Visiting Disneyland in September 2023
Disneyland in September means warm temperatures and lower crowds. With schools back in session across the country, the parks see a bit of relief from the summer crowds. And even better, the weather is typically warm and pleasant. You may still find the weekends to be a bit more crowded as many locals enjoy their season passes and take part in the fall festivities beginning throughout the Disneyland Resort. But overall, Disneyland in September just may be one of the best times to visit the parks.
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Planning a Disneyland vacation in 2023? Be sure to check out our guide to all that the Disneyland Resort has to offer this year including the reopening of Mickey’s Toontown, the Disney100 Celebration, and more!
September At-a-Glance
- Halloween begins in early September at the Disneyland Resort. So if you enjoy Halloween festivities, September could be a great time to visit… especially since Halloween crowds will likely increase as we get closer to Halloween.
- September temperatures are still hot, and the days are longer. Even though fall begins in September, the weather often still feels very summer-like throughout the month. Both heat and humidity will likely come into play. But the good news is that with the longer days, there will be more daylight hours to enjoy the Disneyland Resort!
- The crowds will lessen as school starts across the country. School has begun making weekdays less crowded, but Halloween is a pretty big draw for the local crowds… especially on the weekends. Also, be prepared for Disney to adjust their park hours a bit to reflect the change in attendance.
September Events
Halloween typically arrives in September throughout the Disneyland Resort. In 2022, it began on September 2nd and lasted through October 31st. The entire Disneyland Resort was transformed as Disney provided families with a “not-so-scary” Halloween season to enjoy together. Complete with special attraction overlays, Halloween decor, specialty dining, and more… the popular festivities will likely be back in 2023!
While we don’t have all the details yet for 2023, last year gave us the Oogie Boogie Bash at Disney’s California Adventure Park. This ticketed event for families was quite popular and ran on select nights from September 6 – October 31.
September Refurbishments & Closures
*We’ve included all current refurbishments here on this list… even ones that may be open in time for September 2023. (Please note that this list could change at a moment’s notice.)
Disneyland Park
- Tarzan’s Treehouse is currently closed and will be receiving new theming as Adventureland Treehouse (likely to open in 2023)
- Splash Mountain closed on March 31, 2023, for retheming. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is likely to open in late 2024.
- Sailing Ship Columbia will close from September 11-14, 2023.
- Mark Twain Riverboat will close on September 17, 2023. An opening date is yet to be announced.
- Space Mountain will close on September 18, 2023. An opening date is yet to be announced.
- Fantasmic! will be suspended until Spring 2024.
California Adventure Park
- Golden Zephyr will close on August 28, 2023. An opening date has yet to be announced.
- Rogers: The Musical completed its seasonal run on August 31, 2023.
- San Fransokyo Square officially opened on August 31, 2023.
September Weather
When it comes to temperature, September will likely feel a lot like summer. The average high is 84 degrees and the low is typically around 63 degrees. So while the parks will be decorated for fall, be prepared to dress for the summer heat.
September Disneyland Crowds
Crowd calendars are very popular, but they can also be a bit unpredictable. That being said, the pandemic has made predicting crowds even more difficult than normal.
While crowd calendars can be a big help in planning your trip, keep in mind, that they are predictions at best. When designing our calendars, we take a look at events, school calendars, ticket prices, park hours, holidays, and typical monthly patterns. Unfortunately, our crowd calendars cannot predict other things such as weather, travel advisories, pandemics, or last-minute openings or closings of shows and attractions.
School is back in session in September, so weekdays will definitely see a decrease in crowds. Weekends, however, could still be busy as Halloween festivities are quite popular. Labor Day weekend will be especially busy, as nearly all holiday weekends are. If you are looking to enjoy Halloween in Disneyland, September could be a great time to go and avoid the ever-increasing crowds that arrive the closer you get to October 31st.
Ready to Start Planning Your Visit to Disneyland in September?
Here are some resources to help you get started!
Disneyland Dining Guides:
Disneyland Attraction Guides:
Planning your first Disneyland vacation? Be sure to visit my step-by-step guide to get started!
