4. The Hidden Mickey you’ve probably stepped on…
This search starts where the Skyliner lands:
a palm-lined walk where a landmark stands.
Passing through, it’s all glamor and glitz;
Step down a street as real as it gets,
including the icon – a perfect impression
Of a Golden Age theater (of recent succession).
As you walk on the plaza before its curved house,
You’re standing on top of a very large mouse.
Take a look from above at the markings around
And consider that lake – so perfectly round –
Or the circle nose planter and dark cement grin
That reminds you who started the park that you’re in.
The story: Once significantly more obvious than it is today (thanks to changes in paint, planters, and the function of the “Center Stage” area of the park since 1989), the giant Mickey Mouse face formed by the Hollywood Studios central plaza is a true hidden gem that’s practically indiscernible from the ground. It’s a not-so-subtle reminder that any discussion of Disney’s place in animation or film has to return to the idea that “it was all started by a mouse.” And like it or not, the hidden Mickey became all the more perfect when the Chinese Theater became home to the first ever ride-through attraction themed to the mouse that start it all, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, in 2020.
5. The Hidden Mickey you might never have considered…
You’ll start this search a whole world away.
Not in the parks, but in a place to stay!
For most guests to Disneyland way back out West,
Staying “off-site” is typically best.
It’s a short walk to travel to both Disney’s parks,
So let’s take that quick trip in search of landmarks.
Walk east down Katella toward bright Pixar Pier.
(It’s wild how close to the parks you are here.)
Hook a left and head north up Disneyland Drive.
Yep, just that simple! You’ve already arrived!
But the pathway ahead bows outward so wide,
then confusingly circles ’round a planter inside.
The shortest route ‘tween two points is always a line,
“So why this unusual sidewalk?” you whine.
But when seen from above, with its mirrored pair
This strange bit of sidewalk’s a mouse from the air.
The story: Long ago, plans called for Disneyland to finally evolve in the spirit of Walt Disney World: a multi-day, hotel-focused resort insulated from the surrounding hotels and neighborhoods of Anaheim. However, the project that would’ve fueled the growth was the never-built Possibilityland: WESTCOT. When that second gate for Disneyland was cancelled in the wake of Disneyland Paris, a much less ambitious and less expensive expansion to the property created the Disneyland Resort of today.
One of the primary victories of the new Disneyland Resort, however, was the creation of the Anaheim Resort District, finally reigning in the “wild wild west” of the surrounding retail and resorts that had so irritated Walt forty years prior. Now, the area around Disneyland – including this iconic sidewalk entry – is maintained with beautiful gardens, picturesque palms, matching signage, and pedestrian-friendly surprises.
Thank you so much for reading. Now, it’s your turn to join the story. If you enjoy spending time falling down the “rabbit hole” of Park Lore’s in-depth, ad-free, member-supported stories, consider becoming a Member for as little as $2 / month.
Members can unlock rare concept art in every tale, reveal attraction audio streams in select stories, gain access to over a hundred exclusive articles in our quick-read Extra Features and in-depth Special Features collections, gain exclusive podcast extras, and receive an annual member card and merch in the mail! (Plus, y’know, supporting research-based, ad-free, clickbait-free, in-depth theme park writing!)