Disney's Hotel Santa Fe refurbishment — New "Cars" touches

Kristof · July 30, 2010, 07:07:08 AM

A Belgian theme park fansite posted on their Twitter yesterday (without sources) about a new Disney-Pixar's Cars theme for Disney's Hotel Santa Fe.

Even if you find that hard to believe, like I did, check out these photos found on Disney Central Plaza, posted by Normand50.

Thoughts?

norhel · July 30, 2010, 08:25:50 AM

If they are only changing the pictures on the wall in the rooms, personally I've wouldn't call it re-theming. I think that changing pictures is something every hotel do now and then. For me, re-theming is to change wallpapers, layout of the rooms, upgrading facility's etc.

Soap · July 30, 2010, 09:19:26 AM

Hmmmm...... :-k
I don't know, i like the Hotel themes as they are, it don't have to be all about the characters imho.
So for me the Cars intro to SF isn't a thing we need or they should do.....

On the otherside, the Cars theme does fit the Mexican/dessert/route66 style of SF, so it's possible.....

QueenEm · July 30, 2010, 09:22:19 AM

I can see the sparseness of santa fe easily translating into radiator springs. Maybe it doesn't need to be themed to a specific movie, but it does need more TLC than the other hotels, no question.

Anthony · July 30, 2010, 06:35:25 PM

Not the worst idea ever, but potentially quite bad for the coherence of DLP's wonderful set of hotels. They currently all have such distinct, well-defined themes; so organic and free of corporate branding. Disney but not too Disney -- enough of a break from a day in the parks, but completely escapist at the same time. Having said that, Santa Fe is without doubt the weakest (and often bleakest) of the lot, lacking in warmth with all those endless car park spaces and discoloured concrete blocks. Maybe giving it a little refresh, a little taste of Cars Land would be a smart move.

If we're talking rethemeing, I'd prefer if it was just one of the five "trails", keeping most of the hotel's original, pure theme intact. Or even better: build a new set of buildings, a kind of Admiral's Floor sub-hotel, a real Cozy Cone motel within the property. There's plenty of space and I'm sure the demand is there for more rooms, rather than just lightly rethemed, probably higher-priced existing rooms, ultimately pushing people down the ladder into non-Disney hotels.

But then maybe we're just talking about DLP changing a few picture frames to say "hey kids, it's a bit - but not really - like where Cars is set!". Maybe Cars is just replacing the almost unknown tie-in characters from "The Three Caballeros" and "Saludos Amigos" they used to use in brochure pages.

DisneylandParisFan · July 30, 2010, 08:46:33 PM

They could just be improving the hotel in simpler ways like adding a new playground with a cars theme or making a cars themed restaurant or cafe inspired by Flo's. Whatever they do, I think it will really improve the hotel.

-breeno- · July 30, 2010, 08:49:34 PM

Quote from: "Anthony"But then maybe we're just talking about DLP changing a few picture frames to say "hey kids, it's a bit - but not really - like where Cars is set!". Maybe Cars is just replacing the almost unknown tie-in characters from "The Three Caballeros" and "Saludos Amigos" they used to use in brochure pages.

That I wouldn't mind at all, but an entire retheme of the hotel I would mind.

Like said Santa Fe is the weakest hotel out of the 7 especially in the theming but it just has something I love from it. Turning the area into Radiator Springs would be a horrible idea in my eyes for two reasons mainly. 1, because it would be yet another Pixar addition to the park (I may be a supporter of TSPL and looking forward to Ratatouille but I think the line should be drawn after them, no more Pixar elements for a while) and more importantly 2, because it would kill off the special theming that all the hotels share of different areas throughout America. If they're going to give Santa Fe a Cars theme then they might as well turn Cheyenne into Woody's Roundup Hotel, and Disneyland Hotel into a princess dream mansion. Although the more I think about it the more I think it is just going to be a matter of changing the pictures.

One last thing entered my mind, if Santa Fe get's an all round Cars retheme, would it mean that Cars billboard we saw on Studio 1 will replace the Clint Eastwood one? Now that's a scary thought :shock:

RnRCj · July 30, 2010, 09:48:48 PM

Quote from: "-breeno-"One last thing entered my mind, if Santa Fe get's an all round Cars retheme, would it mean that Cars billboard we saw on Studio 1 will replace the Clint Eastwood one? Now that's a scary thought :shock:

I had the exact same thought. :lol:

For me, as long as it's only the pictures that are changing I don't mind. If they did retheme the whole hotel to Cars it would bother me, but I doubt that'll happen. I don't see how it would benefit the resort in any way.

pussinboots · July 30, 2010, 11:28:14 PM

"Cars" and hotels simply don't mix... Contrary to what Disney seems to think these days, Pixar-fare isn't nearly as versatile as their older movies, certainly not with the unsubtle ways in which they implement it. I think it's a very bad idea. Even if it's just those picture frames.

Yes, Santa Fe is the weak link in the chain of Disney hotels, but how stupidly simple of an answer is it to just throw some Pixar on it? For pete's sake, the place already has a theme, it just runs a little thin here and there. If they can't work with a theme as easy as (New) Mexico, all hope is lost.

tubbsy · July 31, 2010, 08:06:43 AM

Quote from: "-breeno-"... it would kill off the special theming that all the hotels share of different areas throughout America. If they're going to give Santa Fe a Cars theme then they might as well turn Cheyenne into Woody's Roundup Hotel, and Disneyland Hotel into a princess dream mansion. Although the more I think about it the more I think it is just going to be a matter of changing the pictures.

One last thing entered my mind, if Santa Fe get's an all round Cars retheme, would it mean that Cars billboard we saw on Studio 1 will replace the Clint Eastwood one? Now that's a scary thought :shock:

that was my thoughts. If they're going to do one are they going to do all the others? If they're not then Santa Fe would be a t a juxtaposition to the others. Oh and the billboard! Not the billboard! :shock: :lol:

Quote from: "Anthony"If we're talking rethemeing, I'd prefer if it was just one of the five "trails", keeping most of the hotel's original, pure theme intact. Or even better: build a new set of buildings, a kind of Admiral's Floor sub-hotel, a real Cozy Cone motel within the property. There's plenty of space and I'm sure the demand is there for more rooms, rather than just lightly rethemed, probably higher-priced existing rooms, ultimately pushing people down the ladder into non-Disney hotels.

That I can see, but what extras would the Cozy Cones get?

mattboywonder · July 31, 2010, 10:13:50 AM

Well, the Santa Fe does have the Route 66 map running along the outside wall and though Radiator Springs isn't specified as being in a particular US state, it does fit very well with New Mexico (where the actual town of Santa Fe is) and Route 66 did travel through Santa Fe at one point (hence the map on the outside), so its a pretty good idea to put a few "Cars" items around.

dagobert · July 31, 2010, 03:21:09 PM

I don't mind the new pictures, because I don't know which pictures have been on the wall before. BUT I would mind if Disney is going to retheme the whole hotel. We have always enjoyed the Santa Fe hotel and I really hope the hotel stays with the New Mexican theme.

Why does Disney always use characters to retheme or desingn something new. I really miss the 90ies when WDI created new things that aren't Disney related in the first place.

I really hope that if Disney is going to build a new hotel, that it will have an American theme like the current ones. In my opinion the Hollywood Hotel at HKDL would fit perfectly.

pussinboots · July 31, 2010, 03:52:23 PM

I'm reminded of one of David Mitchell's rants about modern TV being afraid of references in children's television... It may come as a surprise, but children still respond to things they haven't already heard of. You don't need to dangle pictures of Buzz Lightyear and Hannah Montana in front of their faces, they are perfectly able to see new things and generate excitement for that.

Besides, the hotels should also present a bit of peace away from all that high-powered Disney of the parks. It's not a bad thing that there aren't Disney characters plastered all over your bedsheets, the wallpaper, the carpet... Disney hotels present a lightly themed environment broad enough for you to unleash your own imagination onto, and that's a wonderful thing. I'm really not looking forward to waking up in the Radiator Springs Hotel.

Riebi · July 31, 2010, 07:13:52 PM

That´s a very bad idea. The disney hotels have already a theme. Every hotel its own and every hotel could stand out without any movie relations. What´s next? Brother bear hotel = SL, Woody´sRounduphotel = Cheyenne? Tinkerbells Fairy Friends = Disneyland Hotel, Finding Nemos Sea Bed Hotel = NPBC??? Come on! The spirit of disney hotels isn´t a movie theme. It´s pure imagineering. Another world. But not a simple movie.

Aveen2008 · July 31, 2010, 10:23:08 PM

In some ways I think this would be a good idea because it doesn't take much of a stretch of the imagination to see how Cars/radiator springs and the look of the santa fe kind of match with their desert type atmosphere.

I wouldn't like an overpowering cars theme but a few sutble changes may be fine. But it would seem weird to have one hotel with a character/movie theme and the others without it and vice versa.

The santa fe could definately use a few small improvements though, e.g. having lifts in the buildings with 2 or more floors so that you dont have to hawk heavy luggage up flights of stairs :roll: