So, like a lot of folks here, I don't think a simple fix will save Pixar Pier. It fell victim to that weird in-between state that has caught California Adventure, when it started out as trying to be all about California (in this case, it used to be part of Paradise Gardens and was supposed to be akin to boardwalk parks like Santa Monica Pier) but got caught in the gears of park reinvention through just slapping IPs in. A simple fix won't work. You need to start from the ground up. So, let's go back to my Disney's Vacation Adventure idea.
I looked at the lands through the lens of different vacation idea: road trips (Cars Land), wilderness retreats (Grizzly Peak), those sorts of things. Well, the idea of an old-fashioned amusement park is covered well enough by Paradise Gardens Park, so the boardwalk approach just feels like retreading. Well, why not lean into a different vacation idea for this new Pixar-inspired land: a seaside town playing host to a cruise ship?
Get ready to set sail for fun, as your favorite Pixar characters have pulled into port for a day of play and excitement! This seaside town is playing host to all kinds of delightful adventures, from fun carnival games hosted by the Toy Story crew to a thrilling superhero adventure with the Incredibles. Of course, waiting at the dock is the luxurious S. S. Luxo Jr. , an exploratory play space themed to a luxury cruise ship that's filled with Pixar references from stem to stern!