[1] The first Disney television animated series to be produced in widescreen high definition, it is formatted as a variety show, with skits starring Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Goofy, Pluto and Ludwig Von Drake while Horace Horsecollar, Clarabelle Cow, Morty and Ferdie Fieldmouse, Huey, Dewey and Louie, Chip 'n' Dale, Scrooge McDuck, Pete, Humphrey the Bear, J. Audubon Woodlore, Dinah the Dachshund, Butch the Bulldog, Mortimer Mouse, José Carioca, and Clara Cluck appear as supporting or minor characters.

The gag shorts, which lasted 90 seconds each, were shown with the following umbrella titles: With no established schedule or routine, Mickey Mouse Works was designed to look like one spontaneous flow.

Adding to that feeling were the show's opening credits which ended differently each week, the only constant being an elaborate interruption from a spotlight-stealing Donald Duck.

While most skits involved individual characters, some have Mickey, Donald and Goofy running a special service group.

In April 2005, Disney released a DVD in European, Latin American and Asian territories entitled Mickey's Laugh Factory, which contained nine selected shorts taken from this series as well as those from House of Mouse with jokes told by various children used as framing material.