Finally, We Say Goodbye to Disney's Mickey Mouse

It’s about time that we say goodbye to Disney’s Mickey Mouse. And that is a beautiful thing.

Disney's Mickey Mouse character, with a judging face in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland Park — Credit: Inside the Magic

Goodbye, Disney’s Mickey Mouse

After announcing that Disney’s Mickey Mouse would be retiring, it turned up some interesting dirt on the history of the pop culture icon that is Mickey Mouse. As it turns out, the iconic Disney Mickey Mouse has a few skeletons in his Walt Disney closet.

Retirement for Disney Mickey Mouse: A Problematic Figure

Retirement is a cultural fixture for a reason: things that worked Disney magic at one point in time don’t necessarily carry over to the next. In fact, Disney’s Mickey Mouse has an impressively dark history. The Disney Park icon that brought us Steamboat Willie is paving the way for new creatures.

Disney's Mickey Mouse interacting with a child at a children's hospital — Credit: Disney

Hello, Future of Disney (Without Mickey Mouse)

There are plenty of reasons to say goodbye to Mickey Mouse at Walt Disney World and Beyond. For starters, there’s a legend that it’s not even his true name. Disney World creator Walt had originally chosen Mortimer Mouse, then his wife changed it.

There are incidents where Mickey Mouse did blackface. Most reports suggest that he was basically a product of the Walt Disney Company learning from its time, calling it “the Furby of the ‘20s.’

Thunder and lightning clip art superimposed on a picture of Mickey and Minnie Mouse outside Hong Kong Disneyland's train station with thte now retiring Disney's Mickey Mouse — Credit: Disney

Disney World Characters Live On

Another important thing is to consider the entirety of Walt Disney World and its willingness to change. From the look to the commentary, Mickey Mouse has been through a lot. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse didn’t hide its success. There’s Mickey Mouse merchandise and targeted advertising everywhere.

Screenshot of the Disney's Mickey Mouse Pride planet at Disneyland Paris — Credit: @DLPReport

Mickey Mouse Had a Wild Ride

From Mickey Mouse and his righteous symbolism during politics and across multiple wars, the Disney World icon will live on, just in the hearts of fans. Plus, the retirement of Mickey Mouse isn’t a total wash.

Let’s not forget the whole Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, complete with Donald Duck, Minnie Mouse, and Goofy. While these icons of digital property might not be as known as Disney Mickey Mouse, they still hold the charm of the Lucky Rabbit.

As the (adapted) adage goes, “every [mouse] has his day.” Mickey Mouse is retiring, and it’s time to get excited about what comes next for Walt Disney World.

What do you think of Disney’s Mickey Mouse retiring? Share your thoughts in the comments down below!