By Jocelyn Buhlman
Pixar Place Hotel, the reimagining of the former Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel, just opened at Disneyland Resort this week. The animated new design has been years in the making, with Walt Disney Imagineers first meeting over video calls in 2020 to imagine what the first Pixar-themed hotel in the United States could look like.
Flash-forward to now: Pixar Place Hotel is a massive celebration of the artistic process of Pixar Animation Studios, from sketch to the big screen. Packed with detail, the hotel delights as soon as you enter and are greeted by a giant sculpture of the Pixar Lamp and Pixar Ball in the atrium, beneath a colorful mobile of simplified Pixar characters. While details like these are big and eye-catching, there are small things throughout the hotel that guests might miss on their first stay. To make sure that even the most dedicated Pixar perfectionists spot it all, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite details you can find at Pixar Place Hotel:
A Doorway to New Art
As soon as you step through the doors of Pixar Place Hotel, stay alert, because the hidden details have already started! Whether you’re walking through the front entrance or coming from the parking lot, keep your eyes on those sliding glass doors. They’re decorated with colorful squares featuring some of our favorite Pixar characters—and when the doors slide open, the images merge and change colors. For example, sharp-eyed Elemental fans might notice that when the front doors open, the images of Ember and Wade slide together to create a new image of the two of them together! What other changes can you find?
A Beautiful… Butterfly?
Heimlich, the voracious caterpillar with butterfly aspirations from A Bug’s Life, is fan-favorite Pixar character. There’s so much buzz around him that he’s got his very own tribute in the Pixar Place Hotel lobby! When you stop to take a seat, check to see if your couch has feet. One of the couches in the lobby is inspired by Heimlich himself, from his oval spots to his burnt orange feet. Let’s just hope it doesn’t turn into a butterfly and fly away before you can take a seat!
Cinematic Inspirations
Each floor in Pixar Place Hotel nods to a different Pixar movie. Besides showcasing gorgeous mural art inspired by the film, each floor takes its color cues from the film itself. So, if you’re on the Turning Red floor, don’t be surprised if the walls do just that! Headed to the pool? Floor three hosts the pool deck and splash pad, so naturally, it’s big, blue, and references the underwater wonder of Finding Nemo!
Friendly Floors
There’s so much to see when you walk into the lobby of Pixar Place Hotel, from the art on the walls to the mobile hanging from the skylight. While you’re taking it all in, don’t forget to look down—you might just spot a familiar silhouette. In fact, there are 16 unique metallic medallions in the shape of iconic Pixar characters hidden around the first floor and elevator cabs. Can you find them all?
Just Like at Pixar Studios!
Don’t stop your floor appreciation once you leave the lobby! The rugs both in the halls and in the rooms hold more hidden details for Pixar fans. The hallway rugs feature abstract-style line artwork of iconic Pixar characters, while in each room you can find a rug with a unique pattern inspired by Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville, California. The in-room rugs feature a repeating pattern reminiscent of the Pixar lamp that was taken from grates that can be found at Pixar Animation Studios itself! We think that design choice is… pretty grate.
Our Favorite Lamp
It’s the icon that’s practically synonymous with Pixar… So, of course it’s shedding some light on your hotel room, too. Each room features a desk with a reproduction of the Pixar lamp, ready to brighten your stay!
A Bug’s Light
The Creators Club, the lounge for concierge-level guests at Pixar Place Hotel, will open later this year, but we got a sneak peek inside during the hotel’s grand opening! The club is inspired by the ongoing collaboration between Walt Disney Imagineering and Pixar Animation Studios and features gorgeous art and maquettes from their years of work together. We wanted to bug you about a functional and fun tribute to a former Disney California Adventure Park land—the club features a bug-powered light fixture that used to brighten "a bug’s land"! Now, it shines on at Pixar Place Hotel, continuing the story of collaboration between animation and theme park fun.
