August 2023 Disneyland Crowd Calendar

Our August 2023 Disneyland crowd calendar predicts the best & worst dates to visit the parks, what’s going on at Disneyland and Disney California, plus what to expect from the end of vacations and tourist season. Beyond wait times and congestion, we offer info about special events, weather, and more during August at Disneyland Resort.

In terms of crowds, August is all over the place. Schools are back in session mid-month in Los Angeles and Orange Counties. However, Annual Passholder blockouts are lifted towards the end of the month, leading to pure anarchy (eh, more or less). Along with our free crowd calendar, we’ll offer predictions for August crowd levels at Disneyland Resort.

Before that, let’s start with a look at weather. Although August is one of the hottest months of the year in Southern California, it’s really not that bad. Humidity remains low even as high temperatures break 80º every single day of August. At the other end of the spectrum, expect lows of around 65º every day.

Even though the temperature will creep into the mid-80s and could peak at 90º some days, August in Anaheim is still fairly comfortable, as shown by these graphs. The chances of mugginess are 9 or 10% every day of the month, which is not bad. This is why a common refrain among Californians is “but it’s a dry heat.”

It’s the truth–90º and little humidity is much more pleasant than 80º and muggy weather. It might seem counterintuitive, but it’s wise to pack a light sweater or a long sleeve shirt for evenings at Disneyland.

Next, let’s take a look at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure crowds during the month of August…

Simply put, it’s too early to credibly forecast August 2023 attendance at Disneyland. The degree to which pent-up demand persists, along with staffing shortages, entertainment cutbacks, and park reservation availability (or lack thereof) will all significantly impact crowds in August 2023.

While other sites do have 2023 Disneyland crowd calendars posted for later in the year already, the credibility of those predictions is dubious. Suffice to say, stay tuned for our August 2023 Disneyland crowd calendar…

Anyone planning a trip later in the year can consult our When to Visit Disneyland in 2023 or our 2023 Best & Worst Months to Visit Disneyland posts. However, we’d caution you against over-reliance on crowd calendar predictions for specific dates.

As a general matter, August 2023 crowds tend to drop when Orange County and Los Angeles schools go back into session. This year, Orange County schools resume around August 10, 2023 and Los Angeles County resumes on August 14, 2023. That second date is key; there will almost certainly be a precipitous drop starting that week, with off-season crowds until Halloween kicks off in September 2023.

Beyond that, the first half of August 2023 is fairly predictable, with a pattern dictated by summer vacations, ticket prices, and Magic Key Passholder blockouts. Things become murkier beginning the third week. This is when Los Angeles County schools go back into session, which explains the lighter crowds at that point. The following week, Orange County schools also go back into session.

Unfortunately, that will not have the huge impact on crowds that you might expect, as the summer Annual Passholder blockouts for the lowest tiers of passes end are roughly the same time. There will be a lot of pent-up demand for locals who have been blocked out for ~2 months, and they will return in droves that week.

With that said, most of these locals have jobs, so the worst of these crowds will be in the afternoon and, especially, evening hours. If you arrive at rope drop and leave by 2 p.m., your perspective on crowds will be dramatically different from someone who arrives at 4 p.m. and focuses their attention on the Rivers of America attractions and Fantasmic. That area of Disneyland, in particular, will be a nightmare for the first week that the AP blockouts are lifted.

Crowds should once again die down the following week, once locals get in their visits. This trend continues through early September, with more lulls early in the month. Post-Labor Day should see a significant drop-off in crowds. If you’re debating between a late August and early September visit, we’d strongly suggest early September.

You’ll notice that dynamic ticket prices and aggressive Annual Passholder blockouts start to end in mid to late August. This is because summer visitors to Southern California are starting to head home by this point.

In both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, early August is a time when park hours are typically longer. Both parks regularly open at 8 a.m., with Early Entry starting 30 minutes before that for on-site resort guests.

Disneyland closes at midnight for the first half of the month, with Disney California Adventure regularly closing at 10 p.m. These are the “maximum” operating hours for each park–the longest either are open any day of the year, aside from New Year’s Eve and other outliers. Expect earlier closing times later in the month, but you should still be able to enjoy a fairly late night in the parks.

If you’re visiting between mid-August and mid-September, and have not yet booked a hotel room, your best option might be to wait until the last minute if prices do not look favorable at the moment.

Special offers for Disneyland Resort on-site hotels are usually weak for summer, with few (if any) discounts available. There are also no ticket promotions for Southern California Residents, which is good news for out-of-town tourists. The last of the resident ticket offers expired in May.

In terms of pricing, August has fairly normal rates. One-day park tickets are most are at “regular” season prices the first half of the month, with the exception of the first weekend being “peak” season. The end of the month then turns to “value” season Monday through Thursdays.

Read our Tips for Saving Money on Disneyland Tickets post for multi-day ticket recommendations to avoid having to deal with seasonal pricing. On the plus side, there are some multi-day ticket discounts currently available for all guests.

Even with below-average crowds, you’ll still want a solid itinerary for touring the parks. The downside to visiting during a more touristy season is that guests are more likely to arrive early in the day, and prioritize attractions. By contrast, locals tend to spend more time hanging out, and focus on attractions to a lesser degree. This can mean higher wait times despite the parks “feeling” less crowded.

Overall, we consider August a fairly average month in terms of our Best and Worst Months to Visit Disneyland. If you can schedule a visit during that third week of the month right when Los Angeles County schools go back into session, but before AP blockouts are lifted, that’s your best bet.

Not only will you have lower crowd levels, but you’re also going to have lower hotel prices, and fewer tourists than earlier in the month. There are also unique wrinkles, but it’s generally a quieter month, especially towards the end. If you can avoid the “bad” dates in August and can deal with some hotter weather (“IT’S A DRY HEAT!”), August can be a surprisingly good time to visit.

Planning a Southern California vacation? For park admission deals, read Tips for Saving Money on Disneyland Tickets. Learn about on-site and off-site hotels in our Anaheim Hotel Reviews & Rankings. For where to eat, check out our Disneyland Restaurant Reviews. For unique ideas of things that’ll improve your trip, check out What to Pack for Disney. For comprehensive advice, consult our Disneyland Vacation Planning Guide. Finally, for guides beyond Disney, check out our Southern California Itineraries for day trips to Los Angeles, Laguna Beach, and tons of other places!

YOUR THOUGHTS

If you’ve visited Disneyland during the month of August, what did you think of the experience? Did you find the crowd levels to be manageable? What about the weather? Did you notice a decrease or increase in crowds towards the end of the month? Are you visiting this August? Participating in the Disneyland Half Marathon? If you’ve visited in August, do you have any tips to add? Share any questions, tips, or additional thoughts you have in the comments!