One of the most frequent questions we get at Babes In Disneyland revolve around attendance levels and attendance trends. As I’ve mentioned in the past, the parks are always going to be crowded:

• During holiday weekends.
• The week of Thanksgiving.
• During the peak summer months.
• Weekends.
• Spring Break.
• The last two weeks of December. (These are the two most crowded weeks of the year.)
  
• When a special event is planned.

What is important to remember that higher attendance isn’t always a bad thing. Take right now at the Disneyland Resort for example: It’s winter time and the attendance is much lower than the rest of the year. That being said, because the attendance is lower, Disneyland is undergoing a great deal of construction and several rides and areas of the park are closed. In addition, during less busy times of year there are fewer entertainment options. 

For people like me who visit the parks often, I like going on days when there aren’t a lot of people, as we take advantage of the short lines on what is open and get to have lots of quality time with the characters without the long waits. If I were a less frequent visitor, I would likely want to visit in a busier time of year so that I could experience all of what the Disneyland Resort has to offer–not just portions of it.

If you really want a snapshot of crowds are going to be like at the Disneyland Resort, here is your three-step cheat sheet using the Disneyland annual passport blockout dates.

• The Deluxe Annual Passport is typically blocks out the most crowded days of the year at the Disneyland Resort. If you click here and see that the date you want to visit is a blockout date, you will likely want to stay away and find something else fun to do in So Cal.

•  If the date you want to visit isn’t blocked out, don’t wipe the sweat from your brow just yet. Now move on to the blockout dates for the Southern California Annual Passport by clicking here. Additional dates on this calendar that are not included on the Deluxe Annual Passport’s calendar are going to be pretty crowded but not quite as bad as those blocked out on the Deluxe.

• Has your vacation day not appeared on either of these calendars? If so, you are almost in the clear! The two aforementioned calendars are pretty good snapshots of crowd levels, but if you want to dig a little deeper, you can look to see if your Disney day is on the So Cal Select Annual Passport’s blockout calendar by clicking here. The dates on this calendar that are in addition to those on the other two calendars, may be busy, but not quite as busy as those also blocked out on the other two calendars.

So there you have it! This is by no means an exact science, but it is a pretty good guide. Oh…and one more thing, the other general rule of thumb is this: The longer the hours, the bigger the crowds!!!

Happy Planning!

Want more great tips like this? My book is filled with incredible tips for families looking to make the most out of their Disneyland vacation. It is specifically written for families with babies, toddlers and preschoolers!

Lisa Robertson is the publisher of Babes In Disneyland. Follow her on Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest. The Babes In Disneyland Facebook page is a great place to ask questions about the Resort or meet other fans.