Has Disney finally decided to make two of its most popular animated characters a couple?!

Sorry, Minnie. Mickey Mouse might just have eyes for his old pal Donald Duck.

At least in some Disney fans’ minds, that is.

DonMick is the “ship” name for Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. Yes, as in Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck are in a romantic relationship.

And no, this isn’t Disney canon. Don’t go giving them any ideas.

Anyway, here’s what the Shipping Wiki has to say about DonMick…

DonMick is the slash ship between Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse from the Mickey Mouse and Friends and Kingdom Hearts fandom.

DonMick is the number one most popular slash ship in the Mickey Mouse fandom. It is the second most popular Donald and Mickey ship and is influenced by the amount of official merchandise made with Donald and Mickey together.

On AO3 (Archive of Our Own), DonMick is the 3rd most written ship in all Mickey Mouse related fandom categories. It’s the second most written ship for both Donald and Mickey.

Well now. It would seem that a lot of Disney fans would rather see Mickey putting his oversized white gloves on Donald Duck than Minnie Mouse.

Fans who support this ship often point to the characters’ long history of camaraderie, adventures, and mutual support across various media, including cartoons, comics, and video games.

Despite their contrasting personalities—Mickey’s perpetual optimism and Donald’s famous temper—these two characters have demonstrated a profound bond that can be interpreted in numerous ways, including a deep friendship or a romantic relationship in fan fiction.

@fuel_candy08

This scene was adorable #disney #mickeymouse #donaldduck mickey’stwiceuponachristmas #edit #edits #fyp #fyppage

♬ original sound – hollie x💕

If you’re completely perplexed by the concept of “shipping,” we’ll try to explain it to you below!

What is “Shipping”?

In the world of fan fiction and pop culture, “shipping” isn’t about sending parcels across the country—rather, it’s all about love, but not always the kind you find in official storylines. The term “shipping,” a shorthand for “relationshipping,” refers to the fan-driven desire or support for romantic or platonic relationships between characters, often transcending the boundaries set by their original stories.

Think of it as match-making in the imagination arena, where fans pair their favorite characters in relationships (romantic or otherwise) that they wish to explore deeper than what’s presented on screen or in print. These pairings can be canonical, meaning they exist or eventually happen within the original work, or non-canonical, existing solely within the realm of fan speculation and creativity.

A Brief Sail Through Shipping History

The concept of shipping isn’t new. It dates back to at least the 1970s with the Star Trek fandom, where fans passionately rooted for a romantic connection between Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock, coining the term “slash fiction” for same-sex pairings. However, the actual term “shipping” gained prominence in the 1990s with the rise of internet fandoms, notably among fans of “The X-Files,” rooting for agents Mulder and Scully to end up together.

As fandom cultures grew and evolved with the internet’s expansion, so did the practice of shipping. It became a cornerstone of fan engagement, sparking discussions, debates, and a massive amount of creative content, including fan fiction, art, and videos.

Today, shipping is a ubiquitous part of engaging with any fandom, from Disney to anime, video games, and beyond, showcasing fans’ endless creativity and passion for reimagining the relationships between their beloved characters.

What are Some Other Popular Disney and Animation Ships?

Over the years, Disney has seen a flotilla of ships set sail in the vast ocean of fan affection. Let’s hoist the sails and explore some of the most beloved Disney ships, as named and cherished by their passionate fandoms:

• Elsanna (Elsa and Anna from “Frozen”): This ship might raise some eyebrows since Elsa and Anna are sisters, but the world of fanfic often transcends canonical relationships, focusing instead on deep emotional bonds. “Frozen” emphasized the love between these two, sparking a wave of creative, albeit non-canonical, interpretations of their relationship.
• Jelsa (Jack Frost from “Rise of the Guardians” and Elsa from “Frozen”): A crossover ship that’s chilly in theme but warm in fan enthusiasm. Both characters wield ice powers, and even though they hail from different studios (Jack is from DreamWorks), fans couldn’t help but dream up a winter wonderland romance between the two.
• Belleast (Belle and the Beast from “Beauty and the Beast”): A tale as old as time, Belle and the Beast’s love story is a canonical ship that transformed from a budding friendship to true love, breaking a curse and proving that beauty is found within.
• Hiccstrid (Hiccup and Astrid from “How to Train Your Dragon”): While technically from the DreamWorks camp, Hiccstrid has been embraced by fans of animated tales universally, including those who love Disney ships. Their journey from rivals to lovers has captured many hearts.
• Korrasami (Korra and Asami from “The Legend of Korra”): Again, stretching the Disney definition but significant in the animation shipping community, Korrasami made waves by becoming canon in the series finale, showcasing a groundbreaking same-sex relationship in mainstream animated media.
• Mericcup (Merida from “Brave” and Hiccup from “How to Train Your Dragon”): A ship that unites the fiery, independent Merida with the inventive, compassionate Hiccup. Both characters defy traditional roles and expectations, making their hypothetical union a fan favorite for its empowerment and mutual respect.

These ships represent just a fraction of the vast armada of relationships fans have imagined. Each ship sails on the waves of creativity, respect, and admiration for the characters and their stories, showcasing the endless possibilities that fanfic and shipping have to offer.

Would Disney Ever Make Mickey Mouse Date Donald Duck for Real?

Never say never, but Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse are the first couple of the Disney empire, and it’s highly, highly unlikely that Disney would ever break them up. 

This ship, like many in fan communities, thrives on the idea of exploring relationships beyond what is explicitly shown in canon material. It allows fans to delve into the “what-ifs” of character dynamics, creating narratives that provide new perspectives on the characters’ interactions and emotional connections.

While “DonMick” may not be canon, the merit seen in this ship by fans lies in its potential to explore themes of friendship, loyalty, and the enduring nature of their relationship through thick and thin.

Sometimes just being good friends is enough, right?