Last week, Disney announced that Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel at Disneyland Resort will complete its transformation into Pixar Place Hotel in January. We stopped by to check out the progress of the hotel, which is open throughout their reimagining.
Blank Canvas at Pixar Place Hotel
While walking around the hotel, we found that the hallways have been painted a stark white, possibly primed for further decor and theming.
This area of the hotel is open to guests, but does not look like most Disney hotels with its white walls and lack of theming throughout.
Understandably, the space has to be painted before it can be decorated at some point.
The hardwood flooring and unpainted walls in a guest-accessible space feel incongruous with the nearly-finished lobby downstairs and the smattering of more completed spaces throughout the hotel.
We did take a quick peek at the guest laundry, marked with the small sock from “Monsters, Inc.” that created a 2319 decontamination emergency in the 2001 film.
This space also looks ready for some décor and was also otherwise unthemed, save for the small location sign outside the room.
Lobby Creeps Toward Completion at Pixar Place Hotel
As the transformation of the hotel continues, we noticed a few new details have been added around the lobby area.
In the concept art, we see the iconic lamp balanced upon the Luxo ball statue as the centerpiece of this area.
Though the statue has not made its debut and we did not notice any other notable changes in this area, the lobby still needs a significant amount of work to make it look like the image above.
Some of the space feels different than the concept art above, which appears bright and airy; the recessed strip lighting in the drop ceiling creates a more sterile look.
This seating area has “Finding Nemo” concept art in a grid pattern across a wall.
These pillars have received new embellishments since our last visit.
The sharp angles in this area lean into mod style and away from the more fluid style from the concept art above.
The mural in the fitness room has been completed, with Mike Wazowski and James P. “Sulley” Sullivan working on their scariest bodies.
Entrance Area at Pixar Place Hotel
Another area that has received some theming at Pixar Place Hotel is the entrance, which somewhat resembles the “Composition with Red, Blue, and Yellow” painting by Piet Mondrian.
This colorblock arch has been newly added since our last visit.
Do you have an upcoming stay at Pixar Place Hotel, or are you waiting for the resort to be completed before you stay here? Let us know in the comments.
Pixar Place Hotel
Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel will officially conclude its transformation and become Pixar Place Hotel on January 30, 2024. The overhaul was first announced at D23 Expo in 2022 and formally commenced in October of that year; the hotel has remained open as work on the reimagining has transpired.
Work has steadily progressed over the last 12 months; colorful stripes were added to the exterior of the hotel in January, and its Pixar-inspired lobby opened in May. Concept art from “Coco,” “Soul,” “Inside Out,” and other Pixar films was hung from the walls of a ground-floor seating area in June.
A “Luca” mural was installed in the hotel’s elevator bay in July, while several Pixar references were spotted at its pool when it reopened as Pixel Pool in August. The new pool area features a “Finding Nemo” slide and splash pad and shaped fireplaces depicting characters from “The Incredibles,” “Inside Out,” “Elemental,” and “Lava,” a 2014 short film.
Earlier this month, the hotel’s gift shop was renamed “STOR-E,” a reference to the Pixar film “WALL-E.” Disney shared a look at the lodging’s updated gift shop, fitness center, and guest rooms last week.
The rooms will contain several references to the animation house that inspired the hotel’s reimagining. According to Disney, some of the art in the rooms is new, created by Pixar artists exclusively for the lodging. The headboards in each room will consist of concept art from several Pixar films, including “Brave,” “Toy Story 3,” and “The Incredibles.”
Though not necessarily a part of the Pixar-inspired reimagining, the Great Maple restaurant will soon open at the hotel. Offerings at the venue include the Cajun Shrimp & Cheddar Biscuit Benedict, Soda-Pop Braised Baby Back Ribs, Charred Cauliflower Hummus, Maple Pecan-Crusted Salmon, Market Fish, the Buttermilk Fried Chicken & Maple Bacon Doughnuts, and a variety of salads. The flagship restaurant will open in November, with the eatery also operating the Sketch Pad Cafe and Small Bytes rooftop pool bar.
Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel has had several identities since being purchased by Disney in 1995. Disney changed the venue’s name to the Disneyland Pacific Hotel after their acquisition only to rebrand it to the Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel moniker in 2001. Pixar Place Hotel will be the venue’s third identity since Disney’s purchase.
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