35 Spectacular Easter Eggs Hidden in Your Favorite Disney Movies
Disney movies are chock-full of Easter eggs.
The creators of these classic films love to throw a bone to eagle-eyed fans by including references to former Disney movies in each new release. From hidden characters to identifiable objects, some of these Easter eggs are so well-hidden, you'd never notice them on your own.
Thankfully, you don't have to. Keep scrolling for 35 spectacular Easter eggs hidden in your favorite Disney movies.
(Aladdin via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
Flounder in Moana
Moana is full of friendly aquatic animals, so it's the perfect time for a fish friend from another film to make an appearance. As Maui sings "You're Welcome," a school of hand-drawn fish make their way across the screen. Alongside the other brightly-colored creatures swims Flounder from The Little Mermaid. He only makes a brief appearance, but we'd recognize the yellow body and blue stripes of Ariel's best friend anywhere.
(Moana via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
Aladdin's Lamp in Moana
Flounder isn't the only Disney easter egg hidden in Moana. The film also features a recognizable item from another classic Disney film: Aladdin. While Moana and Maui tromp through the various shiny treasures in Tamatoa's lair, viewers can just make out the shape of Aladdin's lamp in the corner of the frame. With so many shiny gold objects glittering on the screen, it's easy to miss this Easter egg if you're not paying attention.
(Moana via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
Rapunzel in Frozen
Princesses have to stick together! When Elsa and Anna's father and mother are lost at sea, people from around the world show their support by traveling to Arendelle and appearing at Elsa's coronation. As crowds of people make their way through the open gates, another familiar face rears her head—Rapunzel herself showed up for Elsa's coronation! Sporting her short-haired look and signature pink dress, viewers get just a quick glimpse at the side of the princess' face before the frame changes.
(Frozen via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
Pinocchio in Tangled
Speaking of Rapunzel, our next familiar face appears in her movie, Tangled. While making her way to the city to see the twinkling lights on her birthday, Rapunzel ends up surrounded by criminals in the Snuggly Duckling pub. But amidst the terrifying faces, viewers can catch a glance of an old-school Disney character: Pinocchio. As the criminals reveal their true passions in the musical number "I Have a Dream," Pinocchio looks down on the performance from his spot in the rafters.
(Tangled via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
Aladdin's Magic Carpet in The Princess and the Frog
The opening sequence of The Princess and the Frog takes viewers through the streets of New Orleans as residents of the city go about their daily business. Just before the movie title pops up on the screen, a woman beats the dust out of her carpet while standing on her balcony. The carpet, however, is no ordinary rug. It's actually the magic carpet from Aladdin. We're not sure how it got into this woman's hands, but it's clear she doesn't know about its magical powers…yet.
(The Princess and the Frog via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
Jack Skellington in The Princess and the Frog
Dr. Facilier, also known as the Shadow Man, has a particularly recognizable song in The Princess and the Frog. As he sings "Friends On the Other Side," various shadows pop up onscreen. One shadow in particular looks quite familiar. When Facilier sings about the other side, he must be referring to Halloweentown because Jack Skellington's shadow makes an appearance during this tune.
(The Princess and the Frog via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
Dumbo in Lilo & Stitch
Lilo's room in Lilo & Stitch is full of toys, but it's likely that you've never paid attention to those objects while focusing on the action happening onscreen. If you take a moment to look in the background, however, you'll see a small, plush Dumbo sitting in Lilo's toy chest. Dumbo only appears for a moment onscreen, but he still sports his signature hat and clutches his lucky feather in his trunk.
(Lilo & Stitch via Buena Vista Pictures)
Mrs. Potts and Chip in Tarzan
When the apes in Tarzan first find the human's camp while tracking down their friend, they're completely terrified by the unknown objects strewn across the campgrounds. But while one object is unknown to the apes, it's perfectly recognizable to viewers. As Terk plays a tune on camp's gadgets, he takes two teaspoons and bangs out a catchy rhythm on a nearby teapot and cup. The pot and cup are none other than Mrs. Potts and Chip from Beauty and the Beast. Can't you see the signature crack in the porcelain glass?
(Tarzan via Buena Vista Pictures)
Little Brother in Tarzan
While the campsite is confusing enough to the apes, it pales in comparison to their curiosity when they come across the humans themselves. While inspecting the new inhabitants of their island, an ape turns Professor Archimedes Q. Porter upside-down and shakes him. Items fall out of the Professor's pockets, including a plush version of Mulan's dog, Little Brother. As a lesser-known character in Mulan, it's easy for casual Disney fans to miss this Easter egg.
(Tarzan via Buena Vista Pictures)
Scar in Hercules
In the movie Hercules, the ultra-strong half-god slowly gains recognition for his acts of heroism. Eventually, Hercules is a full-blown celebrity. To advance his image, an artist asks to paint him posing with his sword in the air and a lion's head over his own curly locks. The lion on his head is none other than Scar, the villain of The Lion King. It looks like things didn't go well for Scar at all when the hyenas turned against him.
(Hercules via Buena Vista Pictures)
Belle in The Hunchback of Notre Dame
While Belle is known for living in a poor, provincial town, it looks like she finally made her way to the bustling city of Paris. At least, that's what The Hunchback of Notre Dame suggests. In a shot looking down on the streets of Paris, viewers can just make out Belle walking across the cobblestones. With a book in her hand and her signature blue dress, it's impossible to mistake this figure for anyone other than our French princess.
(The Hunchback of Notre Dame via Buena Vista Pictures)
Jock in The Lion King
Along with Scar, the hyenas are the main villains of The Lion King. So how did the little Scottish Terrier Jock from Lady and the Tramp end up in this pack of bloodthirsty wild animals? As a large group of hyenas gathers to descend on their prey, viewers can just make out an incongruous shadow in the background. Rather than the silhouette of a hyena, the shadow features the recognizable profile of Jock. Hopefully he's not getting too close to all those bad guys!
(The Lion King via Buena Vista Pictures)
The Beast in Aladdin
While kind and good-natured, the Sultan in Aladdin is also somewhat gullible. Rather than paying attention to what's happening in his kingdom, he prefers to play with his collection of toys. As he builds a tower with his favorite playthings in one scene, viewers can make out the Beast near the top of the structure. Considering the rest of the toys represent exotic animals, it's no surprise the Beast made it into the collection. He certainly looks like an exotic creature.
(Aladdin via Buena Vista Pictures)
Sebastian in Aladdin
As Genie wonders how to turn Aladdin into a prince, he consults a trusty manual that should have all the answers. However, before he can read through the book, Genie is pinched by a crab who hangs on for dear life at the end of his finger. The crab is none other than Sebastian, the right-hand-man to King Triton. His natural home lies within the story of The Little Mermaid, so he looks understandably confused at being pulled into the plot of Aladdin.
(Aladdin via Buena Vista Pictures)
Mickey, Donald, and Goofy in The Little Mermaid
Although Mickey, Donald, and Goofy are generally land-dwellers, they make an exception at the start of The Little Mermaid. When Triton and his daughters greet their subjects, the film shows an aerial view of Triton flying over the crowd. While it's primarily filled with mermaids, viewers can just make out the shapes of Mickey, Donald, and Goofy preparing to watch the show. It looks like they can breathe underwater!
(The Little Mermaid via Buena Vista Pictures)
Cinderella's King and Grand Duke in The Little Mermaid
Royalty likes to stick together, and that's certainly apparent in The Little Mermaid. When Prince Eric gets married to Ursula disguised in human form toward the end of the movie, the King and the Grand Duke from Cinderella appear in the crowd. Sporting his signature angry look, the King doesn't look particularly happy to be a wedding guest. But can we really blame him? Eric is marrying a witch, after all.
(The Little Mermaid via Buena Vista Pictures)
Peg, Jock, and Trusty in Oliver and Company
Oliver and Company is a story all about dogs, so it only makes sense that few of our favorite pups would appear in the film. While Dodger sings "Why Should I Worry," Peg, Jock, and Trusty from Lady and the Tramp make an appearance onscreen. While their animation looks slightly different, their faces are completely recognizable.
(Oliver & Company via Buena Vista Pictures)
Dumbo in The Great Mouse Detective
While Dumbo already made an appearance in Lilo & Stitch, that's not the only cameo he makes in Disney movies. In The Great Mouse Detective, Dumbo appears again, this time as a toy bubble machine sitting amongst the other items in the Toy Shop. While he still wears his yellow hat, he can't hold his feather this time, as the bubbles come out the end of his trunk.
(The Great Mouse Detective via Buena Vista Pictures)
Tinkerbell in The Black Cauldron
Even older Disney movies feature recognizable cameos. In The Black Cauldron, Princess Eilonwy and Taran discover an underground world full of fairies. Amongst the flying creatures, viewers can find Tinkerbell from Peter Pan. While she's not known for being friendly to poor Wendy, she seems perfectly happy to see these children, probably because they're not stealing the heart of her beloved Peter.
(The Black Cauldron via Buena Vista Pictures)
Sleeping Beauty's Spinning Wheel in Tangled
It seems Rapunzel didn't get the memo about the dangers of spinning wheels. Although Sleeping Beauty was cursed to prick her finger on a spinning wheel and die, Rapunzel still keeps the contraption in her house. In fact, it looks like the exact same spinning wheel on which Aurora pricks her finger! Let's hope Rapunzel isn't going anywhere near the sharp edges of that device.
(Tangled via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
Pumbaa in The Hunchback of Notre Dame
In The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Quasimodo runs into some trouble that forces him to climb the outside of the church, trying to avoid Claude Frollo's dangerous sword. As he clings to gargoyles to avoid falling to his death, viewers get a glimpse of one gargoyle that looks slightly different to the others. In fact, the gargoyle looks like a slightly angrier version of Pumbaa from The Lion King. Maybe his noxious farts help him to protect the Notre Dame from harm.
(The Hunchback of Notre Dame via Buena Vista Pictures)
Lady and Tramp in 101 Dalmatians
Just like royalty likes to stick together, dogs also like to stick by each other's sides. In a view of the street shown during 101 Dalmatians, viewers can clearly see both Lady and Tramp. Maybe they ran away from home on another adventure. Thankfully, Tramp still has his collar, so they should be able to find their way back to their humans. Perhaps another spaghetti and meatballs dinner waits in the future?
(101 Dalmatians via Buena Vista Pictures)
Mickey in A Goofy Movie
What's Mickey without his best friend, Goofy? While A Goofy Movie revolves entirely around the humorous titular character, the filmmakers couldn't cut Mickey completely from the storyline. While Powerline plays to an excited crowd, viewers can just make out Mickey's excited face in the audience. Who knew he was a Powerline fan?
(A Goofy Movie via Buena Vista Pictures)
Mulan in Lilo & Stitch
Where did Nani learn her bravery and strength? She takes care of her rambunctious sister Lilo and runs a household all on her own, mostly without complaint. Well, it seems Nani may have a recognizable role model who lends her strength. When Nani is woken up in the morning by Lilo and Stitch, viewers can just make out a Mulan poster on her wall. While the poster doesn't look exactly like the hero of China, the Mulan script scrolled across the front ensures that no one will mistake who Nani looks up to.
(Lilo & Stitch via Buena Vista Pictures)
Mowgli in Meet the Robinsons
Toward the end of Meet the Robinsons, Lewis finally realizes how to stop the terrible future that awaits him. In order to foil Bowler Hat Guy's plans, Lewis must wake Michael Yagoobian during a baseball game and make sure he catches the game-winning ball. While Michael snoozes away, however, the background of the baseball fields holds another surprise. Plastered to the fence is a poster of The Jungle Book featuring Mowgli and Baloo. It seems even Disney characters are big fans of Disney movies.
(Meet the Robinsons via Buena Vista Pictures)
Pongo in Oliver & Company
In the same song where Trusty, Jock, and Peg make an appearance, another familiar canine face pops up. As Dodger sings "Why Should I Worry" in Oliver and Company, Pongo from 101 Dalmatians darts across the screen. When he's often upset over the loss of his puppies in his own movie, he looks perfectly happy and at ease while pulling on his leash in Oliver and Company. In fact, his lolling tongue and excited expression are everything a dog should be.
(Oliver & Company via Buena Vista Pictures)
Stitch in Treasure Planet
In Treasure Planet, baby Jim Hawkins reads a book with his mom. While the focus is mostly on Jim's cute face, his room holds some surprising secrets. Up on a high bookshelf out of reach sits a plush Stitch. Hidden in the corner next to some books and other toys, it's easy to miss this little cameo, particularly if you're not looking for it.
(Treasure Planet via Buena Vista Pictures)
Baymax in Moana
Moana's fight with the Kakamora is a big scene in the popular Disney movie. While the little coconut creatures look harmless enough on the outside, they challenge Moana to quite a dangerous fight. However, one of these little guys doesn't look exactly like the others. If you look closely enough, you'll see a miniature version of Baymax from Big Hero 6 amidst the Kakamora.
(Moana via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
Wardrobe in Tangled
Near the end of Tangled, Rapunzel mourns the return to the top of her tower and the loss of the man she thought she loved, Flynn Rider. While she sits sadly in her room with her hair strewn around her, a wardrobe sits in the corner. Although it doesn't move or talk, it's definitely the same animated wardrobe from Beauty and the Beast. If only the Wardrobe still had the power of speech, it might have made Rapunzel a bit less lonely through the years.
(Tangled via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
Prince Hans in Big Hero 6
One scene in Big Hero 6 takes place in a police station. While the shot focuses on an officer at work, a poster in the background shows much more compelling information. Beneath a banner reading "Wanted" is the recognizable face of Prince Hans from Frozen. Although we can't make out exactly what he's wanted for, we can only imagine that he likely tried to steal another kingdom through nefarious means.
(Big Hero 6 via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
Tick-Tock in A Goofy Movie
While Mickey appears in the crowd during A Goofy Movie, there's also a lot going on backstage. A quick shot of the area behind the performance shows Tick-Tock, the alligator from Peter Pan, lurking backstage. While he might look like any old reptile, the clock clearly visible in his snout puts any of our doubts to rest. We just hope he's not planning to eat any more hands while he wanders the behind-the-scenes area of the concert.
(A Goofy Movie via Buena Vista Pictures)
Bambi's Mom in The Jungle Book
Losing Bambi's mom at the beginning of Bambi is perhaps the most scarring moment to occur in any Disney movie. Therefore, it's not exactly pleasant to see the scene repeated in The Jungle Book. As Shere Khan stalks his prey, the film shows a deer who clearly knows she's in danger. She even uses the same motions as Bambi's mom, proving that the beloved character is once again unsafe while foraging for good.
(The Jungle Book via Buena Vista Pictures)
King Triton in The Princess and the Frog
The Princess and the Frog seemingly has no limit of Easter eggs hidden within its story. A Mardi Gras parade featured in the movie shows off the festive and fun nature of the celebration. But it also brings a familiar face in the world of The Princess and the Frog. One of the Mardi Gras floats is none other than King Triton from The Little Mermaid. Holding his trident and wearing his gold crown, he looks like quite an imposing figure as he rolls through the streets of New Orleans.
(The Princess and the Frog via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
Aladdin's Lamp in The Princess and the Frog
Aladdin's lamp sure does get around. Beyond appearing in Moana, the lamp also has a cameo in The Princess and the Frog. As Mama Odie throws items out of an old trunk while singing "Dig a Little Deeper," one piece of junk tossed over her shoulder is actually quite valuable. That's right—Mama Odie tosses away Aladdin's lamp like it's nothing. Of course, after the genie was free, the lamp wasn't worth much. Perhaps that's why Mama Odie doesn't value the shimmering piece of gold.
(The Princess and the Frog via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
Cinderella's Castle in Lilo & Stitch
As they grow closer, Lilo and Stitch decide to wander around their island making trouble. They chow down on some shaved ice and scan a rack of postcards in a store. At the bottom of the rack is a postcard for Orlando featuring a version of Cinderella's castle from Disney World's Magic Kingdom. We're not sure why there was a postcard for Orlando in a Hawaiian store, but we're not complaining, as Cinderella's castle looks beautiful as ever in this cameo.
(Lilo & Stitch via Buena Vista Pictures)
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