Hidden Mickeys: A Field Guide to Walt Disney World's Best Kept Secrets

Hidden Mickeys: A Field Guide to Walt Disney World's Best Kept Secrets, 5th Edition is written by Steven M. Barrett and published on August 16, 2011.

Format: Paperback
Page: 320 pages
Publisher: Travelers' Tale Guides
Date: August 16, 2011
ISBN: 1887140921
Size: 9.0 x 4.0 x 0.5 inches

Steven Barrett is passionate about Disney, as well as Hidden Mickeys: A Field Guide to Walt Disney World's Best Kept Secrets, he is also the author of Hidden Mickeys Go to Sea: A Field Guide to the Disney Cruise Line's Best Kept Secrets, The Hassle-Free Walt Disney World Vacation and Disneyland's Hidden Mickeys: A Field Guide to the Disneyland Resort's Best-Kept Secrets.

It is no secret that the imagineers at the Disney parks enjoy hiding images associated with Mickey Mouse and his friends wherever they can; throughout the theme parks, in the restaurants, shops, hotels and even rest rooms. Once you start noticing them, like many things it can become addictive and books like the Hidden Mickeys series are there to help you find them.

It will also open your eyes to the amazing detail that is built into every attraction, ride and building. Not everything is just at eye-level, for example the windows above the shops on Main Street.

As well as the classic three-circle Mickey Mouse head and ears, you might also find complete or partial images of other Disney characters including Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy. These images are deliberately blended into their backgrounds, hence "Hidden".

The fifth edition has been fully updated and now lists over 1,000 Hidden Mickeys, an extra 200 new ones with over 70 new pages. This is very much a book to take to the park with you, rather than something you might read before your vacation. For that reason it is deliberately pocket sized, though it is still a bit tall.

The book is organised into six separate chapters, arranged as scavenger hunts, one for each of the main theme parks; Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney-MGM Studios, the Animal Kingdom, one for the resort hotels and lastly one to cover everything else.

Each scavenger hunt provides clues and hints to help you spot the Hidden Mickeys and for each Mickey, there are points to be won so you can play a game with family and friends. There are even a set of rules for both "Scavenger Hunt" and "non-Scavenger Hunt" games.

If you get stuck, there are details of exactly where they are at the end of each chapter plus a map and suggested itineraries.

When you are waiting in line for a ride or a show, looking for Hidden Mickeys can be a great distraction, especially for the kids. You might even be able to convince someone to go on a ride if there is a particular Hidden Mickey you are trying to see on the ride itself.

If you are in a hurry to see and ride as much as you can, then you probably won't have time to enjoy looking for Hidden Mickeys but if you have more time on your hands, then it can be a great way to involve the whole family, especially the young ones who will have great fun trying to spot them before the adults!

The book ends with a list of the author's favourite Hidden Mickeys and an Index to Mickey's Hiding Places.

This is not an official book so some people might query whether some of the suggested Hidden Mickeys are real Hidden Mickeys or not but overall it is still fun trying to find them.

Note that most guide books are re-published annually so you can often pick up a bargain if you don't mind last year's edition.