Disneyland Resort has experienced intense crowd levels this week, with guests facing unusually long wait times, limited parking availability, and heavily congested walkways throughout the parks. While Disneyland has long been known to draw large crowds in spring, this week’s surge seems to have exceeded typical early-May expectations—and it’s not over yet.
Parking Structures Hit Capacity Early
Guests arriving later in the morning have reported that both the Mickey & Friends and Pixar Pals parking structures reached full capacity before noon on multiple days this week. Cast Members were seen redirecting vehicles to the Toy Story Lot, located off Harbor Boulevard—a process that can significantly increase walking time and add to transportation delays.
This isn’t an uncommon occurrence during peak seasons, but the frequency with which it’s happened this week has caught many off guard. Social media posts and firsthand guest reports paint a picture of jam-packed roadways, long lines for trams and shuttles, and confusion as guests navigate backup plans.
Theme Park Obsession shared a photo of the traffic as well, stating, “Parking structure is full and traffic is being rerouted to Toy Story lot. Yeah…they are making a lot on churros and ice cream today.”
Parking structure is full and traffic is being rerouted to Toy Story lot. Yeah…they are making a lot on churros and ice cream today. pic.twitter.com/TRtIrTocin
— Theme Park Obsession (@ParkObsession) May 3, 2025
Wait Times Surge Across Both Parks
Inside the parks, nearly every major attraction has seen inflated wait times. Rise of the Resistance, Space Mountain, Peter Pan’s Flight, and Indiana Jones Adventure have consistently posted standby waits well above 75–120 minutes. On Wednesday and Thursday, Haunted Mansion Holiday briefly hit a 90-minute wait, while WEB SLINGERS and Radiator Springs Racers remained over 100 minutes for hours at a time.
Some families have expressed frustration over being able to ride only a handful of attractions during a full day in the parks, especially without the use of Lightning Lane.
Dining and Mobile Ordering Also Affected
The crowds have also spilled over into Disneyland’s dining system, with mobile order windows for popular quick-service locations filling up rapidly—sometimes as early as 11 a.m. Restaurants like Docking Bay 7, Jolly Holiday, and Pym Test Kitchen experienced order return times that stretched into the late afternoon, leaving walk-up guests with few options unless they planned ahead.
May the 4th Anticipation Draws Even More Guests
While the current crowd levels have been surprising to some, they may only grow larger as May the 4th—also known as Star Wars Day—arrives. The unofficial holiday is celebrated heavily inside Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, with themed snacks, limited-edition merchandise, special photo ops, and crowds of fans arriving in Star Wars costumes and gear.
With exclusive May the 4th merchandise dropping both in-store and online, Galaxy’s Edge is expected to see significant early morning crowds on Saturday, and wait times for Rise of the Resistance and Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run are expected to spike further.
Why Now? What’s Causing the Spike?
A few factors likely explain the recent crowd surge:
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Magic Key holders with valid reservations may be squeezing in final spring visits before blockout periods begin.
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Many out-of-state and international guests are arriving early for summer travel.
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Perfect Southern California weather is drawing local visitors back to the parks.
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And of course, Star Wars fans are turning out in droves to celebrate.
Advice for Future Visitors
If you’re planning a trip this weekend or into next week, be prepared:
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Arrive early to secure parking and take advantage of shorter morning wait times.
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Use mobile order as early as possible to reserve meal windows.
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Make park reservations and Lightning Lane Multi Pass selections strategically.
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And above all, pack your patience.
While the magic is always there, navigating the parks during high-capacity days requires extra planning—and realistic expectations.
