Disney in a Minute: What are Hidden Mickeys?

We’re here with a series of quick posts, “Disney in a Minute,” bite-sized nuggets of information that can better help you understand a Disney term or planning topic. Enjoy!

“Hidden Mickey” is a Disney fan term for a stylized image of Mickey Mouse concealed or camouflaged within a publicly visible area of a Disney theme park or resort. The hidden Mickeys are typically formed by one large circle (Mickey’s head) topped by two smaller circles (his ears), but there are some examples of a Mickey profile as well.

A classic example is seen in the photo above. The lock on the prisoners’ jail cell at the end of Magic Kingdom’s Pirates of the Caribbean attraction looks somewhat like Mickey’s head. Another fun example is in the jungle scene of it’s a small world. Take a look at the leaves behind the giraffes – they have a suspicious resemblance to our favorite rodent.

There are hundreds of Hidden Mickeys secreted away in the Disney parks and cruise ships, all created by Disney’s imagineers as a covert form of entertainment for themselves and in-the-know guests. Author Steven Barrett has a wonderful book series that lists where you can find Hidden Mickeys during your theme park exploration, but some guests prefer the serendipity of spotting them in the wild on their own. If you have an inquisitive older child, challenging them to find Hidden Mickeys can be a great way to focus their theme park touring.

Have a question about a Disney term that is unfamiliar to you? Suggest it here for an upcoming Disney in a Minute segment.