Disneyland Hotel Harnesses the Wild West

May 28, 2012

Where: After a multimillion-dollar renovation, the Disneyland Hotel, in Anaheim, Calif., has undergone a monumental upgrade with a new pool that is more reminiscent of a mini waterpark, renovated rooms that offer more convenience for families and multigenerational groups and a new Signature Suite — the Big Thunder Suite.

Guestrooms: While newly renovated rooms offer a more modern decor and updated amenities, for those who want to splurge for a special occasion, a theme suite is the way to go. There are five Signature Suites at the hotel — the Pirates of the Caribbean Suite, the Mickey Mouse Penthouse, the Fairy Tale Suite, the Adventure Land Suite and, the newest among them, the Big Thunder Suite, which utilizes the theme of Frontier Land’s most infamous ride, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. The 1,400-square-foot, two-bedroom suite harkens back to the Gold Rush era and features old-fashioned toilets, a copper soaking tub and Wild West decor throughout.

Fun for Kids: The fun starts from the moment the doorbell sounds. As guests walk into the entryway, which is decorated like an abandoned mine shaft, they hear the sounds of howling wolves and the rumbling of a runaway train. A button on the wall can be pushed to trigger sounds from the ride. The theme is taken through every room. Over the bar hangs a “living portrait” of a miner that constantly changes throughout the day. My kids got a kick out of the old-fashioned toilets — there was a different one in each of the three bathrooms.

Hot Tip: Stays in the theme suites include access to the E-Ticket Lounge. Here you can get all kinds of amenities including a continental breakfast, an evening wine and cheese reception and fireworks viewing. We ate breakfast, lunch and dinner there one day. The lounge also provides comfortable seating areas, board games, DVDs to check out, newspapers and Internet as well as computer access.