It’s time for an on-the-ground report on low season crowds at Disneyland, which is experiencing a slowdown with summer time ending and holidays on the horizon. We’ll check out August 2023 wait instances, how busy the parks are proper now, and “revenge journey” burning out. Plus, predictions for Halloween at Disney California Journey and Disneyland.
Let’s begin by bringing you in control on crowds at Disneyland for the second half of summer time season. Late July noticed a really slight spike, albeit not almost to the identical diploma as Walt Disney World. In any other case, wait instances have been fairly constant all through the month with day of the week tendencies being a greater predictor of crowd ranges than anything.
A extra pronounced spike really occurred in early-to-mid August, which is one thing we did not see at Walt Disney World. This occurred proper earlier than Los Angeles and Orange County colleges went again into session, suggesting it was a “final hurrah” for locals. The distinction in timing of this similar dynamic for Florida vs. California underscores the vacationers vs. locals demographics of the respective coasts.
In any other case, this summer time in Disneyland kind of paralleled our current crowd studies from Walt Disney World, besides with increased numbers within the California parks. For these skeptical of those reported tendencies, the corporate itself has acknowledged as a lot, attributing it to an exhaustion of pent-up demand that’s lagging at Disneyland since California reopened later.
In opposition to that backdrop, let’s flip to the numbers. Word that what’s lined right here is posted wait instances pulled from the Disneyland app and compiled into graphs protecting numerous days, weeks, months, and years. Posted wait instances are good for figuring out huge image tendencies, however the information will not be conclusive of in-park congestion or “appears like” crowds.
Posted wait instances supply perception into how busy Disneyland is, however they’re an imperfect measure of crowds, particularly in case you’re evaluating present situations to prior years. Disneyland attendance has elevated by a number of million individuals because the overhaul of Disney California Journey, and demographics have additionally shifted. The top result’s that almost all of days in 2023 might be extra crowded than their counterparts in 2012, 2015, 2017, and so forth.
With that out of the best way, let’s dig into the information and have a look at Disneyland Resort wait instances. As at all times, all graphs and stats are courtesy of Thrill-Knowledge.com:
Let’s begin with the month-to-month numbers for Disneyland as a complete. As in comparison with the identical months within the prior yr, April and past have seen a noticeable drop in common wait instances.
That is most pronounced in June and July. Final yr, these two months have been 10/10 and eight/10 crowd ranges, respectively. This yr, wait instances are down by 8 minutes on common and summer time crowds have been sometimes 5/10 or under. August 2023 averages are “solely” down by 5 minutes as in comparison with the identical month final yr, however that’s nonetheless a 1/10 on the group calendar.
Above is a have a look at weekly wait instances at Disneyland. This exhibits the height of summer time occurring the second week of June, with crowd ranges fairly secure after that till this previous week. (Ignore the second-lowest inexperienced bar two weeks in the past, there was a knowledge assortment error sooner or later that skews the numbers and sadly can’t be excluded from the calculation.)
With each the month and week views, it’s necessary to emphasise that unfavorable comparisons are the explanation why crowd ranges are so low this yr. There was a major quantity of pent-up demand from Summer season 2021 by way of the length of 2022, and present crowd ranges are judged in opposition to that “revenge journey” period at Disneyland.
Taking a look at day by day numbers throughout all of Disneyland year-to-date, it’s a narrative that’s considerably much like our wait time studies from Walt Disney World–besides with increased averages throughout the board. Summer season by no means hit the identical excessive highs because the winter holidays or spring break season, however that’s to be anticipated. Summer season is an extended college break, so households aren’t concentrated into the identical set of restricted dates.
However that is additionally a narrative of pent-up demand exhausting itself. On each coasts, spring break appeared prefer it was the final gasp of these crazier crowds fueled by vacationers making up for misplaced time. There have nonetheless been loads of days which have felt very busy in June by way of August, however in case you’re measuring objectively in opposition to the final yr–which is what these graphs are doing–there’s been a pronounced drop-off. It’s mainly a return to actuality.
With the wait instances information out of the best way, let’s flip to commentary. We pop into the parks frequently, and simply did a protracted weekend at Disneyland with a number of consecutive rope drop to park closing days. That additionally coincided with the pronounced drop-off in crowd ranges from August 24 to 25, which is an enormous cause why we’re sharing this report now.
There’s by no means consensus in relation to crowd reporting. (It’s higher at Disneyland than Walt Disney World, because the extra local-centric parks imply extra followers with weekly expertise, reasonably than yearly, which provides a a lot higher body of reference.) It doesn’t matter what the information exhibits, there’ll at all times be individuals who declare the very same dates have been really the ‘busiest they’ve ever seen the parks’ or ‘least busy they’ve ever seen the parks.’ Aside from vacation weeks, these responses occur just about with out fail.
Nonetheless, I’m extremely assured that anybody who visited Disneyland on each August 24 and 25 would’ve been in a position to simply spot the distinction. August 24 had a median wait time of 31 minutes, numerical crowd degree of 5/10, and ‘appears like’ congestion that was, in my anecdotal opinion, a lot worse.
In contrast, August 25 had a median wait time of 16 minutes, numerical crowd degree of 1/10, and ‘appears like’ congestion that was minimal–particularly after having skilled the day past. The relative drop-off was pronounced and patently apparent to anybody within the parks–an evening and day distinction. That was the precise day that the sluggish season began at Disneyland Resort.
Congestion picked up considerably noticeably over the weekend and wait instances have been up barely by way of Monday, nevertheless it nonetheless wasn’t dangerous in any respect. Relative to Friday, certain, quite a bit busier. Relative to Thursday, the complete summer time, or final yr, nonetheless very manageable!
Sadly, we haven’t been within the parks the previous couple of days as drop ranges have dropped even additional, but when posted wait instances we’ve seen whereas perusing the Disneyland app are any indication, it’s been wonderful. No actual shock there, as this follows the established crowd pattern over the course of the final a number of years–however with a good steeper drop-off within the post-revenge journey period.
When it comes to different observations, we proceed to note lower-than-last-year attendance within the morning. It in all probability goes with out saying, however crowd ranges aren’t static all through the day. Throughout a traditional vacationer season, Disneyland would see a rise in earlier arrivals, as guests on trip are extra inclined to reach for or nearer to rope drop. In contrast, locals usually tend to arrive late.
I did a number of rope drop days at each Disneyland and DCA (sadly, no Early Entry this time), and located the group ranges to be tremendous low till round 11 am. This strongly means that there are fewer vacationers as a share of visitors. Anticipate this to proceed all through September 2023, which is California’s low season for journey–there are at all times fewer vacationers then. It’s extra notable for finish of summer time since that’s sometimes vacationer season.
Past the exhaustion of pent-up demand, it’s additionally attainable that individuals have been suspending their visits resulting from Fantasmic and excessive variety of attraction closures. That is extra outcome-determinative of crowds at Disneyland than it’s at Walt Disney World as a result of the demo skews much more native and impulsive at Disneyland. It’s not simply the a whole lot of hundreds of Annual Passholders inside driving distance in Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties.
Folks from Northern California and the encircling states additionally take a number of fast journeys to Disneyland and have an incredible diploma of flexibility of their visits. They’ll delay if Fantasmic isn’t being carried out, their favourite darkish rides are down, or in the event that they’re nonetheless sitting on pins and needles for brand new reward store in Avengers Campus to open. You by no means know with Disneyland followers.
Whatever the cause, you’ll be able to accomplish quite a bit within the first few hours of the day at Disneyland and Disney California Journey. You’ll be able to nonetheless rope drop Peter Pan’s Flight and knock out the whole thing of Fantasyland with minimal wait. You may as well hit Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance at rope drop for a 30 minute or much less standby wait.
For that matter, you are able to do Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance even after that preliminary wave and nonetheless not have too lengthy of a wait. Identical goes with Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, House Mountain, and Indiana Jones Journey. All of those rides can have longer wait instances later within the day–and features that transfer at a snail’s tempo because of the Lightning Lanes–however they’re are blissful early on. They’re additionally, sadly, all in several corners of the park, which makes strategizing tough until you don’t thoughts a number of backtracking.
Wanting ahead, the following few weeks ought to proceed to be the sluggish season at Disneyland. When it comes to “appears like” crowds, the tip of August might be pretty much as good because it’s gonna get. Halloween Time at Disneyland kicks off with the beginning of September, and that’ll draw locals to the parks to do Haunted Mansion Vacation, eat meals, take pictures, and loiter about. So congestion will worsen, and this weekend will in all probability defy regular day-of-week tendencies.
Objectively talking, common wait instances ought to stay low. Though Los Angeles and Orange County colleges are already again in session–as is most of California and the West Coast–there are nonetheless some stragglers. Not solely that, however college resuming has been a minimum of partially offset by AP blockouts lifting in mid-August. Lots of these Magic Key Passholders have now taken their ‘homecoming’ visits after being blocked out a lot of the summer time, which means {that a} small scale or localized model of pent-up demand has additionally simply performed out.
Suffice to say, it’s possible that wait instances will stay comparatively low for the following few weeks whilst congestion will increase. One factor to notice right here is that our prediction that Labor Day Weekend Will Be ‘Useless’ at Walt Disney World completely does NOT apply to Disneyland.
The large cause for that prediction with the Florida parks is extra aggressive blockouts for each Annual Passholders and ticket offers. Though there are Magic Key blockouts for the vacation weekend, they’re pretty regular. Furthermore, the present Californian ticket deal will not be blocked out for Labor Day. And it’s the beginning of Halloween. All very huge variations!
Labor Day nonetheless will not be a really busy vacation weekend at Disneyland; relative to Easter or Columbus Day, it’ll be fairly manageable. Nevertheless it most positively won’t be “useless” or something of that kind.
After a slight spike for the vacation weekend, anticipate crowd ranges to retreat for the primary two weeks of September. Day of week tendencies would be the greatest consideration, adopted intently by Oogie Boogie Bash Halloween Get together dates. That’ll trigger some gentle disruptions to attendance dynamics, whereas additionally creating crowd discrepancies between Disneyland and Disney California Journey.
Crowds are more likely to enhance within the second half of September, with October seeing a major spike, together with days and weeks which can be 8/10 or above crowd ranges. Fall breaks in Northern California, Nevada, and Utah have big impacts. Whereas I’d anticipate most dates even in these 3 months to be down yr over yr, that’s relative. In absolute phrases, it’s possible that almost all visitors will discover most dates to be “very busy” in the course of the coronary heart of the Halloween and vacation seasons.
That context about what “slowdown” means is necessary. The parks aren’t going to be useless or ghost cities, and even on par with the vacancy seen in current weeks at Walt Disney World. It’s simply going to be much less busy–possibly by 20% or so–as in comparison with final yr. That’s sufficient to have a huge effect on goal crowd ranges, however not a lot on subjective congestion ranges.
Level being, it’s not like Disneyland and DCA are struggling, or wherever near it. Slightly, the parks are coming down from almost two years of revenge journey, throughout which era provide (of reservations) exceeded demand on many days and the parks have been packed whilst the corporate restricted attendance.
Finally, what Disneyland is experiencing is a gradual return to regular–and hopefully this pattern continues. A slowdown from unprecedented demand will not be a disaster, it’s a normalization. Disney would’ve cherished to take care of record-breaking numbers or that progress trajectory, however frankly, all of that pent-up demand was a distortion and one which made the parks downright uncomfortable at instances.
Placing that within the rearview mirror is nice for customers and even the long-term well being of Disneyland. The parks not doing record-breaking numbers whatever the guest-unfriendly choices and adjustments they make–and as an alternative having to truly compete for patrons–may be very a lot factor. That might not be the case for the corporate’s backside line on the following quarterly earnings name, nevertheless it most definitely is within the long-term and from the attitude of visitor goodwill and model popularity.
Planning a Southern California trip? For park admission offers, learn Ideas for Saving Cash on Disneyland Tickets. Study on-site and off-site resorts in our Anaheim Resort Opinions & Rankings. For the place to eat, take a look at our Disneyland Restaurant Opinions. For distinctive concepts of issues that’ll enhance your journey, take a look at What to Pack for Disney. For complete recommendation, seek the advice of our Disneyland Trip Planning Information. Lastly, for guides past Disney, take a look at our Southern California Itineraries for day journeys to Los Angeles, Laguna Seaside, and plenty of different SoCal cities!
YOUR THOUGHTS
Ideas on the post-summer slowdown in crowds at Disneyland? Predictions on crowds for September 2023? Suppose subsequent month might be kind of busy than August? In case you’ve visited final month (or particularly August 24 vs. 25), what did you consider crowds and wait instances? Any days or instances appear noticeably worse than the others? Do you agree or disagree with something in our report? Any questions we may also help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even whenever you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!