Crowds at Disneyland are a major factor when many families plan a vacation. Two of the busiest times of the year at Disneyland are just around the corner. Let’s get into the top WORST times of the year for crowds at Disneyland during this fall and winter based on the data we have from the past year, plus our own personal experiences in the theme parks.
You can also see our Disneyland crowd calendar for a sense of projected crowd levels by month. Mickey Visit brings you the latest Disney news and planning resources, including everything to know about the upcoming ticket increase and the newest Disney Visa perks. We just shared this same low crowd analysis for Disney World.
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Disneyland Dates to Avoid Fall 2026
Disneyland crowds have been a bit unpredictable the past couple of years, throwing many traditional crowd calendars for a loop. This is why we created our Mickey Visit Disneyland crowd calendar using data not just from school break calendars but also taking into account traditional wait time data, Magic Key blockout dates, 1-day ticket pricing, and more.
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When it comes to the other worst time to visit Disneyland during the Halloween season, Indigenous Peoples’ Day/Columbus Day in mid-October ranks as the third worst window of all times of the year, with crowd levels being nearly as bad as spring break or the holidays. Particularly, we will see Sunday and Monday of this holiday weekend to be the worst times to visit Disneyland. This year, Indigenous Peoples’ Day/Columbus Day takes place on Monday, October 12, so I would avoid that entire weekend from October 9 through October 12.
Three-day weekends often catch Disneyland guests off guard, but many families take advantage of these long weekends to travel. You will also have to contend with higher crowds of locals and Magic Key holders, as they might take advantage of that longer weekend to visit the parks. This time of October also coordinates with days off for schools and Fall Breaks in the area, which are common in California, Utah, and Arizona. In 2025, one of the worst weekends of the year from the wait time data we reported on was the three-day weekend of Indigenous Peoples’ Day/Columbus Day.
Disneyland now celebrates Halloween on the same scale as they do Christmas, so that’s another reason we see crowds growing in the theme park in October during these school Fall breaks. This time of year has become a priority to visit for many families plus all these seasonal offerings bring out the passholders in droves.
On the other hand, September always has lighter crowds as does the end of October. Last year, September had four of the least crowded days of the year and October had one based on average wait times.
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Worst Disneyland Holiday Dates to Avoid
When it comes to Disneyland dates to avoid during Christmas, the time period of Christmas Eve through New Year’s Day is hands down the busiest time all year long. Disneyland on New Year’s Eve itself is known for being one of the busiest days of the entire year. If you are looking to avoid crowds, you don’t want to be anywhere near the parks during that holiday.
What makes this time of year one of the worst is that crowds will persist for up to nearly two weeks without a break. Peak wait times this time of year can often exceed 200 minutes, which just shows how packed Disneyland can be during this time period.
Part of this analysis is also based on our specific research into the most crowded and least crowded dates last year. This tracked the actual average wait time data across the parks to understand which days were most impacted. December 27, 28, and 30 were all in the top ten of the most crowded dates.
Crowd levels during the holiday season will spike from Christmas week into the first few days of January. This period consistently ranks worse than most long weekends due to overlapping holiday travel, school breaks, and heavy out-of-state visitation. This is also why we see Magic Key holders blocked out this time of year because Disneyland is expecting massive crowds. If you want to avoid the worst crowds, do not visit December 24 through January 3.
Thanksgiving week can also be considerably busy, especially if you visit on Thanksgiving Day and the day after. While Thanksgiving week crowds are nothing compared to the week after Christmas, it’s still a higher-volume week for large crowds. If you want to avoid crowds in November, skip November 26 through November 29.
Should I Avoid Visiting Disneyland on a Holiday?
For people not fans of crowds, holidays are often Disneyland dates to avoid. However, some holidays are more intense than others, and it can be a really fun experience to be in the parks on a holiday. I am a frequent Disneyland and Walt Disney World holiday traveler, so I have spent many holidays at the parks, including Memorial Day, 4th of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day. While some of these holidays were crazier than others (Thanksgiving!), we created great family memories.
I have spent multiple Thanksgivings at Disneyland, and honestly, the worst crowds we saw were Thanksgiving Day and the day after Thanksgiving, but the days leading up to it were quite manageable. I made sure to plan both lunch and dinner reservations for both of those days, knowing they would be crowded, so we didn’t have to worry about food lines. We just took it easy and did not stress about the crowds. An attitude adjustment can make all the difference.
If you are visiting during the holiday season in December, evenings are going to consistently draw the largest crowds. Many locals without passes come to see the holiday decor at the parks on weekends, and Magic Key holders will show up in the evenings on weekdays to see the decorations. One of the worst weekends in December can be the last weekend for the top tier of Magic Key holders to visit before they are blocked out for the year. For 2026, this is the weekend of December 18 through December 20.
If you are looking to find information about more Disneyland dates to avoid and special events, stay up to date on our Disneyland crowd calendar, which provides a full 12-month overview of the parks, including a monthly breakdown of weather, events, and crowd levels.
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