Hello there, Jena! Thanks so much for stopping by to see us here at planDisney.
You have asked the golden question! Let me first say that I can't guarantee crowd levels, but I'll definitely give this my best shot. What makes this a bit trickier to answer is that crowds have shifted around a bit in the past couple of years from what they traditionally had been - probably because there's never been a better time to visit!
If you have a completely flexible calendar year to plan your trip, and you're trying to take your best guess as to when the Disneyland Resort will be the least busy, I would suggest trying for January to early March, or mid-September through mid-November.
The things I take into consideration when trying to find the
best time to visit are that weekdays are often less busy than weekdays and thinking about US school schedules. Crowds often pick up when students are out on breaks throughout the year, so that would be starting in mid-March for spring break, then May through early August for summer break, and again in December for winter break. Another consideration is the weather! It gets quite hot during summer in Anaheim, California, where the parks are located.
Having said all that, if you're able to make a trip work in the next couple of months, then you'll be able to take part in the
Disney100 celebration - including being one of the first to ride
Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway. The Disney100 celebration will continue throughout this year. If you wait until September-October, then you'll get to enjoy
Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort, or usually starting mid-November is the
Holidays at the Disneyland Resort (my family's favorite time to visit!).
Thanks again for your question, Jena! If you think of any follow-up questions as you continue to plan, please feel free to
write me back directly. I'd love to help!
Have a Magical Day,
Greg