SPILLING THE TEA:
LONDON LANDMARKS BEHIND TEA TIME TROUBLE
Last updated: December 6, 2025
Welcome back! Today, we’re diving deeper into the London landmarks featured in the Tea Time Trouble episode of Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures. If this is your first introduction to the show, here's a quick rundown:
Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures is a vibrant Disney Junior animated series that premiered in 2017 as a follow-up to Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. The episode Tea Time Trouble is one of the London-themed adventures where Mickey, Minnie, Daisy, Donald, and Goofy travel overseas — only to find things don’t go quite as smoothly as planned. (Because when do they ever?)
And while London is enormous, bursting with stories on every corner, we’re lucky that Tea Time Trouble brings our adventure into focus across two boroughs: the regal heart of Westminster and the vibrant creativity of Camden. Two neighborhoods, one magical Disney journey — and plenty more to explore in future posts.
ELIZABETH TOWER (BIG BEN)
We’ve visited Big Ben once before in our Peter Pan London feature, but this time we’re looking at it through a brand-new lens.
Big Ben, officially known as the Great Bell of the Elizabeth Tower, first began ticking in 1859. (Side note - That's the same year that Walt Disney's Dad, Elias, was born!) The tower quickly became a symbol of punctuality, reliability, and British identity — which is why it’s such a perfect comedic backdrop for Minnie and Daisy to fix the clock under pressure in Tea Time Trouble.
What’s especially fun is how the animation parallels real history. From 2017 to 2022, Big Ben underwent a major restoration. Scaffolding wrapped the tower for years as craftsmen repaired stonework, restored iron detailing, repainted the clock hands, and refreshed the gilded accents until they sparkled like new. It was the most extensive makeover the tower had seen since it was built.Now that it’s complete, the tower shines brighter than ever, and if you're planning a visit, here's my top three suggestions for photo locations:
📸 Westminster Bridge — the classic postcard shot.
📸 Across the river just beneath the bridge — gives you a wider cinematic view.
📸 Parliament Square — up close and perfect for capturing the details.
Whether you’re going for iconic, creative, or up-close-and-grand, Big Ben practically poses for you.
changing of the guard (buckingham palce)
Although we do get a glimpse of Buckingham Palace in this animated adventure, the real focus of Tea Time Trouble sits right outside the gates. And since there will be plenty of future posts dedicated to the palace itself (there’s a lot to cover — trust me), today I'm spotlighting something that takes center stage in this episode: The Royal Guard.
Here we find Pete, standing at attention in full uniform, stoic as ever… or at least trying to be. In the real world, the Royal Guard is more than ceremonial tradition — it’s an active military unit with centuries of history behind it.
The Royal Guard has been protecting the sovereign since 1485, beginning under the reign of Henry VII. Their iconic, bright red uniforms and tall bearskin hats have become one of Britain’s most recognizable symbols — instantly signaling tradition, discipline, and centuries of royal heritage.
And they are front and center at one of the most iconic displays of British pageantry - the Changing of the Guard ceremony — a formal handover between the old guard and the new. Expect marching, music, precision, synchronized movement, and a crowd of onlookers trying to catch the perfect photo. Sometimes the band even surprises the audience with unexpected arrangements, from movie scores to modern tunes.
It’s a spectacle worth planning for and if you’d like a route that lets you actually see the ceremony up close (rather than being stuck behind crowds or blocked by the band at the palace gates), here’s a suggested timeline and walking path that offers fantastic views of multiple stages of the event:
Firstly, it’s important to plan ahead — the Changing of the Guard doesn’t take place every day, and timing varies seasonally. Be sure to check the official schedule before your visit.
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10:20am - Arrive at St. James's Palace, positioning yourself across the street from Friary Court
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10:30am - Watch as the old guard arrives for inspection
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10:35am - When the marching band arrives, start moving toward The Mall and carefully cross the roadway
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10:43am - Walk down The Mall with the marching band and old guard (Be ready for a quick pace!); Instead of continuing all the way to Buckingham Palace, divert into St. James's Park at the Victoria Memorial and head to Wellington Barracks to watch the new guard prepare to leave
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10:57am - The new guard leaves Wellington Barracks; Cross back through the park towards the Victoria Memorial and then head across the roadway to Clarence House
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11:10am - The new guard arrives to relieve the old guard at Clarence House, giving you a front-row view of the ceremony without the palace-gate congestion
A quick note - If you follow this route, you won’t be at the Buckingham Palace gates — which means you’ll miss the band performing there. However, many visitors don’t realize that when the band plays at the palace, they actually block the view of the guard change itself. This itinerary offers clearer sightlines, more movement, and a better understanding of the ceremony as a whole.
abbey road
And finally, keep an eye out for a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it reference: Mickey and the gang crossing the street in a formation that looks suspiciously like The Beatles’ Abbey Road album cover.
Whether you’re a longtime Beatles fan or just love a good cultural Easter egg, this nod is such a clever touch. Abbey Road in London has become a pilgrimage site for music lovers who want to recreate the famous crosswalk photo — and the animators clearly had fun paying homage to that legacy.
If you’re inspired to try your own crossing moment, you can head to the real Abbey Road in Camden, strike a pose, and live out your inner rock-star dream. Just maybe watch for traffic — real life doesn’t freeze the way animation does.
Mickey’s London misadventure may be silly and chaotic, but the real places behind it offer deep history, rich culture, and visuals that feel straight out of a storybook. These locations aren’t just pretty backgrounds — they inspire, spark imagination, and remind us why Disney storytelling connects across generations.
If you enjoyed this post, stick around — more royal content, magical landmarks, and Disney-inspired adventures are just a cup of tea away! And if it's London that you're interested in, check out the posts below to explore more unforgettable London locations.
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