A Hidden Mickey is a representation of

Mickey Mouse Mickey Mouse is an American cartoon character co-created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks. The longtime icon and mascot of the Walt Disney Company, Mickey is an anthropomorphic mouse who typically wears red shorts, large shoes, and white ...

that has been inserted subtly into the design of a ride, attraction, or other location in a Disney theme park,

Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment industry, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Di ...

property, animated film, feature-length movie, TV series, or other Disney product. 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". 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 many Disney animated films as

Easter eggs Easter eggs, also called Paschal eggs, are eggs that are Egg decorating, decorated for the Christian holiday of Easter, which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus. As such, Easter eggs are commonly used during the season of Eastertide (Easter ...

. They are also hidden in architecture and attractions in Disney parks and resorts, and in studio buildings and many other Disney-related features.

History

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. Hidden Mickey totem Canada

The history of Hidden Mickeys can be traced back to when the Imagineers were designing Epcot in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Disney had decided that EPCOT Center would be a more adult themed park, including selling alcohol. As alcohol and Disney characters were deemed to be an improper combination, it was decided that none of the Disney characters, including Mickey Mouse and

Minnie Mouse Minerva "Minnie" Mouse is an American cartoon character created by the Walt Disney Company. The longtime sweetheart of Mickey Mouse, she is an anthropomorphic mouse with white gloves, a red or pink bow, blue (or pink or red) polka-dotted dress, w ...

, would ever be seen at EPCOT Center. To some of the Imagineers working on EPCOT Center, this was taken as a challenge. They started including hidden Mickey Mouse profiles into various design elements of that park. As the park began to grow, guest comments led Disney to include the characters in EPCOT Center, but tradition was well-established by that point. Hidden Mickeys (as well as other Disney characters like Minnie Mouse) have become a staple of all theme park designs since. Because of the popularity of Hidden Mickeys, Imagineers are encouraged to place them in new constructions. Throughout the years, Hidden Mickeys spread in popularity as a pop-culture phenomenon. They have also appeared in animated movies.

Hidden Mickey 50 Ears

As part of the

Happiest Homecoming on Earth The Happiest Homecoming on Earth or the Happiest Celebration on Earth was the eighteen-month-long celebration (May 5, 2005 through September 30, 2006) of the 50th anniversary of the Disneyland theme park, which opened on July 17, 1955. It commemo ...

Disneyland Disneyland is a amusement park, theme park at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. It was the first theme park opened by the Walt Disney Company and the only one designed and constructed under the direct supervision of Walt Disney, ...

, the park had been decorated with 50 hidden Mickey 50 Ears, the official symbol of the 50th anniversary of Disneyland. The symbol is the traditional Mickey face and ears, but with a number 50 in the center. Before the 50th anniversary of Disneyland ended on September 30, 2006, the Hidden 50 Mickeys were gradually removed.

Locations

Mickey Mouse shaped transmission tower Celebration FL

Common locations for deliberate Hidden Mickeys include the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, where they are most commonly found in attractions, stores, and decor around the environment. Although approximately 1,000 Hidden Mickeys have been recorded,

The Walt Disney Company The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was founded on October 16 ...

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 any reported Mickey sightings. The book ''Discovering the Magic Kingdom: An Unofficial Disneyland Vacation Guide - Second Edition'' has the largest printed listing of Hidden Mickeys for the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim. The book lists 419 Hidden Mickeys that can be found at Disneyland Park, Downtown Disney, the three Disneyland hotels, and Disney's California Adventure.

In media

*In the '' George Lopez'' episode "George Goes to Disneyland" there was a contest to see how many Hidden Mickeys a viewer could find. The winner won $10,015 and a trip to

. * The animated film '' The Lion King 1½'' features a total of 20 Hidden Mickeys among the scenes of the film, with one of the bonus features of the film's DVD being to find them while watching the film. * In '' Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two'', there are many Hidden Mickeys that Mickey can photograph throughout the game. There are also hidden Oswalds. * The ''

Kingdom Hearts is a series of action role-playing games developed and published by Square Enix (originally by Square) and owned by The Walt Disney Company. A collaboration between the two companies, it was conceptualized by Square employees, Japanese gam ...

'' series has several Hidden Mickeys throughout different games, with ''

Kingdom Hearts III is a 2019 action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows, and Nintendo Switch. It is the third main installment in the '' Kingdom Hearts'' series and the twelfth game overall, and ser ...

'' placing a larger emphasis on finding them in several different Disney worlds; they are referred to in-game as "Lucky Emblems". Finding these Lucky Emblems and taking in-game pictures of them are important, as depending on the difficulty, a certain number are required to unlock the game's secret ending. * In '' Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'', where ''Kingdom Hearts''

protagonist A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a ...

Sora is a downloadable fighter, he retains the Hidden Mickey token attached to his keyblade, the Kingdom Key. The Hidden Mickey token is the only reference to a non-''Kingdom Hearts'' Disney property in the game, as everything else featured in ''Kingdom Hearts'' originating from Disney’s other media were omitted. Characters original to the ''Kingdom Hearts'' games were included, however.

References

External links