Searching Disney with Steve

Vickie and I visited the new Princess Guest Rooms at the Port Orleans Riverside Resort at Walt Disney World. These rooms are filled with striking Disney details. After you admire the fireworks on your bed's headboard (very cool effect!):

look for the classic Hidden Mickey on the table at the front area of the room. It's a dark Mickey image in the wood design of the table surface. Be patient; it may take you a few minutes to find it!

I toured WDW's Winter Summerland Miniature Golf Course to check out Hidden Mickey images. The gingerbread cookie with Mickey ears still peeks out from a stocking that hangs on the right side of the mantelpiece as you walk up the 16th hole of the Winter Course.

Kyle informed me that Donald has disappeared! In the past, a Donald Duck nutcracker stood proudly by Goofy on the left side of the Winter Course 16th hole mantelpiece.

But as you can see, he's been removed!

This is the reason we all must remain vigilant. Hidden Mickeys (and other hidden characters) sometimes vanish. Maybe Donald will return someday to his rightful place at the 16th hole of Winter Summerland!

Thankfully, Mickey, Minnie and Pluto are still smiling in a sleigh on another mantlepiece, visible from the 16th holes of the Summer and Winter Courses.

Hidden Mickeys add even more fun to miniature golf at Walt Disney World!

Vickie and I were recently treated to Phineas and Ferb's Backyard BBQ at Fort Wilderness. The event was part of the "Summer to Remember Media Event" at Walt Disney World.

I was honored to meet the creators of Phineas and Ferb: Dan Povenmire and Jeff "Swampy" Marsh. I'm awed and inspired by their story. After first brainstorming and perfecting their concept for the animated show, they pitched the story to multiple networks. Many rejections and 16 years later (yes, you heard right - 16 years), Disney finally picked up the show! Now that's a wonderful example of persistence and believing in yourself and your creation! Kudos to Disney for recognizing the great potential for their ideas. (From left to right in the photo: Vincent Martella, the voice of Phineas, me, Dan Povenmire, and Jeff "Swampy" Marsh).

I snapped a decent photo of a classic (three-circle) Hidden Mickey on the right side of the mural at the rear of the Backyard BBQ stage.

As part of the Summer to Remember Media Event, we toured the new Disney's Art of Animation Resort, next to the Pop Century Resort.

As you might expect, Mickey images are hidden around the resort! Here's a cool Hidden Mickey on the guest room bedspread. To find it, you have to flip up the bottom flap of the bedspread at the end of the bed.

One cool surprise: in the huge chandelier inside the main lobby entrance,

look for the concept drawing signed by John Lasseter (Chief Creative Officer at Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios and Director of many films including Cars 2):

At a Disney Expo at Coronado Springs Resort, the Splitsville ("Roll In and Rock Out!) display caught my eye:

This new two-level attraction at Downtown Disney West Side, opening Fall of 2012, will feature 30 bowling lanes, live music, a wide variety of food choices (including sushi, steaks and even breakfast) and several bars where you can sip your favorite vacation beverage. I anticipate spending hours here!

I visited Tren-D recently to check out Hidden Mickeys. The designers of this store in Downtown Disney Marketplace, Walt Disney World, imagined a few cool Mickey designs. Like the one in blue paint on the upper wall to the right as you enter the store from the main promenade (Thanks to Sharon Dale):

and another small gold classic three-circle Hidden Mickey on a necklace worn by a sassy Minnie painted on a column inside the store (Thanks to Sharon Dale, and Wayne and Angie Vaughn):

Over at Disney's Hollywood Studios, I checked on a display window image on San Francisco Street. Inside the right window display at the China Bowl Restaurant, three round food containers are arranged to form a classic Mickey. I wait a while on display Hidden Mickeys, as they frequently disappear, but this image has stayed in place! (Thanks to Marie and Bruce Daigneault, Bonnie Smith, Larry Brooks, and Jessica Fraser):

I chatted with a Cast Member at the Premier Theater near San Francisco Street. Inside the theater, High School Bands were competing before judges. The Band competition was scheduled over several weekends in April.

I like to admire the posters along the long entrance queue for MuppetVision 3-D. Here's Kermit rising from the mist in a menacing pose:

You can count on it - Disney is always chock full of surprises!

I wandered Walt Disney World recently to check out some new Hidden Mickey sightings. Sarah McGovern wrote me about a pine cone Hidden Mickey on the ground near Fort Wilderness. I walked the trail from the Wilderness Lodge to Fort Wilderness to find the pine cone image. This trail has a dirt path segment that starts from the rear of the Wilderness Lodge property and loops up to join the middle of the main cement sidewalk trail that extends from the front of Wilderness Lodge all the way to Fort Wilderness. As I strolled along the cement sidewalk segment from the dirt path intersection toward Fort Wilderness, I encountered several pine cone Hidden Mickeys! They were all to the left of the path as I approached Fort Wilderness. Here are two of the images:

It appears that guests are creating Hidden Mickeys from pine cones on the ground. I hope this continues every year as a tradition!

I visited the Magic Kingdom and the new Fantasyland area. Several folks (Deb Wills, Rita Ondercik, and Captain Mike) informed me of new Hidden Mickey impressions in the walkway. I spotted several Hidden Mickeys in the Fantasyland Train Station exit area. Here's one located in front of a short brick wall and a tall wooden pole:

While enjoying the sights and sounds of Disney's Animal Kingdom, I was pleasantly surprised to come across Russell and Dug from the movie "Up" on Discovery Island.

My wife Vickie and I enjoyed dinner (and the entertainment!) at Restaurant Marrakesh in Epcot's World Showcase. I like the food here, and we can usually get seated without a reservation if we arrive early.

I think you'll agree with me: with Disney, there's always something new and exciting around the corner, including new Hidden Mickeys!

March is a colorful time of year at Epcot! Mickey greets you at the main entrance.

All Ears Leader Deb Wills told me of a Hidden Mickey in the Haiti exhibit. "Haiti: Garden of Many Colors" is a new garden exhibit next to the Germany Pavilion in World Showcase. At the rear of the Haiti area is a painting of a large van.


A white Hidden Mickey is on the right front fender!

And yes, Mater has arrived in Japan!

However, he somehow lost his Hidden Mickey wing nut. Mater usually has a wing nut with ears on top of his engine air cleaner (shown below on a previous Mater at California Adventure).

Whenever I'm in Epcot's Japan, I pay my respects to some of my favorite rocks anywhere on Disney property.

I caught a performance of "Off Kilter" in the Canada Pavilion. They played two of my favorite Off Kilter songs: "Dirty Old Town" and "Amazing Grace." (The latter song is the #1 most requested bagpipes song, as I'm sure any bagpipes musician will tell you).

Along the Imagination Walkway, the sand sculptors were busy, but they'll still answer your questions!

This amazing sand sculpture highlights the "Disneynature Chimpanzee" film that will help celebrate Earth Day 2012.

Check out these Mickey bushes in the kids' area "Let's Get Moving," located along the Imagination Walkway.

I hope you can visit Epcot to enjoy this great Festival!

My wife Vickie and I planned a full schedule for the Run Disney Weekend in late February, 2012. First up was the 1000th podcast for the WDWToday.com crew. We relaxed in the audience in the Atlantic Dance Hall on the BoardWalk as Mike, Matt, Annette, Len and Mike sat on stage and recorded their 1000th episode. That's quite a long run! They promised to continue on with their successful format. Inside the large dance hall, we spotted an image that might qualify as a Hidden Mickey! It's on the right side wall as you face the stage, and it's formed by three swirls (one large swirl and two smaller ones as "ears") along the lower part of a painting.

At my table, Vickie, Marc, Matt, Amy, Charlie, Brad, Tony and Fernando voted in this image as a Hidden Mickey!

Vickie and I walked over to World Showcase in Epcot to check out some Hidden Mickey sightings. In the France Pavilion, a classic three-circle Hidden Mickey hangs in the shop that adjoins the wine shop Les Vins de France. It's at the upper left of a bulletin board on a wall opposite the entrance to the shop, and it's red, white and blue! (Thanks to Wendy, Tawny Peedin and Carlos Font, and The McCully Family).

I was told that Cast Members in the Japan Pavilion placed rocks to form a classic Hidden Mickey at the bottom of a pond. It's right in front of the outdoor seating area for the Katsura Grill counter service restaurant. (Thanks to Orlando Attractions Magazine, Claudia, and Ian B.)

I think it's pretty close to a decent three-circle image of Mickey. What do you think?

Early the next morning, Vickie and I met our neighbors and good friends, Billy and his daughter Brittany, after the Finish Line of the Disney Princess Half Marathon. Billy earned the Goofy Medal last month (he ran the half and the full marathon on the same weekend), and he ran the Disney Princess Half Marathon to support Brittany. Now that's cool! And they both made it! Love those tutus!

Vickie and I visited Epcot's Innoventions to experience "Habit Heroes." We were admitted into "Will Power's Gymnasium" to learn more about our bad health habits.

On top of some lockers in the pre-show room, I spotted this image: a Hidden Mickey made of sports balls!

Will Powers and Callie Stenics led our group through three interactive sessions. We passed by Callie's office on the way to the first room.

Along the trek to better health, I destroyed a pizza by blasting it with carrots and broccoli.

We witnessed a young boy learn to cast off his bad health habits, to protect himself as much as possible against high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease.

After we left our own bad habits behind, we waved goodbye to Callie and Will.

Here's to a healthier life!

I visited Saratoga Springs Resort to check out a few Hidden Mickeys. I drove over to The Paddock pool area. Here I'm standing in front of the counter at The Paddock Grill.

A decent classic (three-circle) Hidden Mickey inside the Aquatic Play Area at The Paddock pool was first submitted by our very own Deb Wills! Allen Stroud also wrote to me about this image. As you enter the Aquatic Play Area

The Hidden Mickey is formed by three stones in the middle front of a pillar, which is on the right side after you pass through the entrance gate:

At the Grandstand pool, a classic Hidden Mickey is at the top of the green trees on the lower front wall below the counter at The Backstretch Bar (thanks to David and Celia Berset):

I payed my respect to a couple of classic Hidden Mickeys at the Grandstand pool area, one on the left side of the gate as you enter:

and another on the back gate near the restrooms:

The next time you visit this scenic resort, take some time to check out these cool Hidden Mickeys!

One gorgeous Sunday morning, my wife Vickie and I drove to the BoardWalk area to join Deb Wills and other All Ears folks to encourage the Disney marathoners as they struggled toward the finish line. We staked out a spot near the bridge from the Swan and Dolphin Resorts to the Yacht Club promenade. This spot was just past the 24-mile marker, so the finish line was not far away! The runners had already jogged through the Magic Kingdom, Disney's Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios. Yellow cones marked the walkways for nonrunning observers like us.

I walked through the rear entrance to Epcot at 9:00 A.M. to make my way to the marathon finish line, which was in the Epcot main parking lot. The runners entered World Showcase through a gate between the United Kingdom and Canada pavilions and then turned right to circle World Showcase lagoon. I don't think most runners were enjoying the Disney details after laboring for almost 26 miles, although many could manage a smile as we cheered them on.

The runners passed through Future World to the right of Spaceship Earth

on their final leg to the Finish Line, shown here on a large screen.

A friend and neighbor of mine was running this day to qualify for the Goofy medal (completing the half-marathon and then the marathon the next day). Sounds Goofy, right? I had this crazy idea that I would congratulate him as he crossed the Finish Line. That idea didn't work. Thousands of people lined the fences and crowded the bleachers at the Finish Line area; I couldn't get anywhere near the 26.2 mile completion point! So later I let him know that I'd celebrate with him back in our neighborhood.

On my way back home, I spotted a classic Mickey Mouse image on a bell at the Valet Stand outside the entrance to the Beach Club Resort.

I hope this Mickey sticks around a while!

I enjoy music of all types, and the British Revolution group at Epcot's United Kingdom Pavilion adds a new dimension of rock and roll to Walt Disney World. They debuted in May of 2011 and have delighted audiences since with British rock music from over the decades since the 1960's. This year, my sister Donna visited WDW over Christmas and we sang along with a music set from this great band.

After their performance and when my heart had stopped pounding, I posed with the guys.

Each year, WDW manages to improve the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights, including the Hidden (and decorative) Mickey images. Michelle Scribner-MacLean, esteemed member of our own All Ears cast, found a tiny classic Hidden Mickey at the end of the Streets of America, next to the door to the Sporting Goods store.

My sister Donna found more of these small classic Hidden Mickeys in lights in several other areas; this one is above the "News" sign along the Streets of America.

My wife Vickie and our son Steven, along with Donna and I, had a wonderful Christmas day dinner at Shula's Restaurant at WDW's Dolphin Resort. Even though the restaurant was busy, everyone seemed to be in an upbeat holiday mood. It's been a festive season for me, and I hope for you as well!

From our family to all of you, merry Christmas season, Happy Holidays, and raise your glass to a promising New Year!