Want to have the best time at Disneyland Resort this January? Between school holidays and the and the New Years holidays, you might want to know if Disneyland is busy in January. Some days are definitely busier than others. But you can still have a great time at Disneyland Park and Disney’s California Adventure if you know a bit about the crowd levels you can expect. While Disneyland is busy in early January, there are some days that might be better than others! Here are the January tips you need.
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Disneyland In January: The Best Month?
As Disneyland Park lovers, we can’t really say there’s a bad time to go. But January is truly one of our favorites.
If you can get there in January or February, you can find some low-crowd days at Disneyland in January and February.
Disneyland in January has a lot going for it, especially the generally mild weather.
The average high temperature in January is usually in the high 60s and doesn’t get colder than the high-40s.
But January falls into the rainy season in Anaheim, so your rain chances may increase throughout the entire month.
If you know when to visit Disneyland in January it can be a good time of year to plan a trip to avoid long lines.
And you’ll never forget your January Disneyland vacation!
What Factors Impact Disneyland’s Wait Times In January?
Trying to figure out the Disneyland crowd calendar for January may feel like a challenge, but we’re breaking it down for you.
Disneyland Holidays: When Does Disneyland Remove The Christmas Decorations?
Christmas is definitely a draw for people visiting Disneyland in December and early January. Ask any Cast Member and they’ll tell you!
Seeing ‘it’s a small world’ Holiday, Haunted Mansion Holiday, and the Fab 5 dressed in their Christmas costumes is top on many people’s lists!
Disneyland’s Holiday Time starts November 10 and runs through January 7, 2024.
Disneyland begins to get decorated for Christmas starting at the stroke of midnight on November 1. It is completely decorated for Christmas by the official kickoff date of November 10.
Disneyland leaves the Christmas decorations up until January 7, 2024.
If you want a little bit of holiday cheer without all the wild December Disneyland crowds, aim for a post-New Year’s visit.
Don’t forget to check out Christmas in Radiator Springs and ride Mater’s Jingle Jamboree & Luigi’s Joy to the Whirl over in Disney California Adventure Park.
Are There Any Special Events For Christmas At Disneyland In January?
While most of the big Christmas experiences are wrapping up, there are still ways to enjoy the holidays in January at Disneyland.
At Disney California Adventure, you can celebrate Viva Navidad and Three Kings’ Day
Both festivals will run through January 7.
Know When You Can Go: Are The Kids Out Of School?
Three things to consider for any trip to the Happiest Place On Earth:
- Is it a major US holiday weekend when you plan to visit?
- Are local kids off school for any reason?
- Are there any special events happening at Disneyland in January?
Those issues drive wait times and the feeling of Disneyland being busy in January.
And to answer the questions above: YES to all three.
- New Year’s Eve and Martin Luther King Jr day are both big US holidays, and both happen to land in January.
- January 1st is going to be a busy day at Disneyland every year.
- School holidays include the MLK holiday on Monday, January 15, 2024.
- The runDisney Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend makes a return for the first time since 2017. This race will bring 20-30,000 runners to the resort from January 11-15.
The Disneyland Annual Passholder Effect
While Walt Disney World has a lot of Annual Passholders, they don’t have anywhere near the levels Disneyland does.
Annual Passholders (called Magic Key passholders) make up a large percentage of daily Disneyland visitors- hey, locals need to get away today, too!
But please note: Disneyland truly has a bigger percentage of locals visiting than Disney World does. Recognizing this will help you figure out the best day to visit.
Magic Key passholders at Disneyland tend to pop in and out of the parks for a few hours, which can make Disneyland busy in January in weird ways.
It may feel busy in the mornings at Disneyland but empty out a bit just before lunch. This is a Magic Keyholder effect as many locals pop in for a few hours but head out early in the day.
Conversely, Disneyland may also feel busy in the evenings once the locals get off work. They’ll visit Main Street USA for a parade or fireworks, and then head home soon after, especially on Friday nights. Using those annual passes to visit Disneyland in short bursts is definitely a local perk!
How Do You Find The Lower Crowds In January At Disneyland? Check The Magic Key Blackout Calendar
All magic comes with a price, as they say.
And beating those ticket prices with an annual pass comes with a cost: blackout days.
If you’re looking for the best time of the year for your first time at Disneyland, be sure to take a peek at the Magic Key Blackout Calendars.
Some locals are blocked out for the whole weekend, and some for a week at a time. Knowing when they cannot be in the parks will make Disneyland feel less crowded for you.
Disneyland’s Best Days To Visit In January (2024)
We did some looking and have come up with some of the best days to visit Disneyland in January 2023.
- Avoid Disneyland January 1-5. This is the end of many people’s school and family vacations. If you do plan to go during this week, your best bet is to arrive early and stay at one of the Disneyland Resort hotels for early park access.
- Avoid January 11-15. This is the runDisney Half Marathon weekend and MLK holiday weekend and schools are also out during that Monday. While many MagicKeys are blocked out, there are still plenty with availability and they will come to Disneyland!
What does that leave us with? The most wiggle room in January is later in the month.
We have some good news. There are some low-crowd days projected for the end of January
Magic Keys are blocked out on the following days:
- Inspire- January 1
- Believe- January 1
- Enchant- January 1-5, 14-16
- Imagine- January 1-8, 14-16, 21-22, 28-29
Using this information, we think the best days to visit Disneyland in January 2024 will be anytime after January 16.
Early February may be another good time to visit as well if you can have some wiggle room.
And please don’t forget to make those theme park reservations ASAP!
Is Disneyland Busy On New Year’s Day?
In terms of crowds, if you are a rope dropper or early riser, you’ll have a pretty empty park to explore early in the day.
Many people stayed out the night before and really enjoyed their Disneyland New Year’s Eve- so sleeping in definitely happens.
But soon you’ll see crowd levels swell like Spring Break or summer vacation. Disneyland usually gets busy on New Year’s Day.
But in a normal year, New Year’s Day morning is a sweet spot to head into New Orleans Square for some beignets and enjoy less time in lines.
Is Disneyland Busy On New Year’s Eve?
In a word: YES.
Avoid unless you truly do not mind crushing crowds and have a lot of patience!
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Patty Holliday has been running Disney since 2011. She knows just about every tip, trick, and hack there is to cover the runDisney Magical Miles at Disney World and Disneyland. She knows every mile isn’t *always* magical- but with training, tips, and a little bit of pixie dust, they can be a lot of fun! You can also find her at noguiltlife.com and noguiltfangirl.com