Hidden Disney

Just about anyone who is a Disney fan knows a little something about Hidden Mickeys, those subtle images of the famous mouse creatively woven into the design of Disney shops, attractions, resorts, and other theme park locales. No one can say just when the first Hidden Mickey appeared, but the practice clearly caught on with the construction of EPCOT Center in the early 1980s.

EPCOT Center was the first Disney Park not modeled on the original Disneyland. In an effort to help distinguish it, the Imagineers decided that the world-renowned Disney characters would live exclusively in the Magic Kingdom. Epcot was to have its own characters (although Dreamfinder and Figment were the only ones to make it off the drawing board). Mickey and the gang were nowhere to be found.

Of course, as Walt Disney said on the first episode of the Disneyland anthology series, "It all started with a mouse." The Imagineers felt compelled to pay tribute to that fact and set about slipping Mickey into the design of many of the pavilions. Today, the practice is widespread and all-but-expected with any new project.

Somewhat lesser known, but often even more fascinating than Hidden Mickeys are the details I like to call "Hidden Disney." These are the little gems throughout the parks which cleverly pay homage to everything from prominent individuals in Disney history to former park attractions. Hidden Disney actually dates back even further than Hidden Mickeys, to at least 1955 when the first Main Street windows appeared at the opening of Disneyland.

You'll find a Hidden Disney tag on older posts which already mention this sort of fun detail. Look for other Hidden Disney posts on this blog coming soon.