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It's time for another game of Musical Stores!

Emeril has taken a back seat to Tim Burton

After the Fantasyland shake-up -- where Tinker Bell Toy Shop became a princess store, the princess store became an infant store, and Buzz Lightyear and friends kicked out the villains -- the merchants have turned their attention to New Orleans Square. During a makeover of the Port d' Orleans shop, Emeril's hot sauces and Cafe du Monde chicory coffee were shoved into a corner. The rest of the store was converted into an expanded villains shop with a new name - Le Bat en Rouge.

Much of the merchandise is similar to what was offered at the seldom-open Villains Lair, and includes a new line of villains shirts borrowed from popular WDW designs. Unfortunately, the Fantasmic merchandise line, which was removed from the store when the show closed for rehab last year, has not yet made an appearance.

The Pirates of the Caribbean merchandise and skulls that once cluttered a corner of Port d' Orleans was sent back to Pieces of Eight, where it really belonged all along, and the few Haunted Mansion items placed on the small merchandise cart outside that attraction.

The hearse outside the Haunted Mansion now has all of the attraction merchandise

All of this is in preparation for fall, when Le Bat en Rouge will receive a greatly expanded collection of Haunted Mansion Holiday merchandise.

New Nightmare Before Christmas merchandise at Le Bat en Rouge (above and below)

Fortunately, Nightmare Before Christmas fans already have a new collection to choose from. A new group of shirts, hats, jackets, mugs, lava lamps and plush characters has arrived, and fills almost a third of the store.

Most of this is generic Nightmare merchandise available elsewhere, but collectors should be thrilled to have such a large selection in one place.

Pixie Bloat

This pixie needs to cut back on the dust

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's... what the heck is that? A new balloon has been spotted at Disneyland, and the nicest thing I have heard cast members say about it is, "Well, at least it's Tink." Visitors have been asking for a balloon of the famous pixie, and the above is the version now on sale.

Unfortunately, it looks like Tinkerbell was having a bad day when she posed for this picture - she has a strange grin and a decidedly dazed expression. The balloon is also twice as large as a normal balloon, which makes it tough to handle in a crowd. Yet sales appear to be brisk for the no-so-little pixie, and visitors who buy one are frequently stopped by other visitors who want to know where to get their own.

Disney Pins

The formal launch of the "Official Disney Pin Trading" Web site may not take place until August 3rd, but some parts of it are already up and running. Visitors can now register for the Event Club, which "allows you to obtain first information on Pin Events and Releases."

Planned features include a pin search database and details about new releases, pin trading programs and events.

Merchandise Event Calendar

A number of merchandise special events are planned for the Disneyland Resort this summer, but it looks like not everyone is getting the same memos...

Marie Osmond at a Disneyland doll signing event in 2000

Marie Osmond will be at Disneyland to sign her latest Disney doll: Fantasyland Adora Belle, a pin trader dressed in the old "it's a small world" cast member costume. The official Osmond Web site says the event is on August 3rd, but the Disneyland special event calendar lists the event for July 20th. Either way, expect huge crowds and long lines.

Disneyland is offering a repeat of the Anniversary Pin Map event on July 17th, the park's birthday. Visitors purchase an event map and take it around Disneyland to have it stamped at various locations. Participants earn a commemorative pin by gathering all of the stamps, and can also purchase a collection of related pins.

The park has held some variation of this event for the past several years, and it has been well received by visitors as a fun way to spend an anniversary day at Disneyland.

Artist Terri Hardin, at the 2001 Disneyana Convention, with a sneak peek at her new Tinkerbell sculpture

On August 3rd, the Disneyana Shop hosts a Tinkerbell merchandise event to commemorate the release of a new Tinkerbell product line. Artist Terri Hardin will be on hand to sign her creations.

Fans of ABC prime time shows should mark August 24 and 25 on their calendars. As part of an effort to raise ABC from the third-place ratings spot it held last year, Disney has embarked on a synergy campaign to promote the eight new shows in ABC's Fall 2002 schedule.

The Fall Preview Weekend at California Adventure (DCA), similar to the Super Soap Weekends held this spring, features a concert by Jim Belushi, as well as special events and autograph sessions with ABC stars. Speaking of events...

Al also wanted me to add that some of the DCA Summer Concert Series acts have been booked. Variety columnist Army Archerd noted in a recent column of his that besides the Beach Boys, other acts will include Starship, the Monkees, the Fifth Dimension, the Commodores, the Temptations, the Four Tops, Blood, Sweat & Tears and Herman's Hermits. (Al commented: "I wonder if that's because they landed Geritol, Metamucil and Depends as sponsors...")

And before I forget, the Lilo & Stitch characters will begin their appearances today at DCA at the Pizza Oom Mow Mow restaurant adjacent to Paradise Pier. As part of the "Ohana Luau" there will be (according to the hand outs) "games, crafts, hula dancing, songs and laughter for the entire family."

Sandy Claws is visiting both coasts this year...

Promotional artwork © Disney

Walt Disney World and Disneyland are each holding Haunted Mansion Holiday merchandise special events this year, and there seems to be some "spirited" competition between the two parks to create the most spectacular event. So far, Disneyland has announced only the date of their event: Thursday, October 3, 2002, with a promise of "more to come."

The WDW merchants have been much more talkative about plans for their "999 Happy Haunts Ball." Not only have they announced the date -- October 30, 2002 -- but they have already begun accepting reservations for the ball.

A sneak peak at the merchandise to be offered at the event, which includes the usual assortment of hats, shirts, pins and sculptures, has been posted on the event services web site.

Finally, a sad farewell...

Carmen Bauza has resigned as VP of Disneyland merchandise. Mike Griggs, who was previously the VP of merchandise operations, will serve in the newly combined role as VP for both merchandise and merchandise operations.

Carmen came to Disneyland from Walt Disney World, and spent the last year working to improve the quality of Disneyland merchandise and merchandise events. Many consider her to be the most talented person to hold the Disneyland position in many years. She will be missed.

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Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix is the super-shopper behind MouseShoppe, your personal and unofficial shopping service for the Disneyland Resort, and the owner of CharmingShoppe, a Disney collectibles store located in Anaheim.

In addition to scouring the park to find you the latest and greatest merchandise, she keeps you updated on all of the merchandise events happening in the parks.

If you want to talk to her about this column, merchandise, or events, contact her here.

Visit our other shopping service, MouseMemories.com.

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