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If you are heading to Disneyland in May, you may be wondering what you can look forward to. We are sharing everything you can look forward to at Disneyland Resort in May, from special events to parades and shows, and even talking about expected crowd levels.
First, we will cover the annual trends, so if you are visiting this year or next, you will have an idea of what to expect.
After that, we will move into specifics for 2023. I update the year-specific section about a week before the start of the month every year to verify it has the most up-to-date information.
Disneyland in May – Annual trends
May is a beautiful time at Disneyland, as the park’s transition from Spring Break to their Summer offerings. While crowds will be higher than what you see during January and February, they should drop a little bit from the March and April crowds.
Read More: Disneyland Summer 2023 Guide
Let’s take a look at the annual trends for Disneyland in May.
Crowds at Disneyland in May
As Disneyland’s Spring Break season and California Adventure Food and Wine Festival wrapped up at the end of April, one would expect May to be a slow month at the parks.
However, Disneyland often sees a large local crowd in May as guests who purchased the SoCal Spring Ticket offer must use up their tickets before Memorial Day (specific date changes year from year) and Magic Keyholders want to access the parks before they are blocked out for the summer.
Special events can also add to crowds, including Grad Nites, After Dark Events, and conventions. Be sure to read the 2023 May Guide section further down this post for details for this year.
While crowds will not be at their lowest, you will be able to easily get a lot finished in a day at Disneyland.
Park Hours at Disneyland in May
Disneyland’s park hours in May tend to stay quite long but will sometimes have early closings for special ticketed events or private events. Be sure to check the Disneyland schedule before your trip.
Weather at Disneyland in May
I love the weather at Disneyland in May. You tend to see temperatures right around the high 70s to low 80s.
Keep in mind that heat waves do happen at times, so be sure to check the forecast a few days before you leave to make sure you are prepared.
Read More: Tips to Stay Cool at Disneyland
I still suggest packing in layers, as the mornings and nights can be brisk. While most days will be sunny, you may have a day of rain here or there.
Annual Events at Disneyland in May
May officially kicks off Grad Nite Season. While Grad Nites do not usually affect park hours, they can affect the crowds. My friend Jessica has a great guide on Grad Nites at Disneyland Resort.
Grad Nites do bring in a lot of teens. Some people swear off going during Grad Nites. Personally, I have never had any sort of issue visiting during this time. Sure there are more teens in the park, but it has never been anything that ruined our vacation.
Rides and Entertainment at Disneyland in May
As Disneyland transitions from Spring Break to Summer, the entertainment options tend to vary. While World of Color- One and the Magic Happens Parade will continue to show nightly, fireworks are often only available on the weekends. Projections and music will show nightly on Main Street (just minus the fireworks).
Starting Memorial Day weekend, Disney transitions to their summer schedule with nightly fireworks, weather permitting.
Entertainment-wise, you will find the Dapper Dans, Disneyland Band, and other entertainment options that are offered year-round in the park. Any summer entertainment options will usually kick off Memorial Day Weekend.
Disneyland in May 2023
Okay, now that we covered annual trends, let’s get to the nitty-gritty of Disneyland in May 2023. This year, we see a much more normal Disneyland in May guide… though park reservations are still required.
While park reservations are still required, Disneyland’s Parkhopping guidelines have changed, allowing guests to hop parks earlier in the day.
Disneyland After Dark: Star Wars Nites
Disneyland is offering a Disneyland After Dark event again this year – Star Wars Nites.
This event is sold out for all 4 nights, and takes place on May 2, May 4, 8 and 11, 2023. On those nights, Disneyland park will close early (8 pm). The party takes place from 9 pm til 1 am.
This may tempt you to make your reservation for California Adventure on those days, but I have found that if you are in the park that the party is in, it is usually fairly empty that day.
Just plan on leaving or parkhopping when the park closes.
Disneyland Grad Nites
Grad Nites also kick off in May. Grad Nites take place at Disneyland on:
May 12, 14, 17, 19, 21, 24, 25, 30 & 31, 2023
June 2, 4, 7, 9, 14 & 16, 2023
On Grad Nites Disney California Adventure will close at 9 pm instead of 10 pm.
The actual Grad Nite events take place after closing at California Adventure, but depending on their ticket type, teens attending may be able to enter early and visit both parks.
May the 4th Be With you
While not an official holiday or celebration at Disneyland, May the 4th will bring out the Star Wars fans to the parks. While many may simply attend the Star Wars Nite event, I expect we will see many there during the day, and I expect crowds to be higher in Galaxy’s Edge and Tomorrowland where there are Star Wars-themed attractions.
Hyperspace Mountain Returns
From May 1 – June 4, 2023, Hyperspace Mountain will return to Disneyland’s Tomorrowland. This ride layover features scenes and music from the Star Wars Universe.
The traditional Space Mountain experience will return on June 5, 2023.
Memorial Day Weekend
The official kick-off of Disneyland’s Summer Season, Memorial Day Weekend draws a crowd, and this year I expect it to book up with reservations EARLY. Between the holiday weekend, and the fact that this is the last weekend that Splash Mountain will be open (before closing to transform into a new ride), we will see many guests heading to the parks.
Disneyland Resort Hours in May 2023
I am including the resort hours for this month, but I am considering removing this part of the monthly guides. They are time-consuming to make, especially with after-dark events having random nights close early. Let me know if you find this section really valuable in the comments.
Disneyland Resort Park Hours May 2023
| Location | Park Hours | Dates of Shorter Hours | Shorter Hours |
| Disneyland | 8 am – 11 pm or Midnight | May 2, 4, 8, 11 | 8 am – 8 pm |
| California Adventure | 8 am – 10 pm | May 3, 10, 12, 14, 17, 19, 21, 24, 25, 30, 31 | 8 am – 9 pm |
| Downtown Disney | 8 am – 1 pm |
Disneyland Ride Closures in May 2023
While Disneyland has specific attractions scheduled for refurbishment, which you will find below, remember that rides can close unexpectedly, either from a breakdown, or another issue. Please note that this list is subject to change.
Ride Closures in Disneyland Park for May 2023
UPDATE: Due to the fire during Fantasmic on April 22, the show and Tom Sawyer Island are closed until further notice.
- Matterhorn Bobsleds – Now – Reopen Date TBD
- Tarzan’s Treehouse – Now – Reopen Date TBD
- Splash Mountain is Permanently Closed Beginning May 31, 2023
Ride Closures in California Adventure Park for May 2023
- Silly Symphony Swings – Now – May 18, 2023
Disneyland Ticket Deals for May 2023
If you are thinking of going in May 2023, I can help you save some money. My partners at Get Away Today have discounted tickets, including a 5th day free offer.
In addition, you can save on hotels with free nights, discounted rates, discounted parking, and more. If you book a package with 2 or more nights at a hotel, use code ThisCrazy10 to save even more at checkout.
Disney has May 30th as a grad’ night too, they must’ve added it to the 2023 line up, because all these sites don’t have it.
Correct. I do not update my monthly guidelines until a week or two before for year-specific information because that is when the schedules for everything are finalized. As a one-person business, I just do not have the ability to update every time they release one item.