When you visit Walt Disney World, there is a right of passage…and no, it’s not a Dole Whip! We’re talking about Mickey Ears – those weird things that people wear in Disney Parks AND ONLY in Disney Parks. Imagine seeing a grown adult wandering downtown at a bank or a library with glittery ears, and the only response would be to walk on the other side of the street.
In Disney, ears are so much more than something to show that you’re in the “know”, but it can take you into another stratosphere if you’ve got the right stuff.
WHAT ARE MICKEY EARS
Mickey Ears (or “Ears”) are an accessory that you wear on your head.
TRADITIONAL MICKEY EARS
The basic or Traditional ears are a black cap with two black mouse ears on the top, which makes you look like Mickey Mouse when you wear them.
The front of the ears will have a location (Walt Disney World or Disneyland, etc) as a patch and then the back of the ears will have your name embroidered in a yellow thread.
CHARACTER EARS
As the popularity grew, guests started to inquire about other characters, which lead to the company creating more diversity around the product line.
From Princesses to Ride Vehicles and just funky colors – there’s no limit to the creativity of the ears. Popularity-wise, you’re going to be focusing on recognizable characters from your age-bracket.
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CELEBRATION EARS
Looking to tell everyone that you’re getting older? The ‘Happy Birthday’ ear collection could be perfect for that attention grabbing individual who wants to walk around with a fabric cupcake on their head for hypothetically one day a year.
LIMITED EDITION EARS
Not every ear can be classified as a “hit”, which means that limited edition runs will occur. This is evident around specific movies, dated ears and the special event lines. For example, Jill picked up a set up Belle Ears, which are no longer available!
Light Up Ears
Electronic Mickey Ears are becoming more popular, as they are more about the light-up function and less about the design. They are very short-term purchases and you can definitely get the same style at the Dollar Store or Walmart.
SPIN-OFFS
With the growing popularity of ears comes spin-offs, including headbands, bows and hats. This means that folks who want to accessorize their hairstyles in accordance with their own style…well they can!
DISNEYBOUNDING
When you’re thinking about DisneyBounding, one of the best ways to portray a character is to have a unique set of Mickey Ears that may draw attention to your outfit. Remember that the idea of DisneyBounding is to be incognito, so plain or standard ears are better suited than a specific “busy” set.
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WHERE CAN YOU BUY EARS
I’ve got an article about where you can buy ears on property, including the stores that actually focus on ears vs locations that have them as part of their collection.
There’s also a huge assortment of ears online, including ShopDisney , ETSY, and even your fav Instagram account haha!
GLOW WITH THE SHOW EARS
Did you know that Fantasmic and the World of Color can be enhanced with your ears? Glow with the Show is an integrated product that actually performs along with the show…pretty cool huh?
Hope that this was helpful in your Steps to a Magical vacation to Disney World & Disney Parks around the world!
