When you think of Mickey Mouse, many things might come to mind. Disney, of course. You might start singing that well-known theme song - "M - I - C ... see you real soon!" – or maybe you picture a favorite cartoon or two in your head.
But you probably don't connect Mickey with an actual field mouse. He's a mouse, sure, but he's much more prestigious than the ones that squeak through doorways of dirty kitchens.
Such is true of the various animals, rodents and bugs that hang out at Disneyland Resort. Since they all talk and sing and dance, the fact that they're not human ceases to matter – all we (and our kids) care about is that they're cute and funny.
Take Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, for instance. When else would you find it perfectly acceptable for a toad to drive like a maniac through town, causing a ruckus, except at Disneyland?
An African Bull Elephant on the east bank of the Nile River in Disneyland's Jungle Cruise ride.
Bromeliads and toucans line the Amazon stretch of the Disneyland Jungle Cruise waterway
Or take a look at Heimlich's Chew Chew Train inDisney California Adventure, where you sit in a caterpillar eating his way through a garden.
Not all of the animals are as funny as that guy. The big snake inside Indian Jones Adventure isn't all that pleasant to face – Indy certainly doesn't think so, at least. I could personally do without Ursula, the big, fat, mean octopus-lady who looks pretty creepy in the dark in The Little Mermaid – Ariel's Undersea Adventure.
Not all the animals are characters, either – there are quite a few living, breathing four-legged (or winged) pals at Disneyland Resort, some of which are actually part of the cast.
The Circle D Ranch in Disneyland Park isn't open to guests, but 48 cast members work there, tending to 16 horses, two miniature donkeys, three turkeys, 16 goats, two sheep and two cockatoos.
The horses, most of them "draft" horses that can pull heavy loads, never work more than four hours a day, three days a week. You've most likely seen them pulling street cars along Main Street, where you can spot their name tags, if you'd like to be on a first-name basis.
Circle D Corral is home to all the horses that perform at Disneyland
This cat was spotted in California Adventure in September. For years, rumors and sightings of feral cats in the Disneyland Resort abounded, and now Disney has confirmed their existence in the theme parks.
Guests can shake hooves with some of these barnyard animals at Big Thunder Ranch's petting zoo, where there are cows, goats, sheep, donkeys and pigs – turkeys and reindeer around the holidays, too. This somewhat hidden area is a fun place for kids to meet, touch and feed the animals.
There are also a few animals that aren't on the Disney payroll, such as the ducks that swim in the Rivers of America and at the back end of the Autopia and Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage Lake. (You often can find them feasting off crumbs in the sitting area between the Matterhorn and "it's a small world.")
You might also spy a cat or two roaming the parks. Disney reportedly has two main feeding stations for the 200 or so feral cats that roam the park, keeping out any rodents (besides Mickey, of course).
And if you want to bring your own furry family member, you can board them at the Disneyland Kennel Club, which welcomes your dogs, cats, birds, rabbits and non-venomous reptiles.
Admittedly, the character animals are much more entertaining. Riding Dumbo the Flying Elephant is more fun than watching a real one wag its tail at flies, and if I had to choose between a real bear and Duffy the Disney Bear, I'm pretty sure I'd sooner pose for a picture with the latter.
That said, the horses at King Arthur Carrousel don't impress me much. They just go 'round and 'round.
Which is your favorite animal at Disneyland Resort?
Here are a few more (not mentioned above) you might have spotted while visiting the parks:
Billygoat atop Thunder Mountain
Caterpiller on Alice in Wonderland
Chipmunks on Chip 'n Dale Treehouse
Bugs on Francis' Ladybug Boogie
Elephants, crocs and more on the Jungle Cruise
Bear, donkey, rabbit and more on The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Frog, pig, bear and more on Muppet Vision 3D
Whale and cricket on Pinocchio's Daring Journey
Rabbit on Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin
Rabbits in Splash Mountain
Big whale (most notably) on Storybook Land Canal Boats
Turtles in Turtle Talk with Crush
Birds in Enchanted Tiki Room
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