Downtown Disney can look forward to number of upgrades, including changes to the Paradise Pier Hotel. Located at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, it is set to transform into a Pixar-themed hotel. Read on to find out more about the exciting changes to the hotel, announced last week by Disneyland Resort President Ken Potrock.

Changes to the Paradise Pier Hotel at Disneyland Resort

Disneyland Resort President Ken Potrock made an announcement last week, confirming a number of updates. He also noted that the resort is now moving forward following all the closures and security protocols imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The major changes will be to the Paradise Pier Hotel, which will become a Pixar-themed property.

The Orange County Register quoted Potrock as saying, “It is a really important milestone and another anchor in our continuous momentum, really not just for Disneyland but for Anaheim and Orange County and other related business partners.”

According to Potrock, the hotel will not close during the Pixar makeover as the majority of changes will be cosmetic. One change will feature a giant version of Luxo Jr., Pixar’s famous lamp, standing on a ball. Fans of the movies will recall that the character appears at the beginning of each Pixar movie and also stars in several shorts.

Meanwhile, besides Luxo Jr., number of other characters and concepts will be included in the hotel makeover. These include Coco, Monsters Inc., Soul, Wall-E, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, and more. Among the renovations will be a new back entrance for guests directly from the hotel to Disney California Adventure.

About Paradise Pier Hotel

Originally built in 1984, the hotel opened as the Pan Pacific Hotel. However, it got its name Paradise Pier Hotel from the Paradise Pier boardwalk area of Downtown Disney. However, it was renamed Pixar Pier four years ago. The pier currently has sections for fans of Inside Out, Toy Story and other Pixar movies.

While Potrock didn’t reveal what the hotel’s new name will be, officials expect to give it its new moniker once the rebranding is done. However, unlike other Pixar-themed hotels around the world, including the new Toy Story Hotel at Disneyland Shanghai, Anaheim’s hotel will not just feature one film.

According to Potrock, this will be a multi-million dollar project that is set to affect the interior and exterior of the hotel. Meanwhile, the lobby, individual rooms, the pool and more will also undergo renovations.

New dining options

Besides the announcement about the Pixar hotel, Potrock said more changes are also coming to Downtown Disney, including changes in restaurants. One addition is Din Tai Fung, a major Taiwanese chain renowned for its soup dumplings.

Meanwhile, the popular Jazz Kitchen’s menu is also set to be revamped. However, there is also set to be a new Mexican restaurant under the lead of Carlos Gaytan, the first Mexican chef to earn a Michelin star. This new restaurant will take over the current premises of Catal & Uva.

Other changes at Downtown Disney

Besides the changes to the hotel and dining options, Potrock also announced other changes relating to the resort. One is the addition of the voice assistant, “Hey Disney” at hotels. Similar to Alexa, guests will be able to ask the voice assistant for information on the amusement parks and the resort. Readers can find out more about Hey Disney in the video included here.

Meanwhile, changes are also coming to the parks, including California Adventure’s Avengers Campus. The attraction will see the addition of Scarlett Witch and America Chavez from the upcoming Dr. Strange film. Also, the president noted that Disneyland will host the Oogie Boogie Bash Halloween party again this fall.

However, on a negative note, it has been confirmed by Inside the Magic that Mickey’s Toontown is closed for a complete refurbishment. On top of this, Pirates of the Caribbean remains closed indefinitely for various changes and updates.

As yet, no date has been announced for the reopening of these attractions.