Hidden Mickeys: Everything You Need To Know About the Happiest Scavenger Hunt in Disney World!
Did you know Disney World has a mouse infestation problem?!
Don’t worry, it’s only Mickey, and it’s not really a problem – Disney put him everywhere on purpose! In fact, they’ve hidden over 1,000 iconic Mickeys all over Walt Disney World and even in the company’s many fabulous resorts. For some visitors, this scavenger hunt has become one of the main attractions of visiting the parks. After all, a visit to Disney is already pretty sensational, but the anticipation of finding hidden Mickeys around every corner creates more suspense than waiting for the next season of The Mandalorian on Disney+!
How Hidden Mickeys Came To Be
Hidden Mickeys originated in EPCOT Center during the time of its construction. The Imagineers working on the park decided to include Mickey in their designs because they wanted to incorporate Walt’s best-known character into the park. After all, there were no other Disney characters represented at EPCOT Center. The Imagineers wanted to change that, but they’d have to be clever about it. . .
You see, the good news (or bad news, depending on how you look at it) is that Disney characters were kept out of EPCOT because it’s the only park where you can openly purchase alcoholic drinks. If not for this limitation, the hidden Mickeys at EPCOT may have never been hidden. But the Imagineers wanted the park to have a touch of Disney in it, and hiding Mickeys in random places was the only way to accomplish this.
Many hidden Mickeys only depict his adorably round head and ears, so they’re pretty easy to work into random places around the park. (EPCOT has even managed to grow fruit and vegetables in this shape!) But in some locations, the hidden Mickeys get even more elaborate, featuring a silhouette of his entire body or even a side profile with that easily recognizable Mickey Mouse nose.
Finding Hidden Mickeys
Some hidden Mickeys are easier to find than others. There’s plenty that is visible to the naked eye, but there’s also a handful that require you to truly scour the parks to find them. According to hardcore hidden Mickey hunters, the mouse should never be easy too spot – the challenge of finding them is half the fun!
As of September 2021, Disney visitors on the hunt for hidden Mickeys have collectively reported spotting over 1,000 iterations of the famous mouse throughout the four parks. There is almost no limit to where they might be. It’s not unusual to spot a hidden Mickey while you’re riding the Magical Express from the airport to your Disney World Resort of choice. They can be hidden in the brushstrokes of a mural, an imprint in the sidewalk, the shape of a dessert – you have to stay on your toes to catch ’em all!
Pay attention anytime Disney World opens a new attraction or even a newly created part of the park. Imagineers don’t create new attractions without including at least one hidden Mickey, so if you visit every few years there should always be new ones to look for!
Smallest, Largest, and Unexpected Hidden Mickeys
Hidden Mickeys range from itsy bitsy to pretty sizeable, depending on where you find them. The smallest known hidden Mickey amounts to three of the smallest beads you’ll probably ever see on a charm embedded in the Adventureland pavement. These beads represent the three circles that larger hidden Mickeys are drawn with.
And while we’re pretty sure that one is hands down the tiniest, there are multiple hidden Mickeys that tie for the largest mice ever.
Though the Richard Petty Driving Experience attraction has been permanently closed for many years now, right next to where it was is Lake Mickey. If you can find a way to get up into the sky, you’ll see that Lake Mickey is shaped like his head.
If you drive to Disney World, you’ll be taking the World Drive to get there. The trip also takes you on EPCOT Center Drive. While you’re there, make it a point to see the solar panel farm that you’ll pass. Look closely and you will see that the solar panels are in the shape of Mickey.
Though you can’t tell when you’re riding it, the layout of the Expedition Everest roller coaster forms a hidden Mickey in plain sight. The replica of Mount Everest is in the shape of his head and two of the roller coaster’s tracks are circular, making those signature ears that are recognized the world over.
The same thing applies to Hollywood Studios. You’d never know from just walking through, but if you fly over it, you can see the entire park is laid out in the shape of a hidden Mickey.
Book a stay at (or at least visit), the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. While you’re there, make your way over to the convention center and look up at the roof. You’ll see a weather vane that depicts Mickey in its design.
Along the same lines, schedule some time at the Magnolia Golf Course and play your way over to the sixth hole. Next to it, you’ll see a huge sand trap that represents another of the many hidden Mickeys in and around the resort.
What you may not realize about the hidden Mickeys is that even though hunting for them has become such a popular activity with park guests, Disney World does nothing to officially acknowledge it. To this day, no one has an explanation as to why.
Hidden Mickey Pins
If you happen to immerse yourself in hidden Mickey hunting, you may be interested to know that Disney has a series of hidden Mickey pins, which are updated once every year.
Hidden Mickey pins were originally called lanyard pins and were made available to Disney cast members so that they could trade with any interested guests of the park. Four years after lanyard pins debuted, they were re-branded as hidden Mickey pins. Though each pin had (and still has) Mickey on it, they weren’t hidden at all.
If you are at all familiar with Disney parks, you probably already know that they have the FastPass. What you may not know is that many of those tickets have been converted to hidden Mickey pins. The creator of these pins personalizes some of them, with numbers that are meaningful to him. So one pin may feature the birthday of one of his children, while another may be a helpful reminder to him of when his wedding anniversary is (LOL!).
Over the years, hidden Mickey pins have become extremely popular. Unfortunately, this means there are also many fraudulent hidden Mickey pins out there.
If you’re looking to purchase one of these pins, check it to see if it was made with soft enamel. Disney makes the official hidden Mickey pins with hard enamel, so soft enamel is a dead giveaway that a pin is a knock-off.
Also, pay close attention to the colors in the pin. If there are colors missing or colors that look like they’ve been altered in any way, make a hard pass on that purchase!
You should easily be able to see the “hidden” Mickey on one of these pins. A Mickey that is well defined most likely means that the pin was officially produced by Disney. Blurry or distorted images are a red flag that the pin you are looking at is not authentic.
Whether you’re collecting hidden Mickeys via pins or a sightseeing scavenger hunt (you might want to document with pictures!), this is one of Walt Disney World’s most entertaining pastimes. Although hidden Mickey finding is technically unofficial, we still think it’s a classic, must-try Disney activity!
Cover Image
Photo: Myrna Litt via Flickr
Recommended Gear for this Adventure
Disclaimer: We earn a commission if you click any of the links above and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.
