The Hidden Mickeys of EPCOT's Future World West

Those of you that have no idea what a Hidden Mickey (HM) is need look no further then my first article which explains exactly what they are and how they came about.

Heading over to this side of Spaceship Earth is often my favorite part of the day whenever we head to EPCOT. The Living Seas used to be one of my favorite rides even though so many people called it boring. Changing it was my biggest fear but the addition of Nemo and friends really added a lot more to it then it took away. Exploring the world of food and plants is also a lot more fun then you could ever imagine even though it teaches us all important lessons we should know at all times. The biggest part of my childhood was almost destroyed at one point though and it actually upset a lot of people for a very long time. Disney heard their cries in unison and made sure to return a beloved icon back where he belonged.

EPCOT has only two main sections to the park unlike Magic Kingdom that has seven lands, but it's not like there isn't a lot of ground to cover. The park is separated into the front section known as Future World and the back section which consists of worldly countries known as World Showcase. To make this a bit simpler, I'll be dissecting the HMs of Future World first but splitting it up into three sections. Upon walking into the park you'll encounter Future World Central and then you can head left into Future World East. Lots of learning will be done in both of those areas along with a lot of thrills. Now though it is time for there to be some educational stuff along with a lot of fun and good times so head from Future World East, walk straight past the Fountain of Nations, and head directly into EPCOT's Future World West.

The Seas with Nemo & Friends

~ Upon entering the queue and getting to the wooden railings, look in the one of the corners of the room to see 3 large water ripples that forms a tri-circle Mickey head.

~ Go to the top level of the manatee tank and look down to see three placed together for a perfect HM.

~ There is another HM formed by multiple smaller rocks and it is in the largest aquarium at this pavilion. It is most easily seen from the top level when looking down, but it's hard to pinpoint because it has been moved a couple times. Let's just hope it doesn't disappear for good.

The Land

~ In some of the blue bubbles in the middle of the queue for the "Living With The Land" boat ride; there are three that come together to form a traditional HM but it's sideways.

~ When passing through the greenhouses in "Living With The Land," look in the sand to try and spot a HM down on the ground. Cast members will often trace or draw one in the sand, but they are not always there or in the same location.

Also in the greenhouse are other HMs that come and go. Just like in Mickey and Minnie's House over in Toon Town Fair at Magic Kingdom, these HMs are Mickey-head shaped fruits and vegetables like pumpkins, gourds, and tomatoes.

~ "Living With The Land" has another one and this time it's in the reddish room that has the giant tanks of fish. Look on the floor grating to the right of your boat and you'll see a garden hose coiled up as a tri-circle Mickey head.

~ One of the last laboratory rooms has a test tube spinner with a collection of green-capped tubes that are arranged to form a Mickey head.

~ While riding "Soarin'," you'll fly over some golf courses and hills. Look for a golf cart off to your lower left and a man standing behind it holding a Mickey Mouse balloon.

The same scene has another HM which is rather obvious. A golfer hits a golf ball straight at the screen and Mickey himself is designed on the ball.

~ In the final scene in "Soarin'" as you fly over Disneyland and into a shower of fireworks; look for the giant Mickey-shaped firework explosion. You pretty much can't miss it.

Journey Into Imagination

~ One of the work tables in the "Sight" room has one of the more unique HMs I've ever seen. A pair of big headphones are sitting on the table and one of the ear pieces has two small Mickey ears attached to it. Very cool.

~ In the final scene with the rainbow and tons of Figments, check out a small orange cloud/hill in the bottom right corner underneath a purple Figment cloud. Three dots come together on the orange thing that are perfectly positioned and proportioned to make a HM head.

~ After exiting the ride, look at the scene immediately to your left and there is a huge Kodak camera that has an eye chart on the wall behind it. The fifth row down and second letter from the left is actually a tri-circle Mickey head.

~ Outside the ride and into the ImageWorks area, you can spot a HM right away on the sign. The "M" in ImageWorks has a large circle for Mickey's head and leaning towards the "I" are two smaller circles for the ears.

Future World West is absolutely full of Hidden Mickeys and I've been told of a lot more that haven't actually been seen by my own eyes yet. Be on the look out for them and let me know when you spot them. Have fun over in this section of EPCOT though because it is so much fun and there's a lot to do. Each pavilion doesn't just have rides and attractions but they've got a lot of games and shows and even places to eat giving you tons of enjoyment in a rather small area. Journey Into Imagination even has a "Meet and Greet" area where kids, young and old, can meet the little purple dragon known as Figment.

Please feel free to let me know if there are any I've missed or that you think are truly there. Oh, and for those that are brand new to the world of Hidden Mickeys? Don't let searching for them ruin your trip to the happiest place on Earth please. Always make sure that you are taking in everything and enjoying all you can while there with friends and family. Hidden Mickeys are fun to look for and find, but there really is so much to do that you don't want to be on a wild goose chase for your entire trip.