Disneyland’s New President Wants More Intimate Moments as Perk For Hotel Guests

We caught up with Disneyland’s new president in an exclusive Mickey Visit interview where we talked about her time living at the resort hotels for five weeks when she first got on the job. She highlighted one of the strengths of the international resorts that she ran before coming into this position and said that it could be an area of growth for Disneyland in California.

She shared a couple of unique international offerings as examples of things that she could see wanting to integrate here. Previously, we also shared the new president’s perspective on expansion at Disneyland, her favorite foods at the resort, and improvements to the security and arrival experience. Mickey Visit brings you the latest Disney news and planning resources, including Disney World making a celebrity narrator addition for its EPCOT Candlelight Processional, and Disneyland changing a top ride to reduce unplanned closures, add improved effects, and increase capacity.

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Disneyland Intimate Experience Moments Resorts

Before becoming President of Disneyland earlier this year, Jill Estorino managed the international theme parks and previously ran sales and marketing for the entire Disney theme parks division. In the international role, she managed expansion at all destinations across Europe and Asia, including Disneyland Paris, Hong Kong Disneyland, Shanghai Disney Resort, and Tokyo Disney Resort.

On a previous panel, we heard Estorino speak about what she learned working and living internationally. We shared that here. During part of my recent exclusive Mickey Visit interview with Estorino, I complimented the international Disney resorts and asked her about what she liked best about the international Disney resort hotels and how they might influence the hotels in California.

She mentioned that there was a type of quiet at the international resort hotels that allows for more intimate experiences. She expressed wanting to bring more special quiet Disney moments to the Disneyland Resort Hotels in California.

Here’s the full exchange:

Gavin Doyle: I had a great experience at the Explorers Lodge in Hong Kong when I went for the 1st time last year, and I know how much those parks mean to you. So I’m, and by the way, I’ll say that, I think that might be one of the best breakfasts I’ve ever had is the buffet at the Explorers Lodge. And, I mean, there’s, so from international, what learnings do you feel like, kind of even separate from Disneyland, but tied in, obviously, the resorts, are you bringing with you in the resorts section? Because you were over so many different hotels serving different guests.

Jill Estorino: I am a big fan of Hong Kong Disneyland, since I lived in Hong Kong for several years and lived in the Hong Kong Disneyland hotel for a month before finding my apartment. You know, the Asia hotels in particular, there’s something that happens in the experience that is intimate and surprise and delight. And, I think you have a lot less foot traffic. For some reason, there’s a lot of foot traffic at the Disneyland Hotels [in California], so there’s a lot of noise and people coming in and out of the day.

I’ll give you an example. I love to come out of the [Hong Kong] Disneyland hotel, overlook the lobby, and Mickey or Goofy are teaching Tai Chi in the lobby. And it’s very quiet. It’s like the culture is. The vibration goes down in the hotel, respectfully people are doing Tai Chi and others are watching. But we’re doing it in our Disney way. Another thing I love there is the characters come out, in their pajamas, in the evening, and have a moment with children. They get to take a picture and kind of it’s that last kiss goodnight. These kinds of things, I think, are what parents and families remember just as much as the big attraction or the show. And I think hotels allow us the opportunity to have those really quiet special Disney moments with our guests. And I’d love to see us do more of that.

Doyle: That’s great. And coming from a stay at Art of Animation at Walt Disney World, where I saw Goofy and Mickey in pajamas, it is being done in other places domestically too.

Estorino: There you go.

Turning to a bit of commentary and context here. Disneyland does currently offer some unique character experiences at the resort hotels.

The Pixar Place Hotel in particular has leaned into unique characters. Bing-Bong from Inside Out hangs out throughout the hotel, Joe Gardner from Soul plays the piano, and other special characters rotate through. Recently, I have seen Bing-Bong just popping around and entertaining guests. Having the character presence there is a wonderful addition that was a great improvement to that hotel.

I ran into the high foot traffic that Estorino referenced earlier this year impacting one of these character experiences that seemingly would’ve been an intimate moment for Disneyland Resort Hotel guests.

Earlier this year, WALL-E and EVE were in the Pixar Place Hotel greeting guests during Earth Month. That character greeting was open to any and all guests and went viral on social media. I was staying at the Pixar Place Hotel at the time and was surprised to find that there was an over an hour-long line to meet the characters. The line was filled with both hotel guests and resort guests mixed in.

Perhaps in the future they would make a change here to limit who was enjoying the characters or have a line for hotel guests and a line for standby guests.

The Holidays at the Disneyland Resort also always bring in lots of special activities at the hotels. Offerings include holiday carolers, meetings with Santa Claus, unique food and beverage, and more. These offerings draw in lots of guests from beyond the resort hotel guests. We always recommend that all Disneyland guests visit the Grand Californian and even the Disneyland Hotel too to enjoy the Christmas atmosphere. This is one of our favorite areas during the holidays. It does lead to longer lines and a bustle in the Grand Californian lobby.

There are so many other opportunities for special character experiences at the parks. I have personally enjoyed the Tai Chi at the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel. It is an amazing, peaceful moment. There is a special quiet magic to it that is different than seeing the characters in the park. In fact, I noted it as one of the 18 reasons that the park is a Disney hidden gem.

Walt Disney World has delivered this same special magic for resort hotel guests. It is ongoing throughout the year there and ramped up even more during the popular Cool Kids’ Summer offerings.

All of the hotels at Disneyland are so interconnected with the theme park experience. This is different than most of the international destinations. Some international hotels require a key card for entry. For instance the Disneyland Hotel in Paris leans into character experiences in the lobby, but also requires guests to have a hotel keycard for that hotel to enter. Walt Disney World has also now started to restrict guests from using hotel transportation from Disney Springs who are not resort guests. At Walt Disney World, though, the restriction is for non-resort guests. At Disneyland Paris, it is specific to that hotel.

We wonder if Disney would ever take this approach to the resort hotels at Disneyland. In particular, Disney’s Grand Californian is the resort that is the most impacted by non-hotel guests coming in and out of the lobby and the restaurants there.

I don’t know if it would be the right decision to shut that all down, but that is what would allow for these character experiences and a more relaxed resort atmosphere. It would also likely impact revenue at restaurants at the resort because so many are popping out from the parks to eat at the different establishments here. For that reason and the reality of the layout of the resort, we don’t anticipate a full lockdown.

Previously, Disney made a change to one of the key resort perks at the beginning of the year. They removed theme park early entry and added one Lightning Lane for the length of the stay for all hotel guests.

What would you like to see Disney change for the resort perks offered? What other intimate experiences would you like to see for guests?

The top photo caption and credit – Disneyland Resort President Jill Estorino meets Bing Bong at Pixar Place Hotel at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Calif., during a stay on April 18, 2026. (Photo Courtesy of Jill Estorino)

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