Hidden Mickeys - Steven M. Barrett

About six years ago we took our children to Orlando for the first time. I thought I would hate Disneyland and all the rest but actually I surprised myself by having a really good time. We have now visited four times with another trip planned next year so you could certainly say we were converts!

As some of you may know I love researching before I go on holiday and whilst originally searching for Disney information I occasionally came across the phrase "Hidden Mickey" but I ignored it and was none the wiser. We went and had a great holiday. The next year I researched again and found that "Hidden Mickeys" could be found all over Walt Disney World so this time we set out to look for them. We spotted a few and were quite pleased with our selves until we found that are over 700 to be discovered. The next year we purchased this book," Hidden Mickeys-a Field Guide to WDWs Best Kept Secret" and we can now been seen running around the parks to cries of "Hidden Mickey".

The books cover is bright yellow so it is always easy to spot when it has worked its way down to the bottom of the back-pack. It is about 4 inches by 9 inches and seems quite sturdy. It has spent two years being dragged around the parks and being stuck in bum bags and waistbands and still seems to be in good condition.

About the Author

Steven Barrett is originally from Texas and is a former Medical Professor. He has lived near WDW since the late 1990s and started by writing guide books on touring the parks. He visited often and gained a lot of inside information. He became interested in Hidden Mickeys and decided to write a book to help people locate them. He also runs a website with new ones being added all the time.

Chapter One

This chapter tells you about Hidden Mickeys in general. They are images of Mickey Mouse or sometimes other characters that have been hidden by the Disney Imagineers, artists and cast members around the attractions, hotels and other areas. The practice of hiding the images probably began in the early 1980s. The images can be the "classic" Mickey with three circles or they can be profiles or even hands! They come in all shapes and sizes and can be found all over the site.
Steven Barrett then goes on to explain how the book is laid out, the scoring for scavenger hunts or just how to find the information you need. There is also a description of what makes a "true" Hidden Mickey and then the grey areas as well as the wishful thinking.

Chapters 2, 3, 4 and 5

These cover the scavenger hunts around the different theme parks. Each is clearly laid out and each clue is numbered. It is easy to follow the trail around the park but we tend to just go to the areas we like and then take a peek in the book to see if we should be hunting there. The ride names appear in the text in bold print so it is a very easy book to flick through and find what you want. If you cannot find the Mickey you are searching for there are then hints in the second half of each chapter. The number of the hint ties up with the number of the clue. The hints pages have HINT clearly printed down the sides so that if you are a serious hunter (I believe they do exist!) then you wont find yourself reading the hints by accident. Each Hidden Mickey is awarded a points value and there is a total at the end of each chapter so you can see how well you are doing.

Chapters 6 and 7

These are laid out in the same way as the previous chapters but they cover the Disney Resort Hotels and then other outlying Disney areas such as Downtown Disney and the golf courses.

Chapter 8

Here Steven Barrett talks about all the other Mickey appearances that are not really hidden; these include decor Mickeys as well as road signs and food arrangements.

Chapter 9

This is a list of his top 10 Favourite Hidden Mickeys. He has chosen them because they are particularly hard to find or how attractive they are. There is then another list covering other notable Mickeys.

Chapter 10

This final chapter encourages everybody to keep their eyes open and to report any Hidden Mickey they see which isn't in the book. I have found that we end up seeing Hidden Mickeys everywhere, even after we get home and it has become a great family joke.

Steven Barrett has a website where you can upload images that you have found or just a description if you haven't got a photo. We found several new Hidden Mickeys on our last visit as Spaceship Earth had just been re-opened and we were the first people to report them. My children are delighted that they are now officially listed as Hidden Mickey spotters and they love looking at the website to see other new ones people have found.

We are really glad that we purchased this book. At $12 it wasn't a bad price when we visited (a great exchange rate!) but it has given us hours of pleasure. Now when we are waiting in line or relaxing having something to eat there is always something to look out for. We found some alone but we have seen great ones with the help of the book. We have been known to ride an attraction again and again whilst on a mission to find an elusive Hidden Mickey (well, thats our excuse anyway!) . The photos are of us in action with the book!

It has become a great family activity and provokes good spirited rivalry amongst us and plenty of photo opportunities. We have also had conversations with other "spotters" who either see you have the book or realise why you are suddenly taking a picture of someone kneeling on the floor pointing at a Mickey Shaped paint drip!