Our information to September 2024 at Disneyland provides a free crowd calendar, when to go to, climate to keep away from, new attraction openings & closures, plus Halloween & fall occasions. We additionally cowl data & suggestions for what’s occurring in Disney California Journey, Disneyland, and past.
Excellent news! There are a number of frivolously crowded days this month. With colleges again in session all through the nation and vacationer season over, there’s a low-crowd window between Labor Day and the tip of the annual ticket deal (we’ll clarify why that is vital within the crowd calendar part beneath). Traditionally, late August via mid-September has the bottom crowd ranges of the yr at Disneyland.
That is flat-out top-of-the-line instances of the yr to go to Disneyland Resort, and Southern California, normally. Together with our crowd predictions for Disneyland and Disney California Journey, on this publish we’ll provide different ideas on what to anticipate throughout this month at Disneyland Resort…
September Climate at Disneyland
Let’s begin with a have a look at climate. September is a turning level for Southern California, though we most likely shouldn’t overemphasis that. Irregular climate apart, it’s just about nice year-round in Anaheim. For September, you’ll be able to anticipate humidity to stay low whilst excessive temperatures break 80º many of the month. Anticipate lows of round 65º early within the month, dropping to round 60º by the tip of September.
As you’ll be able to see by the, numerous graphs on this web page, September in Anaheim is pretty comfy. Humidity and precipitation is low, the hours per day which might be “comfy” is excessive, and different variables are favorable. Probably not all that totally different from many of the yr. Because of this individuals pay the “Sunshine Tax” to stay in California. With lows within the 60s within the night, we suggest packing a light-weight sweater or an extended sleeve shirt. Most individuals overlook this, assuming California equals sunshine and palm bushes, however the nights can get chilly.
What’s New & NOT Open in September 2024
Truthful warning: there are so much of attraction closures at Disneyland and DCA in September 2024. Worse but, extra hold getting introduced comparatively last-minute, so it’s fully attainable the record is longer by the point the month really rolls round. For now, we’ve got what’s presumably a partial record on the 2024 Disneyland Refurbishment Calendar.
It doesn’t assist that a big portion of the west aspect of the park is principally shut down. Apart from Haunted Mansion, each attraction on that aspect of the park in close by Critter Nation is closed. This contains the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Davy Crockett’s Explorer Canoes, Hungry Bear Restaurant, plus the present outlets and the character meet & greets.
No reopening date has been given, however it’s assumed to be the opening date of Tiana’s Bayou Journey, which is November 15, 2024. That opening date additionally means the reimagined experience alternative for Splash Mountain gained’t be open in September. With a vacation season debut, that’s too early for previews or smooth openings. However the remainder of Critter Nation would possibly return by the second half of September.
On the plus aspect, spook season will probably be celebrated for your complete month of September 2024–because it’s starting in August for the primary time ever! See our Information to Halloween Time at Disneyland, which covers all the pieces it is advisable know in regards to the second-best time of the yr at Disneyland and DCA.
Subsequent, let’s check out Disneyland and Disney California Journey crowds throughout the month of September…
September 2024 Disneyland Crowd Calendar
We’ll preface this part by referring you to the entire caveats in our fundamental 2024 Disneyland Crowd Calendars: Finest Instances to Go to & When to Keep away from. That goes into in depth element about why Disneyland crowd calendars are at present unreliable, which is why there’s no color-coded calendar or numerical scores for every day of the month right here.
This can be a development that started previous to the opening summer season of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and has continued the final two summers as post-reopening crowds have been extra unpredictable. Not one of the crowd calendar websites can boast a robust observe file for the final two years that Disneyland has been open–and that features us. That’s the dangerous information. The excellent news is that attendance is beginning to normalize and falling again into pre-closure patterns.
The opposite excellent news is that the majority of September 2024 gained’t be too horrible from a crowds perspective. There are principally two instances within the month when crowds spike. The primary of those isn’t in the slightest degree stunning, however the second at all times catches followers off-guard.
Unsurprisingly, the weekend round Labor Day could be busy. This shouldn’t be an enormous shocker because it’s a vacation and Californians can have day without work college or work, and go to the parks on these dates because of this. Nevertheless, Labor Day will not be a giant time for vacationers because it’s after most college districts have already gone again into session.
Furthermore, the 2 lowest tiers of Magic Key Annual Passes are blocked out for half or all of Labor Day weekend and that’s an enormous offset to crowds. That’s particularly so since, once more, it is a vacation weekend that attracts Californians to the parks. With a number of locals unable to go to and vacationers already gone following the summer season, we’re not anticipating Labor Day crowds to be terrible. If something, the actual shock right here is how Labor Day will not be that busy by vacation weekend requirements.
The opposite unknown is how the shifting ahead of Halloween will impression Labor Day crowds. With Halloween starting earlier, it’s unclear whether or not the weekend will probably be kind of busy because of this–or if there gained’t be a lot impression both approach. For our half, we’re anticipating reasonable crowds for Labor Day 2024. (Final yr’s crowd ranges had been 4/10 to six/10–we’d anticipate a repeat of that, which continues to be excessive by August or the primary half of September requirements.)
On the different finish of that week is the Disneyland Halloween Half Marathon Weekend (September 5-8, 2024). This might trigger a spike on Thursday and Friday, however will most likely have a negligible impression on the weekend itself. That’s what occurred earlier this yr throughout the common Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend in January.
The opposite time that’ll be busy is the week or so main as much as September 26, 2024. That is when the present 3-Day Disneyland Low cost Ticket Supply ends. Final yr, this was supplied till September 28, and locals scrambled to make use of their remaining dates on these tickets that final week. Because of this, that final week had crowd ranges of 6/10 to 9/10.
This dynamic happens because of the ‘use it or lose it’ rush to reap the benefits of these tickets earlier than they expire. The result’s each diminished reservation availability and better crowds. The identical factor at all times occurs the week earlier than Memorial Day, when the winter/spring provide ends. This yr, that resulted in a number of consecutive 9/10 crowd degree days.
The large distinction–and why crowds in late September 2024 may very well be even worse–is that this ticket deal isn’t just restricted to California residents, as has been the case previously. For the primary time ever, anybody should purchase these discounted tickets, which means vacationers are eligible, too.
Our sturdy suspicion is that this had extra of an impression on summer season crowds than–as out-of-state vacationers may’ve used them then–than it can the final minute rush. It’s not like a excessive quantity of people that stay in Utah or Nevada are benefiting from this provide and can race to make use of the tickets earlier than they expire. However some non-local followers could do this–attempting to take early fall getaways to reap the benefits of the deal earlier than it ends. So the change may have a minor impression on crowds.
What we do know is that locals will probably be doing this, since they at all times do. As such, we’re erring on the aspect of warning and forecasting heavy crowds (7/10 to 10/10) beginning September 20, 2024 and working till the deal ends. The week earlier than that may be elevated, however gained’t be so dangerous. It actually relies upon upon reservation availability and if persons are “pressured” to take these last-minute visits earlier resulting from diminished reservations. (As a aspect observe, for those who’re benefiting from the deal, make park reservations ASAP–they are going to run out for at the least the ultimate few days of the ticket promo!)
Past these yellow and purple flags, September shouldn’t be too dangerous. It’ll nonetheless have some spikes in crowds, notably Friday evening (the worst night of the week to go to) and Mondays via Wednesdays. That is really an enormous change as in comparison with final yr, when weekends had been worse than weekdays.
For September 2024, we’re anticipating that weekends (after Labor Day) gained’t be as busy as weekdays, with Saturdays and Sundays seldom having crowd ranges above 4/10. Take into account that these are numerical scores primarily based on wait instances and relative to final yr. Crowd ranges will not be in absolute phrases–September 2024 will probably be much less busy than final yr, and extra on par with 2019 or earlier.
This dynamic with weekdays being busier than weekends is sort of fully the results of blockouts for Magic Key Annual Passes and better ticket costs for weekends. Disneyland’s expectation is that guests shopping for common tickets would offset these blockouts, however that usually will not be the case as a result of individuals can save some huge cash by visiting on Monday via Thursday as a substitute of Friday via Sunday.
Our expectation is that this development continues for the beginning of Halloween season, however it stays to be seen when the tides begin to activate that development. Disneyland diehards love Halloween and Christmas, and so they could prove in massive sufficient numbers on Saturday and Sunday to trigger a ‘reset’ to latest developments. However we doubt it. The AP blockouts and better costs on weekends are so much to beat–it actually appears like Disneyland overcorrected when creating the blockout calendars and ticket value factors for Fall 2024.
One other factor to bear in mind is that many of the Southern California locals visiting on weekdays have jobs, so the worst of those crowds will probably be within the afternoon and, particularly, night hours. For those who arrive at rope drop and depart by 2 p.m., your perspective on crowds will probably be dramatically totally different from somebody who arrives at 4 p.m. (In contrast, extra locals can arrive early on weekends.)
Regardless, post-Labor Day ought to see a drop-off in crowds. For those who’re debating between an early or late September go to, we’d recommend early September 2024. Crowds will get steadily busier in direction of the tip of the month. Most individuals aren’t prepared for Halloween season in early September, which is why crowds are usually decrease earlier within the month slightly than later.
One other factor to bear in mind is Oogie Boogie Bash – A Disney Halloween Get together. On dates when this occasion is held, Disney California Journey closes early, which causes DCA to be much less busy throughout the daytime hours and Disneyland to be busier on those self same dates. Because of this, we’d suggest having Park Hopper tickets and utilizing that strategically to your benefit. Failing that, your finest guess is doing Disneyland on days when Oogie Boogie Bash is not being held at DCA.
Nonetheless, a lot of September is an efficient time to go to. If we needed to assign numerical scores, common days throughout the first half of September can be round 3/10 to 4/10. Once more, the second half will see a pointy spike because of the ticket deal, however after that ends, crowds ought to fall again to below-average territory via the tip of the month and in early October till fall break rolls round.
Dynamic ticket costs are at “worth” or “common” costs for many of September as a result of college has gone again into session and out of state tourism slows. Likewise, Annual Passholder blockouts are minimal. Even these elements will not be sufficient to trigger a precipitous spike in attendance, although.
Learn our Suggestions for Saving Cash on Disneyland Tickets publish for multi-day ticket suggestions to keep away from having to cope with seasonal pricing. On the plus aspect, there are some multi-day ticket reductions at present accessible for all company. Barring an aggressive (and unprecedented for this time of yr) ticket promotion or the disclosing of some particular, large draw, attendance in September will probably be pretty mild.
Along with fall being Disneyland’s low season, it’s additionally very a lot Southern California’s low season. This will probably be mirrored in lodge costs. For those who’re checking in after Labor Day, you’ll be able to anticipate a number of the lowest lodge charges of the yr. At some lodges, you’ll be able to fairly anticipate costs which might be about half of what they might be throughout peak season (and even throughout the Disneyland Half Marathon).
The draw back of that is shorter working hours throughout the weekdays in September. Exterior of weekends, you’ll be able to anticipate common closings of 10 p.m. or earlier. Whereas the sooner closing time is perhaps a bummer, you’ll simply encounter 2 hours much less by way of strains throughout the course of the day.
Take into account that “low crowds” now are nonetheless nothing in comparison with what “low crowds” had been at Disneyland even a couple of years in the past (it’s all relative!), so we suggest an environment friendly itinerary for touring Disneyland and Disney California Journey. Failing that, arriving at rope drop is a wonderful technique this time of yr. With few vacationers on the town, you may get extra achieved the primary 2 hours the parks are open than the final 4 hours they’re open.
Total, there’s a motive September ranks extremely on our Finest and Worst Months to Go to Disneyland. To be completely trustworthy, it may very well be on the high if not for our bias in direction of Christmas, and desire for November’s climate. Weekday visits are a pure pleasure throughout the entrance half of September, and the parks are a veritable ghost city on a lot of lately.
Halloween Time causes a spike, and Oogie Boogie Bash throws a monkey wrench into issues, however to not almost the identical diploma as October, when everybody begins really caring about Halloween. For those who can’t get deliver your self to get enthusiastic about Halloween in early September, get excited by the crowds that may include experiencing the season early.
Planning a Southern California trip? For park admission offers, learn Suggestions for Saving Cash on Disneyland Tickets. Study on-site and off-site lodges in our Anaheim Resort Opinions & Rankings. For the place to eat, try our Disneyland Restaurant Opinions. For distinctive concepts of issues that’ll enhance your journey, try What to Pack for Disney. For complete recommendation, seek the advice of our Disneyland Trip Planning Information. Lastly, for guides past Disney, try our Southern California Itineraries for day journeys to Los Angeles, Laguna Seaside, and tons of different locations!
YOUR THOUGHTS
For those who’ve visited Disneyland throughout the month of September, what did you consider the expertise? Did you discover the gang ranges to be manageable? What in regards to the climate? What about crowds throughout Halloween Time at Disneyland? Are you taking part within the Disneyland Half Marathon? For those who’ve visited in September, do you may have any suggestions so as to add? Share any questions, suggestions, or extra ideas you may have within the feedback!
