There has been some commotion happening on the west coast that seems to indicate that Disneyland is hard at work preparing for the grand reopening of its theme parks! The resort originally announced a reopening for its two theme parks on July 17, but that had to be delayed indefinitely.

With the Disneyland Resort showing more signs of life these days, we thought we would do a quick run-down of how the Happiest Place on Earth is preparing to reopen, whenever that may be! Keep in mind that these activities are not direct evidence to point to any sort of official reopening, and we won’t know for sure when Disneyland plans to reopen until Disney announces a date themselves!

Downtown Disney Continues its Phased Reopening

The biggest change since Disneyland’s closure began in March was the reopening of Downtown Disney! Since July 9, the shopping and dining district has welcomed back Guests daily from 10AM-8PM (10AM-9PM on weekends). Currently, only outdoor dining is permitted under a statewide mandate.

Crowds at Downtown Disney have steadily increased since the phased reopening began. Virtual queues have been used frequently, especially on the weekends, for shops like World of Disney and Marceline’s Confectionery.

There is clearly a demand from guests who want their Disneyland fix! While the theme parks are still closed at this time, you can at least pick up a churro toffee or shop for a new pair of ears!

Click here to learn about the new RESERVED shopping experience at Downtown Disney

Plexiglass Screens are Installed at the Main Gates and Turnstiles

When Downtown Disney first reopened for Guests on July 9, plexiglass sneeze guards and shields were already installed at the turnstiles for both theme parks. In recent weeks, more of those larger plexiglass shields were added to the gates themselves.

These shields are one of the many ways Disney is promoting a safe environment for both guests and Cast Members, and these new installations at the theme park gates could suggest that Disney is preparing to welcome guests back sooner rather than later.

However, keep in mind that since the turnstiles have had the plexiglass installed since at least early July, these additions could just be another project Disney is taking care of now so they don’t have to worry about it later!

Something is MISSING from Downtown Disney! Click here to learn more.

Construction is Happening Around The Emporium

While we can’t be inside Disneyland Park, we can get the SLIGHTEST peek inside from the main gate. A few weeks ago, we noticed that construction had begun around The Emporium on Main Street, U.S.A.

Scaffolding can be seen covering the building without any masking from the esplanade and as of right now it looks like crews are doing cosmetic work on the facade.

So, whenever Disneyland reopens, the Emporium should at least have a fresh coat of paint!

We can’t shop at the Emporium quite yet but we can shop at World of Disney! Click here to see some of the Halloween merch available!

Hand Sanitizer Locations are Noted in Both Theme Parks Online

Since Downtown Disney began its phased reopening, hand sanitizer stations as well as hand washing stations have been plentiful. But recently, we have been able to get a sneak peek at where these stations will be located throughout the PARKS!

Disneyland’s official website as well as the Disneyland App now show where handwashing stations and hand sanitizer dispensers will be located in both Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure.

These handwashing and sanitizer dispenser locations are also noted throughout the Downtown Disney District.

After months of being separated, we were finally reunited with Disneyland beignets! Click here to read more.

New Landscaping is Coming to the Disneyland Hotel

Finally, it looks like the Disneyland Hotel is getting a fresh new lawn in the coming weeks! On our last trip to Downtown Disney, we spotted some signage on the grounds of the hotel to indicate that some landscaping work is about to begin.

In Disneyland’s original reopening announcement, a reopening date was not included for the Disneyland Hotel. This landscaping work could be one of the reasons why, and we’ll be sure to monitor the progress made over the next few weeks.

As always, we are keeping a VERY close eye on Disneyland for any sort of reopening announcement. Remember, until Disney officially announces a date, we do not know when the theme parks will reopen! As of this writing, California has yet to release any theme park reopening guidelines, which are key for any park to open, including Disneyland.

Click here to read more about Governor Newsom’s new tiered monitoring system and what it could mean for Disneyland’s reopening!

Will you visit Disneyland soon after it reopens? Let us know in the comments!