In 1948, Walt Disney built a home in Palm Springs’ Smoke Tree Ranch and, while he was forced to sell it to make a down payment on building Disneyland, a part of him always remained in that California desert. Now, in 2025, the company he co-founded has begun a new chapter in the nearby Rancho Mirage with Cotino, its first Storyliving by Disney Community.
We were invited to the grand opening of Cotino’s Artisan Club to not only get a sense of what this new neighborhood actually is, but also to walk through the doors of an event space that was designed by Walt Disney Imagineering as a recreation of Incredibles 2’s Parr House. It truly felt as though you were walking into the world of the Pixar classic, and walking through those red doors into the home was a moment I won’t soon forget.
What Is Cotino, A Storyliving by Disney Community?
Cotino, which welcomed its first residents earlier this year, is a very interesting new venture by Disney. It’s a Disney community that is somewhat similar to Walt Disney World’s Golden Oak community, but it’s not what you might think. Mickey isn’t at the front gates welcoming guests, and there aren’t fireworks every night or churro stands on every corner (which admittedly would be kind of amazing), but instead, this is a place infused with “the imagination of Walt Disney Imagineers and managed by Disney Cast members with the simple notion of bringing people together.”
Homes here start from the mid $1 millions, and they welcome residents of all ages, as there is even a dedicated area known as Longtable Park for adults 55 and over. Cotino itself was designed by Walt Disney Imagineering and developed in collaboration with DMB Development, and the three builders – Shea Homes, Woodbridge Pacific Group, and Davidson Communities – offer plenty of floorplans that really focus on the indoor-outdoor living that draws many to the wider Coachella Valley.
We were able to see a few model homes, and what really stood out to me was how open they were and how comfortable it felt to be both outside near the pool and inside the kitchen. And once again, there was very little Disney in these homes, save for the choice to purchase a Minnie Mouse- or Incredibles-themed golf cart and an awesome kids room with bunk beds and a ton of plushies, including Wall-E. Disney enthusiasts can of course choose to add their Disney artwork or memorabilia – and one of the builders even said they could install a custom Mickey-shaped pool if they’d like – but the Disney of it all was not front and center.
What was on prominent display, however, was that level of Disney service guests around the world have come to expect from the company’s theme parks and cruises alongside a deep respect for the area. All that being said, this is a Disney community after all, and that dial of Disney Magic is turned up when you enter the voluntary Artisan Club that is located on the stunning Cotino Bay.
Incredibles 2’s Parr House at Cotino’s Artisan Club Is… Well… Incredible!
One of the purest joys of going to Walt Disney World or Disneyland is entering into the stories we hold closest to our hearts, and that feeling is brought to Cotino’s Artisan Club by the event space that is a recreation of Incredibles 2’s Parr House. This mid-century modern-inspired space was designed by Walt Disney Imagineering with the help of Pixar and built by Davidson Communities, and it’s a six-bedroom retreat that members can host events at or even stay overnight.
As you can see in the video above, they absolutely nailed the feeling and look of the exterior of the home, the living room, and Mr. and Mrs. Incredible’s bedroom. However, we actually didn’t get to see the entire house in Incredibles 2, so the team had some fun and built five bedrooms upstairs that are based off of Violet, Dash, Jack Jack, Edna Mode, and Frozone.
And yes, there are Easter Eggs galore. You can find the Sugar Bombs and Fiber O’s cereal on the kitchen shelf, the Incredible’s family calendar on the wall, Dash’s ‘New Math’ book in his room, and so much more. Furthermore, this space also honors the Coachella Valley in a really special way.
“It’s a really full circle moment because, back during the making of Incredibles 2, Pixar artists actually came out to the Palm Springs region to get inspiration for the film,” said Caleb Wild, Walt Disney Imagineering Senior Architect. “So, when we were trying to come up with an idea for this sort of event space for the Artisan Club, we were like, ‘why not bring it back?’ And the very region that inspired the film? Let’s put that piece of architecture back in the region and bring it to life.”
That inspiration can be traced back to the Mid-Century Modern architecture of the Coachella Valley, which utilizes clean lines and large windows and an almost welcoming of the outside inside. The idea was created to “blend Disney magic and regional authenticity together” and make it a caricature of this style.
Lorenzo Salazar, Walt Disney Imagineering Senior Interior Designer, expanded on this thought a bit shared that he and his team visited those same houses to make sure they got the small details right. Their mission was to ensure this event space didn’t stick out like a sore thumb in the beautiful desert.
