Warning: Spoilers ahead for Disney's Wish!

Disney’s Wish is a love letter to 100 years of iconic animated classics, exemplified by Wish’s impressive amount of Disney Easter eggs and references. Wish follows 17-year-old Asha, who discovers that the wish-granting King Magnifico isn’t as benevolent as he appears. After Asha learns the wishes Magnifico takes from Rosas’ subjects won’t be granted, she, along with the magic-wielding Star and her goat Valentino, endeavor to return the wishes to the people. The dynamic between Asha and Magnifico is a return to form for Disney’s animated movies, but that isn’t the only way Wish pays homage to Disney’s past.

Wish’s story is completely original, but the newest Disney movie finds many ways to salute past beloved Disney classics through its liberal use of Easter eggs. In fact, the creators behind the movie claim that there are over 100 Disney Easter eggs and references throughout Wish. Given the staggering amount of Easter eggs, catching all of Wish’s Disney references is a Herculean feat. However, doing so allows audiences to both enjoy nostalgic Disney memories of past features while making new ones with Wish.

23 Wish's Storybook Intro Is A Nod To Other Classic Disney Intros

Wish's Storybook Opening References The Intros Of Classic Disney Movies

This framing device is an early hint that Wish is a love letter to classic Disney.

Wish’s Disney Easter eggs begin as early as the movie’s intro, which calls back to some of Disney’s other classic movies. The movie’s opening is framed through the use of a storybook to establish Wish’s lore and backstory complete with a "Once upon a time" voiceover. Although this is a clever way to give exposition without weighing down Wish’s plot, this isn’t the first time Disney has used a storybook to frame its story.

Using a storybook as a framing device is a tactic that several of Disney’s early classics employed, namely Disney's first three official princess movies Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs, Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty. The design of the storybook is even similar to the ones that appear there. This framing device is an early hint that Wish is a love letter to classic Disney.

22 Asha's Friends Are A Reference To Snow White's Seven Dwarfs

Asha's Friends In Wish Each Correspond With One Of Snow White's Seven Dwarfs

Wish uses several character archetypes that Disney is known for employing, including a reference to some of Snow White’s most famous characters. Asha’s best friends are all references to Snow White’s seven dwarfs. Each of her closest friends have one characteristic that stands out for their personalities, much like the dwarfs. Gabo is the most sarcastic of the group, for example, while Bazeema is the shyest. These characteristics aren't the only way the characters line up though.

This point is driven home by their names: Dahlia (Doc), Simon (Sleepy), Gabo (Grumpy), Hal (Happy), Dario (Dopey), Bezeema (Bashful), and Safi (Sneezy). Even the color schemes for their clothing are similar. Dahlia and Gabo both wear shades of red, like Doc and Grumpy, while Dario and Dopey both wear green, and Bezeema and Bashful are both in orange.

21 Magnifico Is A Nod To Past Disney Villains

Magnifico's Evil Ways & Lair Pay Homage To Disney's Classic Villains

Disney has varied their villain archetypes in recent years, but Wish’s Magnifico is a nod to classic Disney villains. Rather than being a twist villain like many of Disney’s recent animated baddies, it is established early in Wish’s run that Magnifico is pure evil, with his actions being fueled by pride and vanity rather than the altruism he tries to claim. Magnifico’s evil nature and powers harkens back to several classic Disney villains, such as Snow White’s Evil Queen, The Emperor’s New Groove’s Yzma, The Little Mermaid’s Ursula, and Sleeping Beauty’s Maleficent.

To drive home Magnifico’s connections to past Disney villains, Wish sprinkles Easter eggs throughout his evil lair that tie him to classic Disney evildoers. Vials that resemble Yzma’s poison potions can be seen in Magnifico’s lab. There are even more references in the dungeon once Magnifico decides to embrace forbidden magic, including the Evil Queen’s poison apple and magic green hands that resemble the ones Ursula used to steal Ariel’s voice.

Magnifico’s vain obsession with mirrors also harkens back to the Evil Queen’s vanity with the Magic Mirror. These Easter eggs tell the audience right away that Magnifico is unequivocally up to no good.

20 A Copy Of Aurora’s Dress From Sleeping Beauty Appears In A Wish

One Of The Wishes Shows Aurora's Iconic Outfit From Sleeping Beauty

When Wish’s main characters view the wishes that Magnifico is keeping in his possession, they often contain brief references to classic Disney movies. The wishes appear as small orbs that Magnifico can view images of the person's wish within. Though these vary in how obvious they are, one of the clearest can be seen in a wish where the subject desires to be a dressmaker.

Specifically, she wishes to make the most beautiful gowns in the land. She's given the chance to achieve her wish in one of Magnifico's wish-granting ceremonies, complete with a pair of magical golden scissors, but her wish can briefly be seen when he decides to grant it. In the wish, the lady is shown crafting a gown that is nearly identical to Aurora’s iconic dress from Sleeping Beauty.

19 The Advice Asha Got From Her Father Harkens Back To Mufasa’s Speech To Simba

Wish's Fatherly Advice References Mufasa's From The Lion King

One of the guiding forces in Asha’s life is the memory of her late father, who used to take her stargazing. He died five years before the events of the movie. Even when he was sick, the two used to climb a specific tree that allowed them to feel as if they were sitting among the stars. According to Asha, her father used to tell her that “the stars are there to guide us,” which is a reference to one of Mufasa’s famous speeches to Simba in The Lion King.

Mufasa and Simba stargaze much like Asha and her father did. While Mufasa’s advice for Simba is more metaphorical, Asha is inspired by her father’s past words to wish upon a star. As a result, this is one of the most important Easter eggs to Wish’s plot, as Asha’s wish is what sets the story in motion.

18 Asha’s Hair References A Famous Pocahontas Moment

Asha Recreates Pocahontas' "Colors Of The Wind"

Many of Wish’s Disney references are brief visual cues thanks to the gorgeous animation, including a quick Pocahontas Easter egg. While Asha is standing on the cliff as she makes her wish, the wind blows her hair. Her hair is swept very carefully over one shoulder throughout the movie, but as it sways in the wind, it will look familiar to Disney fans.

This visual is reminiscent of the famous image of Pocahontas in the “Colors of the Wind” sequence from the movie of the same name. During that song, the titular character is asking John Smith about his connection to nature, if he can even understand the beauty of it. Similar to Pocahontas in “Colors of the Wind”, Asha’s wish is a moment of her reconnecting to and affirming her personal beliefs when confronted with sinister influences, making the reference an apt one.

17 Wish’s Wishing Well Is A Reference To Snow White

The Well Asha Passes In Wish Looks Like Snow White's Wishing Well

After Asha’s wish results in the arrival of Star, she and Valentino chase Star through the woods. During the chase sequence, Asha briefly leans against a well. The sequence is fast-paced and adrenaline-fueled for the audience, so viewers might not be paying attention to what's going on around Asha until the animals start speaking to her. The well she leans against, however, bears a striking resemblance to the wishing well from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, one of the first of numerous references that Wish makes to Disney’s first feature film.

In Snow White's story, she gathers water while singing to the birds. She specifically sings about wishing for her prince to come. A similar design for the well was also used as an Easter egg in Disney's Enchanted as the "wishing well" that Giselle falls through to end up outside of her animated fairy tale.

16 Wish’s Woodland Animals Reference Disney’s Famous Talking Animal Characters

The Animals Star Gives The Power Of Speech To Reference Other Disney Animals

Disney’s animated movies are known for featuring talking animals, and Wish continues this trend when Star enchants several woodland creatures, including Asha’s goat Valentino, allowing them to speak. This itself is a reference to classic Disney features, but there are other references and Easter eggs within this woodland scene. The references in this scene vary in specificity, with some animals merely being familiar features in other Disney animated classics, to actually referencing specific Disney characters.

Although few of the animals featured in Wish’s woodland scene receive names, those that do are clear Easter eggs to other Disney movies. When a bear and deer talk to each other, they call each other “John” and “Bambi,” which reference the characters Little John of Robin Hood and Bambi from his eponymous film. There is also a rabbit who stomps his foot while speaking, which is a clear reference to Bambi’s Thumper. In addition, there are two mice inside a leaf that bear a resemblance to Bernard and Bianca of The Rescuers.

15 Star Accidentally Draws Mickey In Magnifico’s Library

Then Enchanted Quill References Mickey Mouse

Star is the source of many of Wish’s Disney Easter eggs, including a brief moment in Magnifico’s study. When Star, Asha, and Valentino are attempting to break into Magnifico’s library to steal back the wishes of Asha’s family, they get stuck in the food chute that they were trying to sneak in through. In an attempt to release the locking mechanism, Star tries to use magic, but it backfires. Instead, Star accidentally enchants a quill on Magnifico’s work table, which can be seen drawing the outline of the Disney mascot Mickey Mouse.

Hidden Mickeys are actually long-running Easter eggs for Disney fans. Many Disney properties, not just animated movies, feature the outline of Mickey Mouse in a nod to the studio's best-known animated character. The ABC series Once Upon A Time, for example, was known for featuring them in unlikely places, such as made up of gears, or in the contents of a desk drawer.

14 Asha’s Moves In Magnifico’s Library Are Like Sorcerer Mickey From Fantasia

Asha's Movements When Trying To Unlock Magnifico's Door Are Like Mickey's In Fantasia

Once Wish’s three main characters finally free themselves from the locked food chute, they quickly set to work on trying to get into the locked door, behind which Magnifico keeps the wishes of the people of Rosas. As the only person who had been inside before, Asha attempts to unlock the doors by mimicking Magnifico’s movements. Though Asha is unsuccessful in her attempts, the movements that Asha tries on the door resemble those that Sorcerer Mickey used in Fantasia. These movements include her arms out to her sides and above her head in sweeping motions.

Both characters were going to apprentice under more powerful magic users.

Similar to Mickey in Fantasia, Asha has a middling track record of successfully using magic. Both characters were going to apprentice under more powerful magic users. Luckily for Asha, Star comes in to help her, just like Fantasia’s Sorcerer, before anything gets out of hand.

13 Magnifico’s Animated Objects Reference Beauty & The Beast

Magnifico Enchants Objects Like Beauty & The Beast's During His Villain Song

Magnifico goes into full evil villain mode in his song “This Is The Thanks I Get?!” after his actions are questioned during an address to the people of Rosas, and the song’s sequence holds many Disney references, including one to Beauty and the Beast. At one point in the song, Magnifico enchants some empty knight gear, which all become animated, seemingly alive.

The Coat of Arms that Magnifico dances with during “This Is The Thanks I Get?!” is a reference to Beauty and the Beast’s own enchanted everyday objects, which are central to that film’s plot. There, the enchanted objects are the employees and household servants of the prince who has been turned into a beast though. They move themselves rather than being moved by magic.

12 Wish’s Dungeon Stairs Are Like Snow White’s

The Stairs To Magnifico's Dungeon Look Like The Ones In Snow White

Once Magnifico makes the decision to embrace the forbidden magic that he had been waxing poetic about the dangers of, he decides to retreat from his library to the dungeon in the basement. A set of spiraling stairs appears that wasn’t there before, and Magnifico enters the dungeon, where he creates his evil magic staff. These dungeon stairs bear a striking resemblance to the ones from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, adding to Wish’s long list of Snow White homages.

This makes sense considering he also ends up trapped in a mirror and Queen Amaya decides to have the mirror stored in the dungeon as well. It almost makes the picture complete, since that's where Snow White's Evil Queen also had her magic mirror. All that's missing is the Evil Queen and her cauldron.

11 Asha’s Messenger Mouse For Queen Amaya Is A Nod To Cinderella

The Mouse Asha Sends To Talk To Queen Amaya References Cinderella's Gus Gus

During the ceremony where King Magnifico declares Asha a wanted enemy of Rosas, Asha, and Star are hidden nearby and notice how fearful the queen looks. The duo employs some unorthodox help to get Queen Amaya’s attention by appealing to a creature in a nod to Cinderella.

Since so many other animals have already been granted the ability to speak, Star enchants a mouse to deliver a message from Asha to Amaya, which is similar to the role of the mice in the Disney classic Cinderella. To fully cement this nod, the mouse is even nibbling on a kernel of corn when Star and Asha enlist its help, which is an Easter egg to Cinderella’s Gus Gus, who had a particular fondness for corn and would pick up the kernels when Cinderella fed the birds.

10 The Wishes Magnifico Crushes Reference Past Classic Disney Characters

Magnifico Destroys The Wishes Other Past Disney Characters Towards The End Of Wish

In an effort to gain even more power, Magnifico crushes the wishes of three citizens of Rosas. As he does so, Magnifico states the wishes depicted in each orb, laughing at them before destroying them. Although all three of the townsfolk whose wishes Magnifico crushes have been seen throughout Wish prior to this, the contents of their wishes that Magnifico describes reference past Disney animated movies.

The first wish that Magnifico destroys is a reference to Peter Pan, which Magnifico states is a wish for a Fantasyland in the sky, to which Magnifico dismissively says, “How about Neverland?” The image in the wish even shows what looks to be Peter in his signature green flying through the air.

Next, Magnifico destroys a wish for the perfect nanny to take care of the wisher’s children, by "popping" the wish bubble, which is a clear reference to Mr. Banks from Mary Poppins. The viewer doesn't get a clear look at that particular wish.

Finally, Magnifico crushes a wish for “true love.” Although this could reference nearly any Disney Princess feature, the specific reference in this scene is likely meant to be to The Little Mermaid since Magnifico says, “So much for true love,” a line that Ursula utters to Ariel in the movie.

9 Asha Becomes Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother

Asha Takes On The Fairy Godmother's Characteristics In A Nod To Cinderella

Asha’s arc in Wish sees her become something of a Fairy Godmother for Rosas, which is a nod to the famous Cinderella character. There are a few different nods to Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother throughout the ending of Wish, beginning with Asha’s hooded robes that she wears to prevent anyone from seeing her face, which bear a resemblance to those that the Fairy Godmother dons.

Star also gifts Asha a magic wand, just like the one that the Fairy Godmother wields in Cinderella. At the very end of the movie, when Asha’s friends declare her Rosas’ Fairy Godmother, Asha even undergoes the iconic Cinderella dress transformation, cementing her new role in the kingdom. Fairy Godmothers are referenced throughout the movie as a mythical being by Asha's friends, so it's not clear if Asha is the first of her kind, or if Star just grants her the ability to become one.

8 Wish’s Flying Books Are A Reference To The Sword In The Stone

The Flying Books In Wish Are Reminiscent Of The Sword In The Stone

While Asha attempts to draw away Magnifico, her friends, and Queen Amaya attempt to free the wishes from the castle by opening up the roof. Queen Amaya instructs the group to use the pulley system in the castle, but Gabo protests that he's afraid of heights. In order to get to the pulleys, they have to either climb or find another way up into the air. In doing this, they are aided by some flying books enchanted by Star to give them a lift to where they need to go.

These flying books reference Disney’s lesser-known movie The Sword in the Stone, in which Merlin similarly bewitched books to levitate. Interestingly, Disney is developing a live-action The Sword in the Stone movie. The movie is inspired by the legend of Camelot's King Arthur and his relationship with Merlin.

7 One Of Wish’s Characters Does A Tarzan Yell

Wish's Character Yell Is A Reference To Tarzan

After several failed attempts to pull the roof open with the pulleys, the Wish characters come to the conclusion that they aren’t strong enough. A suggestion from Star and Gabo leads them to jump over the railing of the second floor of Magnifico’s study, using gravity to help open up the roof. As they jump, one of the characters lets out a loud yell, which is reminiscent of the iconic one used by Disney’s Tarzan.

There have been many adaptations of Tarzan for the screen that have featured variations of his yell.

This is especially appropriate considering they're using the pulley system's ropes in the same way that Tarzan would use vines to travel through the jungle. Of course, Tarzan's yell has been used and mimicked before Disney's animated version of the story as well. There have been many adaptations of Tarzan for the screen that have featured variations of his yell.

6 Magnifico’s Green Thorns Reference Sleeping Beauty

Magnifico's Magic Thorns Are Reminiscent Of Maleficent In Sleeping Beauty

When Magnifico reveals the full extent of his evil powers afforded to him through his magic staff to Rosas’ citizens, he uses a strong magic spell to trap them after they attempt to dissent. This releases glowing green vines and thorns, which trap his subjects to the ground, keeping them in the kingdom and under his rule. These magic green thorns bear a resemblance to the ones that Maleficent uses in Sleeping Beauty.

Maleficent's vines and thorns aren't exactly to keep people in the kingdom, however, but more to keep people out. She enchants the vines and thorns to grow all around a kingdom where Aurora has pricked her finger and caused a magical sleep to befall every living person. The thick wall of vines and thorns prevents anyone to getting to them and breaking the spell until Prince Phillip uses his sword to cut himself a path.

5 Magnifico’s Fate Is A Nod To Aladdin’s Villain Defeat

Magnifico Is Captured In The Same Way As Aladdin's Jafar

After Magnifico spent so many years trapping the wishes of Rosas’ citizens, he is finally defeated by the power of wishes in Wish’s ending. As the citizens of Rosas become openly defiant of him, their desire to stand up to him, to come into their own power, and to embrace their own wishes again instead of allowing him to keep them, all weaken his hold over them.

This power not only frees Star from Magnifico’s staff, but also traps Magnifico inside the staff's mirrored adornment, where it appears he will remain indefinitely, according to Queen Amaya. Magnifico being outdone by the power of a wish and that power ending up trapping Magnifico inside his staff is reminiscent of Jafar becoming trapped within the genie lamp in Aladdin, making Magnifico's defeat a nod to a past Disney villain takedown.

4 Valentino's Wish Is Similar To Zootopia

Valentino's Wish For An Animal Utopia Is The Plot Of Zootopia

Once Rosas is free of Magnifico’s evil grasp, Wish’s main characters begin actually granting the wishes of Rosas’ citizens and discussing their dreams more openly. During this ending scene of the movie, Valentino expresses his own desire for a utopia in which animals are all equal and don clothing just like humans. Although Valentino doesn’t get to see his wish come to fruition in Wish, his desire is a clever nod that is realized by the plot of the animated movie Zootopia, which features anthropomorphic animals living in a utopia.

Zootopia is such a beloved concept that the first movie isn't where it stops either. A miniseries, called Zootopia+ is also available on Disney+, and a sequel movie is on the way in 2025. Valentino would be pleasantly surprised to see his wish thriving for Disney.