The Hunt for Hidden Mickeys

One of the things that I enjoy the most about sharing information on The Affordable Mouse is the chance to talk about “other stuff”. Planning affordable Disney vacations certainly involves saving money, but I believe it also has to do with getting the most out of the money that you do spend. Making the most of your time and experiences provides value…and I think that is a huge part of how affordable any Disney vacation is.

So, it is fun for me (and I hope for you as well), to discover ways to get more for your dollar while at Disney World. In the next few Monday posts, I am going to talk about fun things to see and do outside the parks. Some may even be free! All can add more enjoyment…and more value…to your Disney vacation.

Today’s topic is, I think, a very fun one: Hidden Mickeys.

You may have heard of Hidden Mickeys and have wondered what on earth they could possibly be. Well, in short, they are Mickey-head shaped designs that have been hidden all over Walt Disney World by the Imagineers as they came up with the plans for many of the rides, attractions, restaurants, and resort hotels. They are literally everywhere.

And some of them are very hard to find. Which is why they are called Hidden Mickeys. And why looking for them is so darn fun.

I have to say that this is one of my favorite activities to suggest to families with kids, especially for older ones who want more of a challenge that standing in line for character autographs. You can make it a mission to search for them on every ride you go on. They are there! Make a game of it and award “prizes” to the person who finds the next one if you like. There’s all kinds of ways you can incorporate the hunt for Hidden Mickey’s into your vacation, and if your kids are of the age where they love scavenger hunts, they are gonna love this.

Now one thing that I especially love about this, is the potential for having an entire vacation day designed around hunting for Hidden Mickeys….that doesn’t even involve going to any parks. Which means it doesn’t involve paying for park tickets that day. Now that’s pretty affordable isn’t it?

I think the best way to approach this if you want to try it, would be to pick up a copy of Steve Barrett’s Hidden Mickeys to refer to on your search. Steve Barrett is THE authority on Hidden Mickeys and his book has a number of chapters of where to look for them  everywhere on Disney property. He gives you clues about where to look….and believe me you’ll need the clues…and does provide hints at the end of each chapter if you are completely stumped. Even more fun, he sets it up so that you can score points, and see who the “winner” actually is, if you like. It is very easy to concentrate on say, the resorts only, and completely make a day of touring the resorts and looking for Hidden Mickeys along the way. Frankly, you could probably make several days of it.

However you decide to do it, I think that hunting for Hidden Mickeys is an absolute blast for kids of almost any age. Just a warning though: once you start, you will probably find Hidden Mickeys EVERYWHERE…even off Disney property, even after you get back home. Just realize that your non-Disney friends may not quite “get” your delight at spotting a Hidden Mickey in the produce section of your grocery store.

Those Hidden Mickeys, you may just want to keep to yourself. Just sayin’.

Have a magical day!

This post is part of the Disney Blog Carnival # 5 where you will find more great blogs and information about Walt Disney World!

Related posts:

1. Searching for Hidden Mickeys at Chip and Co.
2. Wordless Wednesday: A Disney World Hidden Treasure
3. Visiting the Disney World Resorts: Why Taking a Day Off From the Parks Can be FUN