Advantages & Quirks of the Paradise Pier Hotel

At Disneyland Resort, the Paradise Pier Hotel has become my family's favorite lodgings choice for several reasons. Price, of course, has a lot to do with it; Paradise Pier is the least expensive of the three Disney-owned hotels in Anaheim, which translates to the least expensive way to get Extra Magic Hour at the parks. Over many visits, however, other factors have endeared this hotel to our group.

I'll be perfectly honest with this recommendation: If you can afford to stay at the Disneyland Hotel or the Grand Californian, by all means go for it. Disneyland Hotel has better theming, grounds, shopping and dining than Paradise Pier. The Grand Californian has superb dining, an awesome lobby that's practically an attraction in itself and incredible convenience with its direct gate into DCA. Both hotels have fancier pool options than Paradise Pier (though Paradise Pier's pool is a shorter walk from the rooms).

If you do choose Paradise Pier, however, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by its many excellent features. Here's a quick rundown of what to expect:

The Five Best Moments in Adventureland

Just a few paces from Main Street U.S.A, you can find yourself suddenly surrounded by unfamiliar gods, skulls on posts and snakes in barrels. Welcome to Adventureland, home of a fearless archeologist, a man raised by gorillas, an infamous jungle tour company, and one very enchanted roomful of tikis.

If you count the Jungle and all of the Indiana Jones attraction, Adventureland is enormous -- but you'd never guess from the one small, crowded avenue that handles all the foot traffic.

It'd be easy to make a short list of the best attractions in Adventureland, but I'd like to focus on the best moments the land has to offer. Here's a quick list of my five favorite Adventureland moments, starting with #5:

Here they come...

5) The Jungle Cruise piranha attack. I love the whole Jungle Cruise, but the piranha attack near the end is very clever and actually makes people scream...in a good way.

Duck, Duck, Elephant

Ducks don't care about "story" or "theme." They just want a safe place to wash, drink and hunt for bugs -- and this feathered couple seems to have found a good protector, to boot.

Anyone who grew up with the classic children's book Make Way For Ducklings can find a whole new reason to love Jungle Cruise at moments like this. One can only hope Mr. and Mrs. Mallard someday bring their future ducklings back to this very spot!

The Elephant Bathing Pool

One moment, you're cursing at traffic on I-5. An hour later, you could be gazing at this. See, this is why the world needs Disneyland.

No matter how many times people ride the Jungle Cruise, I think -- as they listen to the guide's jokes -- they always forget the Elephant Bathing Pool's coming. Then the boat emerges into the clearing, and you hear that collective gasp of wonderment from everyone, adults and children alike.

I'll bet the guides love that moment.