Happy 55th anniversary, Disneyland Hotel!

Today, one of the most storied hotels in the history of lodging turns the ripe old age of 55.

Not that it has very much time to celebrate, seeing is it's currently going through an enormous renovation.

The Disneyland Hotel of the 1980's

The hotel has always been a great place to take a break from Disneyland, offering free entertainment to those who don't go through Disneyland's gates.

It's been a staple of my visits to Disneyland for as long as I can remember. Having dinner at one of its restaurants before Downtown Disney offered so many options, navigating one of the remote control boats in its mini harbor and enjoying The Fantasy Waters show, the predecessor in a small way to "World of Color" at DCA.

Or maybe taking a walk behind water at the hotel's waterfall feature, or watching in wonder the hundres of beautiful koi swim around in their giant koi pond. My family never missed a character breakfast at the Monorail cafe.

In fact, the last time I took a trip to Anaheim we staid in the hotel. We had the good luck to be upgraded to a suite right over the waterfalls, with a great view of the koi. I'm glad we did, as the alluring fish were one of the first old features to go during the renovation. (See the pictures I took from the room here)

Right now, the park is under heavy construction, putting in new suites such as the Mickey and Pirates of the Caribbean suites.

I can't forget how I used to salivate over the Disneyland hotel pool when I was younger. The plans for the new pool almost made me salivate to the point of dehydration.

There have been many Disney hotels built since, from the Grand Californian that went up with DCA, to the Grand Floridian at Walt Disney World, but nothing will ever compare to the original, in every from it has taken over the years.

What are you most excited about concerning the renovations and what will you miss most at the Disneyland Hotel?