Hi there Bill,
Welcome back to planDisney and thanks so much for this question! First, it looks like you'll be back at the Happiest Place on Earth in just a few short days - how exciting!
Second, I love this question, because it sounds like you may be referring to what I call the "super secret" entrance to
Disney California Adventure Park that gets you into Pixar Pier near
Seaside Souvenirs and
Corn Dog Castle. This is my favorite entrance to the parks when staying at one of the
hotels of the Disneyland Resort - mostly because it makes me feel like a VIP.
You will need your Pixar Place Hotel keycard, so if your room has not been made available yet then you may not be able to utilize this entrance until you get your hotel keycard or until the option for your mobile keycard in the Disneyland Resort mobile app becomes available.
To find the entrance, you'll want to exit the
Pixar Place Hotel and follow Disneyland Drive toward Paradise Way. Cross at the intersection toward
Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa and walk up the sidewalk like you're going to head up to the entrance of this hotel. However, when you get to the gate in front of you (alongside the driveway up to the entrance), you'll want to turn right and enter the gate here instead. Look for a sign at this gate on the right that says it's for Guests of Pixar Place Hotel to confirm you're headed in the right direction.
It's at this gate that you'll need to scan your hotel keycard to enter. Once you've done that, you'll follow the sidewalk around the side of Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa until you get to the "super secret" entry gate into Disney California Adventure Park. You can also exit out of this gate as well for a quick walk back to your hotel.
Thanks again for your question, Bill! I hope you have a fantastic trip to the Disneyland Resort.
Have a Magical Day,
Greg