45 Skillful Pixar Easter Eggs We Completely Missed
By Ishita P
Since the inception of Toy Story, the first full-length feature by Pixar in 1995, there was no looking back for the studio, and they’ve been producing masterpieces ever since. Their original storylines with unexpected plots and immersive animated visual effects are just part of what makes it worth watching Pixar movies. Most importantly, the excitement to hunt for tiny hidden Easter eggs in Disney movies renders a more thrilling and fun experience. But directors are so clever in hiding Easter eggs in movies that fans fail to figure them out many a time. Perhaps you missed out on the references? Well, don’t worry; we are here to guide you on your discovery of those sneaky Pixar Easter eggs while helping you enjoy the movies even more. So, come along with us!
A113 – The Pixar Masterpiece reference
How can we start with this topic without mentioning “A113?” Knowingly or unknowingly, you must have already noticed this lucky Pixar number. In most Pixar movies, this number sneaks into. Whether it is the number plate on Andy’s vehicle in the Toy Story series or on the movie signboard in Incredibles 2, you can spot it anywhere.
But do you know what exactly it is? The California Institute of the Arts. Needless to say, it has given birth to many Pixar folks. The number, A113, refers to a classroom number they all probably learned in. So, isn’t it great to know how iconic it is and what value it holds in Disney movies?
The Luxo Lamp
Now, we will unfold a fun fact about the Luxo Lamp. But before spilling the beans, tell us what you know about this lamp. Let us guess, it is just the lamp you see in the Pixar logo, right? Well, “Luxo, Jr.” has already made some cameos in a few movies.
Are you wondering where? The next time you watch Wall-E, pay special attention to the scene where the robot fashions a statue of EVE with its remnant parts. While one of its arms looks like Guido’s paintbrush from Cars, the other is the Luxo Lamp. Thank us later!
The logo of the Takeout Container
Did you take a second look at the Takeout Containers logo in Incredibles 2? Well, why would you even pay attention to that? That’s just a regular container, isn’t it? But the information we’ll share with you today might change your mind. So, if you look closely, you’ll better understand that Pixar has been using that same pagoda design repeatedly in many movies.
You can also spot this design in Toy Story 4, inside the fridge of an antique shop owner, and on the Pizza Planet truck in Toy Story 2. It was also there in Inside Out as Riley’s family received their Chinese food. In Ratatouille, the design was there in a mess at the apartment of Luigi. Also, it had a cameo in A Bug’s Life.
None other than Pizza Planet Truck
This one is very obvious. You must have seen this typical truck with a rocket on the top in almost every Pixar movie. But the best part? This truck has made its place even in those movies where it seemed quite difficult to utilize this Easter egg.
In The Good Dinosaur, spot the pizza truck in an asteroid. In Brave, you will find it in a wooden carving. The Pizza Planet Truck can be seen in so many Pixar films, and even shows up in Toy Story 4 as someone’s tattoo.
Luxo Ball – The obvious sight in Pixar movies
How can we even ignore this common Easter egg in Pixar movies? The yellow ball with a red star and blue stripe, referred to as the Luxo Ball, is one of the animators’ favorites that you can find in many movies.
This ball originated from Pixar’s first computer-animated short, named “Luxo, Jr.” But now you can easily spot this ball in the playrooms of the Toy Story series. You can even notice it in the bedroom of Boo in Monster Inc. This ball marks its presence in 22’s abode in Soul. Moreover, in Up, you can easily find this ball in the little girl’s room.
Did you notice Sully in Brave?
Let us reveal to you one of the most hard-to-find Easter eggs that Pixar craftily sneaked into the story of Brave. The film’s storyline highlights characters getting transformed into bears, along with many stories about these grizzly creatures.
However, we bet you haven’t noticed Sully there. You must have mistaken it as any old bear talked about in the stories. However, the character of Sully from Monsters Inc. was right there, engraved in a wood carving. Clever, right?
Little Remy in Onward
If you didn’t notice Remy in Onward, it’s not at all your fault. It is simply a notorious trick of the animator to see whether your power of observation is sharp enough or not. When Barley and Ian Lightfoot embarked on their quest in Onward, their journey headed towards an adventure at the Manticore’s Tavern.
But the tavern suddenly turned into a family restaurant with Corey running around to fix orders. The whole setup and bustle in the scene undoubtedly made you miss that the cook in the open kitchen looked suspiciously like Remy from Ratatouille.
Incredibles in the Land of Dead
Did you notice the Incredibles in the Land of the Dead in Coco? This Pixar reference is hard to go unnoticed in the scene when Miguel and Hector walk in. They passed a poster with the familiar faces of our favorite family from Incredibles.
But have you ever thought, what does that scene signify? Does it mean that the family of Incredibles has come to an end, or is it a connotation that the Land of the Dead produces its movies with its skeletal actors? Think about it and share your views with us in the comments.
The alluring name tags in Soul
Well, from now on, you can consider it an obvious fact that whatever Pixar shows, it has a hidden reason or reference behind it. Scenes are not just scenes; it has some other story to tell. At least the name tags in Soul say so.
Soul’s Hall of Everything has one of the most popular Easter eggs. The name tags hung on the wall of 22’s room have some famous names like Albert Einstein, Johnny Cash, Jack Kirby, and some Disney references. You will also find the names of two famous Pixar animators – Joe Grant and Joe Ranft among those name tags.
Innumerable Easter Eggs in Toy Story 4
In Toy Story 4, apart from the obvious Pizza Planet truck tattoo on the leg of the carnival worker and the takeout container, you can spot many other hidden Easter eggs in the antique store. In fact, you can say Toy Story 4 is full of these clever references.
Take a close look on the shelf; you’ll find Cassy Jr.’s cookie box from A Bug’s Life. Also, you’ll come across the mask from Finding Dory, plus a vintage ad for Tripledent Gum from Inside Out, the walker of Carl from Up, a record from Coco’s Ernesto de la Cruz, and many more eggs hidden in the shop. So, how about discovering some more eggs by rewatching the movie?
It’s hard to ignore Sid
Do you remember Sid – The bully from Toy Story? He returns in Toy Story 3 as the music-loving garbage collector. But how are we so confident that it is him? Well, thanks to the animators who again put forward Easter eggs as clues.
Take a look at the iconic tee in the image imprinted with a skull. It is the same tee that Sid wore in Toy Story. Thus, it establishes that Sid has made a comeback in Toy Story 3 in a different role. But does he also show up in Coco in the Land of the Dead? Seems so, doesn’t it?
Hey, look, that’s Riley in Finding Dory!
How many times have you watched Finding Dory? And how many times have you spotted Riley in it? Not sure? Well, let us make it clearer for you. She is pretty hard to spot here as she is almost camouflaged in the setup.
Riley from Inside Out is in the crowd around Dory’s tank in this brilliant sequel to Finding Nemo. She looks calmer with her expressions, which suggests that Joy is currently controlling her. Maybe this trip took place after her adventures?
Did you see Hank in The Good Dinosaur?
We know it is tough to spot Hank in a blink, but if you look closely, you will find that he is hiding stealthily in The Good Dinosaur. So now, you must be thinking, how come you missed this Easter egg?
Well, in the scene where Arlo gets knocked into a pool and tries to learn swimming, Hank is right there at the bottom, relaxing. This is evidence that Disney creators smartly place a character from their upcoming movie into their most previous film.
Inside Out’s Memory Orbs
A little yet worth remembering Easter eggs you can find in the memory orbs of Riley from Inside Out. As you take a closer look at the scene, you’ll find out that there is a memory of Riley’s favorite playground in her memory orb.
But the playground shown in her memory orb seems to have a close resemblance to the one present in Sunnyside Daycare in Toy Story 3. You can also spot Carl and Ellie from Up in the sad memory orbs of Riley. So, it suggests the fact that she has watched the movie before, or maybe they’re relatives of hers in the Pixar universe.
The Casey Jr. train in A Bug’s Life
Did you simply miss it, or unlike us, have you not binge-watched A Bug’s Life again and again in search of the hidden Easter eggs? Well, whether you have found it or not, we have undoubtedly discovered an exciting reference!
There is a circus train in A Bug’s Life named ”Casey Jr.” It has a close reference to the name of the train you find in Dumbo. Also, the Bug’s train was created by “J. Grant Bakery.” And to your utter surprise, Joe Grant was one of the writers of Dumbo. A nice nod to their predecessors by Pixar animators, isn’t it?
The Buzz planet and riverbed connection
In Toy Story 2 and A Bug’s Life, there is quite an easy-to-spot connection. The settings shown in these two movies can make things easier for you to know how Easter eggs work in the Pixar movies. We really love this one.
You can consider the Buzz planet in Toy Story 2 as a modified version of the river bed shown in A Bug’s Life. However, while transforming the set, modelers did not select the rocks, making it look floating, as seen in the movie.
Andy’s room – A jungle of Pixar Easter eggs
Have you ever looked at the setup of Andy’s room from Toy Story 3? Well, if you see carefully, you will find that the room itself is a store of Pixar Easter eggs. We could spend way too long listing them all. Which do you see?
There is a poster of Finn McMissile that nodes back to Cars 2, Pixar’s then-upcoming movie. Also, there’s the Pixar University pennant. Moreover, you can see a poster with a mosquito from A Bug’s Life and a calendar with one of the punks sourced from Cars.
Mr. Incredible is right there in Finding Nemo
Well, Easter eggs are Pixar’s unique way of pleasing its fans and keeping them intrigued and engaged by giving hints of its next movie poster. If you watch Finding Nemo carefully, you can quickly identify this unique trick of Pixar.
In the scene where a boy was waiting for Dr. Sherman in his clinic, he was reading a comic book, which had the photo of Mr. Incredible on its cover page. It was shown just one year before The Incredibles was released in the theaters.
Posters are the news busters!
As we said earlier, Pixar never fails to promote while revealing its upcoming movie posters. And you can take it as one of the unique ways to reveal Easter eggs in front of the audience. Find it or lose it!
In Meet the Robinsons, you’ll find a close reference to movies like Toy Story 2 and The Jungle Book in the posters hung by the side of the baseball field. The Go Dinos poster is also hard to ignore. Well, isn’t it a clever yet fun way of doing movie promotions? What do you think?
Esther and dog Bolt in Big Hero 6
Do you know you just missed a Pixar Easter Egg in Big Hero 6? Never mind; let us help you out. This scene from Big Hero 6 will better show the Easter eggs you missed. It is the scene where Hiro and Baymax visit the police station.
If you look closely at the desk, you will find some familiar faces framed in photos. That sergeant’s desk with whom Hiro and Baymax speak holds the images of an animal control officer, Esther, and a cute doggo, Bolt, from another Disney Classic, Bolt.
The Aladdin’s magic carpet in Moana
Who does not know about the magic carpet from Aladdin? And let’s not lie, at some point in our lives, all of us probably dreamed of having that magic carpet in our control to explore the entire world. Well, Disney animators know our dreams the best. They know exactly how to please their fans by sneaking references into their movies.
One such Disney Easter egg is the magic carpet of Aladdin that you can find in Moana. The carpet you see in the song “How Far I’ll Go” has a close resemblance to the magic carpet from Disney’s 1990s classic, Aladdin.
The Genie’s lamp in Moana
Well, we already know how Disney’s Moana referenced Aladdin. Apart from the magic carpet, the movie also draws a close reference to Genie’s lamp. Smartly tucked in a scene by Pixar animators, this Easter egg can be trickier for you to discover.
However, you will find Genie’s lamp lying right on the heap of treasures. Based on this Easter egg, we can make up an idea that Tamatoa might have got some aid from the lamp in collecting all his treasures. After all, the lamp is nothing but a shortcut to get your wishes fulfilled! So, who knows, Aladdin’s Genie might have helped Tamatoa.
Hank is here, there, and everywhere!
Not only in The Good Dinosaur, but Hank is everywhere when it comes to Pixar movies. The director of Finding Dory, Andrew Stanton, revealed that Hank, the Septopus, is hidden in almost all Pixar movies. Wow! We’ll need to do more hunting.
But then why can’t you see him? Well, that’s the real fun of Pixar Easter eggs. Hunk stays well-camouflaged in every movie. But now, as you’ve got to know the fact, it would be a fun venture for you to pause scenes and find out where Hank really is.
Disney Castle in Inside Out
Disney’s logo, i.e., the beautiful princess castle, has made notable appearances in a handful of Pixar classics. In Inside Out, you can easily spot this Easter egg. In Riley’s dream world, there is a cameo of this incredible castle.
Do you remember the scene where imagination workers carry a wrecking ball towards a castle and then blow it up? Compare that palace to the Disney logo, as well as Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty’s castles. It won’t even take you a second to spot this hidden gem next time you watch Inside Out.
An ode to Steve Jobs
It is one of the most interesting Easter eggs of all time that you can find in a Pixar movie. Though it does not have any confirmation from Pixar or Disney, many believe that the Macintosh clan in Brave is a nod to Steve Jobs and his Macintosh computer.
Jobs served as an early leader at Pixar Animation Studios. And the movie Brave came out in 2012 after the death of Apple’s founder in 2011. So, it might be more of a posthumous tribute to Steve Jobs, who was one of the first CEOs of Pixar.
Solid reference to Knick Knacks in Up
Most of us who are Up’s die-hard fans must have noticed a nod to one of our favorite shorts, Knick Knack. This scene shown in the image below is a clear sign of that Easter egg. Well, let us give you a deeper insight!
Here in this scene, when Carl visits a travel agent, you will spot a framed brochure on her desk. Do you? Well, that brochure features a particular character from Knick Knack, a short made by Pixar about the secret life of travel souvenirs.
Incredibles underwear
How closely do you look at every Pixar movie to find out the Easter eggs in it? If you fail to find the underwear of Mr. Incredible in Ratatouille on your first watch, then we would suggest you watch it again.
This photo clearly shows that Luigi from Ratatouille must be a fan of Mr. Incredible. At least his underwear says so! The underoos he is wearing have the logo of The Incredibles imprinted on them. So, the next time you watch Ratatouille, never forget to inspect this scene closely.
Emeryville in Cars
Did you notice the name of the enthusiastic town in Cars that shut down for the race? Maybe you have seen it but didn’t bother to pay much attention to it. But this simple name of a town has a great significance.
This town that closed down in the movie, Cars is known as Emeryville. This is a solid reference to the town in California, where Pixar Animation Studios is actually headquartered. Thus, this Easter egg is a smart way of paying tribute to the hometown of Pixar.
Is it Nemo in Monsters, Inc.?
If you watch the movie Monsters, Inc. attentively, we can guarantee you will spot Nemo here. This Easter egg is quite fun to find since it is so well blended into the scene. Nemo made some special appearances here before his own film, Finding Nemo.
His most obvious presence is noticed in the scene, where Sully offers Boo a stuffed Nemo doll. But that’s not the only cameo Nemo did in Monsters, Inc. There is also another appearance of Nemo in the form of a clownfish on the wallpaper of a sushi restaurant in Monstropolis.
The Lion King in Bugs
Dumbo is not the only non-Pixar Disney property featured in A Bug’s Life in the form of Easter eggs; there are others too. One of the most obvious ones is The Lion King. Well, it can be trickier to find, but we’re here to help you spot it.
In A Bug’s Life, you can find a heap of fake advertisements behind Flik. From there, you can spot the authentic logo of The Lion King play. And once you are done, there is no looking back; there is no way of ignoring it anymore!
The hard-to-ignore Winds of Change Poster
Highlighting slight yet impactful messages is the signature style of Pixar. Whether via the characters of a movie or through Easter eggs, animators and directors do it right every time. One such Easter egg is the Winds of Change Poster in Monsters University.
In the dorm room of Randall, you can find this inspirational poster. It clearly shows that Randall has taken this poster as a mantra of his life as he tells Sully, “Do you hear that? It’s the winds of change!” when he’s almost about to occupy the first position on the leadership board of scarers.
The Incredimobiles in the Cars 2
Isn’t it thrilling to watch and find references to The Incredibles everywhere? We know it is, and so does Pixar. Thus, you can find some nods to The Incredibles in Cars 2. Apart from the movie poster in the Land of the Dead in Coco, there is a sign for the Cars universe version of the film.
When Lightning McQueen and Mater pass a movie marquee in Cars 2, you can see that the movie playing on the marquee is displayed as The Incredimobiles. And this is the very name Mr. Incredible called his car in Incredibles 2.
The little McQueen Fan in Toy Story 3
How many times have you watched Toy Story 3? You must have noticed that little kid at Sunnyside Day Care, wearing a t-shirt with an imprint of a lightning bolt. Well, on that t-shirt, there is also a number, 95, which nods to Ka-Chow!
It is a simple and easy-to-find Easter egg reference to Lightning McQueen. Apart from being the racer’s number, 95 also refers to the year 1995. And 1995 marks the year when Toy Story made its first debut and changed our childhoods for the better.
You can see Hamm in Wall-E
Toy Story Easter eggs are easy to find in almost every Pixar movie. So, in this picture, you can find many hidden references in the junk that Wall-E collected. One of the easy-to-spot references is Hamm from Toy Story.
Do you see him right there on the shelf just behind Eve? So, there is an interesting fact about this scene. John Ratzenberger was the voice for Hamm and is himself considered an Easter egg as Pixar keeps slipping into his voice in each of its movies.
Have you seen the Pixar address in Monsters University?
Pixar knows how to do it cleverly, whether it mentions its hometown or adds a reference to its address. Pixar has also done it again in the Monsters University by giving a quick reference to its headquarters address on a business card.
As Don Carlton flashes all his business cards in this scene, you can find a specific address on them. The address written as 1200 Dark Avenue is a nod to the actual location of Pixar Animation Studios, which is – you guessed it -1200 Park Avenue in Emeryville, California.
There’s Lotso in Up
Well, this Easter egg is quite tricky to discover if you do not look at it closely. As the house in Up starts to ascend, it goes through a childhood bedroom with a cute setup, where you can find some Pixar references.
You can easily find the Luxo Ball here. However, our favorite reference is a Lots-o’-Huggin’ bear kept on the flooring near the bed. This bear is the main antagonist in Toy Story 3. So, do you see how cleverly Disney animators leave clues for us to excavate a hidden character or message?
Cameo appearance of Dug in Ratatouille
We can guarantee you that it will be more fun now when you watch Ratatouille again. Why? We have the perfect reason to share with you. There is a very clever inclusion of Dug in a particular scene of this movie.
When a dog barks at Remy, though you cannot see its face from its shadow, you can get a fair idea that it is Dug from Up. So, now you know what you have missed from that movie, right? But, not to worry; just grab some popcorn and rewatch it!
The toy chest of Dr. Sherman
In the movie Finding Nemo, if you take a close look at the toy chest in Dr. Sherman’s waiting room, you’ll find some Pixar treasures. Many Easter eggs hidden in the toy chest can make the movie more fun the next time you watch it.
A visit to the dentist’s office of Dr. Sherman means you can play with a large number of cool toys. So, what does his toy collection comprise of? Well, it includes a Buzz Lightyear. Also, you can find a Boo’s mobile from Monsters, Inc. in Dr. Sherman’s office.
Have you seen Bugs in Toy Story 2?
Pixar’s love for A Bug’s Life can be spotted everywhere if you watch the movies attentively. Even in Toy Story 2, you can find bugs from A Bug’s Life throughout the entire film. From the calendar you see behind Buzz and Rex to the outside setup when Buzz walks on the grass, you can spot bugs everywhere.
There are also other references in the movie. You can find the images of Dot and Flik in a book that Mr. Potato Head reads. Also, when the characters go into a toy store, you can find shelves filled with the merch of A Bug’s Life. Moreover, in Al’s living room, they remain hidden inside abstract paintings.
Mention of shorts in Toy Story
Pixar has sprinkled its Easter eggs almost everywhere in Toy Story. It was the first full-length movie by Pixar. Hence, the animators presented some strong references to its previously-made shorts, which were just the beginning of all the glorious movies that were to come.
As there were no feature films to refer to for Easter eggs in Toy Story, there are clear mentions of its shorts in the titles of the books stacked behind Woody. Thus, you can find names like Tin Toy, Red’s Dream, and Knick Knack.
Buzz Lightyear in Cars
In Cars, you can find a nod to the Buzz Lightyear. It is one of the easy-to-spot Easter eggs you can effortlessly find the next time you watch the movie. How long did it take you to spot it in the picture below?
Well, the mention of LIGHTYEAR in the tires of Lightning McQueen says it all. Moreover, Dinoco, the company that works as a racing sponsor in Cars, clearly references the gas station brand where toys get stuck in Toy Story.
The misdeeds of Bomb Voyage in Ratatouille
One of the most obvious references to Bomb Voyage from The Incredibles is in a scene of Ratatouille. In The Incredibles, he is more of a mime-like villain who indulges in annoying Mr. Incredible. And it looks like he really was a mime, at least part-time.
This scene is from Paris in Ratatouille, where he blends amongst the crowd like any other regular street mime. But later, Colette finds a headline about the misdeeds of Bomb Voyage in the newspaper. Hence, it proves that he is still a criminal here!
The birds in Cars
This is another piece of evidence of how Pixar keeps referencing its other movies in its new masterpieces. The film, Cars is filled with such references. Whether it is from Toy Story or The Incredibles, Cars has many Easter eggs in it.
However, in this picture, you will be reminded of For the Birds. In Cars, do you remember the scene where the driving montage showed birds sitting upon a power line? Yes, those birds were basically Easter eggs. So, the next time you watch this movie, do not forget to spot them!
Identical restaurants in Cars 2 and Ratatouille
It is indeed quite hard to hunt Easter eggs while watching a Disney movie for the first time. Even it took us 2 times to watch Cars 2 and find this minute detail. However, we’ve finally come up with an exciting hidden similarity.
The picture on the left is taken from Cars 2, showing a restaurant named Gastow’s. But do you know which movie this restaurant nods back to? Well, it directly refers to Gusteau’s restaurant from the movie, Ratatouille. Sounds interesting, right!
Beauty and the Beast Easter eggs
Even Disney’s classics have some hidden Easter eggs in it that can give you a nostalgic pleasure in connection with other Disney movies. For example, you see the Beast in the scene in Aladdin when the sultan is stacking his ornate animals.
In Beauty and the Beast, you can find a close reference to The Little Mermaid. In the image above, you will see that there’s Ariel’s bikini top from the Little Mermaid amongst the dresses in the wardrobe. And these are just two clever hidden Easter eggs! Let us know what others you’ve found!