Disneyland is famous for its meticulous attention to detail, and perhaps no detail is as well known as the Hidden Mickey.
A Hidden Mickey is the silhouette of Mickey Mouse hidden somewhere in the Disneyland Resort. Hidden Mickeys are EVERYWHERE in Disneyland, from the shrubs to fences to walls to windows…I mean it when I say they are everywhere. But they are very well disguised; I’m sad to say I’ve never actually found one without a friend pointing it out to me first.
Hidden Mickeys actually originated at Walt Disney World in Florida. When Imagineers constructed EPCOT, an almost exclusively adult-oriented section of the park, they embedded Mickey’s silhouette in as many places as they could to tie the park with the Magic Kingdom. Guests began noticing the silhouettes, and made a game of finding them. Soon, Hidden Mickeys popped up in Disney parks all over the world.
If you’re like me, and just can’t seem to find those elusive Hidden Mickeys, you can buy a Hidden Mickey book. These books are available on Amazon, at most bookstores, and even in the parks. They detail locations of different Mickeys, and offer tips for finding them on your own! There are also dozens of websites dedicated to tracking Hidden Mickeys as new ones regularly appear. The search for Hidden Mickeys never ends; just when you think you’ve found them all, another one will undoubtedly show up somewhere in the park.
Looking for Hidden Mickeys is one of the best ways to entertain yourself in line. So the next time you find yourself standing around waiting to board an attraction, challenge yourself (and your friends) to find some nearby Mickeys!
