Finding a hidden treasure is right up Disney’s alley…it’s magical! The anticipation of the hunt, the excitement of the journey, and the jubilee of discovery combine to create a thrilling game-like adventure for scouts. Geocaching at Walt Disney World is a fun activity to reinforce the Geocaching Merit Badge and Camping scouting requirements.

When the Geocaching Merit Badge requirements were first released in 2010, Bryan on Scouting highlighted these learning points:

• Precautions necessary to have a safe time while searching for geocaches
• Geocaching etiquette and how the principles of Leave No Trace apply
• Geocaching terms
• How GPS technology works
• Steps for finding and logging a cache
• How to use geocaching.com, the official online home of geocaching

Traditionally, geocaching involves using GPS technology and other clues to find hidden cache boxes and physically logging in your find. There are a few physical caches in the Orlando area, some very near Disney property.

However, because of security precautions, on-property geocaching is limited to virtual hunts only. Virtual hunts are also available on geocaching.com, they still use GPS reference points and may include other ‘criteria’ to complete the hunt.

As an alternative to traditional geocaching, scouts may also enjoy looking for Hidden Mickeys or Waymarking Disney Benchmarks.

Hidden Mickey hunts involve finding Mickey-shaped heads or Mickey-shaped profiles hidden in plain sight. Disney Imagineers have incorporated these shapes into the landscape, buildings, attraction ques, signs and more. Hidden Mickeys are located throughout the Disney Resorts & Parks and clues may be found using this app or in the book Hidden Mickeys.

Waymarking is similar to geocaching as you use posted coordinates to find interesting places. Disney Benchmarks are survey markers, placed by surveyors commissioned by Walt Disney World during the land development surveys.

Read more about Geocaching at Walt Disney World here.

Read more about Waymarking at Walt Disney World here.