With the reviews of Disney and Pixar’s Lightyear not being the greatest compared to Toy Story’s, fans have a lot to say about the direction the two mega-companies go toward in connection to other prequels of beloved movies. One of the best parts about the Disney fandom is the deep dives fans do in search of Easter eggs and small details that they may have missed.
- What makes Disney and Pixar movies some of the best is the attention to detail. There’s rarely anything added that doesn’t serve a purpose or have a deeper meaning. Even better, most Pixar movies relate to each other. Whether they’re in the same fictional universe or there are subtle shoutouts to other Disney characters, eagle-eyed fans spotted these details and shared their findings on forums like Reddit. From Encanto to Tangled, there are even details within the details!
Once fun findings are found, Redditors share their discoveries in hopes of connecting to like-minded fans. While the Pixar world has oodles of small details that connect to other Pixar films, Reddit users found their own elements in Disney animated movies.
Was This How Augustín Met Julieta?
Encanto (2021)
Fans on Reddit had a field day with the Easter eggs spotted in Encanto. The magical tale of the Madrigal family and their powers pulled on viewers’ heartstrings and gave them a fun new soundtrack to listen to.
In the movie, Mirabel’s father Augustín gets into his fair share of accidents. But as Reddit user Hopelessnecromantic7 noticed, “Mirabel sings that her dad Augustín is accident-prone, which alludes to how he met her mom because he would always go to her so she could cook meals for him.” This small detail makes sense since Mirabel’s mom, Julieta, can heal the town with her magical baked goods, and it’s probably how they met.
Did Buzz Have Monsters In His Closet?
Lightyear (2022)
It’s presumed that Lightyear took place in the mid-’90s since the first Toy Story came out in 1995 and Andy’s obsession with Buzz was at an all-time high. Knowing this, it could mean that Toy Story and Monsters Inc. were in the same universe because Redditor Xenomorphasaurus spotted a Monsters Inc. Easter egg in Lightyear.
They wrote, “In Lightyear (2022), scream canisters from Monsters, Inc. (2002) are visible in the background.” The “scream canisters” were what the monsters used to contain the screams or laughter of children to collect energy for their city. Does this mean the monsters used the same company for the canisters as Buzz did?
Two Butterflies
Disney’s Encanto splits between Spanish and English since the movie is based in Colombia. With Encanto having some of the best songs in the Disney universe, fans were especially pleased when they saw small details on screen to match the lyrics.
An example of this was found on Reddit. PlantsAndBugs shared, “In Encanto (2021), during the song ‘Dos Oruguitas’ (two caterpillars), Abuela tells the story of her husband’s miracle. When the song progresses into ‘dos mariposas’ (two butterflies), the camera pans between the butterfly on a blade of grass and the other butterfly on Mirabel’s shirt."
A Shoutout To Pixar’s Animation Team
Toy Story 3 (2010)
Many Toy Story fans would say that Toy Story 3 was the perfect finale for the franchise. However, nine years later a fourth and final movie was added to the franchise. Nevertheless, there are just as many small details in the third movie as there are in the fourth.
Harvickfan4Life noticed a fun tidbit on Andy’s bulletin board that related back to the animation studio. They wrote, “In Toy Story 3 (2010) the town of Emeryville, California where the State University letter was sent is the same town where Pixar Animation Studios is headquartered.” If fans zoom up on the white envelope, they can see the full address there.
Carl Knew He Wouldn’t Be Back
Up (2009)
In Up, Carl is a grumpy, older man who refuses who sell his house or his land to the developer who is trying to update his neighborhood. For Carl, his house is the closest thing he has to his late wife, Ellie.
Carl hates the changes around him and decides to go on an adventure with the help of thousands of balloons. His plan to use balloons to fly him and his home to Paradise Falls was in full gear before viewers even realized it. But when Spanky_McJiggles rewatched the movie, they noticed a minor, endearing detail. “In Up (2009) Carl takes his mailbox down the night before he takes off on his trip.” This tells viewers that Carl never planned on going back to the area where he and Ellie grew together, and planned on having his final years in Paradise Falls with his and Ellie’s home.
Even Canceled Disney Movies Get Shoutouts
Meet the Robinsons (2007)
Disney’s Meet the Robinsons focuses on a young boy named Lewis desperate to be adopted before coming face-to-face with a time-traveler who tries to prohibit Lewis from changing the life that was dealt to him.
Like many other movies, fans pointed out small, hidden details in Meet the Robinsons that may have been missed. In one scene, AussieTechBlitz pointed out a subtle shoutout to movies that could have been. “In Meet the Robinsons (2007), characters from two of Disney’s canceled movies; My Peoples and Wild Life, can be seen inside Lewis’ room of failed inventions,” the Redditor wrote. According to Fandom, My Peoples and Wild Life were worked on in the 90s before being canceled for multiple reasons.
The Voice Work Is All In The Family
Moana (2016)
Disney’s Moana is another animated movie with Easter eggs that fans found over the years. And as Redditor Numerous-Lemon pointed out, the voice of a village woman is a rather special person to the actress who voices Moana.
The Redditor said, “In Moana (2016), this villager is played by Puanani Cravalho, the mother of Auliʻi Cravalho, who plays Moana. She is praising her own daughter.” In the scene, the villager greets Moana and tells her parents, “She’s doing great!” It’s a sweet nod to her actual daughter whom she praised for her role in the movie.
The Incredible Newspaper
The Incredibles (2004)
Disney had some incredible animated parents who were all things supportive, loving, and affectionate. The Incredibles’ Bob Parr (AKA Mr. Incredible) was a dedicated father who was able to both fight crime and be a doting dad.
In one scene, Bob is reading the Metroville Tribune. It’s here that FireAndIce_92 spotted an interesting detail. “The newspaper that Bob reads about Gazerbeam’s disappearance in is dated 1962, placing the prologue in 1947 - the midway point of the Golden Age of Comic Books (1938-1956).”
A Nod To The Directors
Mulan (1998)
Disney’s Mulan had some of the best quotes because they revolved around independence, strength, and the love of family. In the movie, Mulan takes her father’s place in the Chinese Army and pretends to be a man to join the fight to make her family look good.
In one scene towards the end, two men are seen setting off fireworks. Funny enough, Redditor Numerous-Lemon realized that “Barry Cook and Tony Bancroft, the directors of the movie, appear as two firework handlers.” This way, the directors had a small role in the movie that could be heard and seen.
The Story Of Beard Papa
Wreck-It Ralph (2012)
Beard Papa is just one of the antagonists in Wreck-It Ralph. He’s a security guard who works at Kart Bakery in the Sugar Rush game but doesn’t do the best job of securing the bakery since he loves to sleep on the job.
A small detail that Disney viewers might not know was pointed out by TaraClaire on Reddit. They wrote, “In Wreck-It Ralph, there is a guy named Beard Papa in the Sugar Rush game. Beard Papa is a chain of cream puff stores.” And this Redditor is correct. According to the Beard Papa’s website, Beard Papa’s has been around since 1999 and sells “the world’s best cream puffs.”
The Beauty & The Beast And Aladdin Crossover
Aladdin (1992)
Olivebranch99 shared a still from Disney’s Aladdin and asked “How have I never noticed this?” In the still, there’s a stack of toys shaped like a pyramid, and right in the center is a small version of Beast from Beauty and the Beast.
Fans of Aladdin are bound to love a movie like Beauty and the Beast because they both revolve around saving another person out of love. Seeing this small connection between films makes Disney fans giddy because it connects multiple fandoms.
Elsa Is The Only One Without Cold Mist
Frozen (2013)
Frozen became a groundbreaking Disney movie. Elsa, in particular, had iconic quotes that fans loved because of her strength and nobility despite what she’s been through.
As the queen of Arendelle, Elsa has a hard time running her kingdom effectively because of her power that turns most things she touches into ice. As a naturally cold person, a Reddit user noticed something small about her character compared to others. Laurenk1964 wrote, “Elsa didn’t have mist coming from her mouth during the cold parts. It was something small that I appreciated.” Because Elsa is icy, she doesn’t have the cold mist radiating from her mouth when she speaks, which is an amazing detail added by the animators.
Look Up And See Pinocchio!
Tangled (2010)
Tangled is full of great songs and enchanting moments as Rapunzel finds her independence away from Mother Gothel. In the musical sequence for “I’ve Got a Dream,” Rapunzel and Flynn joined fellow bar patrons in singing about their deepest desires. Although Rapunzel and Flynn tried keeping a low profile in this scene, it was hard to do because of the powerful song.
In the scene, Reddit user Jordman2 mentioned “Hidden Pinocchio egg in Disney’s Tangled.” At the top of the scene, there’s a Pinocchio doll sitting in between wooden rafters. Does this mean Rapunzel and Geppetto lived in the same universe?
Magic Carpet Found Itself In Tiana’s Universe
The Princess And The Frog (2009)
In Aladdin, one of Aladdin’s sidekicks was a magic carpet that he found in the Cave of Wonders. The carpet didn’t speak, but it nodded, understood, and helped Aladdin when he needed it.
Ironically, in a quick moment at the start of The Princess and the Frog, Redditor Toolbot08 noticed something from Aladdin in Tiana’s universe. They wrote, “The carpet from Aladdin shows up in [The] Princess and the Frog.” In the scene, a woman is seen cleaning Aladdin’s magic carpet on her balcony!
Dogs Supporting Dogs
101 Dalmatians (1961)
Fans of the original Lady and the Tramp were thrilled when the live-action movie came to screens. They wanted to see what Disney changed and what stayed the same. However, Redditor Luckj pointed out that fans can see Lady and Jock in the animated film 101 Dalmatians.
“In 101 Dalmatians, Lady and the Tramp are both briefly seen during the bark chain,” they wrote. In the movie, all the dogs in the neighborhood are seen barking and alerting one another about the puppies being stolen. And adorably, Lady and Jock were part of those barking dogs.
