Disney World Planning, TouringPlans.com uses their massive database of Disney World guest attendance dating back to 2009 to predict crowd levels by park, date, week, month, and year.   Important to note, this website charges about $12.00 per year to access it’s information.

Touring Plans creates a page for every day at Walt Disney World.   Detailing the overall crowd level, crowd level by individual park , park operating hours, park parade and show times, this website provides the most in depth information out there for Walt Disney World vacation planning. 

On the page for each date, there are even links to click into to view average attraction wait times by hour for the specified crowd level that day—(we know, it’s insane).   When you combine the detailed crowd information with it’s amazing park touring plan creator and attraction wait time predictor, this website can save hours of waiting in long lines. 

They even created an app called “Lines” which provides real-time updates to current wait times and saves the plans you spent so much time creating right to your smartphone for easy access while touring the parks.

These Crowd Calendars are listed in the order that I recommend using them.   The first two provide overviews to help readers decide on a general time of year or month to visit Walt Disney World, and the second two calendars provide invaluable detailed advice to shape the best daily itineraries to avoid seemingly endless queues at healing attractions.

Best Times To Visit For Low Crowds:

Utilizing the resources listed above, I have compiled a list of the very best times to visit Walt Disney World for low crowd conditions at the parks.

• The 2nd & 3rd Weeks of January

Why?: Low Crowds, Mild Temperatures, and Low Resort Prices make these weeks excellent for a Walt Disney World Vacation. Visitors during this time period will enjoy low wait times at major attractions following the Christmas Break rush.  

Important to Note: Refurbishments on popular attractions and Resort Pools are common this month.

• February 1-16 & 22-28

Why?: Outside of President’s Day Weekend, the rest of February features some of the lowest crowd levels of the year.   Resort Prices are at some of their lowest points for the year, and temperatures are mild.   Visitors during this time period will enjoy low wait times at major attractions.  

Important to Note :   Refurbishments on popular attractions and Resort Pools are common this month.

• The 1st Week Of March

Why?:   Beat the heavy Spring Break crowds during the first week of March.   EPCOT’s amazing Flower & Garden Festival kicks off, featuring special fresh food and drink items, daily concerts, and special events. Temperatures begin to warm up this month, and most major attraction refurbishments come to an end.

• The 2nd Half Of April-The First Half Of May

Why?: The lull between Spring Break Crowds and Summer Crowds is one of the best times of year at Walt Disney World.   Moderate crowd levels and nice weather will be plentiful.   EPCOT’s Flower & Garden Festival finishes up in the middle of May.

• Late August-Mid October

Why?: Fall in Walt Disney World means low crowd levels, beautiful weather, and low WDW Resort Prices.   This is my favorite time of year to visit.   EPCOT’S Food & Wine Festival kicks off in August. It is a magnificent event featuring unique dishes from around the world, special culinary experiences, and a daily concert series.  

Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party starts in September, and is fun for all ages; putting on special Halloween themed parades, spooky shows, stunning fireworks, and exclusive character meet & greets.

• First Half Of November

Why?: November kicks off the Christmas Season at Walt Disney World.   The day after Halloween, stunning Christmas decorations will go up.   Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party will begin on the first Friday of November. The first two weeks of the month will make for a wonderful Walt Disney World vacation.   Crowds are low and EPCOT’s Food & Wine Festival is still going on, adding up to an exciting and stress free trip.

• First Half Of December

Why?: According to Dad’s Guide to Walt Disney World, the first half of December is the best time of year to plan a Disney World vacation.   The stunning Christmas decorations, low crowd levels, and mild temperatures will make for some of the most magical vacations.  

Resort prices remain low for the first half of this month. Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party continues through this month, a magical special ticketed event featuring holiday parades, festive fireworks, and special character meet & greets.

Worst Times To Visit (Due to Heavy Crowds)

According to historical crowd calendars, the time periods explained below are some of the most at Walt Disney World.   Careful early planning is recommended to make the most of trips during these times of year.

• Christmas Week

All Disney World trip planning resources agree: the week between Christmas and New Year’s is notorious for wall-to-wall crowds, high resort prices, and wait times north of 3 hours at popular attractions.  

By far, this is the most crowded time of the year at Walt Disney World, and I recommend avoiding traveling during the second half of the month. Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve are the two single most crowded days of the year.   Some parks will reach capacity and are subject to closures.

• Mid March-Mid April

Following the first week of March, Spring Break Season quickly ramps up at Walt Disney World.   Easter week is the second most busy week of the year to visit the parks.   Expect heavy crowd levels everyday during this time period, and inflated WDW Resort prices.  

By midday, expect attraction wait times of an hour or more everywhere, with waits at major attractions approaching 3-4 hours.   Extensive planning is crucial for a trip planned during this time of year.

• Thanksgiving Weekend

Thanksgiving Weekend will draw some of the heaviest crowds of the year.   Traveling over this weekend will require thorough itinerary planning and smart use of Advanced Dining Reservations and Fastpass+ Selections.   WDW Resort prices reach some of their highest of the year over this weekend due to its condensed time frame.

• President’s Day Weekend

Many families utilize the long President’s Day weekend to bring their children to Walt Disney World.   This creates an influx of visitors in a short period of time, resulting in heavy crowd levels, tapering off towards the end of the week.

• July & 1st Half Of August

Summer Break season creates the longest period of steady, heavy crowds at Walt Disney World.   Temperatures are sweltering during this season, making the heavy crowds even more unbearable.  

Daily chance for precipitation reaches its highest level of 49%, and WDW Resort prices are higher than lower crowd time periods.   When touring the parks during this time of year, early morning touring can make a huge difference in the experience you have at Walt Disney World.

Tips for Dealing with Heavy Crowds

Sometimes, the best time for you and your family to visit Walt Disney World falls during one of the heavy crowd periods described above.   I am a firm believer that it is still possible to plan an enjoyable vacation during these weeks.  

The tips below will make a huge difference in the quality of your Disney World vacation during a high crowd season.

• Stay On-Site: Staying at a WDW Resort will allow you to book Fastpass+ choices 60 days prior to your arrival date.   This is 30 days before Fastpass+ windows for off-site guests open. During heavy crowd days, Fastpass+ options for popular attractions will be completely booked at the 30 day mark.  

On-Site transportation will save a lot of time traveling between parks and resorts.   Extra Magic Hours, when parks open an hour early or stay open two hours late exclusively for On-Site Guests can help you fit in everything you would like to accomplish during heavy crowd days.

• Early Park Touring: The first few hours following “Rope Drop”, which means park opening in “Disney Language,” will feature dramatically lower wait times than the afternoon and evening hours at the parks.  

I recommend touring parks when they open through lunch time, returning to your resort for a midday break, and then heading back into the parks at night for fireworks and a few more attractions.   It is possible to accomplish what would encompass an entire afternoon in the first hour following “Rope Drop”.  

• Use Fastpass+ Wisely: Reserve your first three Fastpass+ choices at the 60 day mark if you are on-site and at the 30 day mark if you are off-site.   Research wait times for attractions you are most excited to ride, and prioritize your choices based on attractions with the longest wait times.  

Reserve your first three choices in the morning so that you can reserve a fourth early on in the day.   Extra Fastpass+ options disappear quickly on high crowd level days. Be sure to research the tiered Fastpass+ structure at EPCOT and Hollywood Studios, Touring Plans provides an excellent explanation.

• Reserve Dining 180 Days in Advance: Try to walk into Walt Disney World’s most popular restaurants on a crowded day without a reservation and prepare to be turned down. Advanced Dining Reservations open up at 6:00AM 180 days before your arrival date.   For trips planned on high crowd level days, I recommend reserving all table service meals you may want to have at this point.  

It is always possible to cancel or modify for no fee up to 24 hours in advance.   From my experience, it is always better to call WDW Directly rather than use the online reservation tool which often experiences technical difficulties.

• Utilize trip planning resources like Touring Plans: I cannot stress enough how useful these tools are when planning a Walt Disney World Vacation.   Their help becomes even more crucial when planning for high crowd level days.   Creating an itinerary based on years of historical crowd data saves hours of waiting for major attractions.

Crowd Levels By Month

And now, let’s discuss crowd levels on a month by month basis, beginning with January (of course!):

January brings cooler temperatures and shorter park hours to Walt Disney World.   The coolest month of the year, the average high is only about 70 degrees, with average lows around 50 degrees.   January is a very common time for refurbishments that close popular attractions, and water parks are almost always closed this month. The second half of January features one of the lowest price seasons of the year in WDW resorts.

The first few days of January will see residual crowds from the Christmas Holiday rush.   In fact, Undercover Tourist noted January 1-8 as one of the worst times to plan your trip this year. The rest of January has some of the lowest crowd levels of the year, with two exceptions. 

Marathon Weekend takes place over the second weekend of the month, drawing moderate to heavy crowds as thousands flock to Walt Disney World to take part in the annual race.   The Martin Luther King holiday shows slightly elevated crowd levels, but not nearly as bad as Marathon Weekend, and definitely manageable with the right touring plan.

• You can read our January Crowd Calendar article right here .

Best time to visit in January: The last two weeks of January are ideal for an enjoyable and relaxed vacation without the heavy crowds often seen in the beginning of the month.

Important Dates To Note:

• January 1st & 2nd will be among the most crowded days of the year due to many school breaks extending through this week.
• Christmas decorations will remain in place through the first week of January.
• Marathon Weekend during the second week of January produces heavy crowds.
• Martin Luther King Weekend will bring moderate crowds.

With the exception of President’s Day Weekend, February is one of the quieter months of the year in Walt Disney World.   It is common for longer attraction refurbishments from January to continue into the beginning of February, and temperatures remain on the milder side for Orlando.   Easy WDW, The Undercover Tourist, and Dad’s Guide to WDW all note the first few weeks of February as among the best choices for a Disney World vacation. 

Cheerleading competitions are common this month, which cause only a marginal increase in overall crowd levels.   The Princess Half Marathon occurs at the end of President’s day weekend, but most of the holiday rush will be over and overall crowd levels are unaffected.

If President’s Day Weekend is the best time for you to visit Walt Disney World making smart use of FastPass+, getting to the parks early, and reserving dining 180 days in advance will help make a trip during this week more enjoyable.   Consult our tips for visiting during the most crowded times of the year below.

• You can read our February Crowd Calendar article right here .

Best time to visit in February: Lower crowds, low wait times for attractions, and cooler weather make the first half of February among the best for a visit Walt Disney World. 

The first week of March continues the calmer atmosphere from February, before quickly ramping up into the busy Spring Break season at Walt Disney World.   Temperatures begin to warm up, reaching highs of 80 degrees.   Major attraction closures are less frequent from this point forward, although many resort pools will remain under refurbishment. 

WDW Resort prices will climb following the first week of the month, reaching some of their highest points of the year.   EPCOT’s Flower & Garden Festival kicks off around March 2nd, featuring gorgeous topiaries, colorful gardens, concerts, special events, and unique food & drink selections around the World Showcase.   This festival will bring more crowds to EPCOT on nights and weekends due to its popularity among locals and tourists alike.

Beginning around March 8th and continuing through the end of April, Spring Break crowds flock to Walt Disney World for family vacations before the Orlando sun heats up for the summer.   Undercover Tourist marks Spring Break period as one of the very worst times to visit WDW, second only to the week before Christmas. 

• You can read our March Crowd Calendar article right here .

Best Time To Visit in March: By far, the first week of the month is the best time to visit Walt Disney World.   Crowds will be low, the Flower & Garden festival will be in full swing, and temperatures will be comfortable.

• The Flower & Garden festival begins on March 2nd, bringing beautiful springtime festivities to EPCOT.

Heavy crowds will continue through the first half of April.   Easter week is the second most busy of the year to visit Walt Disney World.   EPCOT’s Flower & Garden Festival remains popular, delighting visitors with beautiful topiaries, gardens, special treats, special events, and the Flower & Garden Concert Series.   Temperatures continue to warm up this month but remain mild for Orlando, with highs in the 80s and lows in the 60s-70s. Resort pool refurbishments are common during this month.   WDW Resort prices remain high through the Spring Break Season.

Sometimes, the only time that works for a Walt Disney World is during a heavy crowd time period.   If this is the case, and you will be visiting during the first half of April, be sure to utilize resources like Touring Plans to help plan your itinerary.   These resources make all the difference in enjoying a trip during this time of year.   Also see below my tips for planning a trip during heavy crowd periods.   Fastpass+, Advanced Dining Reservations, and early morning park touring will be invaluable.

• You can read our April Crowd Calendar article right here .

Best Time To Visit In April: The last week of April is generally the best time to visit Walt Disney World.   Compared to the heavy crowds surrounding Easter and Spring Break, crowd levels are moderate.   The warm but comfortable temperatures and the Flower & Garden festival make this week a great time for a Walt Disney World Vacation.

Important Dates to Note:

• The Easter Holiday brings some of the heaviest crowds of the year to Walt Disney World.
• EPCOT’s Flower & Garden Festival continues through April.

Following the Spring Break rush, the majority of May sees average crowds and warming temperatures.   Afternoon thunderstorms are common from this month through the summer.   Resort pool refurbishments will finish up, and water parks will begin to draw crowds. 

EPCOT’s Flower & Garden Festival will run through the first half of May, finishing up by the third week of the month. WDW Resort prices fall from inflated Easter and Spring Break points, making May an affordable month for a Walt Disney World Vacation.   Weekends are more crowded in May. Memorial Day will cause a slight increase in crowds, but will not affect overall wait times too much.

• You can read our May Crowd Calendar article right here .

Best Time To Visit In May: As the month goes on crowds will gradually increase.   However, most of May sees moderate crowds and the entire month is a great time to plan a Walt Disney World Vacation.

• EPCOT’s Flower & Garden Festival will end in the middle of the month.
• Cinco De Mayo on May 5th will cause a small increase in crowd levels.
• Memorial Day Weekend will see a slightly elevated crowd level.

June marks the beginning of the Summer Season at Walt Disney World.   As schools begin summer recess, families flock to Walt Disney World for summer vacation.   Temperatures climb to an average of 90 degrees, and the daily chance of precipitation is around 38%.   Resort prices will be lower than the busiest weeks of the year, but are elevated from the lowest crowd level prices.   Following the first week of June, crowds will gradually become larger and remain heavy for the rest of the summer.

I strongly recommend early morning park touring during June to avoid afternoon thunderstorms, long wait times, and the hot Orlando sun.   There is nothing like escaping the crowds to head back to your resort for a refreshing afternoon swim after spending a morning riding your favorite attractions with low wait times.   Return to the parks in the evening for cooler temperatures and fireworks. 

• You can read our June Crowd Calendar article right here .

Best Time To Visit In June:   By far, the first week of June is the best choice for a Walt Disney World Vacation.   The majority of schools will still be in session this week, so you will beat the rush that begins at the end of the month. 

• EPCOT’s Summer Concert Series will begin around June 5th.   Featuring cover bands singing songs from popular artists, this series is always an exciting event to catch outside the American Adventure pavilion in the World Showcase.

Summer Vacation season is in full swing by the beginning of July.   Overall, this is busiest month to visit Walt Disney World.   July is marked by heavy crowds and hot temperatures.   High temperatures will each at least 90 degrees each day, with lows around 75 degrees.   Bring your ponchos, the average daily chance for precipitation is 49%.   WDW Resort Prices remain elevated this month.

Like in June, early morning park touring will give you a huge advantage in July.   You will beat the intense afternoon sun by touring your favorite attractions at “rope drop”, which in Disney language means park opening.

• You can read our July Crowd Calendar article right here .

Best Time To Visit In July: July brings a steady flow of heavy crowds to Walt Disney World.   No matter which week you plan your vacation, you will experience elevated wait times and crowded park conditions.   The first week is probably the one to avoid, as Independance Day will raise crowd levels more. 

I recommend the second half of the month over the first half, but as I noted, crowds will still be high.   If this is the best time for you to visit WDW, taking the time to create touring plans will help you to have a great vacation despite heavy crowds.

• July 4th will bring some of the heaviest crowd levels to Walt Disney World.   Guests visit to experience the magnificent special fireworks displays put on at night.

The first half of August continues the heavy Summer Vacation crowds from July.   During the second half of the month, the crowds will begin to disappear, but the heat does not.   High temperatures will remain in the upper 80s to low 90s everyday. 

WDW Resort prices remain elevated.   Crowd levels fall dramatically towards the end of the month as children go back to school.   Undercover Tourist marks the second half of August as among the best time periods to plan a Walt Disney World vacation.   New this year, EPCOT will begin it’s Food & Wine festival during the last week of August, making this an even better time to plan your Disney vacation.

Like June and July, early park touring is strongly recommended this month to avoid sweltering temperatures and afternoon thunderstorms.

• You can read our August Crowd Calendar article right here .

Best Time To Visit In August: The second half of the month is one of the best times to visit Walt Disney World. Featuring low crowds, warm temperatures, and the amazing Food & Wine Festival in EPCOT, you are sure to have an exciting and relaxing vacation.

• EPCOT’s Food & Wine Festival brings

By the first week of September, schools across the country are back in session, bringing the crowd levels down to some of the lowest of the year.   Resort prices will drop, and there are often Free Dining Plan Promotions during this month.   It will be Hurricane season, and even though it is rare for a hurricane to hit Orlando, I recommend taking out travel insurance for trips planned this month. 

Temperatures begin to cool off as the month progresses, and EPCOT’s Food & Wine Festival is in full swing.   Weekend crowd levels at EPCOT are increased, but overall attraction wait times are still low.   Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party kicks off in the first week of September.   This is a special ticketed Halloween Celebration taking in Magic Kingdom featuring festive parades and special character meet & greets.

Low crowd levels, cooling temperatures, and exciting special events make September an excellent time of year to plan a Walt Disney World Vacation.

• You can read our September Crowd Calendar article right here .

Best Time To Visit In September: The entire month of September is excellent for a Walt Disney World vacation. If I had to choose the best week it would be the second week.   Any Labor Day weekend vacationers will go home, and all schools are back in session, making for a quiet and relaxing trip.

• Labor Day Weekend: The holiday will bring slightly elevated crowd levels to WDW.
• Night Of Joy: Christian music festival during the first week of September that should not have much effect on crowd levels.
• Food & Wine Festival: Continues throughout September, causing marginal increased crowd levels in EPCOT on the weekend.
• Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party: Beginning in September, Magic Kingdom will close to guests without tickets to this special event at 7pm a few nights per week. Overall crowd levels will not be affected.

Cooling temperatures and spooky decorations make fall a popular time to visit Walt Disney World.   According to Undercover Tourist and Touring Plans, most of October will feature moderate crowd levels.   Resort prices will remain at some of their lowest of the year. 

As Halloween approaches, Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party draws more and more crowds. Weekdays are generally much less crowded than weekends.   EPCOT’s Food & Wine Festival continues throughout this month.   There is still a risk for Hurricanes this month, and travel insurance is recommended.

• You can read our October Crowd Calendar article right here .

Best Time To Visit In October: While most of this month will have similar crowds, I recommend the first half of the month over the second. Warm temperatures, low crowds, and special events make this a great time to plan your Walt Disney World Vacation.

• Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party: Multiple nights per week Magic Kingdom will close to guests without tickets at 7pm.   As Halloween approaches, these parties become increasingly more busy.   Tickets will sell out well in advance towards the end of the month, purchase yours early if you plan to attend.
• Halloween: This holiday will cause a slight increase in crowd levels in some parks, and will bring heavy crowds to Magic Kingdom during MNSSHP.
• Columbus Day: This holiday will not have much of an affect on overall crowd levels.
• EPCOT’s Food & Wine Festival: Continuing through this month, the Food & Wine Festival will bring moderate crowd increases to EPCOT on the weekends.

November kicks off the Christmas Season at Walt Disney World.   The day after Halloween, stunning Christmas decorations will go up, and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party will begin on the first Friday of November. 

Crowds will be low throughout most of November, with the large exception of Thanksgiving Weekend.   Temperatures will be mild, and the risk for hurricanes significantly decreases this month.   Resort prices will be low throughout most weeks besides the busy Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

Thanksgiving Weekend will draw some of the heaviest crowds of the year.   Traveling over this weekend will require thorough itinerary planning and smart use of Advanced Dining Reservations and Fastpass+ Selections.   I strongly recommend utilizing detailed itinerary planning resources like Touring Plans to help create daily plans to avoid parks on their most crowded days.

• You can read our November Crowd Calendar article right here .

The Best Time To Visit In November: The first two weeks of November will make for a wonderful Walt Disney World vacation.   Crowds are low, Christmas decorations are up, and the Food & Wine Festival is still going on, adding up to an exciting and restful trip.

• Thanksgiving Weekend: One of the most crowded times of the year at Walt Disney World.
• Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party: Magic Kingdom will close early to guests without tickets to this special event on party nights.   The party will run multiple nights per week throughout the holiday season.
• EPCOT’s Food & Wine Festival: The festival will wrap up in the middle of November. 

According to Dad’s Guide to Walt Disney World, the first half of December is the best time of year to plan a Disney World vacation.   The stunning Christmas decorations, low crowd levels, and mild temperatures will make for some of the most magical vacations.   Resort prices remain low for the first half of this month. 

During the second half of December as Christmas vacation approaches, crowd levels grow massively reaching epic levels.   All Disney World trip planning resources agree; the week between Christmas and New Year’s is notorious for wall-to-wall crowds, high resort prices, and wait times north of 3 hours at popular attractions. 

• You can read our December Crowd Calendar article right here .

The Best Time To Visit In December: The first two weeks of the month are among the best choices for a Walt Disney World Vacation with low crowd levels.

• Christmas Week: Highest crowd levels of the year
• Christmas Day & New Year’s eve: The two single most crowded days of the year.
• Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party: Magic Kingdom will close early to guests without tickets to this special event on party nights.   The party will run multiple nights per week throughout the holiday season.   Dates closer to the holiday will sell out well in advance, buy tickets early.

If you enjoyed this article, please “like” our brand new Countdown to Magic Facebook page !

You Also Might Like:

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Michael has been visiting Disney World since he was a kid. He's also been to Disneyland and sailed on the Disney Dream. Michael is the owner and editor of Countdown to Magic.

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• Destinations

2022 Walt Disney World Crowd Calendar

When is the best time to visit Walt Disney World? The answer is – it depends. There are a variety of factors that can affect crowds. It’s true, ANY day is a great day to visit Walt Disney World, but some days do have lighter crowds than others. Here are some examples of factors that affect crowd levels:  

Holidays affect crowds in Walt Disney World, with some more impactful than others. Holidays which include a long weekend (Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, and Veterans Day) result in increased crowds vs. surrounding weeks but are not overly impacting. Independence Day, Easter, and Thanksgiving bring in moderate to heavy crowd levels, and the weeks before and during Christmas and New Year’s Eve bring significant crowds which frequently result in park closures due to the parks reaching maximum capacity. If you are flexible with your travel dates, avoiding any of the above holidays will result in visiting during less-busy times at Walt Disney World! 

REGIONAL EVENTS

There are several regional events that occur throughout the country that impact attendance in Walt Disney World. Mardi Gras is a holiday that is observed in large areas of Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana – three states within reasonable driving distance of Walt Disney World. This holiday falls on different dates every year between late January and early March, so with that in mind, some years bring more crowds than others. During early November, New Jersey schools close down, and many travel south for a warm vacation in sunny Florida for “Jersey Week”. While the impact on crowds isn’t extreme, it’s definitely enough to make a difference. In the northeast, the third week in February and April are school vacation weeks which can impact crowd levels. The month of March is known as “spring break” and will also bring local and regional travelers to Walt Disney World.

DISNEY EVENTS

Disney World hosts many special events, festivals, races, and celebrations that attract visitors from near and far. The fall months bring Epcot’s International Food & Wine Festival and Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, while the holidays brings lots of specialty entertainment across all theme parks including Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. During the winter months after the holidays, Epcot’s Festival of the Arts leads into Epcot’s Flower and Garden Festival in the spring. In addition to specialty entertainment, Disney hosts runDisney events throughout the year. Runners across the world travel to Walt Disney World to compete in bucket list-worthy races, with race entries selling out at 25,000 runners. Disney also hosts sporting events at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports on property which bring cheerleaders and athletes for a variety of competitions through the year. Make sure to talk to your Love the Mouse Travel Agent to assist in choosing a time to either take-part or avoid any of the above events on Walt Disney World property! 

Ready to start planning your magical vacation? Fill out a  no-obligation request form  and we will get you on your way!

*Calendar subject to change without notice.

Release Summary

E-commerce solutions provider EBG acquires travel marketplace Undercover Tourist to support growth in the B2C online travel marketplace.

Free Disneyland Crowd Calendar – Save Time In Line Guaranteed!

2023-2024 Crowd Calendars Now Available

We all wish we could have the parks to ourselves. Ride after ride with no waiting. And yet as these dreams fade and we’re faced with reality, lines and crowds of people can make us a bit nervous. In fact, wait times and crowds have been listed as the 3rd thing guests worry about the most behind ticket pricing and hotel. This is exactly why we’ve put together a FREE Disneyland Crowd Calendar. We want to help put your mind at ease as you glance over each month of the year and see which weeks and days are busiest and which ones are slowest.

A valid question you might have is “how do you know which days are going to be busy or not?” Fantastic question. First, we like to think that our 20+ years of studying and visiting the parks on a regular basis counts for something. When we say “studying” we mean staring at the Disneyland App when we’re not there and watching wait times. It’s very nerdy but it’s all for you so…you’re welcome.

We’ve visited the parks on slow days, busy days and insane days. We know what each crowd set is like and what it can be like to try and maneuver and wait in line during each one. We’ve seen what one closed attraction can do to the surrounding area and where it tends to push crowds. We know what lands are the slowest in the morning times vs. afternoon and evening.

On top of this there are several common factors that go into making a crowd:

• School’s out – Spring Break, Fall Break and Summer
• Holidays – School’s out, work’s out and people will travel
• Weekends – School’s out, work’s out and locals will party
• Special Events – Attraction openings, new shows, runDisney events, themed nites and Festivals

All of these things will draw more guests which means bigger crowds and longer wait times. Combine all of these things and you’ve got yourself a pretty solid Disneyland Crowd Calendar. Of course we’ve put all of this together for you so you don’t need to worry about doing it on your own.

Below you’ll find our free Disneyland Crowd Calendar broken into months. We continue to add months as we progress through the year so that you can plan in advance. The calendars are pretty self explanatory.

Best Months to Visit Disneyland

For 2023 the best months to visit Disneyland Resort are going to be:

• First week of March
• Two weeks in May
• End of August
• First week of November
• First two weeks of December

These weeks typically avoid the above mentioned crowd factors and have proven to be less crowded than the rest of the weeks in the year. Some may change slightly as we receive more information throughout the year including dates of special events like Halloween Parties, Holiday Decor Reveals and Attraction Openings. We make adjustments accordingly to the crowd calendars above as these happen.

You can dive deeper into this by reading our in-depth guide on the best times to visit Disneyland.

How Does The Park Reservation System Factor In?

It’s actually very helpful as we’re able to look at what reservations are still available for Magic Key Holders and regular admission tickets. If all Magic Key Holder reservations are booked up then we know it’s already going to be a busy day. If we see that general admission reservations are also all gone, we know it’s for sure going to be a busy day. If one or the other still has reservations left, it’s probably going to be a moderate day at the parks.

Discount Disney Gift Cards at Target

Of course this is also factored in with weekends, special events, holidays, school schedules etc. Either category (Magic Key or park guest) could be just a few away from being sold out or several away. That’s why we look at the whole including the other crowd factors.

What Do I Do If Disneyland Is Crowded?

Follow a touring plan like the one we’ve put together . Crowds tend to follow a certain trend each day which makes a touring plan the perfect idea for helping you move in the opposite direction and maximizing your time with smaller wait times. Plus, if you’re not interested in shows or entertainment like parades or fireworks , you can get even more done as most guests tend to attend these events, leaving attractions with much smaller lines.

You can also park hop if you have the option. Disneyland Park may be crowded but California Adventure Park may be a bit less busy. It’s always worth a shot. May guests visit the parks with 1 park per day tickets which leaves them in one park the entire day. If the majority of them choose Disneyland that day, California Adventure could be slower. This is why we always recommend adding the park hopper option to your ticket.

Saving Time Is More Than Just Crowds

You want to be prepared and proficient with the Disneyland App and the Genie service. We highly recommend that guests form out the extra money for the Genie+ service. Or go beyond that and book a VIP Tour. We offer a fantastic guide on how to use Genie+ plus two very special hacks to make you a pro: Genie+ Stacking and Genie+ Refills . The latter can get a bit crazy but applies to Disneyland and Walt Disney World the same.

On top of this, arriving early for rope drop (park opening) can give you a leg up on that one attraction you know carries the longest wait time (Rise of the Resistance, Racers ahem). Getting that out of the way can free up over an hour of your day to be doing other things.

Again, spend some time learning all about these services and by the time you roll up to the parks you’ll be a Genie wizard plus you’ll have chosen some fantastic days to visit from a crowd calendar. The combination of both may end up creating the greatest vacation ever.

More reliable crowd calendar?

Hey guys, does anyone actually know which crowd calendar is the most reliable for individual parks ? I am currently comparing undercover tourist and TP for 2-8 March and there are some pretty big differences. For example, UT tells me to pick HS and avoid MK on March 4th but TP tells me the exact opposite (HS CL 8 vs MK CL 6).

I am working on my preliminary TPs right now but I can’t stop second guessing myself about which park to choose for each day so I make absolutely zero progress LOL

My first go-to for best accuracy is actually the 1 year ago CL’s. Adjusting for the day of week, of course.

I use crowd calendars more as a rule of thumb than anything, but in general I cannot believe that Undercover Tourist or most other reseller sites are doing number crunching anything like TP.

Very good point.

TP has been overpredicting CL’s and admitted to favoring overpredicting vs. underpredicting. Just like Disney does with wait times, TP would rather keep people from getting upset with them to a minimum.

The week of 2/26 will be the lowest crowds. Your week will gradually get busier, when some schools begin spring break and they start arriving.

The weather is usually great that time of year!

I have 3 kids (12, 5 and 2) and we will do MK, HS and AK twice and EP once. I figured this:

March 2 MK March 3 HS March 4 AK March 5 HS March 6 AK March 7 EP March 8 MK

Tough decisions. It looks like HS is constantly the busier park, I guess because of Star Wars. So I figured I would pick my HS days first, to get it as good as possible and then distribute the rest of the days. For example, March 3rd has the only CL4 of my trip (MK) but I picked HS that day because it is the only day of my trip on which it has a CL lower than 7.

I honestly didn’t know UT still did crowd calendars. Many, many years ago (2005/2006?) when my Disney obsession began, I had the UT app (crowd calendar and wait times). I then added TP. Looking at them side by side I got very annoyed when UT would report wait times for attractions closed for refurbs.

Wow ok so really NOT reliable lol

I don’t know if it has changed. I kept TP and deleted UT years ago!

I’ve been using the Thrill-Data crowd calendars – any insight on whether those are more or less accurate than Touring Plans?

https://www.thrill-data.com/trip-planning/crowd-calendar/resort/wdw/2024

I had looked into that more. It appeared to me that it predicts by date, and doesn’t adjust for day of the week.

The weather will be great! I’ve gone that week. The crowd may be heavy at Epcot for Flower and Garden. Just avoid Friday night and Saturday for Epcot. And predicted 8’s at HS haven’t been uncommon. I do think crowds are decreasing in general at WDW for a variety of factors. And also, what @bebe80 said about the over-predicting is true. And I think the chart I saw had Spring time being the most over predicted in general. So I say you’re safe with minimal crowds. You are going during the week that doesn’t coincide with any big holiday. I think you should be safe from high crowds.

And this is a HUGE factor for crowds IMO.

Other TouringPlans Resources

Universal Orlando Crowd Calendar: Understand Orlando Crowds with Our Crowd Calendar

There are many things to consider when planning a vacation to Universal Studios in Orlando , including crowds. With heavy crowds, you can expect long lines, slow service, and difficulty making theme park reservations. It can also mean higher prices depending on which days you visit Universal Orlando Resort. We created the following 2024/2025 Universal Orlando Resort crowd calendar to help determine how crowded Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure theme parks will be on the dates you plan to visit.

Want free help deciding when to travel? Get personalized advice from The Vacationeer!

• Universal Studios » [3]
• Islands of Adventure » [3]
• Universal Studios » [2]
• Islands of Adventure » [2]
• Universal Studios » [1]
• Islands of Adventure » [1]

Calendar updated through March 2025

Rating System for the Universal Orlando Crowd Calendar

Our Universal Studios Crowd Calendar rating system is based on historical data that we track, the opening of a new park/ride opening, seasonal events/festivals, holidays and school vacation dates, and other relevant factors that influence theme park crowds and how busy they are on a day to day basis.

Please be aware that our predictions for crowd levels are not to be “taken as gospel.” We do our best to provide you with the most accurate and up-to-date crowd predictions so that you know how busy the theme park will be and plan accordingly or be more informed when you select your dates for your Universal Studios in Orlando visits.

Here’s how our crowd rating system works for Universal Studios and other theme parks:

1 – GREEN = Light Crowds (minimal lines) 2 – BLUE = Below Average Crowds 3 – YELLOW = Average Crowds 4 – ORANGE= Above Average Crowds 5 – RED = Heavy Crowds (long lines)

Each day on the crowd calendar is highlighted with one of those colors to help you determine what the crowd size might be on that day at Universal’s theme parks.

Health and Safety Guidelines for Visiting Universal Orlando Resort:

• Face coverings are optional for fully vaccinated guests visiting the theme park. For guests who have not been vaccinated, face coverings are encouraged while indoors at Universal Studios in Orlando – including Universal’s restaurants, shops, and indoor hotel public areas.
• Universal Studios does not require proof of vaccination
• The resort maintains the highest sanitation and cleanliness standards
• Check with your Universal Travel Agent for Universal’s latest guidelines

We trust the Travel Agents at  The Vacationeer for all of our Universal Orlando and Disney travel planning needs. 

We hope you’ll consider working with them too, what is a theme park crowd calendar.

A crowd calendar is a tool to track and predict how busy a theme park will be on a specific month, week, and day of the year.

By using current trends and data compiled from recent years, a crowd calendar determines which days the parks will have shorter lines and which days will have longer lines. This information can be used to give you an idea of the crowd levels at the theme parks on the dates you are considering. A crowd calendar for Universal Studios in Orlando and Islands of Adventure is the perfect way to track crowds and plan the day you visit the theme parks accordingly.

Why Use a Crowd Calendar to Understand Crowd Levels at Universal Orlando Resort?

The crowd sizes at Universal Studios Florida often align to the crowd sizes at Universal’s Islands of Adventure (and vice-versa), but this is not always the case. Some days one park will have fewer or more guests than the other Orlando park and the next day could be totally different.

Even though you may not have the flexibility to plan your Orlando trip around the least-crowded dates, this information about crowd levels can still be helpful for your Universal Studios trip. It’s always good to know what to expect so you can plan accordingly and get the most out of your Universal Studios in Orlando vacation.

For those concerned about potential exposure to COVID-19, this crowd information can also help you choose dates to visit Universal Studios with lower attendance levels in order to reduce your exposure to other guests.

Choose a low crowd time to visit Orlando to limit your exposure to other guests. Lower crowds also mean shorter wait times for the theme park’s attractions.

A Universal Studios Crowd calendar can also help you determine if early park admission or purchasing the Universal Express Pass is worth it. If the crowds are expected to be heavy then this add-on will likely make a big difference in your Orlando theme parks experience.

Questions about adding Express Pass to your trip?

Crowds at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure

When is universal orlando least crowded .

Universal’s theme parks are typically less crowded in Orlando during these periods:

• January 2 nd until just prior to Presidents’ Day week (third Monday in February)
• End of April — Mid-May
• Labor Day through mid-October
• Beginning of November through the week before Thanksgiving
• The week following Thanksgiving weekend until the week prior to Christmas.

Generally speaking, Universal Orlando Resort is less crowded mid-week, when schools are in session, and during non-holiday stretches. Early admission to Universal Studios in Orlando  is another way to avoid crowds. If you arrive at the theme parks early in the day, they will be less crowded.

When is Universal Orlando Most Crowded ?

According to the crowd data we track at the theme parks, Universal’s theme parks usually experience their highest attendance during these periods:

• Presidents’ Day week (third week in February)
• Spring Break period from mid-March through late April
• Memorial Day weekend
• Summer (mid-June through Labor Day)
• Thanksgiving week (including the weekends)
• Christmas week through January 1 st
• Weekends are typically more crowded than weekdays
• As far as weekdays go, Mondays and Fridays tend to be slightly more crowded at Universal Studios in Orlando than Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

See our Best Time to Go to Universal Studios page for our recommendations.

Images are courtesy of Universal Orlando Resort

Free Help Deciding When to Visit

Planning your trip may seem daunting, but fortunately free help is available from dedicated travel professionals who specialize in Universal Orlando vacations.

Contact The Vacationeer today to get expert, personalized guidance on when to travel — plus free help booking your hotel , purchasing theme park tickets , and reserving dining . Plus, they can walk you through your entire trip plan and answer any questions you might have.

They can even provide an exact price quote for your vacation so you’ll know just how much to budget for Universal.

Weather at Universal Orlando Resort

Weather is another important factor to consider as you plan a trip to Universal Studios in Orlando.

The Orlando, Florida area is known for its great weather. That said, the weather does fluctuate quite a bit throughout the year and depends on the day.

In an effort to help you choose the best time to plan a trip to the Orlando theme parks, our Universal Orlando Crowd Calendar includes the average low and high temperature for the dates you click on.

August is historically the warmest month in Orlando and January is the coldest month.

July is usually the wettest month. June is the month with the most sunlight hours during the day and is one of the months with the largest crowds at Universal Studios.

See our Disney World Weather page for more information (the two resorts are only a few miles apart so the weather is virtually the same at the theme parks).

Avoid the Crowds with the Universal Express Pass and By Using the Universal Crowd Calendar

Do you hate waiting in lines at theme parks? Would you be willing to pay extra to skip the normal crowd lines? If so, then one of these options at Universal Studios may be right for you!

The Universal Express Pass is a paid add-on that allows you to skip the crowds and regular lines one time per participating ride. The purchase is applicable for 1 of the theme parks – pick either Universal Studios or Universal’s Islands of Adventure.

Similar options at Universal’s Volcano Bay water park allows you to skip the lines at select rides, once per ride (Express Pass) — or at  all rides, once per ride (Express Pass Plus).

The Universal Express Unlimited pass is a paid add-on that allows you to skip the regular lines an unlimited number of times at participating rides. The purchase is applicable for 1 park – Universal Studios or Universal’s Islands of Adventure.

Prices vary so please contact a Universal Orlando Travel Agent for the most up-to-date pricing for Universal’s special passes. Some on-site hotels at Universal Studios also include express pass privileges as part of your stay at the theme parks.

How to Use Our Calendar and Book your Universal Orlando Vacation

If you need help planning and booking your Universal Orlando vacation, then you need to be in touch with The Vacationeer .

Their services are always helpful when planning Orlando vacations to theme parks and totally free of charge .

They can answer your questions, give you insider recommendations, book your Universal tickets, hotel reservations, Universal Express Passes, car rentals, and so much more .

We rank The Vacationeer #1 on our Best Travel Agencies for Universal page for a reason. They are fantastic!

Call 833-4MY-TRIP  (833-469-8747) for a  free, no-obligation price quote today!

We hope our Universal Crowd Calendar is helpful as you plan your vacation.

For more Universal Studios information, please see our How Much Does it Cost to Go To Universal , Wizarding World of Harry Potter Guide and Tips ,  Universal Orlando Map , and Universal Customer Service pages — and our lists of All the Rides at Universal , the Best Rides a t Universal , and the Best Restaurants at Universal . We also maintain some handy Universal Orlando Resort Statistical Data and a history of the resort .  And we have several relevant blog posts such as Universal Orlando Transportation ,   How to Get from Disney World to Universal , How Much do Wands Cost at Universal Studios ,  Is the Universal Express Pass Worth It , Universal Orlando Accessibility Guide , and How to Get the Universal Express Pass for Free  pages.

Thank you for reading our page with Universal’s crowd calendar, and we hope you have a fantastic Orlando vacation!

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Can I trust Undercover Tourist Crowd Calendars?

• Thread starter Emma1987
• Start date May 15, 2012

DIS Veteran

• May 15, 2012

Hi I'm going from 24th June til 8th July and I'm planning the days around the crowd calendar from Undercover Tourist . Has anyone followed these calendars before and are they pretty accurate? http://www.undercovertourist.com/pl...-calendar_june-2012.html#disney-opening-hours http://www.undercovertourist.com/pl...-calendar_july-2012.html#disney-opening-hours Thanks Emma  

The Mean Squinty Eye Works

I've actually found Easywdw to be more accurate. I compared both for my last trip, and Easy was right on the money!  

<font color=red>Stop moving those smilies! <img sr

CentralFloridian99

The guy who will ask all the celebrities if they w.

I also like easywdw. Read the explanations as well. Sometimes the best park to go to isn't the most recommended one for your family - and the explanations will help with that. (Like when I did EP on a not recommended day on the last Sat of F&W - but we stuck to future world mainly. The park was desserted for the first couple of hours and still was light crowds in FW until we left around 6pm).  

• May 16, 2012

Thanks for the EasyWDW recommendation! Seems like the one to go by!  

• May 21, 2012

I can't seem to find the link to EasyWDW calendars. Can someone direct me please ?  

• May 22, 2012

Anyone used TheDibb.co.uk calendars? http://www.thedibb.co.uk/forums/busy-day-guide.php?hours=07+2012 Are they accurate?  

Mickeyrella

Mouseketeer.

kittykitty87

kittykitty87 said: Is the EasyWDW one good for September and October too? Click to expand...

For the week of June 4th, when I will be there, UT has mostly 8's that week, while easyWDW has mostly 6's that week. So I'm hoping Josh at easyWDW is more accurate. TouringPlans splits the difference with mostly 7's (and some 6's) that week.  

IndySam said: For the week of June 4th, when I will be there, UT has mostly 8's that week, while easyWDW has mostly 6's that week. So I'm hoping Josh at easyWDW is more accurate. TouringPlans splits the difference with mostly 7's (and some 6's) that week. Click to expand...

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2024 Disneyland Crowd Calendar

Our free 2024 Disneyland crowd calendars cover best & worst dates to visit. This helps you choose when to go and days to avoid, as higher attendance means longer lines & wait times at Disney California Adventure and Disneyland. These monthly guides also offer info & tips about special events weather, prices, reservations, and more to help you save time…and your sanity! ( Updated January 8, 2024 .)

These Disneyland and DCA crowd calendars will help you choose when to go to the parks, based on a variety of variables: school schedules, holiday breaks, typical travel times to Southern California, Anaheim Convention Center events, and more. Suffice to say, there are a lot of little changes have an impact on attendance at Disneyland throughout 2024.

First, it’s impossible to overstate how bad crowds have been at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure the last two years. Not every day has been busy, but attendance and wait times have been high by historical standards. As compared to 2019–the last “normal” year at Disneyland–the average wait time was up by 8 minutes per ride in the last two years. That may not seem like much, but it adds up over the course of the day. On top of that, congestion has been worse. With that said, there is a silver lining that’s starting to emerge…

After a roller coaster couple of years, Disneyland crowds are starting to normalize. Pent-up demand has started to exhaust itself, and with that, crowd levels are now down as compared to the same dates last year. There have been a few spikes, but average crowd levels and wait times have decreased year over year.

That was especially noticeable during the recent Halloween and holiday seasons that just wrapped up. To be sure, there were days and weeks in October through December that were quite busy. But crowds were also surprisingly manageable for the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving and Christmas, which are usually among the worst of the year. Also notable is that the ‘sleepy’ weeks in between those breaks returned.

This means that even busier weeks in the first half of 2024–such as Presidents’ Day, Los Angeles and Orange County school district spring breaks and Easter week–likely will not be as bad as they were last year or in 2022. To be sure, all of those time frames will see elevated and above-average crowds. We’re not suggesting otherwise.

What we are predicting is that those breaks won’t be as bad as they’ve been in the last two years when pent-up demand was running hot. Both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure are still busier than pre-closure, and in-park congestion can feel even worse than wait times suggest, but crowds have now fallen back to 2019 and earlier levels.

To that point, one very important thing to keep in mind is that crowd levels are relative. They are based on aggregate posted wait times, as compared to the prior 365 days. This means that the current comparison is very tough, to a time when pent-up demand was off the charts. There have been a lot of 5/10 days in the last year, but they’re as compared to a very busy 2022.

That context about what “slowdown” at Disneyland means is important. The parks are not going to be dead or ghost towns, or even on par with Walt Disney World. Those parks saw pent-up demand earlier since Florida effectively reopened before California; because of that, Disneyland’s pent-up demand has lagged Walt Disney World by about a year.

Suffice to say, Disneyland is less by around 20%, which is a significant drop from year-to-year, but crowd levels are still very much elevated by historical standards. Hopefully this makes some degree of sense, and puts into context reports about the parks being “slow.” Because if you walk into Disneyland for the first time in a few years or ever, you’re very much going to be scratching your head about that. They don’t feel  slow in absolute terms…just less busy than one year ago!

The other good news is that our Disneyland crowd calendars are becoming more accurate with each passing month. Some of the reasons for this are mentioned above–attendance normalizing, more slack in the reservations system, plus fewer capacity constraints and staffing shortages. Disneyland is still not totally back to normal and probably won’t be until mid-2024, but the monkey wrenches thrown into attendance dynamics over the last couple of years have largely worked their way out of the system.

Going forward, the monkeys might start throwing new wrenches that could disrupt crowd dynamics–everything from the economy to gas prices to household balance sheets and more. Suffice to say, if oil prices spike again or fears of a recession in 2024 grow, attendance will drop. But even economists can’t agree on what’ll happen, so don’t expect Disneyland crowd forecasters to know. (As such, the further out the Disneyland crowd calendars go, the less accurate they are.)

Guest demographics also make a big difference. Magic Key Annual Passes have gone back on sale a few times and will again in mid-January 2024, and California resident ticket deals have returned repeatedly. These two groups are both locals, but utilize the parks in different ways.

Throughout 2024, it’ll be interesting to see what “levers” Disneyland pulls to attempt to lure locals, diehard fans, and even tourists back to the parks. Thus far, they’ve released the full 2024 calendar of events at Disneyland and the entertainment schedule for 2024 , both of which offer insight into the plan.

Honestly, there’s not much on there that looks like it’ll move the needle much on attendance. If you’re excited for Pixar Fest or the other offerings, that’s fantastic–we’re not suggesting that you shouldn’t be. What we are saying is that there’s nothing groundbreaking on either of those lists that’s going to pull people to the parks.

If anything, these lineups are fairly underwhelming considering that revenge travel is fading fast. Pixar Fest has been done before and wasn’t exactly beloved, the fireworks shows they’re bringing back aren’t fan favorites, Fantasmic is going to be in modified form, and there’s no night parade.

The year is still young and things could be added, but after seeing lower crowds for Halloween and Christmas, we expected Disneyland to pull out the big guns, like Paint the Night Parade or something exciting for 2024. Thus far, that has not happened. However, they have offered more ticket deals and for more than just Southern California residents, so perhaps that’ll help buoy bookings.

Suffice to say, there are unique and evolving variables that influence attendance and crowds at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure. We’ll be blunt with you: we cannot perfectly predict crowds… and no one can. Any other Disneyland crowd calendar that claims clairvoyance is lying. Many of them don’t even try–they’re simply automated calendars based on school schedules and years-old historical data that is not even remotely relevant anymore.

What we can tell you is that we’re on the ground in Disneyland and Disney California Adventure every single week. As soon as we notice changing trends, we report on them here. We pair our observations and knowledge of surrounding circumstances with things like Los Angeles and Orange County school schedules, holidays, airport travel stats, Disney’s reservation calendars, and more. With that, we have a better–but still incomplete–understanding of when Disneyland will be more and less crowded.

While we cannot quantify ‘feels like’ crowd levels, our recommendation for those who want to look at the general ‘crowd contours’ or base their decision on “vibes” and other qualitative factors, instead consult our Best & Worst Months to Visit Disneyland . That will help you choose the right dates to visit; all of that takes wait time data into account, but isn’t as beholden to it as these crowd calendars.

Beyond that, see our month-by-month crowd calendars below. Another helpful resource is our rundown of the Best & Worst Days of the Week to Visit Disneyland . (That also covers 3 specific  times of day  that are really great!)

Monthly 2024 Crowd Calendars for Disneyland

As we’ve gained experience visiting Disneyland and Disney California Adventure throughout the years as Annual Passholders–and now Magic Keyholders–including multiple trips per week now as locals, we’ve noticed trends in crowds and analyzed patterns in wait time data.

Disneyland crowd calendars change regularly due to a variety of factors, including marketing, discounts, park hours, new attraction openings, special events, Anaheim Convention Center events, and even weather (good or bad). We strive to keep our Disneyland crowd calendars updated to reflect changes in attendance trends.

Note that Disneyland crowd calendars are most accurate inside 3 months. Beyond that, generalized predictions can be made on the basis of holidays, school breaks, special events, and past precedent. However, Disneyland park hours are only released a few months in advance, park reservation availability is unknown further out, and other variables like promotions, discounts, conventions, etc. all are not (fully) known far in advance.

You can access our Disneyland crowd calendars and monthly guides via the links below, each of which will open in a new browser tab:

• January 2024 Disneyland Crowd Calendar
• February 2024 Disneyland Crowd Calendar
• March 2024 Disneyland Crowd Calendar
• April 2024 Disneyland Crowd Calendar
• May 2024 Disneyland Crowd Calendar
• June 2024 Disneyland Crowd Calendar
• July 2024 Disneyland Crowd Calendar
• August 2024 Disneyland Crowd Calendar
• September 2024 Disneyland Crowd Calendar
• October 2024 Disneyland Crowd Calendar
• November 2024 Disneyland Crowd Calendar
• December 2024 Disneyland Crowd Calendar

Each month is updated with final forecasts approximately 30 to 60 days before the start of that month. Predictions prior to then are less accurate, and don’t include current trends, park reservations, and recent wait time data.  

Below is additional advice about avoiding crowds at Disneyland, as well as days to visit and avoid. These general attendance trends for Disneyland can make ‘at a glance’ trip planning and choosing your dates to visit easier…

Attendance Trends for Disneyland

Disneyland attendance and wait times are largely dependent upon tourist vacationing habits (which are largely dependent upon school breaks and California travel trends), park hours (historical data exists for that), Anaheim Convention Center events, Los Angeles & Orange County School District calendars, and a few other variables.

With that said, the biggest factor of all is local visitor habits. Historically, Disneyland and Disney California Adventure crowds are usually worse on weekends. However, even that is not always the case for the reasons discussed above–it wasn’t true for most of last summer, but weekends did get worse over the Halloween and Christmas seasons. We’d expect a similar trend in 2024.

There are definitely other wildcards that make it more difficult for Disneyland crowd calendars to predict attendance or wait times on specific dates with accuracy far in advance. However, the variables above are knowable fairly far in advance, and make forecasting general seasonal trends much easier. As such, that’s what we’re presenting here:

Insanely Crowded

• Winter Break
• Presidents’ Day weekend
• Orange County Spring Break
• Los Angeles Spring Break
• Easter Week
• Mid-March through mid-April (Spring Break season)
• Thanksgiving week
• Christmas and New Year’s weeks

Very Crowded

• RunDisney long weekends
• Martin Luther King Day weekend
• Memorial Day weekend
• Mid-June to early July
• Veterans Day week
• During weekends of large conventions at the Anaheim Convention Center (click for schedule)
• During Disneyland events: D23 Expo, Dapper Days, Gay Days/Pride, etc.
• Christmas season in mid-December (read our Ultimate Guide to Christmas at Disneyland )
• Halloween season starting in late September (read our Ultimate Guide to HalloweenTime at Disneyland )

Moderately Crowded

• Early March
• Mid to late May
• Late July through mid-August
• Third week of November
• First week of December

Least Crowded

• January and February, minus holidays or school breaks
• Early through mid-May
• Late August through late September
• First week of November

School schedules, weather, special events, park hours, and more may all affect when you want to visit Disneyland. Obviously, these variables will also influence crowds.

School Schedules

If school schedules are something around which you must plan, chances are you’re going to go during one of the busier (or at least not one of the least busy) times of the year, as that’s the paramount consideration for many other families planning trips, too. It may seem like a convenient time to visit during one of the ‘holidays’ your kids have off from school, but it’s important to consider whether other schools have these same times off, as well.

Specifically, here are the school districts that have the biggest impact on Disneyland attendance:

• Los Angeles Unified (CA)
• Orange County – All Districts (CA)
• San Diego Unified (CA)
• Clark County (NV)
• Long Beach Unified (CA)
• Riverside Unified (CA)
• San Bernardino City Unified (CA)
• Alpine (UT)
• Fresno Unified (CA)
• Elk Grove (CA)
• San Francisco Unified (CA)
• Phoenix Unified – All Districts (AZ)
• Mesa Unified (AZ)
• Washoe County (NV)
• Granite (UT)
• Tuscon Unified (AZ)

Our crowd calendars take all of these districts into account, as their academic breaks and school schedules can have a significant impact on Disneyland attendance. There’s typically overlap among the top 3 districts in Southern California, which means their breaks are very bad , but confined to a small portion of the overall calendar.

Major districts in Northern California, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona all can have a noticeable impact on crowds, as well. (For example, most districts in Utah share a common fall break, and that long weekend gets really bad .) By contrast, we’ve never observed much of an impact from Oregon, Washington, or any other states. Texas and anything east of it are all pretty much Walt Disney World’s market.

Most schools have the week before Christmas until the shortly after New Year’s off, making this week-plus an especially busy time. The same is true for President’s Day weekend, Easter week, Memorial Day weekend, the Fourth of July holiday, and Thanksgiving week. Although schools do vary their Spring Break schedules, don’t expect the parks to be any less busy because of somewhat-staggered Spring Breaks. Mid-March through mid-April are busy times at Disneyland.

This isn’t to say you shouldn’t visit during these times, as some people don’t have many other options, but if you do go, at least bring your patience with you, or at least a good plan for touring the parks!

Unlike Florida, Southern California has a pretty temperate climate. The typical hot seasons are hot, but humidity isn’t nearly as bad as it is in Florida. It can get colder at night, and in the winter months, but the weather isn’t nearly as much of a roller coaster ride like it is in Florida. Blue skies and puffy clouds are more rare in California, but overall the weather is much more favorable for vacationing than it is in Walt Disney World.

Rain isn’t as common in Disneyland as it is in Walt Disney World. It does rain in the fall months at Disneyland, but torrential downpours in SoCal aren’t too common. In fact, if you’re a Southern Californian trying to plan the best time to schedule a 1-day visit to the park, the absolute best time to go is while it’s raining.

The parks generally clear out (there are usually long lines at City Hall of people requesting refunds), and significantly shorter waits are common. So, if you have a poncho or umbrella and want lower than normal crowds, a rainy day is the perfect time to go. (By contrast, the day after it rains will be considerably worse than normal, as locals will postpone their visits.)

Make sure to pack some jeans, sweatshirts, and maybe even coats if traveling during the months of October through March. It won’t necessarily be cold during your trip, but the weather can drop below 50 degrees during these months. Consider your tolerance to cold, and weather you’re willing to purchase countless $70 Mickey Mouse sweatshirts during your trip when, inevitably, members of your family get cold!

Not considering park hours when planning your trip is a huge mistake. Usually less busy days have shorter park hours and busier days have longer park hours. Thus, many feel they can basically get the same amount done in a shorter day during a less busy time of year than they could during peak season. With good plans for touring the parks or strategic use of Genie+ and Lightning Lanes, this isn’t true. By strategizing well, you can accomplish more during a busy day with longer hours than during a shorter day with light crowds.

Also important to note is that on days with longer hours, Disneyland will have more entertainment scheduled. Even during short days and slow times of the year, Fantasmic and World of Color play to packed houses. However, on days that offer multiple showings of these entertainment offerings, the later showings are almost always less crowded. If you want to avoid waiting multiple hours for a good view of Fantasmic, go on a longer day with multiple showings!

Similarly, your sleep habits make a difference here. If you’re a night owl, days with shorter hours may be a bad idea, as by the time you roll out of bed, you may find that you only have a few hours to enjoy the parks. Conversely, if you rise early and generally want to leave the parks by 7 pm or so, the shorter/less busy days are great times for you to visit. Make sure you check Disneyland’s park hours calendar when planning your trip. While this calendar is subject to change, it doesn’t change nearly as much as Walt Disney World’s calendar, which is almost never accurate when first posted.

Special Events

Disneyland doesn’t have nearly as many special events as Walt Disney World, but there are some events worth planning for or around. Basically, these events are the D23 Expo (every other year, towards the end of summer or early fall), Gay Days (fall), HalloweenTime at Disneyland (late summer and fall), CHOC walk (fall), Holidays at Disneyland (fall and winter), and Grad Nites (spring).

On a personal note, our absolute favorite time to visit is during Christmas-time at Disneyland. The parks look gorgeous, there are special attraction-overlays, and lots of seasonal foods available. You can read more about Christmas-time at Disneyland in our in-depth guide .

Refurbishments

During Disneyland’s slower seasons, expect a lot of attractions to be closed for refurbishments and other construction to be occurring. Not only is maintenance and upkeep better at Disneyland than Walt Disney World, but Disneyland also has a few seasonal attraction overlays, which lead to popular attractions like it’s a small world, Haunted Mansion, and Space Mountain being closed for a few weeks each in the fall (and late-winter in the case of it’s a small world and Haunted Mansion).

Traditionally, January and February have been the biggest months for attraction downtime, as those are the low-season for crowds. However, it’s always smart to consult refurbishment calendars to make sure your favorite attractions are operational no matter when you visit. See our 2024 Disneyland Refurbishment Calendar for specific dates that attractions will be closed.

If you must visit Disneyland when it’s busy (as is the case for many with kids in school), it’s important to have a good plan of attack when you visit the parks. Determine which attractions are best and the ones to experience , figure out where you want to eat in advance and dine at hours when the parks are busiest, and most importantly, arrive at the park before it opens and get as much done as you can in the first few hours of operation when lines are much shorter than they will be later in the day.

Planning a Southern California vacation? For park admission deals, read Tips for Saving Money on Disneyland Tickets . Learn about on-site and off-site hotels in our Anaheim Hotel Reviews & Rankings . For where to eat, check out our Disneyland Restaurant Reviews . For unique ideas of things that’ll improve your trip, check out What to Pack for Disney . For comprehensive advice, consult our Disneyland Vacation Planning Guide . Finally, for guides  beyond Disney , check out our Southern California Itineraries for day trips to Los Angeles, Laguna Beach, and tons of other places!

Your Thoughts

Do you have any favorite times of year to visit Disneyland? Which special events do you think are best? Do you agree or disagree with our advice about Disneyland crowd calendars, California weather, special events, school schedules, or anything else here? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!

Written by Tom Bricker

How bad will crowds be right before and right after D23? We were hoping to be in SoCal Aug 3-12. Is it best to do Disneyland immediately (Aug 4-5) or should we extend our trip a day or two and go right after D23 (Aug 11-12)? Thanks for updating USH guide as we’ll be going there, too.

When you say MLK weekend is insanely busy, what does that look like? I’m doing the runDisney weekend next year, so what would it look like with school schedules plus a runDisney weekend on top of that? I’m flying in mid-afternoon Wednesday and flying home MLK day itself. I’m not going to be hitting the parks from open to close since I have to be up early two days that weekend.

Hi Tom, thanks for updating this guide. What do you think are the odds of DL doing something extra on Oct 16th ?

Wow, if this week is a 4, I can’t imagine a busy week. We’re veteran WDW visitors and have seen level 9 days that were more manageable than this. Our first trip to the west coast parks has been crowded and frustrating. After 3 1/2 days in the parks, we’ve hit most of the headliners that we can’t do in FL. We’re doing some rerides now and will hit the mountains in our last couple days, but the waits have been LONG. Perhaps we’ll only do a couple days next time and spring for Genie+.

You mention Veterans Day week as being very busy. Veterans Day this year is on a Saturday and observed on a Monday. Is it the week leading up to Veterans Day or the week following it (including the Monday that it is observed) that will be busy. We’re on the east coast but our kids have the Monday off and then Wednesday off for a professional development day so are considering a quick trip. This is about the lowest flights ever are. Thanks!

Hi there, My name is Jenna Taylor and I’m a travel writer. I’ve really enjoyed reading your blog content recently, and I wanted to reach out about potentially guest blogging for you. I have plenty of experience writing original articles on travel that perform well on Google searches and help bring traffic to the website they’re published on. Plus, I often collaborate with other businesses which usually results in positive recurring deals for everyone involved. If you like what you hear so far, please let me know so we can chat more about the details!

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