Epic Mickey: Rebrushedis a remaster of the 2010 Wii masterpiece, bringing enhanced visuals and refined gameplay while staying true to the original’s core charm. The game features many of Walt Disney’s forgotten characters and stories, including Clarabelle Cow, the Mad Doctor, and most notably, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, who plays a central role in the narrative.
As expected from a project that celebrates Disney’s rich history, Epic Mickey is packed with clever references, nods, and Easter eggs that highlight both the famous and obscure aspects of the company’s legacy. Fans of Disney history will find plenty to appreciate as they explore the Wasteland, discovering hidden details that connect back to classic cartoons, comics, and more.
11Hidden Mickeys
Can it be a Disney production without Hidden Mickeys? In Epic Mickey, the iconic silhouette of Mickey Mouse is scattered all across the crumbling Wasteland. These Hidden Mickeys are not just a nod to Disney’s heritage but an integral part of the game’s charm.
As you explore the Wasteland, these Hidden Mickeys appear in various forms, from subtle shapes in the environment to intricate designs embedded in structures. Whether you’re unlocking new paths or simply taking in the sights, spotting these Mickey-shaped secrets makes you feel connected to Disney’s magical history.
10Mickey Went Through The Looking Glass
During the opening cinematic of Epic Mickey, Mickey Mouse falls asleep while reading Alice Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll, the sequel to Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. In the story, Alice steps through a mirror above her mantelpiece into a strange, mirrored world—a concept mirrored in the game as Mickey also accesses the magical workshop through a mirror. Like Alice, Mickey is drawn into a whimsical and chaotic world.
Lewis Carroll’s book hyphenated Looking-Glass, though the book Mickey reads is written as Looking Glass, the same as Disney’s 20156 live action movie.
While the ending of Epic Mickey differs from Through the Looking Glass, the parallels between the two are evident. Both stories involve characters journeying into a fantastical, alternate reality and chasing after figures they believe are responsible for their troubles.
9PeopleMover To Rocket Rods
The PeopleMover was a beloved attraction, offering a relaxing ride through Tomorrowland aboard slow-moving vehicles that allowed guests to enjoy scenic views of the futuristic area. However, by the early ’90s, Disney deemed the PeopleMover too outdated for Tomorrowland’s evolving aesthetic. In 1997, the ride was refurbished and reopened as Rocket Rods, intended to be a high-speed thrill ride zooming above Tomorrowland. Unfortunately, the original PeopleMover track, designed for a slow-paced ride, couldn’t handle the increased speed, leading to jerky turns, frequent breakdowns, and traffic jams, ultimately causing Rocket Rods to close after a short run.
Interestingly, Epic Mickey spells People Mover with a space, whereas the Disney attraction is spelled as one word.
In Epic Mickey, you must get the PeopleMover attraction operational to progress through Tomorrow City. However, once power is restored, the usually slow-moving PeopleMover cars speed along the track, only slowing down for some of the sharper twists and turns. This nod to the failed Rocket Rods attraction cleverly references the real-world challenges Disney faced when trying to modernize the original ride.
8The Heart Of Atlantis
When you are fixing the crane to raise the Notilus to enter Tomorrow City, you must navigate across spinning platforms adorned with suspiciously familiar, blue-glowing faces. Upon closer inspection, you’ll find that these faces perfectly match the Heart of Atlantis from Atlantis: The Lost Empire.
In the film, the Heart of Atlantis represents the power of the ancestors, safeguarding the city from outside forces and ensuring its protection. Similarly, in Epic Mickey, these glowing platforms serve as guardians of Tomorrow City. To progress in the game, you must disable these platforms, which allow you to repair the cranes andultimately raise the Notilus from its watery grave.
7The Notilus Leads To Tomorrow City
Walt Disney was renowned for his forward-thinking vision, which played a crucial role in the creation of Tomorrowland. When developing Tomorrowland, Disney faced a strict budget, leading them to reuse set pieces from the 1954 film 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. One such attraction was a walkthrough experience of the Nautilus, which became one of Tomorrowland’s opening offerings before being dismantled in 1966. However, the inspiration drawn from Jules Verne’s work continued to influence Disney parks, evident in attractions like 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Submarine Voyage at Walt Disney World and Disneyland Paris’s Discoveryland.
In Epic Mickey, you must raise the Nautilus to gain access to Tomorrow City, serving as a clever nod to the enduring legacy of Jules Verne’s influence within the Disney parks. Just like Disney, you must travel through 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea to reach the “timeless vision of the future.”
6Skulls In The Teacups
In Epic Mickey’s Wasteland, several iconic Disney attractions appear neglected,including the beloved Mad Tea Party ride, often called the Tea Cup Ride. This spinning ride, known for its vibrant tea cup-shaped vehicles, is a fan favorite at Disney parks. However, in the game, the once-cheerful ride shows signs of decay. Its centerpiece, a large teapot, is shattered, and many ride vehicles are crudely rebuilt.
In the real-world ride, each tea cup features a round disc in the center that allows riders to spin the cup faster. In Epic Mickey, the interiors of the broken tea cups are now made of wood, and the usual disc has been replaced with a macabre skull shape, no doubt a sure way to get splinters.
5It’s Dangerous To Go Alone
When you reach Tortooga, you agree to help Beluga Billy retrieve his stolen bag. In gratitude, he gives you a free Watch sketch and says, “It’s dangerous to go alone! Take this.”
This line is a fun shoutout to The Legend of Zelda, where an old man tells Link the same thing before handing him a sword. Who knew the Epic Mickey developers were fans of Zelda? It’s a little nod that adds charm to the game and connects two beloved series!
4Basketball Court At The Top Of The Mountain
The Matterhorn Bobsled ride, which opened in Disneyland in 1959, became an instant hit with its realistic mountain facade and innovative track design. What many people don’t know is that the Imagineers, having some extra space inside the mountain, built a half-court with a basketball hoop at the top of the ride.
This quirky detail makes an appearance in Epic Mickey. When you climb to the peak of Mickeyjunk Mountain, you’ll find a hidden basketball court tucked behind a yellow Mickey Mouse Birthday Show poster. If you manage to propel yourself across the court and land in the hoop,you’ll unlock The Slopes extra content.
3Just Like Magic!
When you find Mickey’s house, you meet a character named Telephone. After getting them operational, Telephone asks you to connect them to Mickeyjunk Mountain by dialing 726 on one of the phones.
In Epic Mickey, Telephone was referred to by male pronouns, but in Epic Mickey 2, Practical Pig refers to them with female pronouns.
The number 726 references a story in Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories #726 called En magisk jul! (Just Like Magic!), which was first published in 2011 in a Norwegian Disney comic and later translated and republished in English in December 2015. This issue marked the first time in 75 years that Disney published a comic featuring Oswald the Lucky Rabbit.
2Walt Disney’s Private Apartment
There is a special suite located on the second floor of the fire station on Main Street in Disneyland, which served as Walt Disney’s apartment. He would stay there with his family, and whenever he was home, he would light a lamp in the window to signal his presence to the cast members.
To this day, a lit lamp is kept at the window of Walt’s Apartment, symbolizing that his spirit lives on in Disneyland.
In Epic Mickey, the game pays homage to Walt Disney by including his apartment. You can unlock it after repairing all of Mean Street’s projector screens and giving Gremlin Markus 30 Power Sparks. Inside, you find a special piece of artwork drawn by Walt Disney himself, featuring Mickey and Oswald together.
