Attention Imagineers!

One of the things that stands out to most people who visit the Walt Disney World Resort is the amazing attention to detail around the parks and hotels and the technology within the rides. After our first visit, my older son decided that he wanted to be an Imagineer. If you think that you have no way of finding out how things are done, you're in for a surprise!

There are many books available to help your inquiry minds learn almost all of the secrets of the world. For example, there are "The Imagineering Field Guides to..." and these pocket-sized books deal with the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios and the Animal Kingdom. Per Amazon's website: "These user-friendly, beautifully illustrated guides are innovative and entertaining books that will enrich the guests’ time at the happiest places on earth. And now the series is being updated to include all the new attractions, shows, and lands in the Disney parks. Who better to tour you around the Disney parks than the Imagineers who created them? And what better than to have the most recent insider information? It’s all in the Imagineering Field Guides."

Another great resource for finding some secrets of "the World" is "The Hidden Magic of Walt Disney World: Over 600 Secrets of the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom." I have to admit, I just bought this one and it has some great secrets! For example: The ride "The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh" is located in the same building that was once "Mr. Toad's Wild Ride". In there, you can see a picture of Mr. Toad handing over the deed to Owl! I know I'm going to be looking for that on my next trip to Disney!

One of the greatest ways to always find something new at Disney is to find all of the hidden Mickey's around the resort. Hiding Mickey Mouse around the rides and parks has become a job in itself! For example, in the "Haunted Mansion" in the dining room scene, one of the place settings at the table is set in the shape of Mickey's head! On one of my trips that I went on with my sister, we stayed at the Grand Floridian and there were hidden Mickey designs in the wallpaper in the hallways! That was pretty cool. See this picture on the left? That was our room number right outside of our door. Can you see the Mickey hidden in the wallpaper pattern? In such a fancy hotel, who knew that there would be something so silly hidden right there in the decor!

But if you want your family to have a scavenger hunt to find these tricky little heads, check out the book "Hidden Mickeys: A Field Guide to Walt Disney World's Best Kept Secret!" This is also a pocket-sized book that helps you see things that most of us miss! If you are someone who visits Disney a lot, this little guide could be just the thing to make your next trip different. We've come to find that it's not only in the parks where Mickey is hidden, but in some of Disney's classic movies, you can find some mouse ears hidden in the scenes.

If you have a child who is interested in what it takes to become a Disney Imagineer, there are now tons of books available to help them learn what it's really all about. You can click HERE for an Amazon.com listing of some of the more popular titles. On TV, look for "Modern Marvels: Walt Disney World" for even more behind-the-scenes looks at how things are made.

And finally, though this isn't something a "poor mom" would get to do, there are several behind-the-scenes tours that you can take at Walt Disney World. There are over a dozen to choose from and each one takes you through a different experience. They can be costly and some are only open to a select group of guest. Click HERE for a complete listing of tours that have been offered at WDW and what you can do to book one for your family.