16 Easter Eggs Hidden in Animated Films

We take a deep dive down the rabbit hole of tiny details and moments in animated movies which were so small you probably missed them.

By Nathan Johnson

Published 4 years ago in Wow

We take a deep dive down the rabbit hole of tiny details and moments in animated movies which were so small you probably missed them. These are the things writers do to keep themselves entertained, and to leave some breadcrumbs, for us eagle eyed viewers to follow.

So if you like movie facts, or behind-the-scenes shots, we've got some for you.

1
Beauty and the Beast. It turns out that Belle’s father had other interesting routes to choose from on his way to the Beast’s scary castle. The signs Maurice looks at say the words “Valencia” and “Anaheim.” Valencia is where the California Institute of the Arts is located and many Disney students studied there — and Anaheim is a town in Southern California where Disneyland is located.

2
The Hunchback of Notre Dame. The animators tried to show the beauty of Notre-Dame de Paris by paying a lot of attention to the gargoyles. Some of them became friends with the main character and some served as Easter eggs. So, in the scene where Quasimodo and Esmeralda try to run away from Frollo, you can see Pumbaa from The Lion King.

3
In Zootopia, among the pirate DVDs, you can see the alternative versions of Big Hero 6, Tangled, Wreck-It Ralph, Moana, and even Frozen II which wasn’t released at the time.
4
And the seller of the DVDs is an interesting character. Duke Weaselton is voiced by Alan Tudyk, the same actor that voiced Duke of Weselton in Frozen. When you look at the names, you can see the similarities: Duke Weaselton and The Duke of Weselton.

5
Additionally, Chief Bogo is obviously a fan of Big Hero 6 — or in this universe, Pig Hero 6. In his office, you can see a calendar featuring the city of San Fransokyo.
6
Moana. Dwayne Johnson, who was the voice actor for Maui, is not only an actor but also a famous wrestler known as The Rock. The creators of the animation used this fact to their advantage. The funny rooster named Hei Hei that eats a rock in one scene later bites Maui.
7
Frozen II. At the beginning of the film, you can see the warm relationship the parents and the daughters share, but there are details revealing that this is the last day of harmony for the family. Before King Agnarr tells his daughters the story about the Enchanted Forest, Anna whispers to Elsa that they’re going to make a snowman. This phrase and the same clothes are seen in the first installment of the franchise.

8
Before the accident, Elsa often used her magic to entertain her sister. For example, Elsa created a lot of interesting characters, among which you can see Dumbo, Baymax, Snow White, and Prince Charming.
9
Ralph Breaks the Internet. When Ralph and Vanellope get on the internet, they’re followed by commercials. On one of the posters, you can see Cass Hamada from Big Hero 6.
10
Treasure Planet. In the main characters’ rooms, there are many hints about their personalities, upcoming story beats, and unusual secrets. For example, Jim Hawkins has Stitch from Lilo & Stitch on his shelf.

11
The Little Mermaid. he act of referencing characters from past Disney movies is a classic move among Disney animators. But the creators of The Little Mermaid went a step further. Not only did Goofy, Donald Duck, and Mickey Mouse come to listen to the songs of Ariel and her sisters, but Kermit the Frog, one of the leading characters of The Muppet Show, also came to watch.
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The animators of Tangled also left small Easter eggs for viewers to find. Over a long period of time the girl spent in the tower, she drew all over the place. But her pictures are especially interesting on the stairs because they’re references to other Disney princesses — the apple is for Snow White, the shoe is for Cinderella, the rose is for Belle, and the shell is for Ariel.
13
Chris Sanders became the director of Lilo & Stitch after his successful work on Mulan. This is probably why there are 2 Mulan Easter eggs in Lilo & Stitch: a poster in Nani’s room and the name of the restaurant, Mulan Wok.

14
Frozen. The white lock in Anna’s hair is one of the details that highlight the problems between the sisters. It appears at the moment when Elsa accidentally wounds Anna which causes the girls to drift apart. But the lock disappears at the end of the story when the sisters overcome their difficulties and become close again.
15
When Moana decides to save her island, she takes only the most important stuff with her: dishes, food, and — a part of the snowman, Olaf. She wanted to be prepared for anything. What if she suddenly needed to make a snowman?
16
The star duo, Ron Clements and John Musker, directed Moana long after they had already created The Little Mermaid and Aladdin. So it’s not surprising that in Moana, there are references to both of these classic films. When Maui is singing his song, you can see Flounder, Ariel’s friend; and in Tamatoa’s treasury, you can see Aladdin’s lamp.