Disneyland Wait Times for January 2024
Okay, 2023 has ended with a bang, not a whimper.
Disney theme parks just claimed some of the largest visitor numbers since 2019.
Part of the explanation involves the calendar configuration, as Christmas and New Year’s lined up well for vacationers to travel conveniently.
Still, the monthly wait times might surprise you. I say this because the first half of December typically lacks crowds.
Most guests wait until the holidays arrive to visit the parks…in theory.
The last two weeks proved so hectic at the parks that I’m not sure what will happen. It’s reasonable to expect some large numbers, though.
Here are the average wait times for Disneyland for the past month.
Disneyland Resort
Park officials haven’t confirmed the final date for Disney100 yet, but it’s probably coming soon.
I say this because Disneyland Resort started its celebration in January 2023.
Disney accentuated the parks with new rides and attractions as part of this centennial event.
Not coincidentally, 2023 proved one of the best at Disneyland Resort.
The parks enjoyed new versions of Mickey’s Toontown and Adventureland Treehouse.
Disneyland Park opened its first-ever Mickey Mouse attraction, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, and Tiana’s Palace as well.
At Disney California Adventure, San Fransokyo debuted, and Rogers: The Musical wowed guests during its summer run.
All these improvements have ensured a steady flow of traffic throughout the year.
However, nothing that we’d tracked before mid-December could compare with the past two weeks.
Also, that’s the other thing to keep in mind. While this article is technically the January wait times piece, I’m not reading the future here.
We’re discussing the previous month’s data. So, these are the average attraction wait times during the holiday season, which is always the busiest.
Average Wait Times at Disneyland Park
How were the crowds at Disneyland? Here are the park’s average wait times:
- Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance – 74 minutes, up 5
- Space Mountain – 63 minutes, up 3
- Indiana Jones Adventure – 61 minutes, up 3
- Haunted Mansion – 56 minutes, up 1
- Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run – 53 minutes, up 2
- Matterhorn Bobsleds – 52 minutes, no change
- Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway – 52 minutes, no change
- Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin – 52 minutes, no change
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad – 44 minutes, up 1
- Peter Pan’s Flight – 41 minutes, no change
- Chip ‘n’ Dale’s GADGETcoaster – 36 minutes, up 1
- It’s a Small World – 36 minutes, up 1
- Alice in Wonderland – 35 minutes, up 1
- Dumbo the Flying Elephant – 35 minutes, up 4
- Jungle Cruise – 35 minutes, up 1
- Meet Mickey Mouse at Mickey’s House – 35 minutes, no change
- Autopia – 34 minutes, up 3
- Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters – 33 minutes, up 3
- Pirates of the Caribbean – 33 minutes, no change
- Star Tours – The Adventures Continue – 32 minutes, up 1
- Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage – 25 minutes, up 1
- Toad’s Wild Ride – 25 minutes, up 1
- Snow White’s Enchanted Wish – 24 minutes, up 1
- Pinocchio’s Daring Journey – 20 minutes, up 1
- Storybook Land Canal Boats – 19 minutes, no change
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh – 16 minutes, no change
- Davy Crockett’s Explorer Canoes – 15 minutes, up 2
- Mad Tea Party – 15 minutes, up 1
- Casey Jr. Circus Train – 14 minutes, no change
- King Arthur Carrousel – 13 minutes, no change
- Disneyland Monorail – 12 minutes, up 1
Overall, Disneyland Park guests stood in line for an average of 34 minutes per attraction, which is two minutes more than last time.
So, the status quo largely held due to half the month being slower but the final two weeks being mobbed.
Disney California Adventure
As mentioned, Disney California Adventure (DCA) has undergone a dramatic transformation. In fact, it’s still ongoing.
The re-themed resort, Pixar Place Hotel, will open later this month on January 30th.
All the new entertainment and amenities has led to a sustained rush at the parks, as people visit their favorites and then check out everything new.
For this reason, I don’t expect DCA to experience a traffic surge for the entire month, just a strong spike during the final ten days.
Am I wrong? Let’s find out!
Average Wait Times at Disney California Adventure
Here are Disney California Adventure’s average wait times during December 2023:
- Radiator Springs Racers – 92 minutes, up 11
- Toy Story Midway Mania! – 60 minutes, up 2
- Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! – 58 minutes, up 3
- WEBSLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure – 52 minutes, up 1
- Soarin’ Around the World – 50 minutes, no change
- Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue! – 45 minutes, no change
- Goofy’s Sky School – 40 minutes, up 1
- The Incredicoaster – 36 minutes, up 2
- Luigi’s Joy to the Whirl – 34 minutes, up 3
- Pixar Pal-A-Round – 34 minutes, up 6
- Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind – 22 minutes, up 1
- Mater’s Jingle Jamboree – 22 minutes, no change
- The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel’s Undersea Adventure – 19 minutes, up 1
- Grizzly River Run – 16 minutes, down 8
- Golden Zephyr – 15 minutes, up 4
- Mickey’s PhilharMagic – 13 minutes, up 1
- Silly Symphony Swings – 13 minutes, no change
- Jumpin’ Jellyfish – 12 minutes, no change
- Jessie’s Critter Carousel – 8 minutes, up 3
Overall, guests at DCA stood in line for an average of 34 minutes per attraction, which is three minutes more than last time.
So, the staggering crowd sizes during Christmas Week didn’t dramatically alter overall wait times for the entire month.
Still, if you ever have a choice, I’d strongly encourage you to visit Disneyland during the first two weeks of December rather than the last two.
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Feature Photo: Disney