Category — Hidden Mickey

Alan Joyce, the author of Secrets of the Mouse, has just released a reference guide for Disneyland’s Hidden Mickeys – The Hidden Mouse. The mouse’s hiding places are revealed in 116 information rich full-color pages featuring hundreds of photographs, helpful tips, and bonus behind-the-scenes information about dozens of rides.

The guidebook includes:

• A comprehensive of list currently known Hidden Mickeys in Disneyland, Disney’s California Adventure, Disneyland Resort Hotels, and more.
• High-quality color photos of many Hidden Mickeys.
• Helpful tips for locating each Hidden Mickey.
• Behind-the-scenes information and fun facts about dozens of attractions across the Resort.

What sets this guide to Hidden Mickeys apart is the marvelous full color presentation. Many of the Hidden Mickeys have photos right in the book, so they’re easy to find when you arrive at the right spot. The other major Hidden Mickey guide makes finding the elusive marks more of a treasure hunt.

One of the strengths of the book is how easy the structure makes it to reference any ride or location across the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim. The Hidden Mouse will guide you to the nearest Hidden Mickey at the Disneyland Resort Hotels, California Adventure, and Disneyland itself. Using it will add an extra layer of fun to your theme park experience. I found a few Hidden Mickeys in the guide that I had no idea even existed.

My biggest fault with Joyce’s book is that he uses a very broad definition of what constitutes a Hidden Mickey, particularly when it comes to the three circle variety. In my opinion, if the proportions aren’t correct or the ‘ears’ are not correctly aligned it’s not a Hidden Mickey. But go find them yourself and make up your own mind.

For that extra layer of fun, or just something to do while waiting in queue, bring The Hidden Mouse with you on your next trip to Walt’s original Magic Kingdom – Disneyland.

Mickey Pig, Mickey Pig. Does whatever a Mickey Pig does…

What do you do when you own an animal that develops a spot that resembles that most famous of mice, Mickey Mouse? Well you try to get Disney to buy it from you to be shown at the parks. That’s what one couple from Sauk County Iowa wants to have happen with their trademark festooned porcine. Pictures at the Wisconsin News.

Hopefully this is one pig who will be saved from the bacon factory and become the object of children’s adoration everywhere, or at least at a Disney theme park somewhere.

About 20 miles from Walt Disney World, just off the 27-HWY exists what must be one of the world’s largest Hidden Mickeys. Since this is in Florida, I imagine these are orange trees. But it’s hard to tell for sure. Explore for yourself on Google Maps.

As with most Disney fans, I have a soft spot in my heart for Hidden Mickeys. The concept was created when Imagineers revolted against Disney Management’s decision to keep Disney characters out of the original plans for the EPCOT theme park. To fight back they surreptitiously hid both the three circle Mickey icon and silhouette Mickeys throughout the park and various attractions. Over time the Hidden Mickey tradition has spread to all Disney theme parks. That’s the short history.

There are really five classifications of Hidden Mickeys:

1. Intentional: a hidden Mickey Mouse (or other Disney character) shape placed obscurely and deliberately to be spotted by guests. For purists this is the only real Hidden Mickey.
2. Design: the use of the Mickey Mouse three circle icon as part of the design element of a piece of furniture, decoration, or other object. These range from the very hidden (in the wallpaper or comforters at the hotels) to the obvious (a pattern of Mickey shapes in a wood carving).
3. Cast Member/Temporary: usually a placed object or graffiti added to a scene by a cast member. These tend to go away when ever Imagineering comes in and resets or updates an attraction. Over time some of these may graduate to the Intentional category.
4. Accidental/unintentional: formed mostly in the mind’s eye out of shadows and obscure shapes that when looked at just right make a Hidden Mickey. The Mickey shape on the sail of the Wicked Wench at Disneyland’s Pirates Of The Caribbean was an example of this.
5. Natural: Hidden Mickey’s that occur in nature. 

Two of the most famous are the Chinese Theatre/Disney-MGM studios central plaza which, until they added that big eyesore of a hat in there, was a giant intentional Hidden Mickey when viewed from the air, and the plates in Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion ballroom scene (which started as a temporary cast member prank and has since become canon).

I’ve been known to see Hidden Mickeys in oil stains, clouds (I have a picture of one somewhere that I took while on our Honeymoon at WDW – I don’t know how Disney does that), and even in fruit. Take this photo of an avocado sent to me by reader Gregory. On the outside it’s just a normal looking avocado, but peel off the skin and voila! Mickey Mouse’s famous three circle icon is revealed. (I’ve highlighted it in one pic below the cut.)

For more great reading on Hidden Mickeys pick up either the great Hidden Mickeys, 2nd Edition : A Field Guide to Walt Disney World’s Best Kept Secrets or Lou’s Walt Disney World Trivia Book, Volume 2: More Secrets, History & Fun Facts Behind the Magic.

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