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Summer is winding down, the weather is hot, and you are looking to head to Disneyland. But is August a good time to visit? As always, we think any day is a good Disneyland day, but here is what you need to know before heading to Disneyland in August.
August is the last full month of summer and is a strange month. The parks see the last of summer crowds, and they start to transition for Halloween time at Disneyland. But it is also a great time to visit.
In this guide, we will start with annual trends for August and then get into specifics for this year. I will keep this article updated as much as possible, so be sure to bookmark it and check back often if you are visiting in August.
If you are looking to visit Disneyland in August, there is a lot to know. This guide will help you plan, but I also want to mention that you can book your vacation through my partners at Get Away Today. I have partnered with them because they love Disneyland as much as I do, and they also do their best to make sure you are prepared for what to expect in the parks. They offer discount tickets, hotel specials and more.
Disneyland in August – Annual Trends
If you are planning an August trip, I definitely suggest joining the Disneyland with Kids Group on Facebook that I co-founded. In there you can ask questions, read other guests’ experiences from recent visits, and more.
August Crowds at Disneyland
August is a transitional month. Through Mid-August, you will have the typical summer vacation crowds. Families that have booked to come in advance. But many school districts in the west head back to school by mid-late August, and the crowds start to change to people coming more on the weekends, and in past years – Annual Passholders.
Last year in August, Disneyland introduced the new Magic Key program that replaced Annual Passes. However, they have paused sales on these, and have not offered up renewals yet to current Magic Key Holders. Because of this we are not sure if that will change the August Crowds.
Disneyland is still requiring reservations to visit the park, and I personally don’t think this will go away any time soon.
Does this mean they will opt to keep crowds low at Disneyland? Not necessarily. But it does mean that they will be able to hopefully be prepared for crowds and have enough Cast Members to keep things running smoothly.
While I don’t like to use terms such as crowded or empty (because those are different for every person) there are usually more guests in the first half of the month, with a slight decrease in the last half.
I cover annual crowd trends here.
Weather at Disneyland in August
Have you heard the term “hot august nights” because that is what you will have when you visit Disneyland in August.
The weather in August is hot. Temperatures are usually in the 90’s or even reaching triple digits. That doesn’t mean you can’t have a great trip.
Read my tips for staying cool at Disneyland to make sure you are prepared to handle the heat.
The last time I went in August was 2019, and I made sure to leave the parks around 12:30 or 1:00 each day. If I came back around 5:00 pm I found it had cooled down a lot. This, combined with other tips will help you enjoy your time at the parks and hopefully not sweat into a puddle.
Annual Events In August
There really are not many celebrations that happen in August at Disneyland Resort. While July saw a federal holiday and Disneyland’s birthday, you won’t see any big celebrations in August.
Fireworks
Fireworks are a nightly event in August, and this is true in 2021 as well. This year, you can catch Disneyland Forever nightly, with Fireworks, weather permitting.
Ride Closures
One annual event in Disneyland in August however is the closure of Haunted Mansion. Mid-month the ride will close down to be transformed into Haunted Mansion Holiday with a Nightmare Before Christmas Overlay. This ride overlay sticks around through the New Year.
This year, Haunted Mansion will be closed from August 15 – September 1, 2021.
Disneyland in August 2022 – What To Know This Year
2022 has Disneyland feeling as close to “back to normal” as it ever has. Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage was the last ride to FINALLY reopen from the closure (reopened July 25, 2022). Character meet and greets are back. There are no health restrictions except in First Aid and Baby Centers.
There is no longer a mask requirement for any guest. The only exceptions are in First Aid, the Baby Center, and select other locations.
Disneyland Deals for August 2022
Disneyland has announced a special ticket deal for California Residents. They can save on 3 day (one park or parkhopper) tickets, and utilize them any 3 days by September 15, 2022. They do not have to be utilized within a 2 week period.
You can purchase these tickets through my partners at Get Away Today for extra savings.
Disneyland has also brought back the Military Ticket Deal, but these are available only on base.
Did you know that I send the offers to my Disneyland Friends Email list before I post or share anywhere else? Even before I announce on Facebook? You can join in the form below.
Even if there are not current special promotions like some of the Disneyland spring break ticket deals we see, you can always get a good deal through my preferred ticket partner, Get Away Today.
They offer discount tickets, hotel deals, extra perks like free or reduced parking, and more. Plus you can save even more on bookings that include 2 or more hotel nights using code ThisCrazy10.
Early Entry Is Back August 8, 2022
Early Entry is returning for guests of the Disneyland hotels (Grand California, Disneyland Hotel, Paradise Pier) beginning August 8, 2022.
Early Entry will be 30 minutes before park opening and will be limited to certain offerings in each park.
You can choose to start your day at either park. Whichever park you make a reservation for is the one you may go to for Early Entry.
I will be there to test out Early Entry when it returns.
Disneyland Park Hours In August 2022
In general, most of August will still see Disneyland staying open until midnight. However, there is one week that it will close earlier, and a few random nights that California Adventure will close earlier.
| LOCATION | OPENING | CLOSING | August 22-27 CLOSING |
| DISNEYLAND PARK | 8:00 AM | Midnight | 11:00 PM |
| CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE | 8:00 AM | 10:00 PM | 10:00 PM* |
| DOWNTOWN DISNEY | 8:00 AM | 1:00 AM | Midnight |
Ride Closures
Below is a list of known ride closures for August 2022. Remember that rides can go down unexpectedly for a few minutes, to a few hours, and even to days and weeks.
Disneyland Park Closures
- Tarzan’s Treehouse – Reopening TBD
- Matterhorn Bobsleds – August 8 –
- Haunted Mansion (to receive the Holiday overlay) – August 15 – September 1, 2022
California Adventure Closures
- Redwood Creek Challenge Trail – August 1 – August 19, 2022
- Monsters, Inc. Mike and Sulley to the Rescue! – August 15 – September 2, 2022
Where to book your August Disneyland Vacation
When looking where to book your Disneyland vacation for August, definitely check out my partners at Get Away Today. Between hotel discounts, ticket discounts, and more, the savings really add up. You can use that money to purchase an extra pair or two or three of Minnie Ears.
If you are wondering where to stay, I have some Disney area hotel reviews on the site, but my best resource is my list of 60+ hotels that fit larger families (though small families will love them too).