Was anyone else as disappointed as I was that the 75 statues celebrating Mickey Mouse which were supposed to be on display at Walt Disney World through April got pulled early for the Disney stockholder’s meeting? I had planned to visit Walt Disney World over Spring Break and take some photos since I am a big Mickey Mouse fan (Even though cast members told me that not all of the statues were on display at the Magic Kingdom. Apparently, some did not survive the trip to hot and humid Orlando well and were backstage being touched up.)
Actually, there were 77 statues made. “We created two additional statues to substitute for the official 75 in case something terrible happened to them,” said Maria Gladowski, spokesperson for Disney Consumer Products. Those two extra were “Circle Vision” by Luis Fernandez, an employee of Disney Consumer Products, and “Chocolate Mouse” by Randi S. Johnson, president of TivoliToo which was the company that was involved in creating the statues. So when there was the Janet Jackson controversy and her Mickey statue, “Rhythm Nation 1928”, got pulled, it was easy to substitute “Circle Vision”.
These 700-pound, 6-foot-tall Mickey statues kicked off an eighteen month celebration honoring Mickey Mouse’s 75th Anniversary and they are now touring the country to be reunited at Disneyland for a Sotheby’s auction in 2005.
So I postponed my trip to Walt Disney World and last week I was listening to KOST radio out here in Los Angeles when they were broadcasting from the Disney/MGM Studios and to my surprise they interviewed Disney historian Jim Korkis, who always manages to be charming and informative even when he has to be “Disney correct/” That interview reminded me that over the Christmas holidays, several cast members at Walt Disney World had sent me a scavenger hunt designed by Jim for cast members that I was going to take with me on my trip.
To celebrate the 100 Years of Magic, Jim put together a hunt entitled “Where in the World is Walt?” which is archived elsewhere at this site. Jim found Walt photos and references at the various theme parks at Walt Disney World and put together this hunt so that cast members (and their family and friends) could re-discover the magic in the parks even if they had been there hundreds of time. This last December, to celebrate Mickey Mouse’s birthday, he put together a version entitled “Where in the World is Mickey?” So for all those Disney fans like myself who lost out on the chance to see all the Mickey statues, here is another way to celebrate Mickey’s 75th birthday. I’m sure Jim won’t mind it appearing here since he loves promoting the parks and having people re-discover all the details and this encourages guests to pay that higher admission price to find these secrets hidden in plain sight.
Where in the World is Mickey?
A Special Disney Heritage Adventure
created by Jim Korkis
Magic Kingdom
1. In 1929, one of the earliest of the Mickey Mouse black and white cartoons was released: “Mickey’s Choo-Choo,” which featured Mickey as the engineer on a small town railroad. In fact, he is still wearing his engineer’s cap and checkered shirt when he posed for this photo with Walt Disney who is also wearing a checkered shirt. What is the number on the train engine? (Main Street)
2. There are certainly a lot of “Steamboat Willie” images throughout the parks since this was the first Mickey Mouse cartoon theatrically released but this is the only color reproduction of a “Steamboat Willie” anywhere in the WDW theme parks. In fact, in the small lettering at the bottom of this reproduction, it is listed as a limited edition celebrating what number anniversary? (Main Street)
3. “Canine Caddy” with Mickey & Pluto playing golf was released in 1941 and featured a Mickey Mouse with two-tone ears in an attempt by animator Freddy Moore to make Mickey’s ears more three-dimensional. This short-lived experiment only lasted for two cartoons. While the short is in color, you can view a black and white version of it at this location. What is the title that flashes on the screen immediately after this Mickey Mouse short? (Main Street)
4. “The Cactus Kid” and “Two Gun Mickey” were popular black and white Mickey Mouse cartoons with Mickey as a cowboy. However, this seems to be the only location where guests can purchase an image of Cowboy Mickey in his ten gallon hat and holding a six shooter in his left hand. Of course, you can’t see the rest of his body. Where exactly would you be able to purchase this image? (Frontierland)
5. The picture to the left of the picture of Clarabelle Cow being wooed by a suitor with a flower shows a special outfit for Mickey Mouse for one of his cartoons that was nominated for an Academy Award but lost that year to “Ferdinand the Bull.” On the picture it says “Suit For Gentry”. What is the other two word phrase on that picture? (Fantasyland)
6. Mickey Mouse’s space adventures were primarily limited to his comic book appearances but here a three-dimensional Mickey Mouse dressed in a silver space suit stands proudly behind a flashing light as he looks at Minnie. What is the color of the light? (Tomorrowland)
7. This is an interesting picture because even though it is supposed to suggest that it is Minnie Mouse’s father, it is actually based on a drawing done by famed Mickey Mouse comic strip artist Floyd Gottfredson in 1948 for a popular magazine to show what Mickey Mouse would look like in his old age. (Gottfredson’s version had Mickey holding a box of checkers and a checker board.) Anyway, the aged mouse in this picture holds a cane in right hand, wears reading glasses and holds a newspaper in his left hand. What is the name of the newspaper? (Toontown)
8. There is a color picture of Mickey Mouse as a construction worker with a hard hat outside his bedroom. That exact same picture appears in another location in Toontown. When you find that second location, the picture has a number with a fraction. What is the number and the fraction? (Toontown)
9. In Mickey’s letter to Donald and Goofy, what does he write after he says “It sure looks different all right”? (Toontown)
10. Where exactly can you find Mickey Mouse’s big yellow mailbox with his full name in big red letters? (Toontown)
Epcot
11. When you find the location that has five arrows by each wheel, look up to the top and you will find a classic Mickey Mouse image with his left hand holding how many objects? (World Showcase)
12. This is odd. This is the only country pavilion where one of the pennies in the penny press machine does not have the country name on it. It is also the only one where the image of Mickey Mouse has the classic pie-cut eyes. In what country can you find this unusual penny souvenir? (World Showcase)
13. Mickey is comfortably sitting on his suitcase with a beret on his head and a camera tucked under his right arm. That famous structure in the background was designed by the same man who did the interior structure of the Statue of Liberty. But what is Mickey Mouse holding in his left hand? (World Showcase)
14. Mickey sure looks happy on these signs in his bright yellow shirt but Chip’n’Dale seem to be paying attention to something else. What color buttons are on Mickey’s clothes on these signs? (Nope, not yellow.) (Future World)
15. As you stand in the front of Epcot, looking at SpaceShip Earth, in which hand is Mickey holding his sorcerer’s wand? (It reverses on the other side and by the way, that’s the little finger that is sticking out in the air.) (Future World)
16. This Mickey Mouse phone on the counter is always available for guests to use and has been ever since this air-conditioned location opened. Are Mickey’s feet straddling the phone or are his feet flat on the ground to one side of the dial or is the right foot raised or is the left foot raised? (Maybe if you are nice, the cast members here will point out what they suspect is a Hidden Mickey on the floor carpet.) (Future World)
17. There are two locations in Future World where there are photos of Walt Disney pretending to draw Mickey Mouse as “Steamboat Willie”. Where are those two locations? (Future World)
18. Smiling before the ABC-TV camera, Walt clutches a Charlotte Clark designed Mickey Mouse doll and what other Disney cartoon character dolls also designed by Miss Clark? (Future World)
19. These three dials were obviously meant to resemble Mickey Mouse’s head. Both of Mickey’s ear gauges seem to register approximately “90” on the scale. But the gauge representing Mickey’s head registers just short of what number? (Future World) (Don’t be confused by the dials in another area that register between 120-130!)
20. Mickey’s outline is on a large green gear that twirls periodically between the gears of the outlines of what two other Disney animated characters? (Future World)
Disney – MGM Studios
21. The Carthay Circle Theater was one of only two theaters fitted with Fantasound for the premiere of “Fantasia” featuring Mickey Mouse in 1940. This theater on San Vicente was torn down in 1969 because it was not earthquake safe. In one of the display windows is a reproduction of a poster for the cartoon short, Mickey’s Good Deed.” This exact same poster reproduction is proudly displayed at what other location at the Disney/MGM Studios? (Hollywood Boulevard)
22. What is anatomically incorrect with the big three-dimensional statue of Mickey Mouse as “Steamboat Willie”? The other two statues in the same location are fine. They even got the colors right on the middle one and that doesn’t always happen. (Hollywood Boulevard)
23. What is the word in orange lettering and white neon that is underneath the face of one of the largest Mickey Mouse wristwatches you will ever see? (Hollywood Boulevard)
24. When this star made a lasting impression with his hands (and his nose!), he also wrote “Happy Birthday, Mick!” on 6-26-88. What is the name of that star? (Next time you ride the “Great Movie Ride,” look immediately to your left when you see James Cagney and see if you can find a Hidden Mickey that is not three circles but a body part.) (Hollywood Boulevard)
25. Right between the photo of Walt pretending to draw Bambi and the photo of him being very animated in a pair of suspenders as he acts out in front of the “Pinocchio” storyboard is a photo of Walt reading a book. What is the full title of that book? (Animation Courtyard)
26. “Mickey’s Polo Team” was a 1936 short cartoon inspired by Walt Disney’s love of the game of polo. He had organized a team at the studio and arranged games between some of the other Hollywood celebrities. Unfortunately he had to stop when an accident crushed four of his cervical vertebrae, contributing to an arthritic condition that plagued him the rest of his life. This location features three publicity drawings from that cartoon and in one of the drawings, a helmeted Mickey Mouse is followed by which Disney character carrying Mickey’s bag of polo mallets? (Sunset Boulevard)
27. In the Disneyland ferris wheel, the design of each of the individual cars has Mickey Mouse sharing his ride with Pluto and what other Disney animated character? (Nope, it is not Minnie.) (Sunset Boulevard)
28. Mickey Mouse’s very own red director’s chair has a very battered and probably collectible marionette clinging to one of the arms. Who is that marionette character? (Nope, it is not Pinocchio.) (Sunset Boulevard)
29. So many things have changed in the park since it opened but thank heavens this yellow map with a red banner proclaiming: “Los Angeles and Vicinity Freeways” still hangs where it did when this area first opened. In fact, there is a little red square to identify the location of Disneyland. However, immediately to the upper left is another red square almost directly above the green San Diego Freeway sign that identifies something that helped out the opening of Disneyland. What popular location is the little red square representing? (Look at the little black arrow above the square as well.)? (New York Street)
30. This magazine has what is known as an “infinity cover” which means the cover is repeated on progressively smaller covers to infinity. Mickey is smiling on this color cover and while he is celebrating 75 years today, when this magazine came out, it proclaimed the 75th anniversary of what other achievement? (One Man’s Dream)
Don’t LOOK! Here are the Answers! WARNING!
1. 2 (Two). This photo is in the locker area at the front of the park between lockers B255-295.
2. 70th. This small reproduction is in the first display case in the Kodak Exposition Hall near the “Puttin’ on the Ritz” sheet music.
3. “Hockey Hijinks.” Several sports related cartoons are shown on the big screen in the back of the Main Street Athletic Club.
4. The Penny Press Machine in the lobby of “Country Bear Jamboree.”
5. “Giant Savings.” This picture is in the display window of “Sir Mickey’s” and the phrase is a reference to Mickey as a giant killer in “Brave Little Tailor.”
6. Blue. This is in the center of the “Mickey’s Star Traders” shop.
7.The Cheese Report. This picture is on the mantle of the living room in Minnie Mouse’s house.
8. 23 and 3/15. The picture with the number is on the cover of “Minnie’s Cartoon Country Living” which hangs on the wall in Minnie’s house right before going in to the kitchen.
9. “Let’s Talk”. This letter appears on the counter of the remodeled kitchen in Mickey’s house.
10. On the shelf of Mickey’s garage. It is right above the license plate “MIK’N’MIN”.
Epcot
11. Three (3). This is the white pin trading cart in front of “The American Adventure.” Mickey is holding three geometric, colorful pins in his hand.
12. Morocco. This penny press machine is located in the merchandise shop near the restaurant. The penny of Mickey has him with his left hand on a globe and a suitcase behind him.
13. His passport. This image of Mickey is in the penny press machine in the “Les Halles” merchandise shop in France.
14. Orange. There are three signs for Character Dining in front of the “Garden Grill” Restaurant in “The Land” pavilion and they all feature Mickey in a yellow shirt, blue overalls and orange buttons.
15. Left hand.
16. Right foot raised. This phone is located on the counter of the Guest Relations lobby.
17. The display window of “The Art of Disney” and the south wall mural in Innoventions East.
18. Goofy, Donald, Pluto. This picture is located on the photo wall mural in Innoventions East.
19. 110. These dials are in “Mouse Gear” right underneath the silhouette picture of Scrooge McDuck in his office with Daisy Duck taking dictation.
20. Goofy and the face of Minnie Mouse. These huge gears are in the “Mouse Gear” location, north wall.
Disney – MGM Studios
21. “Sweet Success.” The poster is hanging high on the wall with other posters above the embroidering area known as Head To Toe.
22. Steamboat Willie is missing his tail. This statue is in “Mickey’s of Hollywood.”
23. Jewelry. This wristwatch is a huge sign that is on Hollywood Boulevard between the second and third entrance to Mickey’s of Hollywood.
24. Alan Alda. In the forecourt of the “Chinese Theater” on the upper left side if you are facing the theater.
25. “The Adventures of Mickey Mouse.” This photo is on a filmstrip that winds above the heads of guests in “The Studio Store.”
26. Donald Duck. This photo is on one of the north walls in the “Mouse About Town” store.
27. Donald Duck. This is one of the antique toys in the Carthay Circle merchandise shop near where the artist draws.
28. Minnie Mouse. This is one of the antique toys above one of the doors of the Carthay Circle merchandise shop.
29. Knott’s Berry Farm. This map is located on the wall in Disney’s Writer’s Stop coffee shop. Knott’s Berry Farm lent Disneyland an old rifle to be carried by Fess Parker as Davy Crockett’s “Old Betsy” when it was discovered the real one was left behind in Burbank.
30. Flight. The “Life” magazine from November 1978 is in the display case next to the standee of Roy O. Disney and celebrates “75 Years of Flight”.