Most of us are familiar with hidden Mickeys and whether or not you avidly search for them I’m sure you have spotted one or two every time you visit Disney property.
Started by Imagineers, a hidden Mickey is an image of Mickey Mouse found in many different forms that have been discreetly placed throughout Disney locations most notably their theme parks. The most frequently used hidden Mickey is three circles representing a head and two ears. Other variations of Mickey can be more difficult to spot and one must have a keen eye to find them. No one has a keener eye than renowned Dr. Steven M. Barrett celebrated author of “Hidden Mickeys A Field Guide To Walt Disney World’s Best Kept Secrets” now in its 4th edition.
Professionally Dr. Steven M. Barrett is quite an accomplished individual with 30 plus years experience in the medical field specializing in emergency room medicine. Dr. Barrett attended Baylor College of Medicine and completed his residencies at Georgetown University Hospital and Georgetown University School of Medicine.
As an author Dr. Barrett takes us on an adventuress hunt for hidden Mickeys. There are clues, hints, and tips to help us search out and find the locations of the hidden Mickeys. It’s an enjoyable book that makes finding hidden Mickeys a fun game for the entire family and friends.
On my last vacation to Walt Disney World I had the pleasure of meeting the Hidden Mickey Guy known to many as Steve Barrett. What started as an occasional tweet here and there turned into a thrill of a lifetime and a day I’ll never forget.
I was in Epcot with my family waiting for the next showing of Turtle Talk With Crush at the Seas with Nemo and Friends in Epcot. I kept my cell phone in my pocket but I would periodically check it for any calls or messages. I pulled the phone out of my pocket and I see I have a message from someone I don’t recognize. So, I looked at the message and it was from Steve letting me know he was going to be in Epcot and would I like to meet him at a certain time and place there? It doesn’t take a rocket scientist or an emergency room physician to figure out how I responded.
My family has always enjoyed searching for hidden Mickeys so when I told my wife and kids we were going to meet with the Hidden Mickey Guy they were very happy to say the least. When we met up with Steve we exchanged pleasantries, spoke about hidden Mickeys, and how his book got on the shelves in Disney parks but, what struck me the most was how genuine a person Steve is. He personifies what being a Disney fan is all about and someone that everyone should aspire to be like.
A list of books written by Dr. Steven M. Barrett:
The Hassle Free Walt Disney World Vacation
A Field Guide To Walt Disney World’s Best Kept Secrets
Disneyland’s Hidden Mickeys A Field Guide To Disneyland Resorts Best Kept Secrets
Hidden Mickeys Go To Sea A Field Guide To Disney Cruise Line’s Best Kept Secrets
Hidden Mickeys of the Disney Cruise Ships and Castaway Cay
In addition to the books Steve Barrett also has an iPhone application called ‘Hidden Mickeys Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, Epcot, Animal Kingdom.’
To find out more about Steve Barrett and hidden Mickeys go to http://www.hiddenmickeysguide.com/. Also, Steve Barrett’s blogs appear twice a month at AllEars.net http://allears.net/.
Contributed by: Stuart S. (NDD #47). Stuart is our resident Disney geek and creator of Disney Geek Dad.
Stuart is the DDL resident Geek Dad and claims New York as his birthplace. Currently, though, he resides in New Jersey and is a husband and father of two as well as a huge Disney World, Springsteen, Yankee, and NY Ranger fan. He wakes up and goes to sleep thinking about Disney World. He listens to Disney podcasts to and from work and at night before sleep. He drives his family nuts talking about Disney and is always planning their next Disney World trip. In addition, he is known to always volunteer to help extended family and friends plan their next trip. Stuart’s personal blog is disneygeekdad.blogspot.com. He can also be found on twitter by following @disneygeekdad.
Nice story! Cool picture!