Top 5 Tips for Visiting Disneyland During Summer 2025
Summer is always a popular time for families to visit Disneyland with kids out of school on break and the benefits of expanded park hours and entertainment.
This summer in particular is a great time for a trip with the Disneyland 70th anniversary celebration bringing some exciting new offerings to the parks!
We will cover the top 5 things you’ll want to keep in mind for a summer visit to Disneyland in 2025!
1) Enjoy the Disneyland 70th anniversary offerings, including returning fan-favorite entertainment and a new attraction! When the Disneyland 70th anniversary celebration kicks off in May, there will be several special offerings, including colorful decor across the resort, a new character cavalcade, a new World of Color show, and more. Some favorite entertainment will also return for a limited time, including the Paint the Night parade and the fireworks show Wondrous Journeys.
In July, for Disneyland’s actual anniversary date, a new attraction featuring the first-ever Walt Disney animatronic will debut along with some changes to popular attractions, including a new verse in “it’s a small world." These special offerings will all be highlights of a summer visit to Disneyland this year!
2) Find ways to beat the heat during a summer visit. The weather at Disneyland during the summer tends to be hot and dry, so make sure you come prepared with breathable clothes, sun protection, and any items to keep you comfortable, like a handheld fan or cooling towel. During the summer, it is an especially good idea to utilize our Mickey Visit Disneyland morning rope drop strategy to get popular rides out of the way while it’s cooler outside and less crowded.
If the heat becomes uncomfortable, you can take a midday break at your hotel or hop on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure or Grizzly River Run to cool down! This is also a good time to grab a cold treat at Disneyland, like ice cream or a Dole Whip.
3) Book dining reservations early to secure a spot! For the most popular dining experiences, make sure you’re ready when reservations open 60 days in advance to secure your desired table-service experiences. While there are plenty of quick-service options throughout the resort, table-service dining indoors can be a good way to escape the summer heat. See our list of the best Mickey Visit Disneyland restaurants for our top recommendations!
4) Enjoy longer hours of operation and entertainment during the summer. One of the biggest advantages of a summer Disneyland visit is that the parks have longer hours, so you could stay from rope drop all the way until park closing at midnight if you so desired! Staying until park closing is a great way to get on popular attractions with shorter lines using a solid Disneyland evening strategy. Additionally, you can enjoy more showtimes for popular entertainment like the Disneyland fireworks and Fantasmic. See our Mickey Visit 3-day Disneyland itinerary for our tips on how to incorporate all of the nighttime spectaculars and key rides into your trip!
5) Be aware of early closures due to special after-hours events at the parks. The Pride Nite parties take place at Disneyland Park in June, and Grad Nite parties take place at Disney California Adventure on several nights throughout May and June, which will close the park an hour early. Make sure you know about the dates of these early Disneyland closures so that you are not caught off guard!
You can see even more of our top tips for experiencing the most and staying cool during a summer visit in our full guide to how to do Disneyland in the summer!
At Mickey Visit, we share the most important tips for planning your trips to Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Disney Cruise Line, Universal, and beyond. Each week, we’ll share some of our top tips here on Laughing Place.