No, the summer months aren’t the worst time to visit Disneyland Resort. Before you plan your next visit, read this.

When you think about the worst month to visit Disneyland, you probably imagine the most popular vacation times of the year or summer, when most families take their annual vacation.

But in recent years, crowd patterns have changed. Now, the summer actually isn’t the busiest time of the year at Disneyland. Sure, it’s still hot and often sees high crowd levels. Yet the worst month to visit is actually later in the year.

Find everything you need to know about one of the most crowded months of the year at Disneyland.

October is the Worst Month to Visit Disneyland

Yep, you read that right: October is the worst month of the year to visit Disneyland.

Kids might be back in school come October, which makes many assume the theme parks and resort overall will see fewer visitors. But October has become one of the most popular months to visit Disneyland.

Just a few years ago, October was a relatively quiet month of the year. Disneyland and California Adventure were, for the most part, pretty empty. And even October events like the now-defunct Mickey’s Halloween Party (or Mickey’s Trick-or-Treat Party as it was also called, which was held until 2019) didn’t draw significant crowds.

Post-2020, however, October has become a favorite month for many to visit. And as a result, it’s now more crowded at Disneyland than ever come October 1.

Why is October Such a Busy Month at Disneyland?

There are two key reasons why October is the worst month to visit Disneyland: the Halloween season and numerous school holidays (and days off).

Halloween Time at Disneyland Resort

Disneyland has transformed Halloween from a few decorations and some seasonal treats throughout the theme parks to a huge event one that draws big crowds. Spooky season gets underway at both Disneyland Park and California Adventure, with both parks offering exclusive limited-time seasonal attraction overlays, special Halloween-inspired treats (and popcorn buckets and sippers!), and your favorite Disney characters in their most frightfully fun Halloween costumes, the festivities draw a lot of crowds.

Oh, and don’t forget about Oogie Boogie Bash party dates. This hugely popular after hours event takes place on nights from August through October 31, and it sells out every year. Guests attending Oogie Boogie Bash can enter California Adventure up to three hours before the event begins, so you’ll see higher-than-typical crowd levels on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays (and yes, the October dates are the most popular!).

So, during Halloween Time at Disneyland Resort, you can expect weekends to see high crowd levels, and weekdays all throughout October can get surprisingly busy, too. Here’s a pro tip: The closer you visit to Halloween itself (October 31), the busier you can expect the parks to be.

School Holidays and Fall Breaks

In addition to the Halloween enthusiasts who head to Disneyland in October, there are also a surprising number of school holidays. While August and September see kids heads back to school (and Disneyland clear out, as a result), October brings some of the first days off of the school year.

Local California schools may not have many days off outside of Indigenous Peoples Day which usually falls on the second Monday of the month. But neighboring states’ school districts tend to have quite a lot of days off.

For example, Nevada schools will typically have Indigenous Peoples Day off, plus other days off throughout October to accommodate parent-teacher conferences and holidays like Nevada Day. Utah schools have an annual fall break, which can start as early as October 10 and run as late as October 25 each fall. These fall breaks can last anywhere from two days to a full five-day school week.

Since Nevada and Utah residents are just a short drive from Disneyland, many families use these October holidays and days off to head to the theme parks and spend some time resulting in increased crowd levels.

Wondering when you can plan a visit to Disneyland and experience the lowest crowd levels (and lowest wait times)? Disneyland crowd calendars will help you figure out when you can successfully avoid the crowds and make the most of your trip.