Ken Reviews: Three Disney World Books - Jan 19, 2006

Ken Reviews: Three Disney World Books
Page 2 of 3

Hidden Mickeys (purchase at the LP Store)
Some people look for previously undiscovered planets, or species, or medical cures. Some people look for Mickey Mouse in the woodwork of hotels. Seriously, though, everyone has their own hobbies and forms of relaxation and recreation, and such things help us to concentrate on the work we have in our lives.

I should fess up right away and say that searching for hidden Mickeys per se has never held much interest for me. My first inkling of "hidden" Mickeys was when I rode Adventure Thru Inner Space as a child, and the water molecules looked like Mickey balloons to me. But that's the rub – the simple three circles shape could be claimed by someone as a hidden Mickey, but this was clearly a ride about being shrunken down to the molecular level in a snowflake. At least, that's what it was about if you were a young kid. Adolescents often enjoyed the attraction for other reasons. You may be too young or to new to Disney fandom to know that the heck I'm even talking about. You can get more info on the attraction here: http://www.yesterland.com/innersp.html

I'm more interested in the little inside jokes where Imagineers put themselves or their information (birthday, hire date, phone extension, etc.) into things at the Resorts, or include tributes to previous attractions in new ones. For instance, the fact that the Mighty Microscope from Adventure Thru Inner Space can be seen while riding Star Tours, or the tribute to the attraction's narration heard on a pay phone upstairs at Disneyland Park's Innoventions building – that is something I seek out.

Nevertheless, I know that there are a lot of people who are very much into seeking out hidden Mickeys (HMs), and Disney seems eager to indulge them. That's where the Hidden Mickeys guide serves a need. This conveniently sized book doesn't just tell you where the hidden representations of Mickey Mouse can be found. Nope. This thing explains a little about the whole obsession of tracking these things, and even what qualifies as an HM. You see, there's the "classic" Hidden Mickey of the three intersecting circles (representing his head and ears), and then there are many other ways Mickey could be depicted or represented. This can also apply to other Disney characters. In addition to these explanations, the guide literally makes a game out of looking for hidden Mickeys, complete with clues, hints, scores, rules, etc. However, if you just want to find hidden Mickeys casually as you visit, you can use the guide without doing a scavenger hunt.

Table of Contents:

Hidden Mickey Mania
Magic Kingdom Scavenger Hunt
Epcot Scavenger Hunt
Disney-MGM Studios Scavenger Hunt
Disney's Animal Kingdom Scavenger Hunt
WDW Resort Hotels Scavenger Hunt
Hither, Thither, & Yon Scavenger Hunt
WDW Water Parks, Downtown Disney & Beyond
Other Mickey Appearances
My Favorite Hidden Mickeys
My Top 10
10 Honorable Mentions
Don't Stop Now!
Index to Mickey's Hiding Places

This is another offering from The Intrepid Traveler, and again Foster & Foster has put together a cover that says "Disney/Mickey Mouse" without violating Disney copyrights by using the typical Mickey Mouse colors and one of his ears.

There are no pictures, but there are maps of the parks and the overall Resort.

If you're in to hidden Mickeys, a book like this can mean extra days of fun at WDW.

Hidden Mickeys - A Field Guide to Walt Disney World's Best Kept Secrets
http://www.HiddenMickeysGuide.com
ISBN-13: 978-1-887140-56-0  ISBN-10: 1-887140-56-5
Library of Congress Card Number: 2004113896
US$11.95
Published by The Intrepid Traveler

www.intrepidtraveler.com

©2005 Stephen M. Barrett
2nd Edition
173 pages, cover to cover - paperback
4" x 9" x .4"