While Disneyland has yet to announce a reopening date for its two theme parks, we can STILL visit the shopping and dining district, Downtown Disney! And with indoor dining set to resume as early as this weekend, there are even MORE reasons to visit these days!

We stopped by Downtown Disney this week, and needless to say, there were some pretty interesting finds! Let’s take a look at the top TEN photos from Disneyland today!

The Skies Are FULL of Smoke!

The devastating wildfires across California have begun to have an impact on the Disneyland Resort. While Anaheim is currently safe from the wildfires themselves, the smoke from the fires has blown across the West Coast, completely covering the sky.

No, those AREN’T clouds you’re seeing in these photos. Those are indeed smoke plumes that have arrived at Disneyland. This isn’t the first time the skies have taken on a bit of an orange-y glow from wildfires as unfortunately this time of year is California’s active wildfire season.

It was even raining ash at one point while we were visiting Downtown Disney today. Be sure to take extra precautions if you’re visiting Downtown Disney this week, especially if you have any sort of compromised breathing condition.

At this time it is unclear how long the smoke will remain in the area. Our thoughts go out to all of those on the West Coast who have been impacted by the wildfires.

Click here to read more about the smoke in Disneyland and the wildfires raging across California and the West Coast.

New Health and Safety Signs Appear By the Park Gates!

Health and safety signage has always been in good supply in Downtown Disney since it reopened in July. Signs practically cover the entire shopping and dining district, including the security checkpoints, stores, and restaurants. But there’s one area of the resort that Guests have had access to that just recently got their own supply of signs: the park gates!

On our most recent trip to Downtown Disney, we noticed several of these signs were added to the entrance of both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure!

Does this mean the parks are even closer to reopening than we thought? Or is Disney simply taking every opportunity to remind Guests of the health and safety guidelines? Only time will tell as theme parks across California wait for the reopening guidelines to be released by the state!

Click here to take a closer look at the new signs that have appeared at the Disneyland Resort!

Could Complimentary Parking Soon Go Away?

Before Disneyland’s closure, the Simba Parking Lot was subject to Downtown Disney’s parking fees, and Annual Passholder parking did not apply. But since Downtown Disney reopened in July, parking in the Simba Parking Lot has been free for all Guests. 

That could all soon change, as we noticed a new parking self-pay station in the Simba Lot on our most recent visit.

The meters are still wrapped so it’s hard to tell at this time exactly who this parking self-pay station is intended for. The Simba Parking Lot already has booths as you enter and exit for payment, so we’ll keep an eye on the situation in the coming weeks!

Could Disneyland be preparing to reopen soon? Here are some little things we’ve spotted recently!

We Picked Our Top Merchandise Finds of the Day!

One GREAT thing about visiting Downtown Disney these days is that there’s never a shortage of new merchandise! This last visit was no exception, as we found some pretty nifty items! First up is this Mulan sipper that we spotted in World of Disney!

With the live-action remake now available on Disney+, we can TOTALLY see ourselves enjoying our favorite beverage from this cup, just like we’re at the movie theaters! The sipper retails for $17.49.

Click here to learn more about the new Mulan sipper in Downtown Disney!

While Disneyland is currently closed, we can STILL celebrate the Halloween season with all the spooky merchandise that has appeared in Downtown Disney over the past few weeks! Our most recent addition to our seasonal collection is this Oogie Boogie spirit jersey!

This vibrant green jersey features Oogie’s larger-than-life face on the front, and says “Oogie Boogie” on the back!

We can see ourselves wearing this all season long, paired with our favorite Halloween Crocs, also available in Downtown Disney! You can find this spirit jersey, along with all of the other Nightmare Before Christmas and Halloween merchandise, in World of Disney for $69.99.

Click here to see even MORE Halloween merchandise available in Downtown Disney!

And that’s a wrap on our top 10 photos from our recent trip to Disneyland! As we await Disney’s announcement for the reopening of the Happiest Place on Earth, we can still get our West Coast Disney fix by browsing the shelves at World of Disney, listening to the music across the esplanade, and waving “hello” to some of our favorite Cast Members! Be sure to check back as we bring you MORE updates from Downtown Disney and the Disneyland Resort!

Click here for the latest on when we can expect to see the long-awaited theme park reopening guidelines from California. 

Have you visited Downtown Disney since it reopened? Let us know in the comments!