6 Easter Eggs in Disney's Animated Movies That Are For Adult Eyes Only
Forget about that Shrek scene. Here are more subtle Disney gems.
While some Easter eggs from the Disney universe are well-known and celebrated, others remain hidden gems that many people overlook on their first viewing.
Here's a list of 6 lesser-known Easter eggs in Disney animated films that you may not notice until you're an adult.
Alien Reference in Wreck-It Ralph
A clever R-rated Easter egg appears in the movie's Hero's Duty game scene, in which Ralph stumbles upon a room full of alien eggs. In a nod to the iconic sci-fi horror Alien, Ralph steps on an egg, releasing a Cy-Bug that targets Ralph's face, resembling the iconic Alien's face huggers.
The Lab Scene in Zootopia
In a scene with coffee-delivering rams in a lab of the night howler, you can see that the rams are named Woolter and Jesse, just like the two minor antagonists of the movie, as a tribute to the main characters of Breaking Bad, Walter White and Jesse Pinkman.
The cult classic series about the making and selling of meth drew attention with its final season in the midst of Zootopia's production in 2013, leading to the family-friendly hit paying homage to the iconic show.
Pies in Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
In this 2009 sci-fi animated comedy, every president on Mount Rushmore is hit in the face with a pie during the food storm scene, except for Abraham Lincoln. His pie hits him in the back of the head, resembling his real-life assassination.
A Unicorn Figure in Tangled
In one of the scenes in the long-haired Rapunzel story, Flynn is being escorted to his execution when he notices a ceramic unicorn. Die-hard fans of Ridley Scott and his 1982 science-fiction drama will recognize this moment as echoing a scene in Blade Runner where a unicorn represents a hidden message to Harrison Ford 's character.
Pablo Escobar in Coco
During the Land of the Dead's border scene, an eagle-eyed viewer will notice a skeleton in the crowd of people waiting in line, reminiscent of Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar making a clandestine exchange.
While the inclusion of this Easter egg raises questions about its relevance, especially since the Day of the Dead is a Mexican tradition not celebrated in Colombia, the resemblance is too accurate to be just a coincidence.
The Shining Carpet in Toy Story
As the toys race through the upper hallway of Sid's house of torture, they cross a strangely recognizable carpet. The hexagonal orange and red pattern under Woody and Buzz's feet mirrors the carpet in The Shining's Overlook Hotel.
This design similarity recalls the iconic scene in Stephen King 's film adaptation where Danny uses his blue tricycle to escape, paralleling the eerie atmosphere and the toys' attempt to escape it.