Disney's animators can be quite cheeky when it comes to hiding details in their movies; repeat viewings are mandatory to catch all the nifty Easter eggs hidden within some of the frames. Some Disney Easter eggs are even "blink, and you’ll miss it" affairs that went past 99% of viewers.
Pixar, specifically, is known for hiding Easter eggs for their upcoming projects, which makes repeat viewing even more fun for fans. But which Easter eggs hidden in Disney movies can be considered the stuff of legends? So meticulously and cleverly hidden in plain sight that once you do find it, it is the equivalent of a "Eureka" moment for fans.
10 Hercules – That’s A Nasty-Looking Scar
While Disney is known for making family-friendly products, the animators can also be subtly dark in some instances, ergo, 1997’s Hercules. In one scene in the movie where Hercules is having a portrait of himself commissioned, he can be seen wielding a sword and shield and wearing a familiar-looking lion skin.
Well, that poor lion is the dastardly Scar from The Lion King. While easy to spot as the scene highlights Scar front and center, it is still quite shocking for children once they comprehend the ramifications of that scene.
Sure, Scar may have deserved it, but still, it's a kid’s movie.
9 Zootopia – Do You Want To Build A Snow Bear?
Zootopia is one of the most relevant movies that tackles stereotypes, racism, and sociopolitical problems as a whole. It is also a movie with anthropomorphic animals that features songs and dance, so it has something for kids and adults.
The movie also has an easily missed cameo from two popular Disney princesses.
During the scene when Judy Hopps arrives in Zootopia via train, she passes a district called Tundratown. Pause the scene and look closely at the two little elephant girls in front of the Fishtown Market.
Do you notice something similar with their clothes? Yes, they are wearing Elsa and Anna from Frozen. With multiverse theory such a hot topic lately, this might be the sisters from a parallel universe.
8 Beauty And The Beast - 1700s California
At the start of the film, when Belle’s father, Maurice, gets lost in the woods, he finds a crudely made and faded signpost. The signpost wasn’t much of a help for poor old Maurice, as the letters have faded over time.
However, did you know that if you trace the faded letters, you will find that these are actual locations in the real world? Specifically, they point towards directions to places in California. One direction points to Valencia.
This isn’t a random choice, either. Most of the animators who worked on Beauty and the Beast graduated from the California Institute of the Arts, which is located in, you guessed it, Valencia, California.
7 The Hunchback Of Notre Dame – A Bell And A Belle
Despite most likely occurring during different periods, both are set in France, which makes this cameo less of a fun wink at the audience and more of a legitimate possibility. The cameo is, of course, that of Belle, whom you can see walking in the streets of Notre Dame de Paris during Quasimodo's "Out There" song.
Could it be that Belle and Quasimodo live in a shared Disney universe? That’s a fun little discussion that will surely open up a bunch more possibilities with how much Disney loves crossing their movies with each other.
6 Frozen – A Tangled Cameo
During the scene where Elsa is to be crowned as the new Queen of Arendelle, the scene follows her sister Anna as she happily trots around the castle singing "For the First Time in Forever." While enjoying the arrival of hundreds of people to celebrate the coronation, eagle-eyed viewers will find two familiar guests passing by the screen.
Giving further credence to the fan theory that a lot of Disney movies share the same universe, you will see a short-haired brunette Rapunzel walking alongside Flynn from the movie Tangled.
5 Aladdin – The Sultan’s Pocket Monster
This particular Easter egg is difficult to catch with so many details and colors filling the screen and the shot itself only lasting for a couple of seconds. However, the animators made sure that one particular toy would still stand out for fans.
In this scene in Aladdin, the Sultan is stacking up a bunch of statues and toys like a cairn to pass the time. One statue on the right side of the pile is a miniature replica of a character from another critically acclaimed Disney movie, the ferocious Beast from Beauty and the Beast.
4 Tarzan – Jungle Tea Party
In the 1999 animated movie, Terk and Tantor venture into a human encampment in the jungle. Finding various equipment, the two, along with the other gorillas, start a fun musical number using everything they can get their hands on.
In one scene, Terk uses a familiar-looking tea set like a drum. The sea set is, of course, Mrs. Potts and Chipp from Beauty and the Beast. Fortunately, Terk takes gentle care of the two, and no fine china teapot was harmed during the making of this scene.
3 Brave – Pizza In Medieval Scotland
One of the most iconic Easter eggs in Pixar movies is the Planet Pizza truck that first appeared in Toy Story. Pixar's animators have made it a mission to include this truck in some form or another in pretty much all of their movies.
Even the ones that won’t make sense to find a pizza truck in, say, the 2012 medieval fantasy film Brave.
But lo and behold, the Planet Pizza truck does make an appearance in the movie in the form of a wooden carving in the witch’s hut. The Planet Pizza truck is a staple of Pixar movies, so make sure to keep an eye out for it.
2 The Lion King – What Is A Scottish Terrier Doing In Africa?
During the tense scene where Simba returns to confront his Uncle Scar as the rightful ruler of Pride Rock, Scar slyly explains that the hyenas prefer him as the ruler. At the back of the cackle of hyenas is a silhouette of something that is clearly not part of that group.
The silhouette belongs to Jock, the Scottish Terrier from Lady and the Tramp, and is one of the strangest cameos that Disney has ever done. Then again, Jock is known to be stingy and super aggressive, which is something that the hyenas would probably relate to.
1 The Little Mermaid – A New Species Of Saltwater Frog?
Pretty much every Disney fan already knows that Mickey, Donald, and Goofy make an appearance among the denizens of Atlantica during the arrival of King Triton, but did you know that the audience also had a Muppet guest?
Kermit the Frog is present during the festivities under the sea, even though frogs can’t survive in saltwater. Kermit is extremely difficult to find as he pretty much blends with all the green, so kudos to the super fan who spotted everyone’s favorite Muppet.