When will Star Wars Land be least crowded?

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is one of the most anticipated openings in Disneyland history, so it’s no surprise that the new land is expected to draw massive crowds. What are the best days to go though?

Disney is already taking extreme measures to deal with the overflowing attendance concerns, including limiting annual passholder access this summer. Even still, the park is projected to run into capacity issues following the May 31 opening. It’s safe to say that the lines for Star Wars Land will be very long for the foreseeable future, but some days will almost certainly be better than others. Let’s take a look at the best days to visit Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge—and the days you should probably avoid altogether.

The Best & Worst Days to Go

Projected Best and Worst Days to Visit Star Wars Land 2019:

Best Days:

If you must go right away:

• June 2-15 (reservation required)
• June 16-22 (reservation required)
• June 23 (reservation required)
• June 24-27

If you can wait, try to go on:

• July 8-11
• August 12-16
• August 18
• August 23-24
• August 26-29

If you’re in no rush (and want less crowds):

• September 10-12
• September 16-19 (better)
• September 23-27 (even better)
• Check the Crowd Calendar for more dates

Worst Days:

• July 4-7 (4th of July Weekend)
• August 30 – September 2 (Labor Day Weekend)
• September 3-5 (SoCal Select APs valid again)

Disneyland Crowd Calendar

Before you go…

Before you go, there are some important things to keep in mind when planning your trip. To help reign in some of the capacity crowds, Disney is placing three big limits on access to Disneyland, and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, and even attractions inside the new land itself.

Annual Passes Blocked: The May 31 opening means that most annual passholders (SoCal Select) will be blocked out from visiting Disneyland for the entire summer season. The mid-tier Deluxe pass will still be valid on select dates through June 20 and unblocked starting on August 19. All higher-tier APs will be valid for the entire season.

Reservations Required: If you’re planning on visiting Star Wars Land between May 31 and June 23, 2019, you will need a free reservation (and valid theme park admission) to access the new land. Starting on June 24, no reservation will be required. The reservation system is expected to help improve the flow of guest traffic at Disneyland and keep the crowds and lines at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge from getting too unbearable during the first few weeks. More details below.

Two Phases: Unfortunately, you won’t be able to experience all Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge has to offer at opening since the new land will open in phases. In the first phase (starting on May 31), Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run will be the only attraction open. The other the new ride, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, will open “later this year,” according to Disney.

We’re expecting a spike in attendance for phase two, so stay tuned for an official opening date. Keep in mind that even with these limits in place, Disney warns that access to the parks, the land, and the attractions may be restricted due to high demand.

When Should You Go?

So, now that we know the best days to go, when should you go? To help with planning your trip to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, here are some things to keep in mind:

If you can’t wait to go…

If you just can’t wait to be one of the first to visit Star Wars Land, we recommend going before June 24—but you have to get a reservation! If you visit between May 31 and June 23, 2019, Disneyland is requiring a no-cost reservation, along with valid theme park admission, to enter the new land. While we’d still be prepared for it to be crowded, we think this requirement will help keep attendance to bearable levels since the number of reservations will be limited, so try to get one as soon as you can. Starting on June 24, the floodgates open as all guests will have access to Star Wars Land, and that’s when the lines are projected to get even worse.

So try to score a reservation and go before June 24, but it will probably be best to avoid opening weekend and even the first week. Right now, we’re projecting weekdays on the last two weeks of the reservation window to be more manageable.

The best way to guarantee a reservation to access Star Wars Land is to book a stay at any of the three Disneyland Resort hotels between May 31 and June 23. Each registered hotel guest will receive a designated reservation, so you won’t have to worry about trying to snag one. More details about reservations will be released soon, but if the steps Disney has already taken are any indication, a reservation to Star Wars Land will be the hottest ticket in town following the opening.

If you can wait a little while…

If you’re not in a hurry and want to wait until the Star Wars buzz dies down a little, we recommend going late in the summer season. Right now, August 27-29 is looking like a good choice since many schools in the area will be back in session by then. The week before Labor Day Weekend is also historically manageable, and even better, the majority of annual passes (SoCal Select) aren’t valid until the following week.

If you’re in no hurry…

If you’re really in no rush at all to visit Star Wars Land, the month of September will be your first decent chance to go. There is, however, one major exception: the first week of September. Labor Day Weekend (August 30 – September 2) is expected to be more crowded as usual, but don’t plan on the crowds to slow down right after the holiday Monday.

We recommend avoiding September 3-5 in particular. These are the first days all annual passes, including the lowest and most popular tier (SoCal Select), are valid again. Many local annual passholders who’ve been blocked out from Disneyland for the entire summer will finally get their chance to visit Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge that week—and it’s probably not going to be pretty. The days after Labor Day have been historically some of the least crowded of the year at Disneyland, but with Galaxy’s Edge and the mass AP unblocking, even more crowds are expected after the holiday this year. We think it might even be a good idea to wait a week or two longer and go in mid-September just to be on the safe side.

After September, there tends to be small windows of opportunity between the busy seasons that you can take advantage of. Weekdays on the first and last weeks of October (avoiding peak Halloween season) are historically more manageable. Disneyland is also expected to be less crowded on the first weeks (weekdays) of November and December. Check out the Disneyland Crowd Calendar for the best dates to go.

If the weather ever calls for rain, you’re in luck! Rainy days at Disneyland tend to be a lot less crowded and may end up being some of the best days of the year to visit Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.

How Long Will the Lines Be?

So, just exactly how ridiculously long will the lines for Star Wars Land be? It’s too early to say at this point, but judging by other major ride openings at Disneyland in the past, we wouldn’t be surprised to see 5-6 hour long wait times for the attractions at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. We are, however, hopeful that reservations will keep the lines and crowds to somewhat manageable levels for the first few weeks. Once the reservation requirement is lifted though, all bets are off and capacity issues may force guests to wait even longer just to enter the new land.

Park capacity is another concern, as Disneyland routinely reaches its maximum capacity during peak seasons. We think Star Wars Land’s opening will force the park to more frequently restrict admission to Disneyland this summer, as well as during the upcoming busy Halloween, Thanksgiving, and holiday seasons. Follow these tips to avoid arriving at a sold out Disneyland:

1. Buy your tickets in advance
When Disneyland hits capacity, ticket sales are usually halted and guests are redirected to California Adventure, so be sure to buy your tickets in advance.

2. Arrive early
With Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge open, it’s more important than ever to arrive at the park early. If Disneyland does reach capacity, it usually happens before noon. It can take as much as one hour to get through parking and security, so give yourself enough time to be there when the park opens.

3. Go to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge first
Once inside the park, head straight to Star Wars Land to take advantage of the shorter lines in the morning. The wait times at Disneyland tend peak around noon. Don’t worry about getting Fastpass or MaxPass for the Star Wars attractions for now, as they will not be initially offered.

Keep an eye on the Disneyland Crowd Calendar for any updates as conditions change. For real-time crowd updates at the park, including live wait times, check out the Disneyland Crowd Tracker.

Are you planning on visiting to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge? What do you think are the best days to go? Be sure to let us know in the comments below!