Disneyland - When Is Best?

I wouldn't go on the 31st b/c of Memorial day holiday. I don't want to go look at my calendar but i would go on whatever day is not a weekend, if possible?!

The park really isn't all that big, so you wont have any trouble. Utilize the train that goes all the way around the park, it's cool and the lil' guys like it!

If you go early, as soon as the park opens you shouldn't have much trouble with the lines!

Don't skip "It's a small world" it's the BEST!

Have fun!

The earlier you go in June, the better. May 31 is not Memorial Day weekend, so you shouldn't have to worry about those crowds. As it gets closer to the end of school, more and more schools will start having field trips there, so you'll see a lot more crowds of 10-18 year olds as it moves into the second and third weeks of June. The dates you mentioned should still be ok.

A good way to know when it's considered less crowded is to see when the season passes are valid. The least expensive passes (So Cal) have a lot of blackout dates - if those passes are blacked out, expect more crowds.

If you get the chance to go again, early March (before spring break), late April (after spring break) and early May are all good days. September and early October can be great too. Surprisingly, days like Labor Day and other Monday holidays are often not that crowded at all (though I would imagine the Saturday & Sunday of those weekends are).

As for lines, within Fantasyland, Peter Pan & Dumbo will have the longest lines, along with Alice in Wonderland. Do these first thing in the morning or during lunch hour for less crowds. Star Tours is a long wait - get a fast pass and bypass the crowds. Small World usually has a short wait. Go in the outer (right) line as opposed to the inner (left) and you'll move a lot faster. Autopia is often a 10-15 minute wait, but also can easily be a 30 minute wait, so go there if you notice a shorter wait since it won't last.

No need to do both Casey Jr train and the Storybook Boats, as they take you to basically the same places and you see the same stuff. Personally, I could skip both, but if the kids want to do them, choose one and not both.

Teacups almost never have a line at all.

Are you also going to CA Adventure? If so, get there before it opens and head immediately to the new Cars Land ride. I forget which it is, but one of the rides is by far the most popular and will have a very long wait. Toy Story Mania is also a great ride that always has a super long line if you don't do it first thing in the morning. Not sure if the Toy Story lines have shortened now that Cars is open. Also not sure if either has a fast pass; if they do, utilize them.

We've been there once, it was this year around mid-May (5/15 to 5/19) - we had a great time, and went with the same strategy as when we've gone to Disney World in FL...get there for when the park first opens, and hit the most popular rides first, plus use Fast Passes for anything you can to save more time waiting in lines. "Unofficial Guide to Disneyland" should be very helpful - they come out with a new edition each year and you can find it on Amazon. It does provide a lot of insight and detail as to what each attraction holds (especially in terms of what some kids might find scary) and gives "touring plans" that tell you in which order you should hit the rides in order to minimize waiting times in line. When we got in line before opening, and I followed one of their plans with our daughter (age 4 at the time), we were able to go on 10 or 12 different rides within the first 1.5 hours. Again, Fast Passes help a lot too - they don't cost anything extra, you just run your ticket through the Fast Pass machine at the entrance of the ride and it gives you a time frame in which to return to go on the ride. Come back at the time on the ticket, and you can go in the Fast Pass line and get through a lot faster.

My daughter loved pretty much everything there - she especially liked Toontown, the typical "kiddie" rides (like Dumbo and Mad Hatter Tea Party and It's A Small World) and Splash Mountain. She also liked Toy Story Midway Mania and Ariel's Undersea Adventure at California Adventure and we did a princess breakfast at Ariel's Grotto.

I have been two times both in November. Both times went the week before the week Thanksgiving falls on. For example:
Thanksgiving is on Thursday. We went Tues - Sat of the week prior. Came home Saturday and then the next Thursday was Thanksgiving. Both times we had very very small wait in lines. I figued being so many people travel Thanksgiving time they are not thinking of going to Disneyland the week prior becuase they are traveling the next week.

We go in early February. The crowds are small, the weather is usually mild during the day, a sweatshirt at night.
I second the notion of taking a stroller- its a lot walking and having a place to store your bags its great. Ask about the out-side food policy, because it is very expensive inside. I will fess to letting my eight year old sit in the stroller on the walk back to the hotel. it was comical.
Toon-town is fun for the younger kids and the characters (mickey, minnie, donald, goofy) are usually around for photo-ops.
Tom Sawyers island is a nice break from the chaos- there are no rides, just caves, bridges, forts for exploring.
Big Thunder rail-road is roller-coaster well suited for the younger kids- no loops, but fast enough for a thrill. Check the height requirements on the rides to when you are planning.
If you are going for one day, I would chose one park, and I personally would choose Disneyland over CA adventure. But if you are going for multiple day, the park-hopper worth it. In CA adventure there are water features too-bubble up fountains the kids can run through. So you might want an extra set of clothes or flip-flops to wear just for that. Kids might be too short to go on it, you will get soaked on the raging river raft.
Best candy shop is over by Pooh's corner.
Also, there are professional photographers roaming the park, they will take your picture and give you a photo-pass card (credit -card size) that you can use when you get home to view your pictures. you don't have to pay for anything unless you actually order pictures, and then yes they are expensive, but I lost my camera one trip, and this was a nice back-up plan

I was born and raised in Cali(moved 3 yrs ago) and Disneyland is always something I did as a kid and now something we always do when we go home to visit. I don't know if there is every really a good time to go. A Tuesday is normally as packed as a Friday. But the earlier you get there the better and sometimes it pays off to start at the back of the park and work your way forward. Now they have those fast passes which save time. You go get a time stamp card from a ride and instead of standing in line for 1-2 hrs you just come back when "your time" is and avoid cranky kids having to wait in line. Schools in Cali are out by 5/31 they start mid August now. Regardless you guys will have a good time. Other great times to go are during the major holidays. The 4th of July is cool. Halloween and Christmas are amazing!! Have Fun!

We just went in August and opted for the 2 day/1 park tickets. We saved a bunch of money, and having 3 kids ages 5 and 2, we knew that we wouldn't be able to do more than one park in one day. We agreed that next time we go, we'll do 3 days at the parks, but do the 2 day/1 park tickets with a 1 day hopper, and use that 3rd day to go back to either or both parks to "finish up."

It was WAY too expensive to stay at the Disney hotels, so we opted for staying at a hotel that was about a 15-minute walk. We did A LOT of walking, especially since we went back to the hotel midday to take a break, let my 2yr old nap, and give the 5yr olds a chance to swim (my son and his friend). We took a stroller and used it mainly for bags and purchases, as well as the cooler that we stocked with lunch, drinks and snacks. Both my kids (5, 2) rode in the stroller on the way back to the hotel the first night :) That was entertaining.

The longest lines we waited in were for McQueen's racers (TOTALLY worth it but don't wait in line with the whole family unless EVERYone can ride!) and the Nemo ride. In my opinion, the Nemo ride wasn't worth it. It's really tight (hello submarine), so it's not good for anyone even remotely claustrophobic.

Our favorites were the Buzz ride at Disneyland and ALL the Cars rides at California! I also REALLY enjoyed Soarin' over California! I just can't say enough about how much fun we had!!!!! And my kids are STILL talking about and asking when we're going back :)

We've gone during the most busiest time (Christmas) to WDW and Disneyland and had a blast without long lines. The key is to get to the park when it first opens, make a plan, get the Fastpass as soon as you can for the popular rides (Cars at California Adventure will give out all their tickets for the day by 9:30am!). Stay at a Disney hotel so you can do the magical hours and go about 10 to 15 minutes before 7:00 or 8:00 am when it opens so you're there at the gates. Head to the furthest ride away, then make your way back towards the front while going on the rides that you want on your list. Make a plan and go early is my best advice. Have fun!

Haven't been to any of the Disney places but went to Silver Dollar City in September. It was cool enough that we were comfortable in shirt sleeves and warm enough that when we were dripping wet we weren't uncomfortable.

So I think that an off month where kids are firmly entrenched in school is the best time. Check online for cruises. Look at the prices for the different months.

In February they promote Valentine's Day. In March it's Spring Break. In April they don't have hardly anything going on so they offer cheap prices. Same in a few other months where people are just dug in and not wanting to get out and go places.

I'd do more research on times but I think most schools are out by memorial day. I truly don't know anyone who's in school past the 20 something of May.

I've heard the first week in December is nice, schools are in still but it's decorated for the holidays. These sites helped us with our trip. http://www.mousesavers.com
http://touringplans.com/?property=dlr
The 2nd site shows "crowds" on dates you want to go. If you have the $, they have VIP services that take you to the front of all the lines and a personal concierge while in the parks. We haven't done this but I scheduled for my boss and they loved it.

I second the "Unofficial Guide to Disneyland".
They have tips to prepare for going (get it now) as well as suggested plans for one-, two- and multi-day trips.

We went for 1 day in late June 2010, on a Saturday, and following a modified 1-day plan didn't stand in line for a ride for longer than 30 minutes (including Space Mountain, the Matterhorn and Finding Nemo sub ride). We did stand in line for about 90 minutes for Princesses, but what do you expect with 5yo and 3yo girls.

The best time is when kids are in school because then you can buzz through lines faster. They do have the fast pass that you can use for rides and it takes you right to the front. We went during Halloween time and it wasn't too bad. And this year we are going around April for my grandson's first trip. I think with Disney;and it is a hit and miss, but more often it is be4tter to go when school is still in for most kids.

Don't miss the California Adventure side. Lots of fun too! And Toon Town for the kids. :))) Have a good and fun trip!!

We went on March 8th a couple years ago (it was a Tue I think) and it was great!!! We did not have to wait in any lines at all.