Pixar Place Hotel

Lore & Background

The building opened in 1984 as the Emerald of Anaheim, part of the Emerald Group of hotels, owned by the Tokyu Group. It was rebranded to The Pan Pacific Hotel in 1989 after a $4.5 million renovation in 1994. The property had been leased by businessman P.C. Chao. Disney attempted to acquire the hotel during its expansion of the Disneyland Resort, but negotiations failed due to disagreement over the sale price. The Walt Disney Company eventually purchased the hotel in December 1995 for a reportedly undisclosed price around $36 million, renaming it the Disneyland Pacific Hotel. It was renamed the Paradise Pier Hotel in 2000, themed after the California boardwalks.

Reader's Guide

The Pixar Place Hotel represents a significant rebranding of a property that has been part of the Disneyland Resort for decades. Originally a non-Disney hotel, its acquisition in 1995 allowed Disney to expand its resort footprint. The 2022-2024 renovation transformed the hotel into a dedicated Pixar-themed experience, aligning with the earlier retheming of Paradise Pier into Pixar Pier at Disney California Adventure in 2018. The hotel now features a Luxo Jr. statue, production artwork from every Pixar feature film up to its opening, and floors themed after different films. It also houses the Great Maple restaurant, the first non-Disney-owned restaurant in the resort, and the Sketch Pad Cafe and STOR-E gift shop. The hotel's history reflects the evolving relationship between Disney and the surrounding Anaheim area, as well as the company's strategy of integrating intellectual property into its resort accommodations.

Did You Know?

• The hotel was originally opened in 1984 as the Emerald of Anaheim.
• The hotel features a statue of Luxo Jr. in the lobby.
• The Great Maple restaurant is the first restaurant not owned by Disney to open in the resort.