Searching for Hidden Mickeys Adds Fun to WDW

I am not going to pretend that I was always interested in the hidden Mickeys located throughout Disney World.  In fact, I vaguely knew that the outline of Mickey Mouse's head has been hidden in a variety of places throughout WDW. My wife was intrigued by these, and so she bought the book, Hidden Mickeys by Steven M. Barrett.  This book lists the hidden Mickeys by location, and how to find and see them. Other guidebooks including Birnbaum's also offer lists of some hidden Mickeys. It is almost a game of hide and seek played by the Disney Imagineers and the general public.   But once my wife started her search for the hidden Mickeys,  it certainly added fun to our already terrific vacation.

So my wife carried the book with her and at each place in the parks and Disney Springs  (then it was called Downtown Disney) she would reference the book to find the hidden Mickeys at that location.   Sometimes they were pretty clear, once you knew where they were.  Others were complicated, such as a shadow, or the side view of an attraction. And still others were too difficult to see because you might have to catch a glimpse while riding in a quickly moving vehicle.

When my wife was unsure of what she was supposed to be looking at, she would ask a Cast Member for help.  They usually were happy to assist and knew where they were. One CM even told us that sometimes things are changed and an HM listed in the book may not be there anymore.  One CM showed us both a hidden Mickey and hidden Minnie in the clouds painted on the ceiling of the banquet hall of Be Our Guest in the Beast's Castle. While another Cast Member added some extra magic after my wife asked for some help.

Our family had just finished riding the Tomorrowland Speedway in the Magic Kingdom.   My wife stopped to ask a nearby CM to explain where a shadow hidden Mickey on the track was located.  After explaining the details, he wished us a great day of finding hidden Mickeys, and then asked if we would like free ice cream.   You can imagine our response,  and both excitement and surprise to be given a voucher for complimentary ice cream treats from anywhere in the park we wanted!  I am not suggesting that this will necessarily happen to you, but it demonstrates how accomodating and magical the Cast Members can be.

We had a lot of fun using the book, which continues to have updated editions.  Some of the Hidden Mickeys are amazing, and others are very mysterious. And for those visitors that don't go on all the rides, it can be a great diversion while waiting.   And yes, some of them are in the line up areas, so it is another fun way to pass the time. We are looking forward to continuing our search for hidden Mickeys on our next trip to Disney World.

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