Mickey Mouse

**Mickey Mouse** is the mascot for the Walt Disney Company. He first appeared in the 1928 short *Plane Crazy* and later became famous for the 1928 short *Steamboat Willie*.

## History

A fictionalized biography and meta-history exist in the Tower of Terror's mythos for Mickey.

### Biography

Mickey Mouse is a cartoon character created by animator Walt Disney on the November 18th of 1928. Mickey was created after the relative failures of Walt's previous characters Oswald the Lucky Rabbit and Julius the Cat from the Alice Comedies. Like his cartoon predecessors, Mickey was inspired by a citizen of the Los Angeles neighbourhood of Buena Vista Street; namely a marketplace owner named Mortimer McKenzie who was a small man with a a distinct high voice and cheerful personality.

Following his creation, Mickey became a living creature and partner to Walt in the entertainment industry. Mickey acted in various productions created by *Disney Pictures* over the years. In 1979, he, Walt Disney Productions and *G-Force Records* collaborated to create, "Mickey Mouse Disco". This record only sold about twenty-three copies, which was notable enough for G-Force at the time that they awarded Mickey with a framed vinyl and plaque of the track identified as "MMC (likely Mickey Mouse Club) Certified Pyrite (Fool's Gold) Sales".

## Tower of Terror appearances

### Guardians of the Galaxy - Mission: BREAKOUT!

Vintage tin toys of Mickey and Minnie Mouse appear in the Collector's office.

### S.S. Columbia

In Disneyland Paris' Main Street, U.S.A., there is a mural advertising Cornelius Endicott II's business, the *U.S. Steamship Company*. On this mural, Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse are visible on the deck, holding hands.

### Sunset Seasons Greetings

Mickey and Minnie appear in the upper windows of the Hollywood Tower Hotel as it takes a victorian look, while also appearing on the sign outside as Bob Cratchit.

### Tower of Terror

Some versions of the Tower of Terror's ride photos showed Goofy, Mickey, Minnie and Donald going down the elevators, screaming. The Explorers Lodge resort of Hong Kong Disneyland identifies Mickey as having been affiliated with the Society of Explorers and Adventurers.

### The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

On the October 31 of 1939, child-actress Sally Shine had a plush Mickey Mouse toy when she boarded the elevator which killed her and sent her to the 5th Dimension. In the library of the Hollywood Tower Hotel is a copy of the 1927 album, *What! No Mickey Mouse?* by Irving Caesar.

#### Hidden Mickeys

There are several, "Hidden Mickeys" portraying Mickey Mouse's likeness in the attraction.

* The bell for the maintenance elevator in the pre-show video is in the shape of Mickey Mouse's head.
* There is a water-stain on the bricks in the boiler-room in the shape of Mickey's head.
* The flower design in the hallway with the ghosts has Mickey's head woven into it.
* some of the stars in the 5th Dimension are made to the shape of Mickey's head.

### Other connections

#### Buena Vista Street

There is a bronze statue of Mickey and a young Walt Disney on this street. *The Buena Vista Bugle* has also mentioned Mickey as a local celebrity and business partner with Mickey Mouse. The Buena Vista Street resident Mortimer McKenzie of Mortimer's Market is implied to be the fictional inspiration behind Mickey Mouse, with Mortimer having been Walt's original name for Mickey and McKenzie being described as having a high-pitched voice.

#### Disney's Hollywood Studios

The park's former icon the Earful Tower was made to resemble a water-tower with Mickey's ears. The more infamous, "Sorcerers Hat" icon was made to look like Mickey's sorcerer hat and hand. At the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Sunset Boulevard, there is a logo in the cement from, "Mortimer & Co. Contractors Est. 1928", referencing Mickey's first-appearance and original name; along with possibly being connected to his Buena Vista Street counterpart Mortimer McKenzie.

##### Fantasmic!

Mickey is the protagonist of this attraction which in Walt Disney World is situated on the Hollywood Hills Amphitheater of Sunset Boulevard. Said show is set within Mickey Mouse's dreams only to be attacked by several Disney Villains.

##### The Great Movie Ride

Mickey appeared in his Sorcerer's Apprentice garb during a scene dedicated to Fantasia (1940). Mickey made an additional appearance in the *Raiders of the Lost Ark* (1981) scene where he and Donald were depicted as hieroglyphics in the Well of Souls.

##### Magic of Disney Animation

A sculpt of Sorcerer Mickey adorned the entrance and Mickey was credited in several fictional films while also being depicted in artwork and photos within the Hollywood dressing-room of Minnie Mouse.

##### Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway

Mickey and Minnie Mouse are the protagonists of this attraction in the Chinese Theatre of Hollywood Boulevard in Disney's Hollywood Studios. In it, the theatre connects to the Yensid Valley where guests are taken on a tour by Goofy only to get separated then saved by Mickey and Minnie.

##### Muppet\*Vision 3D

In the pre-show videos, Rizzo the Rat dresses as Mickey to try and trick tourists. Later in the show, Waldo C. Graphic shape shifts into Mickey to try and escape only to be captured.

##### Rock 'n' Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith

On the poster for this attraction, Steve Tyler wears a shirt covered in Mickey Mouse heads, Joe Perry has a gold Mickey Mouse necklace, and a young boy wears Mickey Mouse ears. A child wearing Mickey ears also appears in the ride's safety video played by *Lock 'n' Roll Limos*. At Disneyland's *Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway*, there is an album of Mickey Mouse Disco with a plaque from G-Force Records. In the alleyway section of the queue is an Official Mouseketeer Badge, a Mickey Mouse Club sticker, and a comic-strip of Mickey, Minnie and Goofy.

#### Haunted Mansion

A ghost with a Mickey Mouse ear shaped shrouded face appears in the mansion's graveyard. On Main Street, U.S.A., Mickey Mouse is shown to have a glowing green crystal-ball from *"Leota" Crystals*, referencing the manor's clairvoyant Madame Leota.

#### Jungle Cruise

Tribal art depicting Mickey Mouse has appeared in the Jungle Cruise, notably as a mask in the Jungle Navigation Company's Amazon river base and as a figurehead on a, "Pygmy" war-cameo in the Congo. An anachronistic LIFE magazine with Mickey, several maraglyphs referencing the mouse and pair of mouse ears on a corpse both appear in the neighbouring Temple of the Forbidden Eye. In the Magic of Disney Animation, Mickey is shown to have starred in a fictional film called, "The Jungle Cruise" alongside Trader Sam.

#### Paradise Pier

Mickey's likeness adorns the Silly Symphonies Swingers and used to be on California Screamin' and the feral wheel though this is omitted in in-universe art.

#### The Rocketeer

In the queue for *Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway* in Disneyland, there is a poster for a Rocketeer parody called, "The Mouseketeer". This poster shows Mickey Mouse in the role of the film's eponymous protagonist.

## Trivia

* In real-life, Mickey was co-created by Ub Iwerks who was largely betrayed by Walt. Iwerks is referenced as a denizen of Buena Vista Street though it is unclear if in-universe he assisted in Mickey's creation.
* In-universe, Walt is referenced as having worked alongside a living Mickey Mouse whom he also created. This seems to follow the lore of the film *Who Framed Roger Rabbit* (1989) in which cartoon characters or, "Toons" are sentient creatures created by cartoon artwork; with Walt himself having been referenced as a major creator in the film while Mickey makes appearances as a resident of Toontown. Who Framed Roger Rabbit is also connected to the backstory of Buena Vista Street and was a major source of theming for *Disney's Hollywood Studios*.
* The name Mortimer McKenzie is a reference to how Walt's original name for Mickey was, "Mortimer" while, "McKenzie" sounds like the name Mickey when spoken aloud.

## Gallery

Promotional art of Mickey raiding Mickey's hotel luggageThe newer, more 1930s inspired Fantasmic! signMickey as Gilbert LondonA DCA Mickey construction signA Mickey Mouse wreath projected on the tower
## References

1. ↑ https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2012/06/20/first-look-mortimers-market-on-buena-vista-street-in-disney-california-adventure/
2. ↑ https://secretsdisney.com/2019/12/15/mickey-se-cache-a-bord-du-paquebot/
3. ↑ https://jungleskipper.com/news/new-s.e.a.reference-found-in-hkdl-s-explorers-lodge
4. ↑ https://www.orlandofuntickets.com/Hidden-Mickeys-at-Disneys-Hollywood-Studios/
5. ↑ https://dlrmaps.com/buena-vista-bugles/
6. ↑ https://www.flickr.com/photos/scottrsmith/8742016231
7. ↑ https://www.disneydining.com/15-hidden-mickeys-you-can-find-at-walt-disney-world-5/
8. ↑ https://insidethemagic.net/2014/11/d-tales-7-backstage-magic-with-mickey-mouse-displays-hidden-disney-history-in-town-square-theater/
9. ↑ https://www.parksavers.com/7-hidden-details-from-the-indiana-jones-attraction/
10. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4vlDgGE9GY
11. ↑ https://duchessofdisneyland.com/california-adventure/buena-vista-street-mailboxes/
12. ↑ https://orlandoparkstop.com/news/feature/hidden-things-roger-rabbit-at-disneys-hollywood-studios/