Disney Tips Your Guide To A Great Disney Vacation
Who can resist a good Easter egg?
Disney has been hiding Easter eggs in their animated films for years (have you ever spotted a Disney character from one film hanging out in the background of another?).
It’s maybe not surprising, then, that Walt Disney World’s theme parks should be full of Hidden Mickeys.
They might form the classic three-circle shape of Mickey’s head, or you might find Mickey’s profile or body. Then again, some Hidden Mickeys don’t depict Mickey at all, so be on the lookout for other hidden Disney characters throughout the parks. They could be playing hide-and-seek in a mural, or they might be carved into a rock, or even embedded in concrete – Hidden Mickeys are everywhere in WDW!
Here are some of our favorite Hidden Mickeys in Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park. Some are hard to miss, while others will take a keen eye to spot. Good luck!
Tree of Life
It’s hard to miss the iconic Tree of Life at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park. It has stood at the center of the Park since it opened in 1998, and it boasts hundreds of animal “carvings”, although the tree is actually made of concrete over an oil rig.
At 145 feet tall, there are plenty of places for Hidden Mickeys, and Disney Imagineers couldn’t resist inserting a few into the Tree of Life’s animal artwork.
Credit: Disney Tips
Take a stroll along the Discovery Island Trails to get up close and personal with the impressive artwork sculpted into the tree.
It might take some time, but if you can find the hippo at the back of the tree, facing the Africa and Asia lands of Animal Kingdom, you’ve found yourself a Hidden Mickey! Look above the hippo’s eye, and you’ll see a clear Mickey head impression in grey, upside down.
DINOSAUR
We never miss a chance to ride Animal Kingdom’s DINOSAUR, over in DinoLand USA.
Where else can you hop on a time rover and travel to the Cretaceous, avoiding hungry dinos and angry asteroids along the way? We also love the celebrity cameos on this attraction (ten points if you knew that Bill Nye the Science Guy, Phylicia Rashad, and Wallace Langham all contribute to the preshow).
As you’re walking through the queue section of the attraction, take a look at the forest mural on the wall of the first room. Find the widest tree, on the left side of the mural, and look about halfway up to find a classic Hidden Mickey in a darker shade of grey.
Credit: Disney Dining
Na’vi River Journey
Did you know that Na’vi River Journey in Pandora – The World of Avatar at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park boasts Disney’s most advanced audio-animatronic?
Of course, even if the Shaman of Song weren’t so ground-breaking, we’d still be captivated by the bioluminescent beauty of this attraction, where the otherworldly rainforest of Pandora comes to life around you.
Credit: Disney Tips
When you arrive at the Shaman scene, take a look at her cloak, on your right (her left arm). There’s a distinctive Mickey-shaped hole in the cloak, which reads as black in the red fabric, and it can clearly be seen as the Shaman lifts her left arm and moves it around.
It’s tough to spot, so don’t feel bad if you have to ride Na’vi River Journey a couple of times before you see it!
Pangani Forest Exploration Trail
When you visit Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom, you haven’t truly seen the Park until you’ve gone on safari to discover the fascinating animals that call it home. Gorillas, tigers, Malaysian flying foxes, dozens of bird species, and even a Komodo dragon can be discovered along the lush treks throughout Animal Kingdom.
Guests exploring Pangani Forest Exploration Trail can search for a unique Hidden Mickey while on an expedition.
It’s massive, and formed by a huge rock that juts out on your right just after the gorilla viewing window, at the first section of the suspension bridge. But it’s not a simple 3-circle Mickey image you’ll see – it’s a Hidden Jafar head!
Mombasa Marketplace
When you’re searching for Hidden Mickeys, nothing is out of bounds! You’ll need to look up AND down to spot these little gems. Then again, sometimes they’re not so little!
Credit: Disney Tips
Disney Imagineers created an area in Animal Kingdom themed after an African village. Harambe is a fabulous place to explore (and you may just find more than one Hidden Mickey lurking in the vicinity)!
One of the easiest to spot Hidden Mickeys is created out of a grate and pebbles embedded in cement around it, and you’ll find it outside Mombasa Marketplace if you look at the ground.
Conservation Station
Many Guests to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park never take the time to visit the Conservation Station, which gives you a fascinating glimpse into the care animals receive at the Park.
If you have time on your next trip, take the Wildlife Express Train to Rafiki’s Planet Watch, and experience another side of Animal Kingdom!
While you’re there, examine the animal mural that greets you. Can you spot the owl? Look at its eyes – both of them feature Hidden Mickeys!
Bottom Line
A fun way to add a little adventure to your day in Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park is to spend some time looking for Hidden Mickeys. Look high and low, on attractions and queues, in animal enclosures, in shops while you’re browsing for merchandise, and even while you’re enjoying a meal.
How many Hidden Mickeys can you and your family find on your next Walt Disney World trip?
