Has Mickey Mouse been replaced as the Disney mascot?

On August 8, 2024, Mouse Trap News published “breaking news” that Mickey Mouse will be replaced as the official mascot of the Walt Disney Co., as the copyright expired earlier this year:

BREAKING: Mickey Mouse has been removed as the official Disney mascot

Breaking news, Mickey Mouse is no longer the official Disney mascot. Disney decided to make their new mascot Figment.

Disney is doing this because the Mickey Mouse copyright expired this year. All future Disney brands will focus on Figment instead of Mickey. According to an official statement, “We did extensive research to determine who Disney’s new mascot will be. We also looked at sales to quantify the decision. In the end, we found ourselves between Figment, Sonny Eclipse, and Tinker Bell. However, Figment proved to be the ultimate runner and we are delighted to have him as our new mascot.”

Mouse Trap News also posted a TikTok video about the “news” that has more than 140,000 views at the time of writing.

I’ve seen the statement before. Mouse Trap News published similar “breaking news” in February 2023 that Mickey would be replaced as the company’s official mascot:

BREAKING: Mickey Mouse is Disney’s official mascot

Walt Disney created Mickey Mouse in 1928. No one would have guessed the impact Mickey would have nearly 100 years later. He continues to be a dominant figure for the Walt Disney Company and the face of Disney.

However, we do have some breaking Disney news. In 2024, Figment will replace Mickey Mouse as the official Disney mascot.

Figment is the mascot for EPCOT’s Imagination Pavilion. While the purple dragon may get his own movie, he hasn’t replaced Mickey. Furthermore, Mouse Trap News is not a real news site. It says on its about page that every story on its site is fake:

“Mouse Trap News is the world’s best satire and parody site. We write fake stories about Disney Parks stuff. From Disney Park announcements to Disney Hotel and resort news to made-up Disney partnerships, you can be sure that everything you read here isn’t true, real, or accurate, but it’s fun.”

Mouse Trap News says the same thing on its social media accounts. TikTok’s bio says “The Real Disney News That’s 100% FAKE”

If it really was breaking news, other publications would have been quick to report it. That was not the case. The only places that wrote about it were those that debunked the satire, often describing it as a “TikTok prank.”

It is true that early versions of Mickey Mouse, such as the “Steamboat Willie” cartoon, entered the public domain on January 1, 2024. There was no indication that Disney would stop using the character as a mascot.

“Ever since Mickey Mouse first appeared in the 1928 short Steamboat Willie, people have associated the character with authentic Disney stories, experiences and products,” the company said in a statement to the Observer in February 2023. “This does not will change when the Steamboat Willie movie copyright expires.”

For further reading, we’ve previously reported on other fictional content from Mouse Trap News, such as stories that Disney would lower the drinking age to 18, demolish Cinderella’s Castle, and file a patent for a rollercoaster that jumps off track.

For background, here it is Why we sometimes write about satire/humor.