The Dream Suites, part 4, the Pirates of the Caribbean Suite - A 1UP classic from July 21, 2011

Yo ho, yo ho it's the Pirates of the Caribbean Suite for me! This installment of the Disneyland Dream Suites brings us to the last in the series. What has been considered the greatest dark ride ever built has one of the nicest hotel suites even sharing the name. Pressing the doorbell queues up the song from the attraction. Past the heavy wooden doors guests are greeted by a poster from the most recent pirates movie.

The living room is ship shape, pardon the pun. The entire suite is layered with details from both the attraction and movies that shared it's name. A model of the Wicked Wench sits inside a glass case, this was the ship before it was turned into the Black Pearl. Other props, models and replicas from the movies and ride adorn the walls.

There is nothing dainty about the rooms. Wood and iron rule the furnishings just like they did the old ships from legend. A classic pirate map from Disneyland designed by Xavier Atecio, whom served as the voice of the pirate at the start of the ride, as well as the script writer and lyricist for the Pirates and Haunted Mansion attractions was featured in the guest room. Character designs from Marc Davis were also featured in the rooms.

Just like the other rooms in the Dream Suite the bathrooms all tell a story. Take the shower that looks like a bricked archway that could be found in New Orleans.

Each room in the Dream Suite, with the exception of the Mickey Mouse Penthouse, had a view of the newly refurbished courtyard complete with view of Trader Sam's, Tangaroa Terrace, the pool area and water slide.

I consider Adventureland the best of the Dream Suites but visiting each room was a treat in and of itself. I hope that my Disney friends get a chance to spend some time in the park and hopefully even spend time in these rooms. As always if you would like to sponsor me please visit my Patreon page and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!

The Dream Suites, part 3, the Adventureland Suite - A 1UP classic from Jul 14, 2011

Hello friends, we have made it to another Friday and another look at the Disneyland Dream Suites. Today we feature the Adventureland Suite, the one which I consider the best of all the Dream Suites.

Like the other rooms featured thus far there is a unique sound when you press the doorbell. For Adventureland there is a sound of beating war drums. When you open the door there is a short red hallway with masks from around the world lining the walls. This hallway leads right to the living room. The centerpiece for this room are enormous ornamental carved tusks surrounding a vintage globe. Also, like the other rooms featured thus far this room is supported by details helping ground visitors into some exotic far off location. There are paintings, maps, trophies and artifacts mounted on the walls and sitting on tables.

There is a nook layered with comfy pillows recessed into a wall in the living room. A closet hidden behind a faux bookcase is right next to it.

Each room contains a writing desk that is appropriately themed as well. Imagine the artifacts hiding in the drawers of this desk. Plus some of the paintings in the rooms are based on the Disneyland attractions the rooms are themed after. Such as the Jungle Cruise and the Enchanted Tiki Room.

The master bedroom and guest bedrooms were works of art. The master bedroom had a floor of tiles with ornate rugs over it and a fully functional bathtub! Talk about living in the lap of luxury! The guest bedroom was decorated as if it were built inside a tent. The walls and ceiling were covered in canvas and held up by tent posts. The cabinets looked like stacks of steamer trunks and the only element that broke the illusion of roughing it in a lost jungle was a flat screen TV.

As if the bedrooms were not amazing enough, each bathroom was breathtaking. Both had showers but the master bathroom had a sauna big enough to fit four people easy! The sauna was made up of smooth tiny stones. Talk about exotic!

If I ever win the lottery this will be a suite I'd love to spend a week in. What do you think? As always if you would like to sponsor me please visit my Patreon page and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!

The Dream Suites, part 2, the Mickey Mouse Penthouse - A 1UP classic from July 8, 2011

Today brings us another look at the Disneyland Dream Suites. This blog will feature the Mickey Mouse Penthouse.

The colors and themes in this suite are very animated. With lots of pop styling and bright, bold colors symbolic of the iconic character. Forget about searching for "Hidden Mickey's" in this room as even the furniture itself is a nod to the character.

Each room is filled with figures, art and memorabilia celebrating Mickey and Minnie Mouse. Some of the items are rare collector pieces and others are original works of art.

Inspirational quotes from Walt Disney are painted into the walls.

The master bathroom is very classic and luxurious. There is even a television behind the mirror! The guest bathroom is more colorful and playful.

The guest room is themed with kids in mind. In addition to the flat screen television in the room there is also a light table in the room for budding artists and animators. The master bedroom on the other hand is nothing but class. Easily one of the nicest rooms in any Disney hotel. If you ever fall into some big money and want to treat yourself or your family to a weekend stay at Disneyland might I suggest the Mickey Mouse Penthouse? As always if you would like to sponsor me please visit my Patreon page and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!

The Dream Suites, part 1, welcome to Big Thunder - A 1UP classic from July 1, 2011

Hello friends, are you ready to start this long 4th of July weekend? Thankfully I had the previous two days off so I actually get a 5-day-weekend. Which is nice when you have to work 12-hour days. For every Friday in the month of July I’d like to highlight something special from the Disneyland hotel. The hotel is actually three separate towers. Adventure, Frontier and Fantasy are the names of these towers. Inside the Adventure Tower Disney has just completed a massive renovation to the top floors. The resort hosted an event to show off a collection of “Dream Suites.” Today we shall look at the Big Thunder Suite.

Each room has a theme with appropriate signage and effects. For example, each of the rooms that I will be highlighting over the following weeks has a doorbell that plays a different sound. Guests that press the doorbell at Big Thunder will hear a coyote howling in the distance. Right from the get-go the company wants visitors to expect that the suites have the same attention to detail and spirit as the attractions that inspired them.

All of the furniture and architecture in the suites and rooms are appropriate for the theme. Since the Big Thunder suite is based on the mythical western setting from Frontierland then there was plenty of hard wood, petrified wood, suede, leather and stone set into the furniture and counter tops. Each Dream Suite had a main entertainment room, a dining area, kitchenette, bar and master and guest bedroom. Each bedroom had its own bathroom.

Several of the decorations were authentic western and mining materials and the classic phone in the hallway was still functional even!

I think what made each of the suites spectacular were the accompanying bathrooms. The theme for each room carried all the way through. Fixtures, sinks, plumbing and even the bathtub were hammered copper. The sinks were basins, washtubs with hot and cold running water. The shower looked rustic and antiquated but that was a cover for the modern shower heads and extending shower wand.

As I stated previously, each suite had a master and guest bedroom. For the most part the guest bedroom was modestly themed while the master bedroom went all-out for guests. Classic Disney photographs, posters, blueprints and concept sketches were framed and placed throughout each suite.

It was truly an honor to get a chance to visit each room and document the work that went into each Dream Suite. In case you are wondering each room in the Dream Suite series runs about $3700 a night! I anticipate these rooms are more likely to be rented by companies for parties or when they want to impress clients. I don’t know how many mega-rich people are die-hard fan enough of the park to fork over that kind of money on a consistent basis. Hopefully the hotel is looking for volunteers to try out the room for a night. I know I wouldn’t mind spending more time in any of the suites. As always if you would like to sponsor me please visit my Patreon page and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!