Disney Parks are designed to handle massive crowds. The Magic Kingdom can allegedly hold more than 100,000 guests, but through phased closures Disney limits park attendance to levels more conducive to guest safety and enjoyment.
However, when planning a trip to the Disneyland Resort, expect lower crowds from mid-September through mid-November (before the Thanksgiving break). Mid-January through mid-March is another time when potentially lower crowds are expected.
Weekdays are less crowded than weekends, especially Monday-Thursdays. On weekends, Sundays are usually less crowded than Saturdays. Regular weekends tend to be less crowded than holiday weekends.
Weekends, especially around holiday weeks and three-day holiday weekends (MLK Day (3rd Monday of January), Presidents Day (3rd Monday of February), Memorial Day (last Monday of May), July 4th, Labor Day (1st Monday of September), and Columbus Day (2nd Monday of October).
Arrive Early, Stay LateIf daily operating hours are long, expect heavy crowds. Whenever Disneyland and Disney California open at 8 am or 9 am and Disneyland closes at midnight (or later), you can be assured that this is because heavy crowds are forecast.
Guests are allowed to bring outside food and nonalcoholic beverages into the parks for self-consumption, provided they are not in glass containers, do not require heating, reheating, processing or refrigeration and do not have pungent odors. Inform a Security Cast Member of any food items when you enter the park.
Suitcases, bags, coolers or backpacks, with or without wheels, larger than 24 long x 15 wide x 18 high (61 cm x 38 cm x 46 cm) are not allowed in any theme park. Loose or dry ice is not permitted in these containers. Re-usable ice packs are recommended.
We recommend that guests with Early Entry plan to arrive at the park gates 15 minutes before the start of Early Entry. We recommend guests without Early Entry plan to arrive at the park gates 30 minutes before scheduled park open. Keep in mind you'll need to account for parking and security time, too.
Get There Early to Avoid the CrowdsAs you can imagine, that means the wait times will likely be over an hour and the park will be shoulder-to-shoulder with other visitors. For an enjoyable Disneyland vacation, get to the park as soon as it opens at 8 am to enjoy empty rides and no wait times.
The best way to get a lot done in Disneyland is to get there in the morning EARLY and power through as many attractions as you can. Most times you will be able to get more attractions done the first two hours of the morning than you will the rest of the day combined.
Genie Plus is definitely worth it for Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios, and if you don't like early starts, you might consider it for Epcot and Animal Kingdom. If you are park hopping, Genie+ is even better value as it maximises the number of rides you have access to.
Non-alcoholic drinks and waters are totally something you can bring into Disney, it's even encouraged! It is so nice to have a drink on hand whenever you need to quench your thirst. You can bring refillable water bottles and refill them at water stations throughout the parks.
You must be excited for your upcoming adventure at the Happiest Place on Earth! Nicole, you can certainly use cash as a form of payment throughout Disneyland Resort. Although, I must say it is very convenient to make in-app purchases using the Disneyland mobile app.
Hi there, Adrian, Guests of the Disneyland Resort are allowed to take outside food and non-alcoholic beverages with them. Refillable water bottles are also allowed, even metal bottles like the brand you have.
Disneyland Resort is open rain or shine and many guests still make it to the parks during the rain because they don't want to miss out on their vacation time. There are a few attractions that will close during rain, but many remain open and Genie+ still works in the rain too.
Alcohol Restrictions at Disneyland ParkAt the park, guests will need to provide a valid ID, passport, or United States Armed Forces ID that confirms they are 21 or older. No glass containers or outside alcohol is permitted a the park, and guests may not take alcohol out of the establishments they are offered at.
The most straightforward way to stand in line less at Disneyland — on any day — is simply to be in the parks during the lowest crowd times of the day. The crowds are always much smaller first thing in the morning. Many guests have trouble getting up early on vacation, which is a factor that you should exploit.