Hidden Mickeys

A Hidden Mickey is a representation of Mickey Mouse that has been inserted subtly into the design of a ride, attraction, or other location in a Disney theme park or elsewhere on Disney properties. The most common Hidden Mickey is a formation of three circles that may be perceived as the silhouette of the head and ears of Mickey Mouse, often referred to by Disney aficionados as a "classic Mickey." Over time, the term Hidden Mickey has come to refer to a range of possibilities from a more complete representation of Mickey Mouse (such as Mickey mixed in with a crowd or in the background), or a representation of another character (such as the huge hidden Jafar at the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail in Africa in the Animal Kingdom). Hidden Mickeys are found in various Disney media, such as animated films, feature length movies, TV series, or the Disney theme parks.  Mickeys may be painted, made up of objects (such as rocks, or three plates on a table), or be references such as someone wearing Mickey Mouse Club ears in a painting. Hidden Mickeys can take on many sizes and forms.

Hidden Mickeys are slipped into animation cells in many Disney animated classics, hidden in architecture and attractions in Disney parks and resorts, and studio buildings and many other Disney-related features.

Hidden Mickeys started out as inside jokes among the Disney Imagineers. The first published sighting of a Hidden Mickey was made by Arlen Miller, who wrote an article on Hidden Mickeys for WDW's Eyes and Ears (a Cast Member weekly publication) in 1989. The article listed Hidden Mickeys found in the Disney theme parks. Months later the author was contacted by Disney News for more information, and the resulting article made the news of Hidden Mickeys spread worldwide.

A true Hidden Mickey is one that is not meant to be seen immediately, and is usually placed purposefully by a Disney Imagineer or artist in a context that would not normally contain Mickey Mouse. When the shape of Mickey Mouse is used as an obvious part of the design, such as Mickey ears on the top of lampposts, it is considered decorative and sometimes referred to as a "decor Mickey." Additionally, formations of the iconic head and ears have been spotted in nature or even on animals, but they are also not Hidden Mickeys. The general rule is: "Not associated with Disney, not a Hidden Mickey."



Hint - look at the purple flowers



Although approximately 600 Hidden Mickeys have been recorded, The Walt Disney Company has never compiled a complete list of all the "known" or "deliberate" Mickeys (whether created by an Imagineer or a Disney Cast Member), so there is no way to confirm or disprove every single Mickey sighting. However, various websites and books list locations of Hidden Mickeys, and usually allow Disney fans to add, dispute, and/or prove the existence of such sightings.



Hint - Look below the arm mid right.



Finding Hidden Mickeys is a great way to pass the time on your Disney vacation and adds a new activity if you are a frequent Disney patron.