The Disneyland Book of Secrets 2014: One Local's Unauthorized, Rapturous and Indispensable Guide to the Happiest Places on Earth (99 page)

I’ll never forget the Christmas when our pal Phil flung open the living room door, knocking over the
tannenbaum
and shattering some of the ornaments.  They’re very fragile; handle with care.  When we moved back to the U.S., Mom carefully packed the ornaments and they made it safely across the Atlantic, the stars, the pinecones, the little churches, and the Santa Clauses, to grace our Christmas trees for many years to come in New England.

Although the ornaments at
L’Ornement Magique
can be expensive, there are periodic sales, and there are also reasonably priced little
Disney
ornaments.  It’d be hard to find a more appropriate holiday gift for that beloved relative or
Disney
fan. 
Radko
designs are available at select retailers far beyond the
berm
.  See
Radko
’s website: 
www.christopherradko.com
.
 
Bayou Vision:
  In late 2009,
L’Ornement Magique
was phased out temporarily to welcome
Bayou Magique
in its place. 
Bayou Magique
sold
The Princess and the Frog
merchandise, from clothing to toys. 
Disneyland
often transforms spaces in the park temporarily to vend merchandise for popular new productions, and
The Princess and the Frog
,
Disney
’s first hand-drawn feature since 2004, met with instant critical and popular success when it premiered in December 2009.

Mlle. Antoinette’s Parfumerie
(formerly
Jewel of Orléans
)

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Expensive but charming.  Pop in for a look, and test samples.  Ask about the hidden signature.
]

Conveniently located near
Cristal d’Orleans
,
Jewel of Orléans
was sure to provide your bling fix when you were craving shiny pretty things.  It was one of the many
New Orleans Square
stores that make this district a must for Guests who love to shop (or window-shop) for the finer things.

According to
Zagat Disneyland Resort’s Insider’s Guide
(2010), Guests ranked
Jewel of Orléans
third among all the park stores for quality and displays, and second for service, impressive ratings indeed in a park known for imaginative displays and outstanding customer focus.

Often this shop d
idn’t open until noon, but it was worth the wait. 
Jewel of Orléans
’ sign was shaped like a gorgeous vintage blue glass perfume bottle of the sort that fine ladies would’ve owned in days gone by.  They would’ve used it to scent their handkerchiefs and revive themselves if they were feeling faint.  The sign, and the shop’s tasteful window displays (a dainty Victorian boot; a lady’s photograph from the late 1800’s) drew discerning Guests inside.

The delicate wallpaper and painted trim, the sparkling chandelier lusters,
the reverse painted mirrors and the unique pieces of jewelry and
objets d’art
, combined to create a fantasy-like Victorian environment that Guests adored.

Jewel of Orléans
opened in 1997 in the space formerly occupied by
Mlle. Antoinette’s Parfumerie
(hence the perfume bottle sign).  Its sister store, also called
Jewel of Orléans
and operated by
Dianne’s Estate Jewelry
, is in San Francisco.

Although the antique estate pieces c
ould be pricey,
Annual Passholders
were treated to special sales.  And although the merchandise was expensive, the Cast Members behind the counter and register warmly welcomed all Guests as if they were old friends.

What are “estate pieces”
?  Previously owned pieces of jewelry or other trinkets, often (but not always) antique or at least vintage, lovely and valuable, and frequently obtained from the estates of the deceased.  This oblique connection to mortality made
New Orleans Square
, with its
Haunted Mansion
, skeletons, and meditations on mortality and riches the perfect setting for this jewel.

All that said, however, there were many Guests who missed
Mlle. Antoinette’s Parfumerie
.  After
Jewel of Orléans
closed, these Guests hoped for the return of the parfumerie–and their wishes were granted in June of 2011, when the
parfumerie
returned to
New Orleans Square
, reopening in its original shop with the blue glass bottle sign.

Among the fragrances by fine parfumeries like Guerlain and Givency, look for two scents exclusive to
Disney
parks.  They are not
Disneyland
-themed scents, but they are fragrances that you can
only
purchase at
Disney theme parks
, overseas, or online.  Dior’s
Hypnotic Poison
has lovely rich notes (vanilla orchid, Damascus rose). 
Dance with Givency
is citrusy and light (jasmine, apple, orange blossom, wood).  Both are reasonably priced as fine fragrances go, though
Dance
doesn’t have stellar staying power.  If you’re buying a gift for someone, you can have the bottle engraved.

Even with special touches (like an artisan demonstrating how to paint lovely floral designs on glass perfume bottles) fans of the previous
Mlle. Antoinette
’s are disappointed that Guests won’t be allowed to mix their own custom scents with the help of
Disney
blenders, as was the practice in days gone by.

When the parfumerie first reopened,
I was disappointed with one of the sales people’s very non-
Disney
, aggressive approach–
and
that the shadowy
Hidden Mickey
is gone!  But if you’re looking for high-end European perfumes, this shop won’t disappoint.  And most of the Cast Members here are as warm and down-to-earth as ever; they will describe the perfumes to you and help you make a selection in a low-key, no-pressure manner.

During
an October 2011 visit, I encountered a Cast Member who had worked as a blender at
Disneyland
’s original parfumerie in the early 1980’s.  She shared one of the most interesting
Disneyland
secrets I’ve heard yet.  Talented
Imagineer Dorothea Redmond
, who designed much of
New Orleans Square
, including the lovely tile designs in front of the shop thresholds, has been credited with decorating the gorgeous reverse painted mirrors in this store.  And certainly, she might have painted some of the flowers and leaves and butterflies, which appear to have been painted by at least two different artists.  But the majority of the mirror paintings are distinctive and highly detailed, and the work was actually signed by one
Baroness Von Kessel
, not by
Redmond
.  Who the heck is
Baroness Von Kessel
, you ask? 
Baroness Glendra Von Kessel
was a German artist who knew the
Disneys
.  Her specialty was reverse mirror painting.  When she died before her paintings in the parfumerie were completed,
Redmond
–or someone else–stepped in to complete the work.  If you step behind the counter–which the Cast Member graciously invited us to do–you can clearly read
Baroness Von Kessel
’s signature, and see the difference between her paintings and the paintings that followed.  Why are some of the flowers lilies?  They’re a nod to
Walt
’s wife
Lillian
. 
Adieu
,
Jewel of Orléans
;
bienvenue Mlle. Antoinette
!
Hidden Mickey:
  When you popped into
Jewel of Orléans
and cast your glance upward, you saw a
Hidden Mickey
hiding in plain sight.  Alas–the shadowy
Hidden Mickey
is no more!

Parasol Cart

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For the southern belles in your party.
]

Every fine southern lady needs a parasol in the grand tradition of fiddle-dee dames like Scarlett O’Hara, southern
über-belle
of the 1936 novel and 1939 film “Gone with the Wind”. Strolling the gracious, winding lanes of
New Orleans Square
,
Mint Julep
in hand, all a Guest needs to complete the picture is a pretty parasol.

Vide
the
Parasol Cart
, usually parked near the
Esplanade
, between the
Café Orléans
and the
French Market
.  There are large parasols and dainty child-size parasols, frothy and light in cool whites and pastels.  Cast Members will customize them with hand-painted designs and Guest names (but you’ll have to return later to pick them up).

“
Parasol” is a word from the French by way of Italian, and means “sun shield”.  Certainly on a blazing hot Southern California day, you’ll appreciate a parasol’s defense against the sun’s rays as much as its style.  Whether for actual use or as a souvenir, nothing says “N’awlins” like a shady parasol!  But bring some cash, y’all; large parasols start at about $18, mini-parasols at $12.  Additional artwork is $5 extra. 
Did You Know?
  The first original
Disney Princess
animated theatrical release in 14 years,
The Princess and the Frog
introduces
Princess Tiana
,
Disney
’s first African-American princess.  She’s a welcome new addition to the exclusive
Disney
canon of animated princesses who achieved royal status through birth or marriage, a select club that now includes (in chronological order by release date)
Snow White
,
Cinderella
,
Aurora
,
Ariel,
Belle
,
Jasmine
,
Pocahontas
,
Tiana
,
Rapunzel
,
Merida
, and
Sofia
.

Pieces of Eight

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Pirate fans will spend a lot of time here, picking out eye patches, pirate clothing, pirate flags, cutlasses, and even pirate-themed watches. 
Pieces of Eight
has it all, for any budget.
]

Since 1980, when Guests wander out of
Pirates of the Caribbean
, still half-immersed in the fantastic buccaneer world they just experienced, they’ve been able to enter the pirate-themed treasure trove
Pieces of Eight
.  Whether you’re seeking pirate pins, books, T-shirts, sweatshirts, mugs, caps, costumes, weapons, jewelry, watches, or keychains–any pirate item you can imagine–you’ll find it here, items related to the attraction and items specifically themed to
Disney
’s tremendously popular
Pirates
film series.

This is one of the park stores
where kids can spend their hard-earned allowance or
Disney Dollars
; there’s plenty of merchandise at low price points, including a stand in the store’s central court where pint-sized pirates can fill cloth bags with colorful gems and coins for the princely sum of about $7.

Guests of all ages might enjoy having their fortune told
in the adjacent
Royal Courtyard
by
Fortune Red
, a ginger-bearded swashbuckler and fortune-telling machine like
Main Street
’s mechanical fortune-teller
Esmeralda
. 
Red
has been in this area since the days of the
Pirates Arcade Museum
that pre-dated
Pieces of Eight
.

Whereas
Esmeralda
’s finger dithers over a variety of fortune-telling cards,
Red
’s circles an elaborate little treasure map (sketched by
Sam McKim
) while
X. Atencio
’s famous song
Yo Ho (A Pirate’s Life For Me)
plays.  Adding to the eerie quality of the proceedings,
Red
’s pet skull regards you balefully with its one rotating, glowing red eye.