Animation gives artists the creative freedom to run with their imagination and create whatever it is that they want. Included in that are little secrets and references that are hidden in plain sight, these are called Easter eggs. They can be found in quite a few movies. But have you ever seen one with your own two eyes?

Walt Disney Pictures

In the show "Big Hero 6," Sergeant Gerson appeared as the police officer who took Hiro’s report about Yokai and the theft of his Microbots. In the end of movie credits, Gerson appears again. In his office a wanted poster with a picture of Hans, the villain in "Frozen," can be seen. Since we’re on the topic of "Frozen," you might have missed this Easter egg of Anna and Elsa!

Walt Disney Pictures

Thanks to all of the wide shots making it easy to hide little details, "Zootopia" is a great place for Easter eggs.. One that can be found is during a winter scene where an elephant family can be seen taking their daughters ice-skating. Looking close enough, you can see that the daughters are dressed like Elsa and Anna from "Frozen." The next film shows a part of history you may be too young to remember.

Walt Disney Pictures

Our next movie, "Wall-E" takes place in the year 2805, when the Earth is uninhabitable and all the humans have left. Wall-E begins following Eve by holding on to her mothership and cruises past a bunch of derelict satellites. You may be surprised, but one of the satellites is Sputnik I, the first satellite ever launched by the USSR. Since old references are making an appearance, check out this next one.

Universal Pictures/United Artists

At times, animators like to show their respect for the movie classics. A scene in "The Secret Life Of Pets" shows Chloe reminding Pops that she’s a cat, and he replies, “Well, nobody’s perfect.” This line actually comes from the last line in the movie "Some Like It Hot," with Marilyn Monroe and Tony Curtis. The next Easter egg might make you question some things.

Pixar Animation Studios

In the movie "Inside Out," there’s a scene in which Riley can be seen playing in the living room. On top of the table where she’s sitting is a stack of magazines, on top is a magazine called Haute Dish. We can only assume it’s a cooking magazine, because Colette, the chef from "Ratatouille" is on the cover, but who knows. The next two movies are definitely one in the same.

Walt Disney Pictures

The giant hook of Maui’s plays a huge role in "Moana," as part of the origins of the islanders. Nani’s boyfriend, David Kawena, wears a very similar hook as a necklace in "Lilo & Stitch." It makes perfect sense to believe, in the world of Disney, of course, that the people of modern-day Hawaii are descendants of Moana and her people. Wait until you see who this next character is based on.

Universal/Disney/TriStar

Michael J. Fox was a pretty big star in the 80s. So, you’re probably not surprised that when Aladdin was being drawn, animators wanted him to look like Fox. Once they did a few screen tests, animators realized he looked too boyish. So, they decided to throw in some of Tom Cruise’s features, as well. Now that we’re talking about Aladdin, where do you think that lamp is hanging out these days?

Walt Disney Pictures

When Judy the bunny and Nick the fox are investigating Emmitt Otterton’s disappearance in "Zootopia," they check for clues at the Mystic Spring Oasis. When they arrive, they’re let in by the owner Yax. Next to the door is a shelf with several objects on it. One of those objects is none other than the genie’s lamp from "Aladdin"! Even you may have noticed the next one on our list!

Walt Disney Pictures

In the beginning of "Moana," the children were being told the legends of Maui the Demigod defeating a flurry of monsters by the grandmother. Moana’s father rudely interrupted to tell the children that such things don’t exist, but while doing so he accidentally unrolled tapestries that showed the legends. On the first tapestry is a reference to Marshmallow, the enormous ice monster in "Frozen"! Next up is another loved character based on someone famous!

Walt Disney Pictures

The animator of "The Little Mermaid," Glen Keane, wanted Ariel to look attractive, but he also wanted her to be relatable for little girls. Keane ended up taking his inspiration from actress Alyssa Milano, who at the time, was a teenager. Another fun fact: the movement of Ariel’s hair was created by taking the footage of astronaut Sally Ride in outer space. If you consider yourself an art buff, you may have noticed the next one.

Walt Disney Pictures/Public Domain

In a scene from "Beauty And The Beast," Mrs. Potts, Cogsworth and Lumière hold a secret meeting to figure out how to get Belle to fall in love with the Beast. The scene takes place in a hallway that’s filled with sculptures and paintings. One of those paintings is actually the infamous "Girl With A Pearl Earring," by artist Johannes Vermeer. The next one is hidden in a scene that spoofs a well-known TV show.

Walt Disney Pictures/Ron Asadorian

In "Zootopia," the plot revolves around the illegal operation that creates the blue serum that turns all of the animals wild. If you didn’t notice, it’s a poke at the show "Breaking Bad." But that’s not the only Easter egg. In Woolter’s lab there’s a board with photos pinned all over it. One of those photos makes fun of the “Sad Keanu” meme. You probably only caught the next one if you’re good at geography.

Paramount Pictures

In "Madagascar 2," Alex the lion is on the island where he was born and he gets reunited with his long-lost parents, Zuba and Florrie. They realized their relation when they found out Alex and his dad had matching birthmarks on their right paws. If you’re paying close attention, you can see the birthmark looks just like Africa! This next Easter egg with make you wonder what the backstory is.

Pixar Animation Studios

In the movie "Inside Out," there’s a scene where Riley is building a house of cards while sitting at her dining room table. You may have to look closely, but the deck that she is using is one-of-a-kind. They have the faces of Riley, her mom and her dad as the King, Queen, and the Joker! The next one wasn’t actually an egg until a long two years after it came out!

Universal Pictures/Illumination Entertainment

In 2010, the hilarious "Despicable Me" came out. Margo, Gru’s oldest daughter, wears a shirt that has the Dr. Suess character, the Lorax, on it. The shirt was indeed a hint as to what the next upcoming film put out by Illumination Entertainment would be. Two years later, "The Lorax" hit the big screen.