Every Hotel at Disneyland Resort Getting Reimaginings & New Additions in 2025-2026
Disney has announced exciting plans for the three Hotels of the Disneyland Resort with brand-new additions and enhancements that include two new lounges, refreshed guest rooms, new themed suites and a beautifully reimagined dining room for Napa Rose restaurant. This shares a first look at concept art and details, plus our thoughts on the updates. (Updated August 30, 2025.)
Let’s start with the Grand Californian Hotel, where the award-winning Napa Rose is taking its dining experience to the next level with a new look that celebrates Craftsman design with an eye toward modern Californian luxury and approachability. The new-look Napa Rose will have a rustic elegance and will be a tapestry of California’s storied history of wine and wine making.
Napa Rose is now temporarily closed and is slated to reopen in Fall 2025. To make way for these enhancements, there will be temporary updates to dining offerings at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa. The restaurant, known for its refined California cuisine made with superb ingredients, will introduce a new menu and will still feature fan-favorites such as the Smiling Tiger Salad, along with an impeccable wine collection of more than 1,500 labels.
When it reopens, the restaurant interior will use natural textures such as reclaimed French oak flooring and columns (a type of wood used to make wine barrels), hand-pinged artisan metals, leathers, deep colors of cabernet, and an eye-catching chandelier inspired by California’s Mission grapevines.
Along with its existing dynamic exhibition kitchen, the restaurant will expand the counters where guests can watch the masters in action. Outside, the patio is being enhanced with more seating for lovely al fresco dining. In fact, here’s newly-released concept art of the exterior:
August 30, 2025 Update: Today at Destination D23, Disneyland Resort culinary director John State unveiled a never-before-seen artist concept rendering of the enhanced patio space from Napa Rose at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa.
The outdoor patio is being thoughtfully enhanced to welcome more guests for al fresco dining. Imagine settling into a comfortable seat surrounded by lush greenery and soft lighting, the California breeze enhancing the flavors of your meal. The space invites you to relax and savor each bite while taking in the beautiful outdoor setting.
Two new fireplaces will cast a warm, flickering glow across the patio, adding a cozy and inviting touch to the atmosphere. As the sun sets, you can gather around the fire, reflecting on your Disney day and enjoying the ambiance.
I have mixed feelings about the reimagining of Napa Rose.
Generally speaking, I think aspects of the Grand Californian receive undue criticism about being dated, when really, that’s simply the Arts & Crafts style. I hear this a lot when it comes to Storytellers Cafe, as another example, which is richly-detailed and filled with nods to literary legends, California stories, and folklore from the Golden State, all with a heavy craftsman influence.
Napa Rose is a bit of a different beast, and there are elements of its design where it’s difficult to discern where the Arts & Crafts style ends and the early 2000s design sensibilities begin. It definitely does need an update, but I’d probably choose a lighter refresh if I had my way. Or at least a less contemporary one.
What I fear with this concept art and the accompanying description is that it’s going to trade one distinct style mixed with an era (Craftsman plus early 2000s) for another. The “modern Californian luxury” is one red flag in the announcement, and there are aspects of the concept art that are reminiscent of design-flourishes you’d see when watching some trendy show on HGTV in 2025.
This isn’t to say the concept art looks bad–it’s actually a pleasant surprise–but I’m not sure why Napa Rose needs to chase trends, period. The Craftsman style is timeless, and distinctly Californian. In the end, though, I’m willing to take a wait and see perspective on this, as I could see it turning out well (or not). I just wish Napa Rose wasn’t losing the murals.
In addition to The Veranda Club Level at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, plans are underway for the hotel to add a second Club Level lounge nearby.
This newly designed, two-story space will celebrate classic California Craftsman design and will be a perfect spot for lounging with a good book, relaxing with a glass of wine or admiring the hotel’s Great Hall lobby below. Continuing the hotel’s forest theme of the Great Hall lobby, the new concierge lounge will be inspired by giant sequoias and will be located high in the “treetops” of the top two floors.
This new Club Level lounge will continue the unique Californian Craftsman design by showcasing columns and arches inspired by the existing lobby architecture, wrought iron branching details, and beautiful handcrafted tile murals. The flora and fauna will keep with the story of the sequoias.
The lounge will be filled with natural light during the day and a golden glow at sunset from expansive skylights, with a two-story stained-glass door and a curved staircase leading to the mezzanine. This new space is slated for completion in 2026.
This new Club Level lounge looks fantastic. Perfectly on-theme and with great views into Disney California Adventure. The Veranda is a fantastic Club Level lounge, but this looks even better. Not only that, but GCH needs more concierge lounge space. (Hopefully this makes prices a little more reasonable–or discounts more common.)
Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa will also begin refreshing all its guest rooms, including the Disney Vacation Club Villas.
The décor will complement the rooms’ existing Arts & Crafts motif, yet will add new bold colors across the carpets, upholstery and bedding, with accents inspired by the beautiful California wildflower blooms often found in Impressionist plein air paintings that helped define the art movement of the Arts & Crafts period and continue to inspire artists today. Most notably, each room will have new artwork that was commissioned from local plein air painters.
It’s not mentioned in the press release, but these room refurbishments are not on the same cycle. The Villas at Grand Californian is receiving a hard goods refurbishment, which has been on the Disney Vacation Club Room Refurbishment Calendar for a while. It was supposed to happen two years ago, but has been bumped for other projects and is finally happening this year.
This should be a dramatic improvement of the VGC along the lines of what recently happened with Boulder Ridge at Wilderness Lodge. There’s no concept art yet, but that’s probably an illustrative example of the before/after changes, and it’s safe to assume these rooms will finally get the pull-down sofa beds.
By contrast, the hotel rooms were redone more recently and should be receiving a soft goods refurbishment. The concept art above seemingly reflects this, with the new look not being that much of a departure from the old. That’s a good thing, as the current GCH rooms are fantastic. Some are showing a bit of wear and tear, so the timing is right.
If you haven’t had a chance to visit Pixar Place Hotel just yet, here’s a look at the Creators Club concierge lounge, which debuted this past year and showcases the collaboration between Walt Disney Imagineering and Pixar Animation Studios featuring concept art, maquettes, attractions posters and cheerful décor.
We have yet to book a stay at the Creators Club, so officially, I have no opinion on it and will withhold judgment. Unofficially, the few photos I’ve seen look like a massive improvement over the old Club Level at Paradise Pier Hotel. Not really a huge surprise there, but still nice to see this property being brought up to Disney standards.
Finally, Pixar Place Hotel will add two new, two-bedroom themed premium suites, opening new doors into the worlds of Pixar’s Coco and The Incredibles.
The Coco Suite, with Oaxacan-style architecture, will feature terracotta tiling, Mexican artisan quilted and woven pieces, a fireplace, unique handcrafted wooden furniture, and thoughtful touches of hand-painted art. The Coco Suite is inspired by the film’s Rivera family hacienda with many family photos and mementos.
The Incredibles Suite will have a mid-century design with a “spy-fi” twist. In “Incredibles 2,” DevTech businessman and Super fan Winston Deavor lends his striking home for the Parr family to live. Now he has designed the perfect getaway for the family!
The suite includes a primary bedroom for the Parr parents, with a connecting room for Edna Mode designed by Edna herself. Beginning with a hand-scanning prop at the entryway, guests will encounter Super-inspired touches and special effects including a spy phone, hidden messages, a secret door and other surprises!
I assume these are not newly-created spaces, but rather, belated overhauls to the suites named after cities in Southern California (e.g. Newport, Laguna, Malibu, Dana Point, etc). It may come as a surprise that work is still ongoing in this reimagining given that Pixar Place Hotel opened a full year ago, but the exterior construction elevators just came down back in October. It’s been a long, slow-going process.
These Pixar-themed suites look neat, I guess, but as someone who will never stay in them, it’s hard to have a strong opinion on them. We did have a chance to see the Newport Suite once, and like Paradise Pier Hotel as a whole, it was nothing special. These will undoubtedly be a major improvement over what they replace (also the case with Pixar Place Hotel as a whole).
Last up is Disneyland Hotel, which just unveiled its an all-new concierge lounge, High Key Club Level! This new concierge space celebrates the music and sounds of Disneyland park circa 1955. Swanky and sophisticated, colorful and fun, the lounge also pays homage to the mid-century modern aesthetic of the era.
This stylish oasis in the sky draws inspiration from the enduring legacy of original and classic sounds at Disneyland park. Celebrating not only music, artists, musicians, and voices, but also unique instruments, bands, foley sounds, and history of audible magic at the park that Walt Disney brought to life, High Key Club features a custom soundtrack showcasing the sounds and songs of the park and displays prominent artifacts.
High Key Club nearly doubles the space of the previous E-Ticket Club Level lounge in the hotel’s Adventure Tower. It’s a special place for concierge-level guests to watch Disneyland park fireworks and enjoy music from the show on nights that feature pyrotechnics. High Key Club is now open!
The High Key Club Level lounge features a nearly 50-foot-wide mural depicting these soundscapes, artistic light fixtures resembling classic Disney records, and metal discs once used on a self-playing music machine that was in Walt Disney’s apartment on Main Street, U.S.A.
Guests who have reserved Club Level rooms at Disneyland Hotel can enjoy special benefits and amenities including breakfast, snacks and beverages throughout the day, a dedicated concierge, and bird’s-eye views of Disneyland Park fireworks on select evenings in the High Key Club. (For the last several months, there has been a temporary lounge in use–that ends today.)
Here are photos of the finished High Key Club Level at Disneyland Hotel:
All in all, this suite of announcements is mostly good news–and I’ll choose to be cautiously optimistic that Napa Rose’s reimagining goes well! My hope and expectation is that we get more announcements for Disneyland Hotel in the near future. A replacement for Steakhouse 55 is still needed, and we have it on good authority that the DLH rooms are getting a top-to-bottom refurbishment within the next year. Both of those projects are arguably more pressing than anything here.
Planning a Southern California vacation? For park admission deals, read Tips for Saving Money on Disneyland Tickets. Learn about on-site and off-site hotels in our Anaheim Hotel Reviews & Rankings. For where to eat, check out our Disneyland Restaurant Reviews. For unique ideas of things that’ll improve your trip, check out What to Pack for Disney. For comprehensive advice, consult our Disneyland Vacation Planning Guide. Finally, for guides beyond Disney, check out our Southern California Itineraries for day trips to Los Angeles, Laguna Beach, and many other SoCal cities!
YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you think of the new additions and enhancements coming to the Hotels of Disneyland Resort this year and in 2026? Excited for the two new concierge lounges, refreshed guest rooms, new themed suites, Napa Rose restaurant reimagining or anything else? Do you agree or disagree with our commentary? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
I’m so disappointed Napa Rose will be closed this summer. I was planning to go for my 40th birthday and we are flying in from the east coast. We went to DL for a brief honeymoon trip and on our last night spontaneously ate at Napa Rose bar. I love fine dining, but I wasn’t sure I’d like Napa Rose. I loved it and couldn’t wait to come back for dinner.
Any recommendations for a special substitute dinner Tom? We won’t be canceling or rescheduling the trip (we still have other things planned) or visiting the parks (just staying at DL hotel for one night). We like ‘fun’ fine dining that’s not too expensive or too fussy and Napa Rose really fit the bill perfectly.
Paseo in Downtown Disney is probably the closest you can get without going into the parks (Carthay Circle would be the obvious choice in the parks).
My sleeper pick, though, would be Hearthstone Lounge. It has a really deep and fantastic menu, and it’s also in GCH. It’s not fine dining, so the vibe is definitely more laid back than Napa Rose and it feels less special.
Sadly, there is no substitute for Napa Rose (especially with Steakhouse 55 closed).
There are so many other great and unique restaurants in Orange County that would be great substitutes…and I think have better food than Napa Rose. Check out The Cellar in Fullerton (conceived, designed, and built by artistic craftsmen from Disneyland’s Pirates of the Caribbean), Farmhouse at Roger’s Gardens in Newport (you can dine in Disneyland’s original Bandstand) or Selanne Steak Tavern in Laguna (a home built in 1934 that made the Michelin Guide).
If Napa Rose was remodeled into the style of the new lounge, I’d make the case that it’s a good choice, if not an improvement. (I’m assuming that “dark wood in a variant of the Craftman style” is what it is and not just “Artist Portrayal of light woods after dark.) It is not.
Also, I’ll just echo what Tom said: “A replacement for Steakhouse 55 is still needed, and we have it on good authority that the DLH rooms are getting a top-to-bottom refurbishment within the next year. Both of those projects are arguably more pressing than anything here.” No argument here!
The new design of Napa Rose leaves me totally, monochromatically bored….the modern approach did it again. Did they have to lose the tablecloths? I guess they’re not modern enough.
I agree, I normally am on board with Disney’s recent restaurant/store interior refreshes and frequently what they’re updating does look extremely dated, but in the case of Napa Rose I prefer it the way it is now to the concept art. Tom said it well re: the timelessness of the Craftsman theme…it’s not that the concept art looks bad, I just like the current look better. You could remove the tablecloths and replace the chairs and it would look good to me.
The carpet can go too…
I agree, I normally am on board with Disney’s recent restaurant/store interior refreshes and frequently what they’re updating does look extremely dated, but in the case of Napa Rose I prefer it the way it is now to the concept art. Tom said it well re: the timelessness of the Craftsman theme…it’s not that the concept art looks bad, I just like the current look better. You could remove the tablecloths and replace the chairs and it would look good to me.
I hear what you’re saying, but I think it may also be hard to judge the final product on a single rendering. What I can judge is my experience at Napa Rose in September 2024, which was… fine. I did think at that time that the carpet was outdated/worn, and while I understand the mural has fans, that particular mural reminded me of (forgive me) the Olive Garden. The food was good but not great, the service felt a bit distracted but kind enough and certainly wine-knowledgeable (as you’d expect). Happily, our pre-dinner cocktail and those wine pairings were excellent, and the highlights of our visit. For $300/person, my dining partner and I both deemed it an experience we needn’t do again. The updates here though, and perhaps whatever new menu they land on, might be enough for another shot.
Meanwhile, Steakhouse 55…
Exactly….it WAS the only restaurant at the DLH where you could get a decent, non-character, and quiet meal and the ONLY restaurant where you got a non-character breakfast.
I’d love to read the entire article, but with all the ads flying at me from every direction and pop ups covering the text, my phone blows up with tedium. I just don’t have the time nor patience to deal with this nonsense.
I hope it’s not out of place for me to suggest getting rid of any advertisement with movement (extremely annoying), even if there are more ads overall.
Jeff – this is pretty arrogant. Feedback is one thing, but your condescension and rudeness are certainly not that.
Do you understand how the creator economy works? I’m pretty sure you don’t pay a subscription fee to visit this site and read, enjoy, benefit from Tom and Sarah’s content, so short of that, exactly how do you recommend these fine people sustain a living doing us all a solid and sharing this outstanding content, their expertise and POV?
If this blog doesn’t suit your requirements, cool. But this is not an airport, departures need not be announced, and there’s no need for such a comment to begin with. Adios!
Agreed. Ad Blocker is your friend.
Tom – Do we know which themed suite we’ll be losing at the Disneyland Hotel? Though I’ve never stayed in one, that strikes me as sad – though I know which one I think I’d like to see go if it must be.
I believe it’s the Fairy Tale Suite. I haven’t been inside that one, but based on the photos I’ve seen, nothing of value is being lost.
There are other suites on that floor that are awesome and (hopefully) are not impacted by this.
We stayed at the Grand Californian 5 times in the last 18 months, and, at least in my experience, saying some of the rooms are showing a bit of wear and tear is much too generous. To be clear, I’m not criticizing the style. The hotel is gorgeous and you’re absolutely correct when you say people who don’t like the Arts & Crafts style should chose another hotel. What I’m criticizing is the condition of the rooms. The condition of the carpet in every room ranged from bad to awful and the shower stalls were another serious issue with poorly cleaned and maintained grout and fixtures that had seen better days. Also, in 2 of the 5 rooms, at least one of the sconces by the beds were broken. Ultimately, while the hotel is beautiful, the current condition of the rooms is not commensurate with the cost.
Thanks Tom! What do you think the location of the Grand Cal concierge lounge will be?
Agree with mixed feelings on Napa Rose enhancements. I also love the craftsman style resorts (Grand Californian and Wilderness Lodge) and am puzzled that others may find it dated. I guess it remains to be seen how Napa Rose looks in the end, but the outdoor patio enhancements seem like they will be well received, in particular the two fire features.