Touring Disneyland’s Dream Suite- The Ultimate Goodnight Kiss

Ahhh, the sweet goodnight kiss.  It fills you with an inner warmth, and presses a memory into your heart.  It is sometimes expected and anticipated (a la the Disneyland Hotel’s Kiss Goodnight),

but oft times catches you off guard, without a planned response.  And so it was at the recent Meet-Up and Fly Away at the Disneyland Resort.  Having participated in runDisney’s Wine & Dine Meet Up and Eat Up, I was elated to be once again running with and learning from guru Jeff Galloway, and ecstatic to find that my first run through a Disney Castle would be such a grand and solitary experience:

But never, in any wild dream upon a star, did I imagine that we would also be treated to a true, once in a lifetime Disney adventure.  When runDisney Public Relations Manager Robert Hitchcock announced that our group of 40 or so Tinker Bell Half Weekend runners would be touring the Disneyland Dream Suite as the finale to our Meet-Up, the group was incredulous.  This was a “money can’t buy”, strictly limited access experience!  Por moi?!

Disneyland historians will know the score.  The Disney family apartment, situated above the Disneyland Main Street Fire Station, was the Disney’s home in the Park.  (Have you read Disney Donna Kay’s very tender and informative article entitled  Walt’s Disneyland Apartment?)

Though deliberately warm and comfortable, it was not adequate for entertaining dignitaries or larger groups.  For this reason, Walt began planning for a “Royal Suite” (to be named after its location on Royal Street in New Orleans Square) in the early 1960′s.  Sadly, this close-to-completion project was abandoned when he passed in 1966.  Thereafter, the location acted as office space (if you can imagine) for many years, and then morphed into The Disney Gallery from 1987-2007.  During that time, guests willing to pay a tidy sum were treated to a Dessert Fantasmic viewing experience on the attached balcony that bears Walt’s and Roy’s initials.

(My family was incredibly fortunate to enjoy this experience in 2005.  While munching on chocolate covered strawberries and watching Fantasmic from this incredible vantage point, we imagined the Disney family doing the same…)  It was not until the “Year of a Million Dreams” promotion that Walt’s “suite” vision was realized.  Using original specs and concept art from set designer Dorothea Redmond, (of Gone With the Wind fame), this two bedroom, two bathroom apartment would become a most-coveted promotion award.

On the morning of January 28th, 2012, we too were grand winners, as our gang of runners was granted exclusive access to this corner of Walt’s world.  Our guide requested that in order to preserve the mystique of the Dream Suite we not take photos or video, but there are some wonderful approved images on the Disney Parks Blog.  Each main room in the Suite is complete with unique magical moments, but for me, the dearest was the “goodnight kiss” in the Master Suite.  After all, this would have been Walt and Lilly’s bedroom, and their personal taste was clearly evident.  Because this room sits closest to Adventureland, it is themed accordingly; the large canopy bed is framed by blue drapes or “waterfalls”, a beautiful lagoon water color hangs over the headboard, and the dark wood furniture is inspired by the jungle motif.  Beautiful, to be sure.  And then it happens.  At the press of a button, exotic palm fronds appear on the walls, stars twinkle from the ceiling, the water color painting transforms into an interactive mermaid’s playground (complete with flowing waterfalls), and finally the moon appears, along with the silhouette of Peter Pan’s flying pirate ship.  I couldn’t help imagining these scenes tucking Walt in for the night.  What a special connection to the master dreamer himself!  We had been treated to the ultimate goodnight kiss- by Walt, his extended family, and runDisney.  Proving once again, you never know what magic awaits you at a Disney Park, especially if it is sealed with a kiss!

Donna Marie  @DIStherapy

Blogging DISabilities, DISsert, Running! and DISney at DIStherapy

Tags: Disneyland, Disneyland Resort, Goodnight Kiss, Meet-Up and Fly Away, runDisney

This entry was posted on February 29, 2012 at 3:00 PM and is filed under Disneyland, Special Events. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.