Generally speaking Monday-Thursday is usually less crowded than the full weekend Friday-Sunday on any week throughout the year. There is NO way to predict crowds on any given day or weekend, so the following is a good guess-timation of crowds:

January-February
The year starts with the massive removal of all the Holiday decorations adorning the Disneyland Resort and odds are January will find Haunted Mansion, Big Thunder Ranch Petting Farm, and it's a small world closed for the removal of their Holiday overlays, beginning the first or second week of the month. Expect to find as many as six attractions undergoing refurbishment at any one time during January and February. Generally the first quarter of the year finds the parks remarkably less crowded than the rest of the year, and there is a strong chance of rain as Southern California moves into the wet season (known as Winter everywhere else!). The one good thing about rain is that almost every ride in the Parks will have NO wait! Weekends still get crowded, not near what you find during peak seasons, but if the weather is nice and sunny, Park attendance will reflect the good fortune. While the first week of January may still maintain holiday hours, the next six weeks will find Disneyland open from about 10am-8pm M-Th/9am-11pm F-Sun and Disney California Adventure opening at 10am each day while closing around 6pm M-Th/9pm F-Sun.* Both Parks may have extended hours during the days surrounding Presidents’ Day weekend. Hours do vary, so be sure and check our DLR Hours thread or the Official Disneyland Resort Calendar for up to date hours.

March-May
One of the least predictable times of the year seems to be March, April and May. Spring Break crowds are hard to figure as so many schools schedule breaks at so many different times; some scheduling them around a semester calendar and others scheduling them around the floating Easter Sunday. When you include corporate America descending on southern California and the DLR for meetings, the Parks tend to be busier during Thursday-Sunday but Monday-Wednesday can still be the best friend to a dedicated Disney lover. Easter weekend and Mother's Day weekend are normally very busy. Attraction closures may remain high as the parks prepare for the approaching busier months. March & April will have hours running approximately 9am-11pm M-Th and 8am-12am F-Sun at Disneyland. DCA will normally open one to two hours later and close two to three hours earlier than Disneyland.* The weeks surrounding Easter generally are scheduled with weekend hours every day at both parks. May's weekday Park hours tend to be shorter with Disneyland closing as early as 8pm and DCA closing as early as 6pm.* Remember, there's a good chance that either Park will close abnormally early due to corporate functions. Hours do vary, so be sure and check our DLR Hours thread or the Official Disneyland Resort Calendar for up to date hours.

June
With the end of Spring and the beginning of the beautiful Summer that makes So Cal one of the top five destinations in North America, the Disneyland Resort really heats up, and the Park hours open to accommodate the droves of guests that flock to find their laughing place. High season officially kicks off on Memorial Day weekend, and with groups of kids making their way to DLR for their end of the year Class Trips, Grad Nights, Conventions, etc. the DLR will start to feel the summer crowds from early in the month. By the end of June the Parks will be super busy on weekends and even mid-weeks will start to feel more crowded, but as always Monday-Thursday should be the least busy. Refurbishments may still be underway on quite a few attractions at the beginning of the month, but usually dwindle down by mid June. The good news is Disneyland will close at 11pm or Midnight each day, except for Grad Nights, and fireworks light up the sky every night. DCA will close anywhere from 8pm-10pm.* Hours can still vary, so be sure and check our DLR Hours thread or the Official Disneyland Resort Calendar for up to date hours.

July-August
Here comes SUMMER! With the full on explosion of summer vacation, the kids are out of school and it's time to go to Disneyland! There will be parades, live entertainment, the full summer heat, and crowds made up of LOTS of tourists from all over the world. Pack your patience and all your dreams because high season runs all the way through Labor Day weekend! There will probably be no refurbishments during these months unless there is a major attraction redevelopment underway. Between the hours of 9pm and 10:30pm every night you have your choice of viewing “Magical – Disney’s Nighttime Fireworks Spectacular” in the skies above Disneyland, “Fantasmic!” on Disneyland’s Rivers of America, and “World of Color” at DCA’s Paradise Bay. For 16 hours of non-stop fun, Disneyland maintains its summer hours and closes at Midnight most days of the week. DCA will close at 9pm or 10pm.* Even though summer hours are pretty set in stone, they can still vary, so be sure and check our DLR Hours thread or the Official Disneyland Resort Calendar for up to date hours.

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