Most of us have seen Disney classics like The Lion King, Beauty And The Beast, and The Little Mermaid more times in our lives than we could count. With many of those movies we grew up with, they’d then return to screens as a Christmas special, or we’d put them on for our own kids in a bid to share that sweet sense of nostalgia. We turned into adults, but our love for Disney stayed.
So, for Disney aficionados like us, we have a special treat. Get your popcorn ready, ‘cause thanks to the wonderful corner of Reddit r/MovieDetails, we have a precious collection of hidden gems and tiny details spotted in Disney movies.
Let’s give a big round of applause for the Redditors gifted with an exceptionally sharp eye for details that were able to fish out all the interesting things we don't really notice. Have something that’s not on this list? Share the little details you've spotted in the comment section below, so we can all have the pleasure of turning into Disney-fueled detectives.
This post may include affiliate links.
In Disney's Mulan (1998) - Mulan is told "A girl can bring her family great honor in one way...by striking a good match." Both of Mulan's victories over the Huns involved lighting explosives.
In Aladdin, Genie wears a Hawaiian shirt and Goofy hat near the end of the film as a tribute to Robin Willams’ outfit in the 1989 short “Back To Neverland” that was filmed for Disney’s MGM Studios.
Every actor in every movie should wear this outfit in the last scene..
Previously, Bored Panda spoke to Redditor Niiue, one of the moderators of the wonderful Movie Details community, about the hidden details in movies and whether directors place them in the hope that the audience will find them.
"Most details are definitely there for the audience to find, but I think a lot of it also just comes down to creative people wanting to have fun with their projects. Speaking from experience here (though I work on video games, not movies), it really is a lot of fun to add little Easter eggs and whatnot just for the hell of it," Niiue said.
The Incredibles (2004) features a cameo by Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston, two legendary Disney animators who worked on Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937).
In Moana, a villager foreshadows the chicken's unsuccessful attempt to consume Maui.
Could be, could also be that it later eats the heart, or it could just be a joke.
We were also interested to know which production houses and directors are most adept at hiding Easter eggs in their movies. According to the moderator, some production houses and directors are more into hiding Easter eggs in their movies than others. "Besides the obvious choices like Pixar, I think Edgar Wright is another example of someone great at hiding details in his movies,” Niiue said and continued the list: “Shaun of the Dead, Scott Pilgrim, and Hot Fuzz are the first ones that come to mind in this regard. You'll find that his movies tend to get featured on this subreddit a lot, which I think reflects his skill as a director."
In Disney's 'Aladdin', the Genie sings "Well, Ali Baba had them forty thieves, Scheherazade had a thousand tales." Scheherazade actually had One thousand and one Arabian tales, but one of them was the tale of Aladdin.
Disney's "Lilo & Stitch" (2002) used watercolor backgrounds, exclusively. The studio had some financial failures and was doing ambitious things elsewhere, so they left the filmmakers to their own devices, off at the Florida studio. The only other watercolor films are Dumbo and Snow White.
Chicha from The Emperor’s New Groove (2000) is the first pregnant female character to appear in a Disney animated feature film, according to the DVD commentary. She’s also one of the first mother characters in a Disney film not to be killed off or villainized.
The moderator of the Movie Details subreddit also shared their personal favorite hidden movie details. "Personally, I liked the way Scott Pilgrim had a recurring number motif tied to the Evil Exes. In the scenes before each fight, there are numerous references to the corresponding Evil Ex; for instance, right before the fight with Lucas Lee, the main characters pass by two crossing signs with an X design, a reference to Lucas being the second Evil Ex.”
“These kinds of references even continue after the Evil Ex in question is introduced, such as Lucas Lee saying (twice) that it will take 'two minutes to kick [Scott's] ass' and later fighting Scott accompanied by his stunt doubles.”
Whenever Maui changes into an animal on Moana, the hook shows up somewhere on his body.
At the end of “Frozen”, Disney included a statement about Kristoff’s belief that all men eat their own boogers.
In Disney’s “The Lion King” The line “What do you want me to do? Dress in drag and do the hula?” was improvised by Timon’s voice actor Nathan Lane. The director liked the line so much, he decided to make a scene for it.
Created in 2017, the Movie Details community is relatively new, but it has a whopping 2.3 million members who could easily call themselves detectives of cinematography. From Easter eggs to incredible hints, tiny details, and scenes, they fish everything out and bring it into plain sight. Often, their findings change and add depth to the perspective of the whole film.
In The Lion King, the lions retract/extend their claws as needed (even in subtle moments) ... but Scar's claws are always out.
In Disney’s Princess and The Frog (2009),Tiana’s dad received the DSC (Distinguished Service Cross)—the US Army’s second highest award for valor. During WWI African-American soldiers often did not receive America’s highest recognition for bravery—the Medal of Honor.
In Aladdin, the Genie writes Aladdin’s order from right to left, which is how Arabic would be actually written.
In Disney's Princess and the frog, the wallpaper where Dr. Facilier's shadow is, turned to cross bones.
At the end of Disney/Pixar’s Ratatouille (2007) Anton Ego is a little bit fatter. This is especially poignant since he states, "I don't like food, I love it... if I don't love it I don't swallow."
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.
Yep, and it happens throughout her song “Mother Knows Best” - like when she says her restrictions are “to keep you safe and sound, dear” she’s caressing and looking only at the hair.
In Disney’s Hercules (1997) the Fates tell Hades "In 18 years precisely the planets will align ever so nicely", but only show 6 planets. The Greeks were only aware of 5 planets (plus Earth) which they could see with the naked eye.
In Zootopia, Nick first answers "yes" when asked if he's ever been arrested, and then crosses over it.
In Disney's CINDERELLA and ALICE IN WONDERLAND, the same actress played the Fairy Godmother and the Red Queen in both the original animation and the live-action remake: Verna Felton voiced both women in the originals (1950, 1951), while Helena B. Carter played both women in the remakes (2010, 2015).
In Saving Mr Banks (2013), you can see the special Oscar that Walt Disney won for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
In Disney’s The Rescuers (1977), Orville the Albatross is seen using a runway and requires a running start before taking flight. This is because albatrosses in real life also require a running start due to their significant size and weight.
In Disney's Pinocchio (1940), Figaro has a little "sand box" next to his bed that is only visible in one shot.
The Jungle Book (1967) The Vultures were originally going to be voiced by The Beatles. The band manager met with Disney and they created the images but the idea was vetoed by John Lennon. Their look and Liverpool dialects stayed, but the song was switch to a barbershop quartet.
In Pinocchio (1940) When Jiminy Cricket opens a book to tell the story of Pinocchio at the beginning of the film, two other books which Disney would later go on to animate are on the shelf. Alice in Wonderland (1951) and Peter Pan. (1953)
Maybe there's one library for all the movies Disney ever makes that starts with book opening. Mind blown.
In Zootopia, Nick's handkerchief was part of his Scout uniform from when he was a cub.
In The Princess and the Frog, when Tiana is going to her second job, the Magic Carpet from Aladin is the floor rug an old lady is shaking out.
In Lilo & Stitch (2002) Stitch’s adoption paper Nani signs is actually a thank you letter from the directors and producer to the people who helped create the film.
In Tangled, the lantern that Rapunzel lofts back into the sky is the one lit by the queen and king (her true parents). It was the only one with the royal symbol of the sun on it.
In 'The Little Mermaid', when Ariel rescues Eric from drowning and sings to him, she is backlit making her hair appear dark brown/black. It makes it even more conceivable that Eric believes the dark-haired human version Ursula was the one woman that rescued him.
Now that I’m thinking about this really for the first time, I’m guessing the main thing is it makes it more believable that everyone else in the palace believes that Ursula is the one who rescued him. Eric is just under a magic spell. However, I am betting in his days of trying to find the mystery girl, he gave descriptions of her to his staff for them to look for her too. His right hand man even says it appears this mystery woman exists after all, which could also imply she matches the description that Eric previously gave him.
In Hercules (1997) when Hercules first walks into Phil's cabin he hits his head on the mast of the Argo. In the original myth, Jason, the captain of the Argo, was killed when the mast hit his head.
But Hercules was one of the Argonauts. A young Hercules wouldn't be in the same time as a piece of the Argo's wreckage.
In The Lion King, (1994) Nala used her anti-pounce maneuver on Simba as a cub and a grown lioness. When he fights Scar at Pride Rock, Simba finally puts the maneuver to good use.
In Mulan (1998), Mulan mentions 'Punctual' as one of the desirable qualities in a bride. This is a callback to Aladdin when the Genie accidentally tells him to say 'Punctual'.
In Lilo & Stitch (2002) Lilo believes Pudge the fish controls the weather. Her parents were killed in a car accident caused by treacherous rain and she feeds him sandwiches to appease him, in hopes another accident will not happen like the one that took her parents.
In Moana, Tamatoa refers to himself as a decapod, which is a crustacean that has 10 legs. You're probably wondering why he only appears to have 8 legs (okay, 7 and a half since Maui ripped off one of them). It's actually because he's a coconut crab. Coconut crabs have 10 legs, but the last pair is very small and hidden as they're only used for mating and tending to their eggs.
IDK if this counts but there is a nod to lion king being based on Shakespeare's hamlet in the song Hanku Mata. When Pumba is singing about changing his name Timon says "what's in a name". A line pulled from Shakespeares' Romeo and Juliet.
Dang! How do people find these details and their references? Tipping my hat to all y'all's good eye
In Aladdin, when the Genie pulls out the 'King Crab' if you pause it, it's actually Sebastian from The Little Mermaid!
Anyone mention Hercules wearing Scar as the skin of the Nemean lion in a scene yet?
In Lelo and stitch in one scene with postcards in the background, one of the postcards is from Orlando, Florida and has a picture of Disney world.
The scar one was about the only one I picked up on my own when it came out.
Also, the pizza van appears in every modern Disney Movie but the Incredibles.
HEY GUYS DID YOU KNOW THAT IN THE MOVIE PLANES: FIRE AND RESCUE WHEN IT SHOWS DUSTY TALKING TO MAYDAY IN MAYDAY'S LITTLE SHED/HUT THING THERE IS A PICTURE ON THE WALL WITH MAYDAY NEXT TO SARGE FROM THE MOVIE, 'CARS'
A lot of these are pretty hidden, but some are major plot points that people think they’re the first to notice for some reason.
Still don't know the right words to express my Gratitude to the Great @dr_samuel_63 After been diagnosed with the Herpes VIRUS for the passed 7years, i was given so many health prescription and advice with no improvement, I totally lost hope, until i found many testimonies of Great @dr_samuel_63 in an online research Like anybody would be, i advice any one that is living with Herpes virus should Contact the one and only Great @dr_samuel_63 today, because he has the cure to any virus problem.
In Moana, Tamatoa refers to himself as a decapod, which is a crustacean that has 10 legs. You're probably wondering why he only appears to have 8 legs (okay, 7 and a half since Maui ripped off one of them). It's actually because he's a coconut crab. Coconut crabs have 10 legs, but the last pair is very small and hidden as they're only used for mating and tending to their eggs.
IDK if this counts but there is a nod to lion king being based on Shakespeare's hamlet in the song Hanku Mata. When Pumba is singing about changing his name Timon says "what's in a name". A line pulled from Shakespeares' Romeo and Juliet.
Dang! How do people find these details and their references? Tipping my hat to all y'all's good eye
In Aladdin, when the Genie pulls out the 'King Crab' if you pause it, it's actually Sebastian from The Little Mermaid!
Anyone mention Hercules wearing Scar as the skin of the Nemean lion in a scene yet?
In Lelo and stitch in one scene with postcards in the background, one of the postcards is from Orlando, Florida and has a picture of Disney world.
The scar one was about the only one I picked up on my own when it came out.
Also, the pizza van appears in every modern Disney Movie but the Incredibles.
HEY GUYS DID YOU KNOW THAT IN THE MOVIE PLANES: FIRE AND RESCUE WHEN IT SHOWS DUSTY TALKING TO MAYDAY IN MAYDAY'S LITTLE SHED/HUT THING THERE IS A PICTURE ON THE WALL WITH MAYDAY NEXT TO SARGE FROM THE MOVIE, 'CARS'
A lot of these are pretty hidden, but some are major plot points that people think they’re the first to notice for some reason.
Still don't know the right words to express my Gratitude to the Great @dr_samuel_63 After been diagnosed with the Herpes VIRUS for the passed 7years, i was given so many health prescription and advice with no improvement, I totally lost hope, until i found many testimonies of Great @dr_samuel_63 in an online research Like anybody would be, i advice any one that is living with Herpes virus should Contact the one and only Great @dr_samuel_63 today, because he has the cure to any virus problem.