The Disneyland Book of Secrets 2014: One Local's Unauthorized, Rapturous and Indispensable Guide to the Happiest Places on Earth (201 page)

Treasures in Paradise

[
FastView:
 
Shop for plush dolls, Pillow Pets, kids’ clothing, kids’ accessories, and snacks in appealing boardwalk-themed surroundings.
]

Located across from
Ariel’s Grotto
on the northeast shore of
Paradise Bay
,
Treasures in Paradise
was one of the author’s favorites for
Paradise Pier
shopping.

For one thing, this store really feels like a seaside shop, one you’d visit at Malibu, Santa Monica
, or Venice, or even on the east coast, at Ogunquit or Old Orchard Beach in Maine.

It
used to offer a wide selection of surfer fashions–that certainly contributed to the shore ambiance.  But what I love about the shop is the mélange of all the details that the
Imagineers
have nailed, the lines of the building, the polished wooden floorboards under your feet, and unique touches like the weathered, vintage merry-go-round animals, still impaled on their poles, that startle you from odd corners of the shop.  And they’re unusual animals, not horses.  There’s an elephant.  A stag.  An ostrich.  Even a pig.  A classic, scuffed black-and-blue Lusse Auto Scooter bumper car is mounted at a jaunty angle on one wall.

Treasures in Paradise
merchandise used to be themed to surf culture, not just in California but the surfer fashion ethos that has permeated the mainstream in recent years, with the classic layered T-shirt/flannel shirt/hoodie combination appearing daily on a street near you and nightly on most TV programs, especially those targeting teens and young adults.

Hip-hop and surfer styles have shaken hands
(creatively speaking), so that many T-shirts and hoodies now crawl with fluid, diffuse, imaginative patterns and graffiti. 
Disney
has astutely and artistically co-opted this trend, manufacturing lines of
Disney
T-shirts and hoodies with contemporary designs, even incorporating
Mickey
into graffiti-themed images.  These clothes look modern and are more appealing to many teens and young adults than the classic, “vanilla”
Disney
fashions.

Treasures in Paradise
specialized in these modern
Disney
T-shirts and hoodies, as well as non-
Disney
shirts and jackets by surf fashion giants Billabong, Hurley, O’Neill, Quiksilver, and Roxy, not to mention large collections of hats, sandals, flip-flops, towels, watches, and jewelry, as well as beach-side musts like sunglasses, sunblock, and taffy.

Guests looking for a hip outfit, gift
, or souvenir used to stop here before leaving the
Pier
district.  It was also a life-saver if someone in your group didn’t dress warmly enough.  I actually discovered the treasures of this shop one bitterly cold winter evening when my niece and I ill-advisedly ventured into
Paradise Pier
in shorts and T-shirts.  Our budget was tight, but we found a kid’s “Pirate Princess” designed jacket for her, and a warm hoodie for me.

The merchandise selection
at
Treasures in Paradise
was similar to the stock at
Disneyland
’s
South Seas Traders
, but
Treasures in Paradise
had a more authentic feel, situated as it is on the edge of a seaside resort environment.  Like neighboring
Ariel’s Grotto
,
Treasures in Paradise
already had the delicate lines and cupolas of a Victorian oceanside resort, so it was a window into what the entire district would look like by 2012.  Guests who enter
Paradise Pier
via the eastern shore first cross a bridge that provides a tantalizing vista of
California Screamin’
, the
Boardwalk
and
Mickey’s Fun Wheel
, and then stroll between the attractively appointed
Treasures in Paradise
and
Ariel’s Grotto
.

In 2012,
Treasures in Paradise
substantially overhauled its wares, shifting from surfer fashions to kids’
Disney
clothing and accessories, with a particular emphasis on
Phineas and Ferb
merchandise. 
Phineas and Ferb
host a mini-parade in
Paradise Pier
, so this land has become
Phineas and Ferb
-merchandise central. 
Phineas
plush dolls? 
Doofenschmirtz
doodads? 
Perry the Platypus
paraphernalia?  Step right up!  You’ll also find a wide assortment of snacks, lollipops, cuddly
Disney Pillow Pets
, and
Lone Ranger
and
Monsters’ University
merchandise for the kid–or kid-at-heart–in your party.

If you haven’t been to
DCA
in a couple of years, and you pop into
Treasures in Paradise
for a warm Roxy jacket, you will feel disoriented as you gaze at the sea of colorful little shirts and pajamas and hats and dolls, all bearing the image of
Minnie
or
Duffy
(
Mickey
’s stuffed bear) or
Pooh
or
Perry
.  You won’t find a jacket for yourself, but your kids will find plenty of goodies, and this is a great place to select souvenirs to send to the children back home.  Where did all the surfer fashions go?  Drop by
Gone Hollywood
in
Hollywood Land
.
Did You Know?
  If you want your portrait drawn or painted in
Disneyland
, you head to
New Orleans Square
, where
Disneyland
’s
Portrait Artists
have set up their easels among the quaint, winding lanes.  If you wanted your portrait drawn or painted in
DCA
, you headed to the white gazebo just over the bridge, just outside the north end of
Treasures in Paradise
.  Near the gazebo,
Portrait Artists
sat at their easels, capturing Guests in all their relaxed glory.  Prices varied based on the medium used and number of subjects. What transpires in the gazebo now?
Duffy
meet-and-greets, which began when
Mickey
’s little bear
Duffy
was introduced in 2010.

Grub:

Ariel’s Grotto
(B, L, D)

[
FastView:
 
Good food, stunning views, and a chance to meet the princesses justify the prices here.
]

In
Disneyland Park
, Guests who wish to breakfast with a wide assortment of
Disney
characters go to the elegant
Plaza Inn
on
Main Street
.  At
DCA
, Guests visit
Ariel’s Grotto
, a pretty bayside restaurant topped with a spiraling roof that mirrors the grotto where
Ariel
, in the 1989
Disney
film
The Little Mermaid,
stored her treasured multitude of human artifacts. 
Ariel’s Grotto
, just across the wooden boardwalk from the
Treasures in Paradise
shop, marks the eastern entrance to
Paradise Pier
.

Guests can expect decent breakfast fare
, a
Shared Breakfast Starter Tier
and a
Shared Breakfast Platter
that include bacon, bagels, breakfast potatoes, cheeses, croissants, eggs, fresh fruits, turkey sausages, and waffles with whipped cream, beverages, plenty of meet-and-greet opportunities with the canonical
Disney Princesses
, and fine views of
Paradise Bay
.  They can also expect to pay $33 per adult and $18 per child (and more, during peak seasons), plus tax, plus gratuity (15% parties of 1 – 7; 18% parties of 8+) for the experience.

Remember, you’re not paying for the
breakfast food as much as for the specialized interaction with
Ariel
,
Aurora
,
Belle
,
Cinderella
, and
Snow White
, the autographs, the photos, and the conversations.  If your child is a fan of the
Disney Princesses
, this will be one of the highlights of his or her visit–possibly
the
highlight, something they’ll remember for the rest of their life.

Ariel’s Grotto
offers the same interaction with the
Princesses
at lunch and dinner, but for a slightly higher price.  Adult Guests will pay $37 each (possibly more during peak seasons), plus tax and gratuity, to consume a tower of appetizers (cheeses, cold cuts, fruits, and veggies), salad, sourdough bread, choice of entrée, and a dessert platter.

Even though the lunch/dinner price is o
nly a couple of dollars more than breakfast, the lunch/dinner menu is far more substantial and of a higher quality.  Entrées include
Cioppino
(a seafood bowl),
Herb-Crusted Chicken Breast
,
Mafalde Pasta with Italian Sausage
,
Santa Maria Style Tri-Tip
,
Spinach and Ricotta Agnolotti
, or
Today’s Sustainable Fish
.

The dessert platter offers a
royal assortment of rich treats: 
Berries
,
Lava Cake
,
Mini Cookies
, and
Petite Cupcakes
.  Most of the desserts are tiny, but potent.

Children’s
lunches or dinners cost $20 each (more during peak seasons), plus tax and gratuity.  Kids share the same appetizer tower, salad, rolls, and dessert tray as the adults in the party, and receive their own kid-friendly entrée.  Children’s entrée choices are
Glazed Chicken on Sugar-Cane Skewer
, a
Kid’s Tri-Tip
,
Meatball Lollipops
(the meat is turkey), or
Seashell Pasta
.

If you’re going to bring your little one(s) to
Ariel’s Grotto
, I recommend going for lunch or dinner to enjoy the fancier and more filling three-course dining experience for only slightly more than breakfast costs.  A Cast Member at
Ariel’s Grotto
quietly confirmed for me that lunch and dinner are the better meals here and the best investments for your hard-earned money.  Also,
Ariel’s Grotto
has a stunning view of
Paradise Bay
’s twice-nightly
World of Color
show!

If you’re looking for a
unique experience to crown the celebration of your child’s birthday or special event, this could be it.  Before you dine you need to check in with the foyer Cast Member. 
Ariel’s Grotto
is popular, so expect to wait in a long check-in line that might even extend outside onto the boardwalk entrance bridge.  The foyer is usually noisy and crowded with parents and kids, some of whom are impatient and even stressed out, especially if they didn’t stop by in advance, email
[email protected]
,
or call ahead to arrange
Priority Seating
at (714) 781-DINE.

The
foyer view is pleasant.  Enclosed in blue-green glass windows that span two floors and provide a lovely view of
Paradise Bay
, the foyer echoes with the conversations of waiting kids and their parents.  Incongruously, gowned and suited Guests sometimes elbow their way through the mobs of families, making their way to the
Cove Bar
attached to the
Grotto
.  Most Guests breathe a sigh of relief when their party’s name is called and they’re directed to descend the spiraling staircase.

At the bottom of the stairs, e
very child is greeted by
Ariel
, the red-headed Mer-princess whose film
The Little Mermaid
launched
Disney
’s second golden age of animation.  A photo is taken of
Ariel
posing with your child (you can purchase the photo later for an additional fee), and then you’re escorted to your table, either in the immersive, underwater-themed dining room, or outside on the extensive pier patios.  Each child receives a cardboard crown that they can decorate with stickers, and a
Disney Princess
button.