Disney's hidden gems: Unveiling the clever Easter Eggs that will make you a Disney expert
Disney movies are known for their captivating storytelling and memorable characters, but they also hide a treasure trove of clever Easter Eggs that will delight fans of all ages. From subtle references to larger thematic homages, these hidden gems add depth and richness to the Disney universe. Here's a deep dive into some of the most clever Disney Easter Eggs that will make you a Disney expert.
Wish references Sleeping Beauty with an extreme aspect ratio
Disney's centennial film, Wish, pays homage to the company's history with a subtle nod to Sleeping Beauty. The film was produced with a 2.55:1 aspect ratio, a wide format that was popular in the 1950s when Sleeping Beauty was released. This extreme aspect ratio was a deliberate choice to honor the film that cemented the Disney princess concept and to showcase the company's dedication to its artistic history. While the film itself received mixed reviews, the return to this aspect ratio proved the filmmakers' commitment to Disney's legacy, urging fans to see it as a modern-day classic.
Pixar teases its upcoming films with Easter Eggs first-time viewers won't even notice
Pixar is known for its recurring images like the Pizza Planet truck and the code A113, but it also includes Easter Eggs that only make sense years later. One of the earliest examples is Monsters, Inc., which includes three clownfish references in honor of Finding Nemo, which debuted a year and a half later. Finding Nemo then went on to reference both The Incredibles and Cars. This trend has continued into the present day, showcasing Pixar's ability to plan and communicate between film productions. It's a testament to the company's dedication to its fans and its commitment to creating a cohesive cinematic universe.
A version of Disney exists inside of Zootopia
Zootopia includes two distinct examples of animal-themed Disney movies existing within the film itself. The first comes while Judy clicks through music on the bus, with the artists being animal-themed versions of popular music artists. The songs under "Gazelle" are almost all based on previous Disney songs, including "Let It Goat," "Part of Your Wool," "Can You Feel the Fur Tonight," and "Ara-bunny Nights." Near the end of the film, we also see a selection of Duke's Officially Licensed Movies, which include Wrangled, Wreck-It Rhino, Pig Hero 6, Meowana, Floatzen 2, and Giraffic—a pun on the cancelled film Gigantic. These references add depth and richness to the Zootopia universe, showcasing the company's love for its own history.
Rapunzel's tower includes references to the princesses that came before her
Tangled was only the second princess movie to come out of Disney in over ten years, and the creators wanted to prove that Rapunzel was a Disney Princess. To do so, they filled her tower with references to the Classic and Renaissance-era princesses. The easiest to spot is the spinning wheel from Sleeping Beauty, although you may also notice an apple, a slipper, a rose, and a seashell painted on the staircase. Directors Nathan Greno and Byron Howard also recommend looking at the bookstore scene, where you can see the opening storybook from Sleeping Beauty and a book cover based on The Little Mermaid. These references add depth and richness to the Tangled universe, showcasing the company's love for its own history.
Belle visits Paris in The Hunchback of Notre Dame
The Hunchback of Notre Dame includes a subtle reference to Belle during the song "Out There." While both stories are set in France, the timelines don't line up. The Hunchback of Notre Dame takes place in 1482, while Beauty and the Beast is set nearly 300 years later, around the French Revolution. The contrast between these two characters is powerful, showing Belle escaping her world into a book while Quasimodo would do anything to join it. This reference adds depth and richness to the Hunchback of Notre Dame universe, showcasing the company's love for its own history.
Dogs crossover between Disney movies with no regard for distance
101 Dalmatians shows Lady and Tramp wandering around London, with Peg, Bull, and Jock in the background. Jock, Peg, and Trusty also made their way to New York City to show up in Oliver & Company, along with 101 Dalmatians' Pongo. While it may not make much sense geographically, it's definitely fun to see how many familiar faces you can find in any dog-centered Disney movie. These references add depth and richness to the Disney universe, showcasing the company's love for its own history.
The villagers' wishes are based on other Disney films
Wish is packed full of obvious Easter Eggs, but the scenes depicted in wishes are more subtle references to Disney's biggest hits. For example, two citizens of Rosas want to be able to fly like Peter Pan, while others dream of making Aurora's dress from Sleeping Beauty or finding the perfect nanny like in Mary Poppins. The film is ultimately set up as a prequel to all Disney lore, so it's fun to wonder if the set of fliers truly became Peter and Wendy, and if the other wishes come true in their own right. These references add depth and richness to the Wish universe, showcasing the company's love for its own history.
Enchanted references Disney princesses in more ways than you'd expect
Enchanted includes multiple Disney princess references that appear during the real-world plotlines. For example, a reporter is named Mary Ilene Caselotti, drawing from the names of Mary Costa (Aurora), Ilene Woods (Cinderella), and Adriana Caselotti (Snow White). Costa and Woods both appear later in the film, adding to cameos from the voices behind Ariel, Belle, and Pocahontas. The most obvious of these is The Little Mermaid's Jodi Benson, who portrays Robert's secretary, Sam. These references add depth and richness to the Enchanted universe, showcasing the company's love for its own history.
Beauty and the Beast transports Maurice from France to California
When Maurice gets lost on his way to show off his newest invention, he struggles to understand the faded signpost. But Disney fans definitely didn't. From top to bottom, the signs read Saugus, Newhall, Valencia, and Anaheim. While Saugus may simply establish the crossroad in California, Newhall is the site of Golden Oak Ranch, a private filming and testing location that Walt Disney purchased in 1959. Fans are more familiar with Valencia, home of the California Institute of the Arts, and Anaheim, home of Disneyland. This is definitely a blink-and-you'll-miss-it reference, requiring you to know your Disney history to fully understand it.
Bambi's mother lives on across the Disney multiverse
Anyone who watched Bambi as a child knows just how traumatizing it was to see Bambi lose his mother. Thankfully, Disney fans get to see her survive in other films, usually when a hunter is thwarted. For example, she is hunted down by Sir Kay in The Sword in the Stone and Shere Khan in The Jungle Book, both of whom fail to kill her. She also appears, sometimes alongside Bambi, in The Rescuers, Beauty and the Beast, and the Donald Duck short "No Hunting" as a symbol of tranquility in nature. While these films all take place in vastly different settings, there is something comforting about seeing Bambi's mother be protected by the writers and animators in a way she was not in the original film. These references add depth and richness to the Disney universe, showcasing the company's love for its own history.
