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The exterior of Pixar Place Hotel at Disneyland.

In 2022, Disney announced what many Disney fans were longing for since the reimagining of Paradise Pier into Pixar Pier in 2018; the loathed (I’m probably sugar-coating it a bit) Paradise Pier Hotel would receive an reimagining of its own into Pixar Place Hotel.

Unlike other Disney projects, it didn’t take long for Disney to begin the construction process on the project. Slowly but surely removing old references of its former identity and throwing in splashes of badly needed color and character (literally).

With this transformation, it was also announced that Southern California favorite Great Maple Modern American Eatery would take over the space inside the hotel once occupied by PCH Grill. Great Maple would go on to open to guests months before the grand reveal of the hotel’s refreshed identity.

Finally, in late January, 2024, the transformation was completed (sort of) and guests could now say they were staying at the first Pixar-branded hotel in the company’s extensive portfolio, and the reviews have been largely positive.

Admittedly, I initially thought this was going to be another cheap re-theme of an already cheaply re-themed, aging property, but Kisha and I recently had the opportunity to tour it and I must admit, the Imagineers did a wonderful job. They indeed redeemed what was once considered Disney’s worst hotel.

So what does the exterior and interior look like? How about the rooms? Wondering if the food at Great Maple is worth it? I answer all of these questions and more in the post below. Let’s get into it.

An ad for discount Disneyland tickets through Get Away Today.

Pixar Place Hotel Exterior, Lobby and Great Maple Restaurant

If you are at all familiar with Paradise Pier Hotel, it wouldn’t take long for you to notice the stark difference of the new exterior. While a bit bland, the newly painted building’s eggshell white exterior is complimented by the Pixar reds, yellows and blues, beating out the building’s former uninspiring, drab look of yellows and greens by a long shot.

Additionally, branded signage has been added to the upper portions of the building on either side. At night is when the hotel’s exterior comes to life, as a newly installed lighting package illuminates the walls. I feel the street-facing portion of the building could use some additional signage to give it more character but as is, it’s a huge upgrade.

Luxo Lamp balancing on the Pixar ball in the lobby of the Pixar Place Hotel.

Upon entering the lobby from the hotel’s main entrance off Disneyland Drive, you’ll immediately take notice of a large scale model of Pixar’s long-time mascot Luxo Jr balancing on another iconic symbol of Pixar, the Pixar ball. Additionally, you’ll also take notice of the dozen or so color changing panels hanging above from the upper atrium.

A plethora of seating options and faux plants have been added to area, making it a nice place to hang out while you wait for check-in or for the rest of your party to arrive. Just to the right of Luxo is the hotel’s sole gift shop STOR-E, a quick-bite eatery and coffee spot called Sketch Pad Cafe, and further down the hall, Great Maple Modern American Eatery.

The friend chicken and maple doughnuts dish served at Great Maple at Disneyland.

We had the chance to dine at Great Maple during our tour and it instantly became one of our favorites on property. Prices are a bit high, but the service was great, the food was delicious and the vibes were vibin’. If you want to read more extensively about our experience and what we ordered (including prices), you can read my review here.

Continuing with the tour, to the left of the Luxo statue is where the check-in desk, elevators and additional sitting areas are. Here is where Imagineers went wild with Pixar theming elements. Across from the check-in desk is a lounge-style seating area themed after Finding Nemo, on the walls behind the check-in desk are illuminated portraits of several Pixar characters and near the staircase is a jazz-style piano where Joe Gardner from Pixar’s Soul makes sporadic appearances.

A sitting area themed after the characters from Finding Nemo in the lobby of Pixar Place Hotel.

Bing Bong from Inside Out doing meet and greets at the Pixar Place Hotel.

In addition to Joe Gardner, another regular character appearance is Bing Bong from Pixar’s beloved movie Inside Out.We spotted him by the Luxo statue, but I have heard he also makes regular appearances on the pool deck for hotel guests. Don’t count on either of these characters being a permeant fixture at the hotel, as Disney will likely phase them out as the newness of the hotel dissipates (or swap them out).

One thing I noticed about the lobby was how peaceful it was in comparison to the Grand Californian’s lobby. GCH’s lobby is top-tier and my favorite, but it’s often busy as non-hotel guests from the park utilize it for mid-day park breaks, mixing with the already heavy hotel guest crowds.

Of the two, GCH definitely has the better lobby, but we were at Pixar Place in the middle of the day on a Saturday when both parks were packed and we had it largely to ourselves. Furthermore, we were in the lobby at several points of the day and aside from check-in time, there were very few people around.

Pixar Place Hotel Pool Deck

The Finding Nemo Splash Pad and pool at Pixar Place Hotel.

On the third-floor rooftop deck you’ll find an abundance of seating, a pool, splash pad, whirlpool and the 186-foot water slide themed after several characters from Finding Nemo. The pool area is fenced off and only accessible with a room key. Out of respect for people’s privacy, I didn’t photograph the pool area. However, Disney was kind enough to provide the above photo.

The remaining area of the rooftop deck is open to all guests, whether you’re staying at the hotel or not. Here you’ll find fire pits in the form of several Pixar characters, ample lounge-style seating and overhead lighting. With the fire pits providing warmth and the walls blocking the wind, I can see this eventually being a popular hangout space among locals.

Lounge seating on the pool deck of Pixar Place Hotel at Disneyland.

If you plan to book, keep in mind that the pool area is fairly undersized for a Disney hotel, as compared to the Grand Californian and The Disneyland Hotel’s pools. While winter won’t be a problem, I can definitely see it being one in the summer. Especially in the afternoon when many families take a break from the parks.

Additionally, a cast member tipped to us that the pool deck is a great place to watch the evening fireworks show. During the show, the lights are dimmed and music is piped in. Even though you don’t need to be a hotel guest to access it, most people are unaware of this spot so it’s rarely ever crowded. If you just want to see the fireworks and don’t care where you watch them from, this is a solid option.

Pixar Place Hotel Rooms

A room with two queen beds at the Pixar Place Hotel.

Guest rooms have received a serious upgrade from their previous set-up with, you guessed it, several not-so-subtle touches of Pixar-themed decor all throughout the room. Pixar has never been known to be subtle, though, so it works with their brand identity.

Coming from someone who typically prefers hotels with the “less is more” philosophy as it pertains to room decor and color palette, I can make an exception here. If you are going to book a room at a hotel branded after Pixar, stepping into an animated multi-colored room shouldn’t come as a surprise, after-all.

Most rooms come with a pull-out sleeper couch, though in the two queen rooms pictured above, the sleeper is twin-sized whereas the king bed rooms come with a queen sized sleeper. Either one would be advantageous for families with several children, though. Additionally, one and two-bedroom suites are also available. Additional room features include:

Tons of indirect and recessed lighting options
A work desk with a literal (bolted down) Luxo Lamp
Mini-fridge and coffee maker (K-cup variety)
An abundance of USB and USB-C ports
Storage options
Shampoo, conditioner and body wash dispensers on the shower wall

The view of Disney California Adventure from the Pixar Place Hotel.

Your view will depend upon the room you book and floor you receive. Most east facing rooms get a view of Disney California Adventure, with elements of Pixar Pier and the Cadillac Range of Cars Land highly visible. These rooms could offer an excellent vantage point of the park’s nighttime spectacular - World of Color.

West facing rooms won’t get as good of a view, as all you’ll see is the hotel’s pool and a vastness of parking spaces (for now, that is). I say this because if Disney gets their way with their DisneylandForward expansion plans, these rooms will have a prime view of whatever land they’re planning to build there (Pandora, anyone?).

For now, if you don’t book a room with a prime view of DCA, you could always utilize the elevator and get the “in between the towers” view, as pictured above, for free. Though I wouldn’t count on it being crystal clear as it seems someone forgot the “clean the elevators” element of the redesign (during our tour, anyway).

Pixar Place Hotel Nightly Rates

The Luxo Lamp statue in the lobby of Pixar Place Hotel at Disneyland.

Like any hotel, rates at Pixar Place will vary based upon season and availability but generally, you should find Pixar Place to be a couple hundred dollars cheaper than The Disneyland Hotel and a few hundred less than the Grand Californian. I say generally because if the lower-tier rooms at either property sell out, Pixar Place will command higher prices as a result.

Furthermore, despite the official re-opening in late January, there are still many yet-to-be finished rooms unavailable to guests. They are expected to be completed later this year but in the interim, expect the dip in available inventory to inflate nightly rates.

That said, I would expect Pixar Place to fluctuate between the $350 - $600 range for a basic room with either a standard or premium view throughout the year. For club level, tack on another couple hundred, probably more once the club level lounge opens later this year.

While Pixar Place is still considered third place behind the Grand Californian and The Disneyland Hotel in terms of class, it is now at least on-par with many of the higher end good neighbor hotels with this re-branding and new amenities, which makes the price tag much more tolerable than it was previously.

Planning a trip to Disneyland? If so, read about the changes made to Advance Dining Reservations at the resort. Additionally, read about the upcoming closure of Critter Country and what I think Disney should do with the area. Furthermore, read about what to expect during this year’s Pixar Fest here. Finally, to save money on Disneyland tickets and hotel packages, visit my preferred Disney travel agency, Get Away Today.