What is a Hidden Mickey?
Hidden Mickeys started out as inside jokes among the Walt Disney Imagineers. A Hidden Mickey is an image of Mickey Mouse concealed in the design of a Disney attraction (ride, resort, etc...). Originally, it took the shape of a head and ears silhouette 
, one large circle with two smaller circled on top in the appropriate place, but Hidden Mickeys can take on many forms.
In designing, constructing or adding the final touches to an attraction, Imagineers subtly "hide" Mickey Mouse silhouettes in plain sight. Soon, it became a tradition, and as the word spread, Disney fans everywhere went on the search for Hidden Mickeys in Disney movies
and theme parks.
The first published sighting of a Hidden Mickey was made by Arlen Miller. Arlen wrote an article back in 1989 on Hidden Mickeys for WDW's Eyes and Ears (Cast Member weekly publication) in the parks. This was the first time it was made publically known and then months later the author was contacted by Disney News for more infomation for an article on Hidden Mickeys.
Today, the Hidden Mickey has taken on many forms: the classic tri-circle head with ears, a
silhouette or profile of the loveable Mouse, an actual animated face with features, his full
figure in either shadow form, silhouette, or detailed drawing, a Mickeyesque feature such as one of his white gloves or his clumpy yellow shoes, a three-dimensional Mickey such as a stuffed doll hidden within a Disney amusement park ride or movie.
Additionally, some Cast Members slip them in for fun and some that just happened and were not planned at all. Although, this describes the classic hidden Mickey, I have learned from Imagineers that "they do the best with what they can".
Unfortunately, Imagineers have never kept official track of where they were originally placed.
Since attractions change or are enhanced throughout the years, Hidden Mickeys can disappear. And, others will appear or reappear for many reasons.
Since the Walt Disney Company has never compiled a complete list of all the "known" or "deliberate" (Imagineer- or Cast Member-created) Mickeys, there is no way to confirm or disprove every single Mickey sighting, but here are some guidelines to use when searching:
- First of all, any Mickey that seems very large and elaborate or very intricate, such as
the formations of a cave or even the shapes of the parks themselves, is probably not an
honest-to-goodness Hidden Mickey. There are exceptions, of course, but few and far between. - Second, a Mickey should be proportioned correctly; while there is no "set" or "official" measurement for a Hidden Mickey, if the ears seem too small or too close together or if each circle is a different size and not in perspective, it is most likely not a Hidden Mickey. (While Hidden Mickeys don't require the circles to be connected to one another, use good sense) Also, be careful when looking that you aren't simply finding a group of circles. A Hidden Mickey should be unique to its surroundings; if there are bunches of balloons in a hand or round shapes on a light fixture, you are bound to see something that could qualify, but is most likely not an intentional Hidden Mickey. Of course, there are always exceptions, but they are rare.
- Lastly, a true Hidden Mickey should not have to rely too much on imagination. If you must squint your eyes, tilt your head, and have a certain amount of lighting at a certain angle, it's probably not a Mickey. A Mickey may be upside down or sideways, but when pointed out, should be relatively clear, and not stretched out or partially obliterated.
Similar to Hidden Mickeys are Decor or Deliberate Mickeys. These are in plain view, such as Mickey-shaped corn chips or butter, Mickey appearing in a Disney Logo, a Mickey cut-out on the back of a
high chair, Mickey ears on the Earful Tower at Hollywood Studios, a Character Totem Pole Mickey at Wilderness Lodge, etc.
Happy hunting!
Respectfully copied from T.R. Shaw
