Disney Sequoia Lodge will obtain a serious resort reimagining within the coming years, as a part of the continued $2 billion euro funding into increasing, modernizing and enhancing Disneyland Paris. This put up shares dates & particulars, idea artwork for the redone rooms & new-look widespread areas, plus commentary in regards to the modifications coming to one in every of our favourite Disney accommodations on this planet.
The modernization of the accommodations at Disneyland Paris has been a piece in progress for over a decade, as a number of of the resorts had been caught of their 1992 states till lately. This initiative started a number of years in the past with Sequoia Lodge, which was the place we stayed throughout our first journey to Disneyland Paris again in 2012. Our room was “new” at that time, with the mission simply having wrapped up.
This mission continued with an much more bold high to backside overhaul of Newport Bay Membership Resort, which we stayed at and reviewed after that was accomplished. Moreover, Automobiles characters have been added to Disney’s Resort Santa Fe throughout its refurbishment, with an identical strategy taken so as to add Toy Story within the new visitor rooms and public areas at Disney’s Resort Cheyenne. Nonetheless, these tasks have been minor as in comparison with the subsequent two tasks.
The primary bold instance of this transformation plan got here with Disney’s Resort New York — The Artwork of Marvel, which reopened in 2021 after closing for its reimagining. That is the primary Disney resort on this planet celebrating the Artwork of Marvel, the place company can uncover greater than 350 Marvel artwork items from 110 artists around the globe, meet with one in every of their favourite Tremendous Heroes and even dine in an environment impressed by Marvel comics and films.
Following that, the flagship 5-star Disneyland Resort at Disneyland Paris underwent an in depth top-to-bottom overhaul for 3 years, and at last emerged from the reimagining early final yr. Each centimeter of the inside was reimagined, from the spectacular grand foyer to the rooms and suites to the eating places, to supply company a brand new luxurious idea interwoven with beloved regal Disney characters and princesses. The result’s that Disneyland Resort is now Victorian and trendy without delay, in ways in which each do and don’t work. (On the plus facet, it now not feels dated in any method.)
On its thirty third Anniversary (April 12, 2025), Disneyland Paris revealed that issues are coming full circle, and the subsequent bold transformation is as soon as once more Disney Sequoia Lodge, and its 1,010 rooms.
Nestled on the shore of Lake Disney, in a pure setting stuffed with pine timber and sequoias, this iconic resort impressed by lodges in American Nationwide Parks. As soon as remodeled, Disney Sequoia Lodge will change into a novel getaway celebrating nature alongside forest animals from the Disney animated movies.
Beginning in 2026, main refurbishment work might be carried out to boost and elevate the expertise supplied at Disney Sequoia Lodge. The development might be performed rigorously to protect the resort’s wood décor together with its genuine and heat environment that company have cherished since 1992. The construction of inside areas might be reimagined from ground to ceiling, paving the way in which for a contemporary look of characterised by better brightness and a contact of modernity.
The design pays homage to the fantastic thing about nature to the subsequent degree whereas taking inspiration from the forests following the custom began by Walt Disney and his staff of animators. Each area, from the rooms to the foyer, in addition to the buying and eating areas, might be reinvented as an ode to wildlife, providing the right setting to unwind and let one’s thoughts wander.
This transformation may also be marked by the resort’s theming of panorama and forest animals: the nods to the basic Disney Animation movie Bambi that may be presently present in rooms will evolve in the direction of a broader theme that can have fun a lot of Disney characters from basic and up to date films from the forest.
These animals might be subtly included into the totally different experiences supplied on the resort in a thoughtfully artistic strategy. Respect for nature and sustainability may also be mirrored within the development supplies, which have been rigorously chosen to attenuate the environmental impression of the Disney Sequoia Lodge refurbishment work.
Disney Sequoia Lodge will stay open throughout the refurbishment work, which is able to begin in 2026 and might be carried out in phases.
Within the meantime, the transformation of the accommodations at Disneyland Paris continues at Disney Davy Crockett Ranch, the place bungalows are steadily being changed with a brand new theme to supply a contemporary and cozy expertise for company.
Disney Davy Crockett Ranch will proceed to be a haven of peace within the coronary heart of a pure setting ideally situated a couple of minutes drive away from Disney Parks. Inside decorations might be impressed by the adventures of beloved Disney characters, equivalent to Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, along with the Junior Woodchucks.
The primary set of recent bungalows at Disney Davy Crockett Ranch might be accessible for reserving beginning June 12, for stays starting after Summer season 2025.
When it comes to commentary, we’ve by no means stayed at Disney Davy Crockett Ranch and even visited, so I’ve no opinion on that. We thought-about it as soon as (over a decade in the past), however after listening to horror tales from associates and studying stories on-line, opted towards it. I can’t touch upon their veracity, or assess whether or not this can be a good or unhealthy replace.
Turning to Sequoia Lodge, I’m cautiously optimistic. That is a completely gorgeous property, with stunning structure that borrows from (as famous) American Nationwide Park Lodges. What Disneyland Paris neglects to say is that its unique designer, French architect Antoine Grumbach, additionally drew from Frank Lloyd Wright’s Prairie Model for a extra trendy model than Disney’s different lodges around the globe. So extra modernity may work right here–as Sequoia Lodge was all the time meant to be extra trendy than its counterparts!
Sequoia Lodge is de facto distinct from and underrated as in comparison with the opposite Disney lodges in consequence. Actually, they’re all very totally different to astute observers. Wilderness Lodge attracts closely from the Pacific Northwest, and is probably the most Nationwide Parks Lodge impressed and “rustic” of the bunch.
The Grand Californian is extra upscale, having Nationwide Park Lodge scale however extra straight drawing from exemplars of California Craftsman structure from close by Pasadena. Explorers Lodge at Hong Kong Disneyland is extra whimsical, drawing inspiration from the opposite lodges whereas additionally including distinctly Disney stylization.
Like a lot of Disneyland Paris, Sequoia Lodge was designed with meticulous consideration to element that places it a league above its counterparts. Nonetheless (you knew that was coming, proper?), additionally as with all issues Disneyland Paris, upkeep and updates have been a nagging challenge over time. Inside a pair years of our first keep there, it felt like time had already handed by the refurbished resort. And that was a decade in the past! Immediately, it feels woefully dated, particularly as contrasted with the extra recently-redone properties.
There’s the potential for greatness with the Sequoia Lodge transformation. Leaning into the modernity of the structure and alluring extra of the outside inside could be sensible selections. Sequoia Lodge is surrounded by a thick forest of pine, cedar and sequoia timber that have been imported from the West Coast of america and Canada. Reaching the “better brightness” by giving company extra views of these beautiful timber could be very a lot within the spirit of the resort–and the actual world accommodations and homes that impressed it.
However, stripping away the thematic components and repainting massive expanses of the inside white wouldn’t. That’s my worry. That the “contact of modernity” right here received’t be letting the unique structure and design shine by means of, or enhancing that. However slightly, that it’ll be generifying the within, chasing present traits, and attempting to rework Sequoia Lodge into one thing it isn’t.
There may be room for enchancment with Sequoia Lodge, and I’m heartened that Disneyland Paris acknowledges the vital of preserving what company love about this resort. I’m nonetheless involved these are hole phrases, they usually’ll try to make it fashionable and splendid in an try to cater to company who don’t admire the structure and need one thing “much less rustic.” As with company who complain about the identical at Wilderness Lodge, they need to merely keep elsewhere. If company are too silly to comprehend what a resort with “lodge” within the title will supply thematically, that’s on them.
Past that, I’m optimistic in regards to the new rooms. Whereas the one piece of idea artwork is admittedly a bit imprecise, the outdated rooms have been nothing particular. They positively felt like Nationwide Park Lodges at which I’ve stayed, however solely within the sense that these are normally additionally fairly dated. Right here’s the place I’m nice with a bit extra luxuriousness.
Company pay some huge cash to remain at Disney Sequoia Lodge, and the visitor rooms ought to mirror as a lot. Threading the needle between U.S. Nationwide Park Lodge and modernity is a troublesome one, and the top end result will undoubtedly skew too far within the latter course for some followers. That’s merely the character of the beast. To me not less than, it’s completely nice to make these extra luxurious, add animal mental property, and extra thematically-appropriate design.
Truthfully, these rooms have nowhere to go however up. These rooms have all the time been a disappointment as in comparison with the opposite lodges at Walt Disney World and Disneyland, and that’s doubly true after current redesigns on the home resorts. (I’d add that Imagineering has finished a incredible job on the DVC facet on the subject of refreshing the lodge rooms.)
We’ve been impressed with the opposite room redesigns at Disneyland Paris, with Newport Bay specifically being a pleasant improve that provides extra consolation, trendy facilities, and Disney design thrives. The one quibble we had there, which we’ve seen with different rooms at Disneyland Paris, is that they already had a variety of put on and tear. Hopefully, Imagineering chooses extra strong supplies for this mission, and the top result’s that Sequoia Lodge continues to be a thematic exemplar whereas additionally having nicer and extra modern visitor rooms.
For the fundamentals of planning a go to to Disneyland Paris, take a look at our Disneyland Paris Journey Planning Information. Discover the perfect place to remain in Disneyland Paris Resort Opinions. Take a look at 101 Disneyland Paris Ideas for some (101, to be actual) of our greatest random ideas for doing DLP like a professional. See Disney Park Tickets Ideas & Methods for tactics to avoid wasting on tickets. For the place to eat, take a look at our Disneyland Restaurant Opinions. For distinctive concepts of issues that’ll enhance your journey, take a look at What to Pack for Disney. Lastly, for recommendation past Disney, take a look at our Final Journey Information to Paris, France.
YOUR THOUGHTS
What’s your tackle the announcement that Disneyland Paris will reimagine Sequoia Lodge subsequent? Involved about cartoon animals being infused into the U.S. Nationwide Parks Lodge impressed resort? Suppose Imagineers will do an excellent job of balancing modernity with the unique structure and spirit of Sequoia Lodge? Do you agree with our evaluation that the rooms have been actually drained? Another ideas about this information? Any questions? Listening to your suggestions about your experiences is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas or questions beneath within the feedback!