25 Sneaky And Easy-To-Miss Disney Movie Details That You Most Likely Didn't Notice The First Time Around
1. Ming-Na Wen's habit of touching her hair inspired the animators to give the same habit to Mulan:
In Mulan (1998), Mulan touches her hair a lot because the animators noticed that Mulan’s voice actor, Ming-Na Wen, touched her hair a lot while recording. So, they added it to the character. (confirmed by Ming-Na Wen on twitter). from MovieDetails
Very true. I still touch my hair a lot. 😁😘 #Mulan https://t.co/zZW2VtKM0f
2. The songs in Mulan are iconic, but I don't think I ever realized that they really only happened during the first half of the movie:
Mulan (1998) only has musical numbers for the first half, until the characters find the destroyed village. From there on songs were avoided because the tone was meant to be darker. from MovieDetails
3. This tiny little detail that I didn't notice in Encanto, but makes 100% sense for Dolores' character:
In Encanto (2021), Dolores is seen clapping with her index fingers. This is because she has super hearing. Full credit to encantogifs on twitter. from MovieDetails
4. This clever gag that I am curious how somebody watching the movie figured it out:
In "Hercules" (1997) Hades says "Guys, relax. It's only half-time" exactly at the 46-minute mark, the halfway point of the 92-minute movie from MovieDetails
5. This very specific joke that also works for anyone who hates green bell peppers:
In Inside Out, the pizza toppings were changed from broccolis to bell peppers in Japan, since kids in Japan don’t like bell peppers. Pixar localised the joke. from MovieDetails
6. This subtle moment that reveals why Bob was so cramped in his cubicle (I always assumed it was because he was big):
Bob Par in The Incredibles (2004) has most of his cubical taken up by a pillar which is why it's so cramped, I can't believe I never noticed this before from MovieDetails
7. And this very subtle nod to the origins of Violet's name:
Incredibles (2004) Elastagirl’s original suit was red and Mr. Incredible’s suit was blue, their first child’s name? Violet from MovieDetails
8. The clever hidden Easter egg that pays tribute to Walt Disney's birthday:
In Wreck It Ralph (2012), the high score is 120501. This is a reference to the birthdate of Walt Disney (5th December 1901). from MovieDetails
9. And this clever hidden Easter egg that references the year of the first cartoon shorts Walt Disney ever made — the Newman Laugh-O-Grams:
In COCO (2017), the “Rivera Family of Shoemakers” started in 1921. The same year Walt Disney made his first animation. from MovieDetails
10. The Genie's lamp being one of the valuable objects on Tamatoa's shell in Moana:
11. This spot-on detail about dog breeds. In fact, Golden Retriever's are known for their bird hunting skills:
In Up (2009), Dug is the only dog to successfully track down the Tropical Bird because he is the only Hunting Dog (Golden Retriever). All the others are Guard Dog breeds. from MovieDetails
12. And this spot-on detail about buffalos (that are actually nearsighted):
In Zootopia (2016), Chief Bogo wears eyeglasses to read documents. This is a reference to the fact that buffalo have poor eyesight. Confirmed by the directors in a Q&A. from MovieDetails
13. The logo for Brave that I never realized had both Merida and Queen Elinor "carved" into it:
In Brave (2012), you can see Merida and her mother hidden in the logo of the movie. Look at the top left of the B and E. from MovieDetails
14. Al immediately bidding and buying Woody when the motel manager put him up for sale in Toy Story of Terror!:
15. This postcard for Orlando that features Disney World's Cinderella Castle on it:
In Lilo and Stitch (2002), you can see a postcard for the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. from MovieDetails
16. The Sid's name graffitied onto a mailbox in Soul, which is just further proof of all the Pixar films existing within the same universe (aka the Pixar Theory):
In Soul (2020), a mailbox has been vandalised by "SID". This is a reference to Toy Story (1995). from MovieDetails
17. This homage to a Disney movie about a sea monster in a Pixar movie about "sea monsters":
In Luca (2021), there's a poster for Walt Disney's 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea (1954). The poster is in Italian. from MovieDetails
18. The origins of Hercules' cape in Hercules:
In Hercules (1997), the cape attached to Hercules’ armor is actually the shawl that is given to him by his adoptive mother. from MovieDetails
19. This small nod to Bolt:
In Big Hero 6 (2014), in the scene when Hiro and Baymax are at the police station, the desk sergeant to whom they speak has pictures on his desk of the animal control officer Ester and the dog Bolt from the earlier Disney movie, Bolt (2008). from MovieDetails
20. And this small nod to a forgotten Disney movie:
In Finding Dory (2016), Dory passes by a sunken Volkswagen Beetle at the bottom of the ocean. This is a nod to the old Disney movie Herbie Goes Bananas (1980), in which one of the VW bugs that played Herbie was thrown into the ocean during filming and never got retrieved. from MovieDetails
21. The litter box being right next to Figaro's bed (LOL):
In Disney's Pinocchio (1940), Figaro has a little "sand box" next to his bed that is only visible in one shot. from MovieDetails
22. Goofy having a familiar "D" font on his keychain:
23. Merlin's brand of boxers that isn't referencing the actual BVD underwear line:
My boyfriend and I were watching Disney’s The Sword in the Stone tonight and I noticed B.V.D on Merlin’s underpants. After some google digging he thinks he’s figured out what it means. Buena Vista Distribution. Just a little hidden gem from the production team. 🙂 from MovieDetails
24. This blink-and-you-miss-it cameo by Belle in The Hunchback of Notre Dame:
In Disney’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996) during the song “Out There” you can see Belle walking with her book just like in the “Belle” scene in Beauty and the Beast. Both movies take place in France from MovieDetails
25. And lastly, this subtle hint at what Mother Gothel really loves:
In Disney’s Tangled, after Mother Gothel says “I love you most” to Rapunzel instead of kissing her forehead Mother Gothel kisses Rapunzel’s hair, which is her source of youth. from MovieDetails