Why the phrase - 'A Mickey Mouse Operation' ?

[CurrentlySober]

When something is done on the cheap, in an unprofessional way, and the people n charge are inexperienced or lacking the ability to complete it properly, its referred to as a 'Mickey Mouse Operation'

Yet the REAL MMO is Disney, one of the most successful companies in the world?

Why does the phrase have such a conflicting interpretation?

[LucyVanAngel]

Because of the size of a mouse (in case you dont know, mice are very small)

[Sunny Day]

Mickey Mouse Operation

At one point, Walt was hired to work at the Kansas City Star newspaper. He was later fired from the paper for his “lack of creativity”. (Years later, The Walt Disney Company would buy ABC which owned The Kansas City Star.)
Actually Disney was smart enough to partner with Ubbe Iwerks, the real creator of Mickey Mouse, who he later screwed over. The original Mickey Mouse cartoon was Steamboat Willie. In it Mickey is piloting a one-man tugboat that runs into disaster at every turn.
Might also read http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mickey_...ickey.27s_name - it includes info about Mickey & Minnie sex/drug cartoons