If you’re looking to visit Disneyland without having to wait an eternity for a ride on Space Mountain, you might want to go soon.
Park-goers at the “Happiest Place on Earth” are being surprised by something straight out of Fantasyland: short lines. This year’s “off-season” at Disneyland is actually starting to look like it for once, as crowds have dropped during the week despite discounted tickets and seasonal events. With the parks soon heading into Spring Break and the summer season just around the corner though, Disneyland fans are wondering how long the magic will last.
What’s the deal?
If you’ve been to Disneyland recently during the week, it’s hard not to notice the absence of the usual big crowds. While it’s not uncommon for the parks to see lower attendance after the holidays, Disneyland’s off-season has felt almost non-existent over the last few years. It’s largely thanks to non-stop seasonal events and loyal annual passholders that keep the crowds coming, but cheaper tickets are usually the biggest off-season draw.
Like past years, Disneyland has been offering discounted admission since the beginning of the year in an effort to boost off-season attendance. The ongoing California Resident Ticket Offer prices three-day park hopper tickets at $83/day. It’s not as good as last year’s deal ($67/day), but it’s still a hefty discount of regular admission, which goes for as high as $199/day on peak days.
The deal is usually a hit with locals, but demand for the cheaper tickets appears to be off to a slow start this season, particularly during the week. While weekend and holiday attendance remains strong, weekdays have lagged these last few weeks, enough to earn a “Ghost Town” rating on the Disneyland Crowd Calendar.
This past Tuesday, the average wait time at Disneyland hovered only around 15 minutes most of the day. While the park’s most popular attractions, like Space Mountain and Indiana Jones Adventure, still commanded wait times of around 30 minutes or so, guests enjoyed short lines for just about every other ride. Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run averaged just 15 minutes, Big Thunder Mountain only 10 minutes, and there was no wait at all for attractions like Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean throughout the day, according to the Disneyland Crowd Tracker.
Short lines, but not for long?
So, just how long will the short lines last? The off-season at Disneyland is still only a few weeks out of the year, so don’t expect this reprieve to last long. Presidents Day Weekend is coming up, and it should be a test of just how popular the ticket deal is, as the resort saw massive crowds for the holiday weekend last year. A lot of schools have mid-winter break starting in mid-February, so attendance is expected to spike then as well. Crowds are projected to pick up again for the Spring Break season starting around mid-March and peaking in early April.
The California ticket deal ends on May 21, but park officials are hoping get a head start on the summer season right away. Disneyland is bringing back the popular Kids’ Summer Ticket Offer, which slashes park hopper prices for children ages 3 to 9 to $50/day. The deal starts May 22 – September 7.
When you should go
So, how exactly do you know which days will be one of these magical “Ghost Town” days? First, keep an eye on the Disneyland Crowd Calendar. Not every weekday is projected have very light crowds, but mid-week (Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays) have been trending lower. Saturdays tend to be most crowded.
Right now, weekdays on the first two weeks of February (before Presidents Day week), the first two weeks of March (before Spring Break), and the last two weeks of April (after Spring Break) are expected to be good times go.
Another thing to keep in mind: “Disneyland After Dark” events. Disneyland closes early for these special-ticketed events, so attendance is usually down on days when there’s an “After Dark” event scheduled. Again, not every event day will be a “Ghost Town,” so check the Crowd Calendar to make sure, but it does tend to make the park more manageable during the day regardless. Also be aware that Disney California Adventure is usually more crowded on these days, as many guests choose to spend the day there instead. Here’s a list of events planned this year:
Sweethearts’ Nite: January 22, 25, and 27, and February 3, 5, 8, 10, 12, and 17
70 Years of Favorites: March 3 and 5
Disney Channel Nite: April 12, 14, and 16
Star Wars Nite: April 28, 30, and May 4 and 6
As for attendance during the events themselves, it’s almost never crowded as ticket sales are very limited. So, if you don’t mind staying up late, attending an “After Dark” event is a great way to pretty much guarantee true “Ghost Town” conditions. Short or no wait times for all attractions has been the norm at these events, but tickets usually sell out fast though, so don’t wait too long if you’re planning on going.
Have you been to Disneyland lately? What were the crowds like? Are the lines really that much shorter? Be sure to let us know in the comments below!