MICKEY MOUSE DESIGN "HIDDEN" AT THE
WALT DISNEY WORLD RESORT

A "Hidden Mickey" is best defined as an image of MICKEY MOUSE concealed in the design of a WALT DISNEY WORLD attraction or resort. The most common image is the head and ears silhouette: a large circle with two smaller circles of the same size attached on top. Other known forms are silhouette profiles of his head, with a pronounced nose and ears set in back; an actual "cartoon" image of his face, where you can make out his eyes, nose, and mouth; his full figure, in silhouette or in the "cartoon" form; and finally, a three-dimensional figure, as in the form of a doll.

The first Hidden Mickeys began as inside jokes of Walt Disney "Imagineers." In designing, constructing, or adding the finishing touches to an attraction, Imagineers would subtly "hide" MICKEY MOUSE silhouettes in plain sight. Word spread of these images, and co-workers and friends sought to find them all. That search continues to this day.

Unfortunately, there is no official way of tracking down every Hidden Mickey. Imagineers have never kept track of where they are, and since attractions change or are enhanced throughout the years, Hidden Mickeys can disappear. Others have been created by a new generation of Imagineers. There are countless places at the WALT DISNEY WORLD Resort for a Hidden Mickey to hide. Where the next one will appear is anyone’s guess.

MICKEY MOUSE’s image has also been incorporated into many designs as a decorative enhancement to new and refurbished areas. You might say they are "Deliberate Mickeys" because they are specifically intended to make MICKEY MOUSE a visual addition to the surrounding artwork or as an identifying logo. There is a list of these following the list of Hidden Mickeys below.

PART ONE: "HIDDEN MICKEYS"

MAGIC KINGDOM Park

Casey’s Corner

• Third story-in upper portion of window that’s farthest left, facing Main Street, U.S.A.

The ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter

• Between lobby show and the theater-in alien "hieroglyphics"

The Haunted Mansion

• Ballroom scene-arrangement of plate and adjoining saucers on the banquet table

"It’s A Small World"

• Africa scene-purple flowers on a vine on the elephant’s left side

Mickey’s Star Traders

• Behind the statue of MICKEY MOUSE-A constellation in the shape of Steamboat Willie

Mike Fink Keelboats

• Queue area-three pulleys hanging on the wall

Minnie’s Country House

• Portrait of CLARABELLE COW-wallpaper border

The Pinocchio Village Haus

• BLUE FAIRY Room-dark blue sparkle painted above the banner

Snow White’s Adventures

• Queue mural- on a pair of shorts hanging on the clothesline
• Queue mural- three stones on the chimney of the Dwarfs’ cottage

Splash Mountain

• "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah" scene-lying on his back in the pink clouds to the right of the riverboat

The Timekeeper

• Outside wall-in the "Space Collectibles Convention" sign
• Outside wall-in the "Recreational Rocket" sign
• On wooden plaque with the model space ship, held by Jules Verne
• Film’s climax-circles of light around the futuristic cities

Tomorrowland Transit Authority

• Take Flight! display-woman getting her hair done has mouse ears on her belt buckle - Take Flight closed for good 6 Jan 1998 but the Hidden Mickey is still there

Walt Disney’s Carrousel of Progress

• Last scene-nutcracker on fireplace
• Last scene-plush toy peeking out of present
• Last scene-wrapping paper
• Last scene-white pepper mill on kitchen counter
• Last scene-painting on back wall is an abstract version of MICKEY MOUSE from Fantasia

 

Epcot

The American Adventure

• Lobby-painting of wagon train heading west-above the front leg of the foremost oxen

China

• "Dragon, Ruler of The Wind and Waves" exhibit-head found in clouds of a dragon mural close to the tail

France

• "Impressions de France’7-in the background of the wedding party scene, center of second floor window on the house

Junkanoo Bus

• On the back side of the bus-above the stairs

The Land

• Living with the Land-bubbles in the middle of the mural in the queue
• Living with the Land-three circles near bottom of mural directly across from loading area
• Living with the Land-in the film montage after the farm scene, on the nametags of Epcot' greenhouse technicians in one of the pictures
• The Circle of Life-small stones in front of the Native-American man on a horse
• The Circle of Life-baseball cap of the man driving a harvester
• Food Rocks-rotating lights below entrance come together in MICKEY MOUSE shape every five seconds

Mexico

• El Rio del Tiempo-arrangement of three clay pots in the marketplace scene

Norway, Gateway to Scandinavia

• Maelstrom-wall mural facing the loading dock-a Viking wearing MICKEY MOUSE ears
• Maelstrom-wall mural-a bearded construction worker on the right side is wearing a watch with the head image

Spaceship Earth

• Renaissance Italy scene-on the page of a book behind the sleeping monk
• Hat in the teenage boy’s bedroom
• Alarm clock in the same room

Wonders of Life

• "Body Wars"-in the mural above the entrance
• Wonder Cycles-in Microworld, a MICKEY MOUSE doll in the house
• Wonder Cycles-in DISNEYLAND scene, a boy wearing MICKEY MOUSE ears

Disney-MGM Studios

Cover Story

• Outside the building-in the decorative border above the first floor

The Disney Studio Store

• Center of the shop-the three circular platforms

The Great Movie Ride

• Ride loading area-in the Hollywood Hills mural, a profile of MINNIE MOUSE can be seen above the roof of the gazebo
• Gangster Alley-on the billboard
• Gangster Alley-in the window above the bank
• Well of Souls-on the hieroglyphics wall opposite Indiana Jones (four familiar characters may be noticed here)

Hollywood & Vine

• In "San Fernando Valley" wall mural

Hollywood Plaza

• The plaza and surrounding buildings in front of the Chinese Theater-when viewed from the air

Stage 1 Company Store

• A pair of shorts hanging from the clothesline hanging over the counter

Jim Henson’s Muppet Vision 3D

• Outside fountain-an inflatable toy raft
• Queue area- "Top five reasons for turning in your 3D glasses" sign
• Lobby video-test pattern the second time Scooter crosses the screen
• Final scene-balloons

Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano

• Waiting area-a spot on the Dalmatian

Rosie’s Red Hot Dogs

• Order area-head shape in the gauges of a welding torch

Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant

• Waiting area - on a purple folder found on the bulletin board
• Tree-the shape is in sculpted branches located to the left rear of the screen above the kitchen area

Star Tours

• Queue area-on "Phone directory" sign at front
• First worker robot called G2 is wearing a MICKEY MOUSE watch

"The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror"

• Entrance area-just before you go inside on main balcony designs
• Little girl going in elevator holding a MICKEY MOUSE plush
• Library-on sheet music
• Boiler room-water stain
• At the doors to the final drop -in a swirl of stars

Resort Area

Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park

• On Cross Country Creek-in the stonework of a bridge behind Summit Plummet

Club House/Disney’s Eagle Pines & Osprey Ridge Golf Courses

• Putting green

Disney’s Beach Club Resort

• Near Ariel’s-figure sitting on hallway sand castle picture
• In Guest rooms-on bedspreads, in bubbles

Disney’s BoardWalk

• Lobby-on top of some lamps
• Lobby-in wicker on back rests of a couch
• Disney’s BoardWalk Villas-in rug pattern in front of elevators (on all floors)
• Disney’s BoardWalk Villas-pattern in door lamps in front of each room

Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort

• The Dig Site-in the walls on either side of the pool’s entrance
• Guest rooms-yellow sheets of stationery (several images of MICKEY MOUSE appear)
• On the Room Service menu

Disney’s Contemporary Resort

• Parking lot-floral arrangement of a MICKEY MOUSE watch

Disney’s Dixie Landings Resort

• In the check-in areas-in the wood latticework above the destinations and on either side of the giant fans

Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground

• Minnie Moo! (although you might call that an "accidental" Mickey)

Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

• Convention center-weather vane

Disney’s Polynesian Resort

• Main lobby-three rocks in the flagstone floor

Disney’s Wilderness Lodge

• Artist Point, right-hand mural-coloration of lower right-hand tree varies creating shape
• Artist Point-cloud in the distance of the left-hand mural
• Cub’s Den-guitar in painting near the entrance to the movie area
• Cub’s Den-plush in teepee of painting across from the one mentioned above
• Cub’s Den-white marking on the brown cow in the left-hand cattle painting as you enter
• Library area-in the back side of the lobby fireplace is another fireplace on the next level; on the door of the screen of that fireplace are two sets of acorns which are highlighted by a curved surface, connect the curved surface
• Lobby-in a key on display between the front desk and Mercantile merchandise shop
• Lobby-right-hand side of fireplace just below the red rocks
• Mercantile-outside, the bus driver on the sign showing the resort transportation location
• Outside entrance-right, inside support post below iron band at top
• Outside entrance-right, outside support post below iron band at top
• Territory Lounge-colored area on rear end of a pony in mural on ceiling
• Territory Lounge-map at the entrance, one of the pots about two feet from the bottom
• Whispering Canyon Cafe-in bottom ironwork of fireplace in back room

DOWNTOWN DISNEY Marketplace

• Fountain in Village Square shoots up water in the pattern of MICKEY MOUSE every few minutes

DOWNTOWN DISNEY Pleasure Island

• Comedy Warehouse-right wall (facing the stage)-clock and two drums
• Comedy Warehouse-lower left wall (facing the stage)-three signs
• Dock behind Mannequins and the Comedy Warehouse-three tires on the back wall of the bar
• Rock ‘N Roll Beach Club-three CDs above the DJ’s booth
• Warehouse-three tires on the outside wall facing DOWNTOWN DISNEY West Side

Disney’s Magnolia Course

• The sixth hole-a sand bunker

PART TWO: "DELIBERATE MICKEYS"
(Remember, these weren’t created to necessarily be secret!)

MAGIC KINGDOM Park

Cinderella’s Royal Table

• Dinnerware-on the crest

Horse Cars (on Main Street, U.S.A.)

• Horses’ bridles-blinders

Main Street Railroad Station

• Front of the station-the flower arrangement
• Above the station-in the flag

Main Street Confectionery

• Candy-making room-the trim of the white cupboards

Mickey’s Country House

• Bedroom-hatstand
• Bedroom-rug
• Fence posts
• Front doors
• Front hall-mirror
• Garden-cactus held by DONALD DUCK figure
• Garden-pumpkins and tomatoes
• Backyard-hedge
• Living room-picture frames
• Living room-television antenna
• Rec room-ping pong paddle (also in the shapes of DONALD DUCK and GOOFY)
• Above front doors-window

Minnie’s Country House

• Art room-quilt

Mickey’s Toontown Fair

• Blue ribbons throughout the land
• Merchandise carts-on flag poles

Sir Mickey’s

• On the store’s sign

Splash Mountain

• On the cover of the telephone boxes used by the attraction’s Hosts and Hostesses

Epcot

FriendShip Launches

• On life vest signs

The Living Seas

• In Sea Base Alpha, logo on "submousible"

Wonders of Life

• Entrance doors-in circles in the abstract-shapes sign
• Cranium Command-one of the "famous brain studies" in the queue area

Disney-MGM Studios

Crossroads of The World

• On the globe above the shop

"Earffel Tower"

• MICKEY MOUSE ears on the water tower
• Holding a clapboard on the sign below the ears

Entrance area

• On grassy hill near boat dock-several planting arrangements
• In the metal entrance gates

Disney-MGM Studios Backlot Tour

• Backlot-on the tail of our corporate jet

The Magic of Disney Animation

• Front of the attraction-climbing the sign in

Resort Area

Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park

• MICKEY MOUSE ears on the snow child on display

Celebration

• Power station tower near 1-4

Disney’s All-Star Music Resort

• Country Fair-boots
• Country Fair-bolo ties
• Jazz Inn courtyard-on top of the cymbals

Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort

• On trash cans
• Touchdown! courtyard-planter in the center courtyard

Disney’s Contemporary Resort

• Inside main entrance arches
• Chef Mickey’s-in sign and cut-out figures encircling walls
• Convention Center-statue of MICKEY MOUSE shaking hands with Leopold Stokowski
• Fun Center-clothes of some famous Disney characters are hanging from the ceiling
• Outside near Bay Lake-silver metal structure with MICKEY MOUSE sitting on giant ears

Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground

• Tri-Circle D Ranch-signs and gates

Disney’s Old Key West Resort

• In the woodwork of railings in various buildings throughout the Resort
• The sun in the Disney Vacation Club log

Disney’s Polynesian Resort

• On the sign outside the arcade

Disney’s Wilderness Lodge

• Walking on "Bear Crossing" sign on road to main entrance
• Wilderness Lodge Mercantile-on totem pole

DOWNTOWN DISNEY Marketplace

• In entrance archway signs
• Art of Disney-sign
• Toys Fantastic-in mural inside shop
• Along the waterfront-in the green wrought-iron tables and chairs

Fantasia Gardens

• Tee-off mats

Gateway Entrance Signs (at entry roads of the WALT DISNEY WORLD Resort)

• In purple background behind each character

Miscellaneous Locations

Manhole covers

Merchandise receipts

Monorails (WALT DISNEY WORLD insignia on each cab)

Road signs

Room keys of WALT DISNEY WORLD Resorts

Security vehicles

Survey markers

Telephone book covers at pay telephones

Topiary figures

Utility covers

WALT DISNEY WORLD insignia flags

©Disney
Special thanks to Peter Stepniewicz for transcribing to HTML.
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