The Disneyland Book of Secrets 2014: One Local's Unauthorized, Rapturous and Indispensable Guide to the Happiest Places on Earth (200 page)

Point Mugu is a real part of the So
uthern California geography, a promontory that juts out into the Pacific Ocean.  Many Californians have happy memories of summers spent at Point Mugu’s beachside cottages.  Point Mugu hosts a state park and a U.S. Naval Air Station, but the
Point Mugu
shop at
DCA
sells neither wilderness nor military merchandise.

Point Mugu
Tattoo
was originally a
faux
midway tattoo parlor that specialized in the types of novel accessories that young girls like to purchase at inexpensive mall shops like Claire’s and Icing–a varied assortment of inexpensive jewelry, including bracelets, necklaces, rings, sunglasses, and watches, and, for creative kids (or their creative parents) a make-your-own-jewelry station with an array of
Disney
-themed beads–as well as temporary tattoos and stickers.

Then
the shop’s décor and merchandise shifted, generating a more wholesome air (notwithstanding the remaining tattoo pics) as a treasure trove of
California Screamin’
,
Toy Story
, and
World of Color
merchandise, everything from T-shirts to keychains, glow-sticks, and light-up mouse ears.

In spring of 2012, as the opening of
Cars Land
and
Buena Vista Street
drew nigh,
Point Mugu
began stocking
Cars
merchandise–beautifully designed T-shirts, keychains, note cards–as well as big red T-shirts bearing a vintage-style image of the
Red Car Trolleys
that rolled from
Buena Vista Street
to
Hollywood Land
beginning June 15, 2012.

By winter 2012, the former tattoo parlor had become a must destination for fans of
Disneyland
’s new Route 66-themed merchandise–notecards, backpacks, keychains, magnets, T-shirts, and so forth.  This is a store to watch; with its frequently rotated stock, who knows what merchandise it will sell next?

Seaside Souvenirs

[
FastView:
 
Miscellaneous
Disney
goods including hats and sunglasses.  The
Phineas & Ferb
cart is usually parked nearby.
]

The southwestern curve of
Paradise Bay
was originally developed as a celebration of Route 66, the great “Mother Road” that brought so many Midwesterners to California (whether to visit or to settle permanently) and California’s famed auto-centric culture.

This corner of
Paradise Pier
was dominated by the
Mulholland Madness
(now
Goofy’s Sky School
) coaster, with its road-themed billboards, and by
Dinosaur Jack’s Sunglass Shack
, a 30-foot tall pink-purple (later green) building sculpted in the shape of a friendly dinosaur, like all those whimsically shaped shops, gas stations, and eateries that sprang up along Route 66 and the boulevards of Southern California in the first half of the 20
th
century.

As you can tell by its name,
Souvenir 66
was a
Paradise Pier
kiosk that partook of this Route 66 theming.  When the
Paradise Pier
renovations began, the store was blockaded behind the omnipresent blue construction fencing that read “Pardon Our Pixie Dust” and was unlikely to emerge in its former state.  Curious Guests could catch a glimpse of the shop from a whirling
Golden Zephyr
rocket ship, or a
Jumpin’ Jellyfish
vehicle, as it was transformed into
Seaside Souvenirs
.

Souvenir 66
was a simple counter shop selling what most
Disneyland Resort
kiosks sell: 
Disney pins
and knick-knacks, autograph books,
Ear Hats
, pens, DVDs, and T-shirts–as well as road-trip themed items like funny road signs and
Cars
merchandise.

The wares weren’t exceptional, but the building was striking.  Its upper reaches were dominated by a miniature tower mounted on its northern roof, sleeved by a spiral of red neon, and a ginormous, classic roadside sig
n whose neon lights proclaimed
Souvenir 66
and aimed a luminous blue arrow at the shop’s southernmost counter.

At night
Souvenir 66
was one of the gleaming neon beacons that cast an enchanted glow over
Paradise Pier
—an enchantment that was lacking during the day.  Strolling along the western shore of
Paradise Pier
during the day, Guests might see the coaster,
Dinosaur Jack’s
, and
Souvenir 66
and say “Meh.”  But at night, the neon lights of
Souvenir 66
, along with the lights of the Ferris wheel across the bay, painted
Paradise Pier
as a colorful fairyland.

To introduce charm and quality to this edge of
Paradise Bay
, to make it a district of which
Walt
would’ve been proud, numerous changes were made to this area and unveiled in June and July of 2011. 
Mulholland Madness
was recast as
Goofy’s Sky School
on July 1, 2011. 
Dinosaur Jack’s Sunglass Shack
was demolished.  The
Corn Dog Castle
survived and is
still
pretty kitschy-looking—but it’s the last bit of kitsch on the shore, and it’s tucked well back from the main path.

Souvenir 66
survived, transformed from a roadside stand to a Victorian-style structure. 
Souvenir 66
became
Seaside Souvenirs
, selling
Disney
hats,
keychains, pins, and plush dolls, as well as
World of Color
and
Little Mermaid
merchandise.  A nearby cart vends ever-popular
Phineas and Ferb
T-shirts and action figures.

Seaside Souvenirs
has the same general shape as its predecessor, but has a Victorian flavor, and the tower is now a charming lighthouse. 
Seaside Souvenirs
is an excellent example of this slice of
Paradise Pier
’s conversion from mid-20
th
-century outlandishness to late-19
th
-century class. 
Did You Know?
  The Route 66 theming, while fun and clever, never fit the seaside flavor of
Paradise Pier
.  The famous Route 66 ran from Chicago to Los Angeles, carving a path through heartland and southwestern states like Kansas, Texas, and New Mexico, a journey that took drivers nowhere near the ocean.  When
DCA
’s new
Cars Land
opened in 2012, Route 66 references, structures, and shops were included in the
Radiator Springs
environment.  In
Cars Land
, Route 66 elements are appropriate to the district, since
Cars
is set along Route 66, and “Mother Road” history is an important component of the film.

Sideshow Shirts

[
FastView:
 
Much more than shirts. 
Paradise Pier’
s sprawling
emporium
sells
Disney
clothes, purses, scarves, toys, pins, and knick-knacks galore under the watchful eyes of a towering ringmaster and various circus folks.
]

Located along the
Boardwalk
, just east of
Point Mugu
and
Boardwalk Bazaar
(formerly
Man, Hat n’ Beach
),
Sideshow Shirts
is the largest store in the
Paradise Pier
district; it’s the
Pier
’s
Emporium
, if you will.

Like
Point Mugu
and
Man, Hat n’ Beach
,
Sideshow Shirts
was crafted with a carnival-freak-show flavor.  There are oversized, midway-style signs that promise “Oddi-Tees,” “Curiosi-Tees,” “Rari-Tees” and “Absurdi-Tees” within.

The store delivers on those pledges not only with a
“big top tent” of T-shirts, but with renderings of freakish carnival characters.  A giant statue of a flamboyant, derbied ringmaster appears to be supporting the red-and-gold tented roof, and there’s a vintage-style painting of an extremely corpulent lady described as “Lovely Little Lilly Lovely Lady”.  A shelf is skirted by a painting of a turbaned yogi lying on a bed of nails.  Against the back wall is an image of “Justin Time” catching a bullet between his teeth.

It’s a livel
y and interesting style, but is it
Disney
? These images seem to typify the non-
Disney
-related theming that drew Guest criticism in
DCA
’s early days. 
Sideshow Shirts
,
Point Mugu
, and
Man, Hat n’ Beach
were all slated to receive substantial makeovers at some point as part of
Paradise Pier
’s rehabilitation.  Like the rest of the district, the
Boardwalk
stores were destined to undergo a stylistic exorcism to purge non-
Disney
excesses and introduce Victorian architecture and décor.  Murmurings at
www.micechat.com
(“A Different Look at Disney”) indicated that the stores’ refurbishment was to happen in 2009, but it was delayed by budget constraints, with money being channeled into new big-ticket headliners like
World of Color
and the
Little Mermaid
attraction.  If
Sideshow Shirts
is to be revamped, it’s still waiting for the transformation in late 2013.

Guests continue to browse
Sideshow Shirts
in the not inconsiderable shadows of the ringmaster and
Lovely Little Lilly
.  But whether or not you like the store’s style, there’s certainly a lot to like about its merchandise.  While not as large as
Disneyland
’s
Emporium
,
Sideshow Shirts
is extensive and is likely to stock most
Disney
T-shirts, jackets, or hats you’re seeking, as well as
Disney
accessories and novelties, for Guests of all ages.

Hats and
T-shirts emblazoned with nearly any
Disney
character you can imagine.  There are Hawaiian-style shirts, too, combining beach chic and relaxation mantras with pictures of
Mickey
,
Donald
, and
Goofy
.  There’s a dizzying assortment of jackets and sweatshirts themed to any and every
Disney
character.

If you’re a fan of the
Nightmare Before Christmas
or
Pirates of the Caribbean
films, you should make a point of popping into
Sideshow Shirts
, which has merchandise islands exclusively devoted to those franchises.  You’ll find not only
Nightmare
and
Pirates
clothing, but also bags, jewelry, accessories, and bobble heads in the image of the monsters, skeletons, and pirates that populate those entertainingly dark movies.

B
eyond the novelties and the clothes you’ll find a huge assortment of
Disney
antenna balls, backpacks, dolls, picture frames, pins, purses, scrapbooks, towels, and toys.  The bottom line is that serious shoppers and Guests who are trying to find quality souvenirs for themselves or the folks back home will find something for everyone at just about every price point at
Sideshow Shirts
.  So step right up, step right up, and check out one of the greatest T-shirt shows on earth! 
Did You Know?
  Historically, “sideshows” are ancillary acts that complement the main attractions of a carnival, circus, or fair, usually involving people with odd appearances or talents–in vulgar parlance, “freaks”.  Sword swallowers, fire eaters, bearded ladies, and dancers like “Little Egypt” (who wowed crowds at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair) all fall under the heading of sideshow performers.  It’s well-known that
Walt
loved circuses from the time he was a boy, an affection that’s clear in an animated
Disney
circus film like
Dumbo
(1941) or the live-action
Disney
circus movie
Toby Tyler
(1960). 
Walt
was enchanted by the glitter and pageantry of the circus and the showmanship and dedication of the performers.  He was no fan, however, of the freak show.