In just a few days, the iconic Mickey Mouse will turn 90. To celebrate this historic milestone, the Laughing Place staff have searched through their extensive Disney collections to highlight nine of their favorite Mickey-centric items. Throughout the week, we’ll be unveiling our 90 for 90 series in five parts, with each installment featuring two LP contributors.
Today. we have Laughing Place Co-Founder Doobie Moseley and longtime Contributor FanBoy sharing their top Mickey items and what they mean to them.
Doobie’s 9 Favorite Mickeys
T-Shirt Mickey
I’m a big guy. I used to be an even bigger guy. But I still wanted to wear Disney clothes. The one thing I found I could wear was this red, not-to-subtle nightshirt with a giant Mickey on the front. So I bought three of them and wore them on almost every visit to the park. My best / most embarrassing moment in it was when a kid thought I was the walk around and came up and hugged me. Not sure I’ve ever told that story publically before…
1996 Disneyland Annual Passholder Button Mickey
In 1996 I went to my first Annual Passholder party at Disneyland. I felt like a member of such an exclusive club (relative to now, it was). As I recall, I got to ride Space Mountain with the lights on, walk through Pinocchio’s Daring Journey and see the Country Bears up close. Of course, I got the watch and a Mickey plush wearing a logo shirt. The next year they did another Passholder party, this time to debut Light Magic. That one didn’t go so well…. It was a while before they did another.
Porcelain Mickeys
I like tiny stuff for some reason and the set of tiny porcelain characters caught my eye more than 20 years ago. I believe they came from the Disney Store but it’s possible it was the parks. I got as many as I could – about 15 in all. They’ve survived two cross-country trips intact. And I still smile every time I see them
1995 Artwork and Watches Mickey
There was a time when I collected Disney watches. I think I have about 40 now though I haven’t purchased one in years. My favorite is this one from back when Disneyland sold custom and limited edition watches on Main Street that came with the artwork. 1995 was the year I started going to Disneyland regularly and this is a wonderful memory from that magical year.
Sweetheart Picture Frame Mickey
What Disney couple doesn’t have one of these? This one is made all the more special because it was given to us by one of the servers at Stromboli’s – a restaurant that used to be at Disneyland Hotel (where Goofy’s Kitchen is now). Rebekah and I spent many, many hours there during the year we dated getting to know several of the staff.
Souvenir Survey Marker Mickey
Another of our old Disneyland friends worked for the company that made Disneyland’s survey markers. He gave us one ?
Media Guest Mickey
Believe it or not, there was a time when Disney did not treat websites as media. Media meant newspapers, TV and radio only. But back in July 1999, LaughingPlace.com finally was able to get invited to its first media event: the US Women’s National Soccer Team visit to Disneyland after winning the World Cup. The event was held on July 11th, 1999 and this was our media badge – our first.
Who Wants to Be a Mouseketeer? Mickey
Nothing on earth is better than a Disney Cruise. On my first cruise in 2006 I got into the hot seat for the Who Wants To a Mouseketeer game and I won. This was my prize.
Lunchbox Mickey
Laughing Place used to have a meet at Disneyland every year and perhaps our greatest was when Russi Taylor and the late Wayne Allwine attended. You may know them better as the voices of Minnie and Mickey Mouse and they were married in real life. They were also the nicest couple in the world. Disney was kind enough to give everyone who attended our meet one of these lunch boxes, and the mouse couple was kind enough to sign them. What a day!!!
FanBoy’s 9 Favorite Mickeys
Dog Bed Mickey
My dogs may be the only things I love more than Disney (sorry, friends and family). Therefore, I was thrilled when they started making Disney dog merchandise. While the line seems to keep expanding, such as with the new Disney Tails store at Disney Springs, this dog bed was one of the first items I got. While I know that they don’t understand what Disney means, they do seem to know that I love it when they sleep in their Mickey bed. It is so great to see the two loves of my life be together.
Partners Statue Painting Mickey
I love this painting of the Partners Statue at the Magic Kingdom by Maggie Parr. To me, it catches the park right before it opens for guests. That special magic that is right before rope drop but everything is prepared to make magic for those that are on the cusp of their arrival. Emotionally, this painting represents to me becoming an adult. While I admired it for some time, it was the first purchase I made for myself after I got promoted and finally had disposable income. At the time, this was a major purchase, so I wanted to have something that was special. This painting that shows the potential Walt and Mickey represent for the Disney experience, is the reason I wanted to add it to my collection.
“Mousecar” Mickey
It was common at Disney to receive “Mousecar” awards when reaching an achievement. While not an official Mouscar, these statues were given when your team went above and beyond or accomplished something special. This is a picture of the first one I received. While being a cast member was always an honor, being one that was recognized for something special, felt like joining the Hall of Fame.
Honorary Citizen Mickey
This Honorary Citizen certificate was given to me after a career defining event. The fact that someone went out of their way to send this to me meant a ton. It still sits right by my bed as a reminder that I played a role in the Disney experience that was worthy of such an honor. In my head, I know that there was no committee that decided I deserved this or a specific accomplishment that warranted it, but my heart knows that it took a moment to prepare, frame, and mail, and that still means the world to me.
Welcome Mat Mickey
This mat may be faded and you can hardly make out that it is even a Mickey item anymore, but my parents bought me this welcome mat when I first moved into my own place in Central Florida. It has followed me everywhere that I have lived since. It shows that I finally had a place of my own, but that the spirit of Mickey will always inhabit it with me. Visitors may no longer be able to tell what it is, but I will always know. Mi casa es Mickey casa.
Stock Certificate Mickey
While this is not actually a picture of my stock certificate, since it is in a safe deposit box, mine is a treasured “Mickey” item. When I got my first set of shares when I was 13, I could actually say that I owned a part of Disney. While this outdated certificate is no longer` available, and Disney has moved to a non-certificate form of ownership, I still treasure mine for what it represents. Looking at it, it is funny to see how the organization has grown since this certificate was first issued in 1984. While Marvel, Pixar, Star Wars, and the second golden age of animation have brought new charised friends to the Disney pantheon, Walt and Mickey will always play a central role.
Ear Hat Mickey
While it may be cliche to include mouse ears, they truly mean a lot to me. While I got plenty as a kid when I visited the park, they took on a new meaning when I became a teenager. In the so-called, “age of not-believing,” I never wanted to lose my love for Disney despite to constant pressures to grow-up. While becoming more responsible was inevitable, I feared losing my whimsy. Whenever I had a rough day with a term paper or high school drama, I would put on my ears and the cares would fade away. Now that I am a legitimate adult, I don’t feel the pressure to act as a grow-up so I don’t need my ears as a crutch anymore, but I still keep them as a reminder to never forget to leave room for fun.
Runaway Railway Merch Mickey
One of the things that I love about Disney is that it is not always about looking back, but also about looking forward. There is always something new on the horizon. So my latest Mickey item is always one of my favorites. Right now, my latest pieces include the Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway merchandise at the Mickey’s of Glendale pop-up shop at Destination D. I look forward to experiencing the new attraction when it opens. I hope I like it since I already have the merchandise.
2019 Calendar Mickey
In the spirit of looking forward, this 2019 calendar that features Mickey’s 90th year excites me. Not only will I be celebrating Mickey all year, but this should be a banner year for all of Disney. From Star Wars Celebration to the D23 Expo and from Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge to Disney+, 2019 is going to be a huge year for The Walt Disney Company. While we may be adding Fox to the family and this calendar is filled with Disney events for a full year, Mickey will always be at the heart of everything. After all, “it all started with a mouse.”