The first hotel in the United States dedicated to all things Pixar is at Disneyland Resort in California. In January 2024, this official Disneyland Resort Hotel changed from Paradise Pier Hotel to Pixar Place Hotel. We visited soon afterwards and fell in love with these dynamic and inspiring accommodations. Today, we are sharing five reasons why we love Pixar Place Hotel at Disneyland Resort:
Immersion in the Pixar Process
From larger-than-life concept sketches to meticulous maquettes, each step of the Pixar creative process is present at the Pixar Place Hotel. We love—quite literally—stepping into the artistic process with the creative minds of Pixar Animation Studios. Even if you are not staying at the hotel, you can still visit the inspiring artwork in the vibrant and giggle-worthy lobby, but the guests rooms themselves hold some truly gorgeous original pieces.
The Pixar Shorts Court
Our favorite place at Pixar Place Hotel is the third floor recreation deck. We spent hours here during our first stay, and we spent much of that time at the Pixar Shorts Court.
The Pixar Shorts Court is a collection of outdoor games like shuffle board or bag toss. Because each game in the colorful Pixar Shorts Court references a Pixar short film (really, this hotel is a true treasure trove for Pixar fans), the area feels both fresh and nostalgic at the same time. All the necessary equipment is available to guests. These simple games in a charming setting are a great way to unwind after a thrilling day at the parks, and our family spent a lot of time here on a relaxed hotel-only day.
Beyond the game area, there is a snack bar called Small Bytes plus ample seating. Our favorite seats are clustered around fire fixtures themed to some “hot headed” Pixar characters. All of these elements are located on the third floor deck around the pool. For more detail on the charms of the Pixar Shorts Court, see our dedicated article here: 5 Reasons We Will Return to the Pixar Shorts Court.
The Totally Righteous Pool Area
Of course, the centerpiece of the third floor roof deck is Nemo and Marlin’s reef. Imagineers recreated the world of Finding Nemo in a themed splash pad, hot tub, swimming pool and awesome swirling water slide.
Our family loves that the water slide is accessible to most any independent kiddo, because of a shallow landing area and very vigilant lifeguards. Our kids loved that Crush himself shouts encouragement as they “surf” the waves of this totally righteous slide at Pixar Place Hotel.
Want to know more about this sweet pool area? Take A Deep Dive Into the Pixar Place Hotel Pool with our in-depth article.
The Picturesque Location of Pixar Place Hotel
Pixar Place Hotel is part of the Disneyland Resort, and an official Disneyland Resort Hotel. Though it may not be the closest hotel to the parks, it has a special “side entrance” into Disney California Adventure Park just for hotel guests. This dedicated entrance is a quick stroll across the street from the Pixar Place Hotel lobby, and it takes you right into the Paradise Gardens Park section of Disney California Adventure Park.
Hotel cast members also pointed us to a route through Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa which made for a pleasant walk to Disneyland Park.
We love that the amazing location of Pixar Place Hotel also means that some guest rooms overlook Disney California Adventure Park with views of World of Color. Plus, guests are welcome to watch the Disneyland Park fireworks from the pool deck. The soundtracks for both shows are provided over hotel speakers and from in-room televisions. There is something about watching (and hearing) a nighttime spectacular in your jammies that is like a dream come true!
Cast Members Seem to Love Pixar Place Hotel Too!
The cast members at Pixar Place Hotel truly seem to take pride in this newly transformed hotel. They consistently go “to infinity and beyond” for guests. We have had wonderful experiences with cast members all over the hotel.
Plus, two unexpected cast members can occasionally be found at Pixar Place Hotel. Bing Bong from Inside Out greets guests in the atrium (or by the Shorts Court) and Joe Gardner from Soul plays jazz piano just off the lobby.
The friendly, helpful and kind people here are the absolute best part of this special place. Remember, if a cast member goes “to infinity and beyond” for you, be sure to submit a cast compliment through the Disneyland app.
Thank you for reading; we loved our stay at Pixar Place Hotel, and we loved sharing the reasons why.
We love Pixar Place Hotel and have written A LOT about it. For more on our experiences, check-out A Deep Dive Into the Pixar Place Hotel Pool, 5 Reasons We Love the Pixar Place Hotel Guest Rooms, and especially 5 Reasons We Will Return to the Pixar Shorts Court!
We hope you get a chance to find your own favorite parts of this playful hotel. For more about the hotels of Disneyland Resort, we offer this comparison chart and this advice on selecting the best one for you. Those are part of our free and complete guide to planning a Disneyland Resort visit: Step-by-Step Disneyland Prep.
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