Disneyland Hotel

On a recent trip, my family and I checked into a one-bedroom suite at the hotel. Our kids flipped when they saw the model of Frontierland in the lobby, and it became a regular stop every evening. The suite came equipped with separate living and sleeping areas, enabling my wife and I to have some privacy from our boys. The spacious living area came with a sofa sleeper big enough for the two little guys (it actually fit two adults and one child during Aladdin movie night).

Huge floor-to-ceiling windows and an attached balcony provided panoramic views of the Disneyland parks and Downtown Disney area, which was particularly advantageous for both the evening fireworks over the castle as well as the light show in California Adventure. You can tune the television to the show and have the music and sound pumped into your room.

The kitchenette had a wet bar and mini-fridge which kept our younger son's milk fresh. In the living area, a large desk with a connectivity panel made keeping up with work very convenient. When nighttime came, we fell asleep with our view of the property and the gentle lights of our Sleeping Beauty headboard, which lit up with fiber-optic fireworks.

Disneyland Hotel is also home to five Signature Suites, one-of-a-kind experiences you can't find anywhere else. Peek inside with pictures of each:

• Adventureland Suite
• Pirates of the Caribbean Suite
• Fairy Tale Suite
• Big Thunder Suite
• Mickey Mouse Penthouse

The property has a number of dining options, including Steakhouse 55, serving prime steaks and seafood, and Goofy's Kitchen, a buffet-style restaurant open for breakfast and dinner. We grabbed dinner one night at Tangaroa Terrace, a casual dining venue that also offers grab-and-go food. You type your selection in the kiosk and the kitchen pops out the order a few minutes later. We had spicy tuna rolls, cheeseburgers and Island fish and chips (panko-crusted mahi mahi with sweet potato fries and a lime tartar sauce for dipping). The fish was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside with the lime tartar sauce providing a perfect accent to the flavor of the fish.

We came back the next day and bellied up to the bar at Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Room. Guests can choose from among a bevy of specialty tropical drinks and initiate strange happenings in the bar based on their choice. I ordered the Krakatoa Punch made with light and dark rums, orange curacao, agave nectar, lime juice and more. As I sipped this fruity concoction, the lights dimmed and a low rumbling began in the background as the volcano on the wall began to erupt. My father-in-law later ordered a Shipwreck and the miniature ship in the bottle behind the bar began to collapse. One gentleman sitting at the bar began to slowly drop a few feet as his barstool began declining. He wondered about twenty minutes later if the drinks were stronger than he realized, or was he really looking up at his date from the floor? It made for a lot of fun, and the drinks were cool and refreshing as well.

The hotel recently renovated the pool area, making it a great place to relax and kick back. Guests can sit out by the partially shaded pool and enjoy a refreshing dip. Two new slides designed to resemble like Disney monorails up the fun factor for sure, and a Minnie Mouse hot tub provides a soothing escape from the cool California breeze. If you want to warm up a little more, a fire pit crackles and snaps in the middle of an outdoor seating area.

We upgraded to the concierge lounge which was in the Adventureland Tower, with a view of Downtown Disney. The lounge, called the E-Ticket Club, is open daily for select guests and provides continental breakfast, sodas, snacks, fresh fruit and an evening wine and cheese reception. We really appreciated the lounge after a long day in the parks. There's nothing like some cabernet and Roquefort to take the edge off a theme park day. Guests can also rent DVDs for in-room use (Disney movie galore) in the E-Ticket Club.