One of Walt Disney World's premier annual events is happening this spring: Epcot's 2012 International Flower & Garden Festival.  You'll enjoy stunning scenes at every turn, such as lush, detailed topiaries (like Lady and the Tramp in the Italy Pavilion) along with flowers and gardens everywhere with identification labels for your edification, interactive programs from well-known horticulture specialists, and rousing music performances as only Disney could orchestrate.

As you're taking in the sumptuous sights and smells of the Festival, stay alert for Hidden Mickeys!  Like the great classic (three-circle) Hidden Mickeys in the Canada Pavilion, a black one on each side of a huge totem pole outside the Northwest Mercantile Shop.

And another on the side of a fish that hangs on the rear wall inside the shop.

Look skyward in the courtyard of the Germany Pavilion for the classic Hidden Mickey on the middle of a statue's crown.

Next to the Germany Pavilion is a Haiti exhibit, new for the Flower & Garden Festival this year.  A poster of a colorful van stands at the rear of the exhibit.  Check out two classic Mickeys on the van, a tan-colored one at the middle top and a white one on the front fender.

Mickey is often hiding in the Festival's sand sculpture, which rises from the ground this year along the end of the Imagination Walkway near World Showcase.  This spring's "Disneynature Chimpanzee" movie is highlighted in the sculpture.  Check out the butterfly, which sports a decent classic Hidden Mickey at the upper corner of the right wing.

I hope you can enjoy the Festival this spring, and admire a few Hidden Mickeys along the way!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Steve Barrett is the author of the Hidden Mickeys Guide Book Series (Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and the Disney Cruise Ships) available in the Disney Parks and in book stores, Amazon, and on Kindle and other downloadable formats.  The WDW and Disneyland Hidden Mickeys Guide books are also offered as iPhone apps.  Steve and his wife Vickie (hiddenmickeygal) are the webmasters of http://www.HiddenMickeyGuy.com, and are on Twitter  @hiddenmickeyguy and Facebook as Hidden Mickey Guy Disney's Hidden Mickeys Hunter."