Disneyland Vacations: When is the Best Time to Go?

Just thinking about vacations makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside and to me, there is no better vacation destination than Disneyland. This magical place attracts visitors from all over the world and turns every one of them into a kid. As a matter of fact, Disneyland is such a great vacation spot that often times it gets too crowded. All the great reasons we love going can be soured by long lines and big crowds. So when is the best time to take a Disneyland vacation then? For the following 4 reasons, I believe the best time to go is during the first week of January, right after New Years.

Disneyland Vacations: Best Time to Go Reason #1:
Small Crowds - The biggest downside of a vacation in Disneyland is having to fight the big crowds and long lines. Even someone that doesn't mind the crowds will still miss out on several attractions as their time is wasted in line. In January, right after New Years, Disneyland is as empty as it will be all year. By this time vacationers have already taken their trip during the holidays and are usually not planning to vacation again until spring break. Without the large crowds, the wait times will be much less and it will be much easier to see and do all the attractions. A shorter wait time isn't the only benefit of small crowds...

Disneyland Vacations: Best Time to Go Reason #2:
Hotel Rates are Low - A smaller number of visitors also mean that the demand for hotels will go down. This is an excellent opportunity to get a great rate on a hotel. While rates soar in the summer and holiday months, in early January quality hotels can be booked for a fraction of the normal average rate. Good research will land good deals. I recommend Hotwire for those who like to book online. I've used them at least 15 times and they haven't let me down once.

Disneyland Vacations: Best Time to Go Reason #3:
Christmas Decorations are Still Up - One of the reasons Disneyland is a popular vacation destination during the holidays is that people love all the decorations that are put up. While Disneyland may officially announce that their decorations will be taken down right after New Year's, they actually still remain up for a while as the transition back to a non-holiday theme takes time. In the past 5 years when I've gone right after New Year's, the halls have still been decked with beautiful Christmas decorations every time. The holidays may be over everywhere else, but Disneyland will usually let you have your last hurrah up until sometime in mid January.

Disneyland Vacations: Best Time to Go Reason #4:
Good Weather - Southern California typically is a good place for winter weather. While I can't guarantee that it won't rain, I've gone at the beginning of January for 5 straight years and have experienced very minimal showers. For the most part, winters in Anaheim have yielded beautiful, comfortable weather. During the day it's usually warm enough where the most you may need is a light sweatshirt or jacket, though at night you may still need something a little heavier to keep you warm. Other than that however, the weather is nice and mild, and at times it can even feel like Spring or Summer when random heat waves strike. I can recall having to wear shorts and t-shirts one January. During the summer months in Disneyland, you are almost guaranteed to be extremely hot and many people have to leave during the middle of the day to avoid the heat. Couple the hot weather with being around a big crowd of people and it will surely make you tired, sweaty, and uncomfortable. In early January, you'll still get to enjoy sunny and warm weather on most days without that extreme heat.

So there you have it. If Disneyland is your destination, then early January is the best time to go. Short
lines, comfortable weather, great hotel rates, and Christmas decorations make it my favorite time to go. Try it once and perhaps it will become your favorite time too.