Mickey Hides in the Shadows

Mom look! It's Mickey!

Where? I don't see Mickey, it's just a few dinner plates.

No... really. It was Mickey. There was a head and two ears... and it was sitting right there on the table.

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Little Johnny may have been right in saying that Mickey was sitting right there on the dinner table. Sure, it wasn't the Mickey that we are used to seeing in the character meet and greets, but it sure was Mickey. 

Johnny here has found what Cast Members, Imagineers, and Guests lovingly refer to as "The Hidden Mickey". Rumor has it that when the Epcot concept was put into reality, Disney management made a push to restrict characters to Magic Kingdom. Epcot was to be considered an adult park and characters had no place here. Many of the Imagineers that were working on the Epcot project came from the Magic Kingdom project and could not help but to put their favorite mouse in various places around the park. 

There are many forms of the Hidden Mickey which include the full sillouette. Purists like myself hold to very specific rules when it comes to spotting these in the parks. A great example of this is the butter that is served at many sit-down restaurants. It is pressed into the familiar mouse. This however is far from being hidden. Therefore, does not count. 

A true Hidden Mickey starts off with three circles, or spheres, or in Johnny's case dinner plates. Starting with the large circle, you attach two smaller circles to the top making our little friend. Unfortunately it is not easy enough to say that three circles are placed to make a Mickey. You need to ask the question "Does this belong?" In other words, do the three circles look enough like the surrouding area to be there, but different enough to catch your eye. There is a fine line between Hidden Mickey and three circles.

Sometimes you will see three circles connecting, but the proportions are all wrong. There will be a giant head and two very small ears. This is not a Hidden Mickey, but rather a giant circle with two small circles.

Right about now you may be asking "Where might I see one of these Hidden Mickeys?" Well, they can be anywhere. Sometimes, they even creep up in your frozen Coke.

Splash Mountain has a great example of a Hidden Mickey that fits with the theme of the attraction. Three fishing bobbers show off of friend.

Imagineers have started to incorporate other hidden characters as well. There have been reports of Donalds, Minnies, and Goofys to name a few. 

When looking for Hidden Mickeys remember, the three circles must touch or else it does not count. The circles must also have the correct proportions to make it seem like it is a Mickey. If the sizes are wrong... sorry... not a Mickey. 

How many will you be able to find?


THIS WEEK IN WDW HISTORY:

1832 - Lewis Carroll author of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is born in Daresbury, Chesire, England. 


1987 - Delta Airlines replaces Eastern Airlines as the official airline for Walt Disney World.

1988 - Illuminations debuts in EPCOT Center. 

1994- Communicore East and West in Epcot close permanently.    

1999- Cirque Du Soleil opens it's permanent theater. 


DAYS UNTIL OUR VACATION: 93