Beginning with Red's Dream and its references to previous Pixar short films, Pixar has included references in its films to other works produced by the studio. These have included cameo appearances, references to characters, objects, and titles of works. Additionally, such easter eggs or in-jokes can refer to Pixar staff, associates, or places or events from the company's past. Lastly, some things, such as A113, Pizza Planet, or actor John Ratzenberger have appeared in the majority of Pixar films, establishing a set of traditions that subsequent Pixar films try to include.
The following is a list of all documented self-referential nods contained within Pixar films and shorts that the various filmmakers have incorporated into their movies.
Traditions
A113
A113 is an Easter egg that has been inserted into several animated television shows and feature films as a homage to a classroom at CalArts, the alma mater of former Pixar/Disney executive John Lasseter and director Brad Bird, among others. Bird was the first to use the A113 Easter egg, on a car license plate in an animated segment entitled Family Dog in a 1987 episode of the television series Amazing Stories.
Toy Story trilogy – A113 is the license plate number on Andy's mom's minivan, later replaced by a CUV in Toy Story 3. A Bug's Life – A113 is the code on a cereal box as Flik enters the bug city. Monsters, Inc. – On the news broadcast on TV, the newscasters are shaped like "A" and "1", while the background says 13. Additionally, when Randall gets beaten up in the caravan, the stars in the sky can be connected to read A113. Finding Nemo – A113 is the model code on the camera used by a scuba diver. The Incredibles – A113 is the conference room number in Syndrome's lair, mentioned by Mirage. Also, when Mr. Incredible is imprisoned, he is kept at level A1 in cell number 13. Cars – A113 is the number of the freight train that almost crashes into Lightning McQueen while he is first on his way to Radiator Springs. It is also Mater's license plate number in both the film and the related short film, Mater and the Ghostlight. Ratatouille – Git, the lab rat, has a tag on his left ear that reads "A113". WALL-E – A113 is the code for the directive given to the Axiom's autopilot to never return to Earth. This to date has been the largest involvement of the A113 Easter egg in the plot of a Pixar film. Up – A113 is the number of the courtroom where Carl Fredricksen is called in. Cars 2 – A113 is the number on Siddeley's tail. It remains the number on Mater's license plate, and it is part of the image number on the spy photo of Miles Axelrod's engine. Brave – ACXIII (A113 in Roman numerals) is carved above the doorway of the witch's cottage. Monsters University – A113 is the number of the lecture hall where James P. "Sulley" Sullivan and Mike Wazowski have their first class. Inside Out – When Riley Andersen heads to her new school in San Francisco, she is put in room A113. "A113" is also written in graffiti on a building in the scene where she is walking up a street going towards a bus and gets a call from her mother." Inside Out - Pixar Trivia, Easter Eggs and A-113". blog.bcdb.com, June 26, 2015 The Good Dinosaur – A113 is formed from the sticks of the wooden fence of the cluckers' enclosure at Arlo's family's farm. Finding Dory – Seals Rudder and Fluke have "A1" and "13" tags on their tail fins. Also, near the end of the film a license plate on a truck reads "CALA113". Cars 3 – A113 is the number of Sterling's office space. Also, one of Ms. Fritter's victims' licence plate reads "A01-13L". Coco – One of Ernesto de la Cruz records in Miguel's attic hideout has a catalog number A-113. A113 also appears on the door of the Bureau of Family Grievances in the Land of the Dead. Incredibles 2 – A113 is spray-painted on the dumpster behind which Frozone is hiding from the Underminer's attack. The model name of the runaway maglev train that Elastigirl stops is MGLV-A113. Also, A113 is on the door of the editing room of Devtech, and it appears as the document code on the International Superhero Accord. Near the end of the film, Tony and Violet are going on a date at a movie theater showing a movie called "Dementia 113". Toy Story 4 – A vintage 1970s-style A113 sign appears in the antique store. Onward – A police officer calls Officer Bronco saying "we got a one-one-three in progress" on the radio. Soul – A113 appears on one of the street signs in the Hall of Everything. Luca – A113 is the number on Luca Paguro's train ticket to Genova. Turning Red – Meilin "Mei" Lee's dad uses a "Professional Model A113" line chalker at the Skydome. Also, during the end credits, A113 appears on the 4*TOWN concert tickets. Lightyear – A113 is seen outside the window of Alisha Hawthorne's office. Elemental – The "Now Approaching Element City" sign seen in the film's teaser trailer reads "A H Al" in the corner; the atomic numbers of hydrogen (H) and aluminum (Al) are 1 and 13, respectively. During the film itself, A113 is seen as a room number at City Hall in the scene where Wade Ripple's bag accidentally catches fire when he hides Ember Lumen. Inside Out 2 – The secret vault that holds Bloofy, Lance and Deep Dark Secret is labeled ACXIII, which is A113 in Roman numerals. Elio – Elio Solís' backpack says "Area 113". Hoppers – A113 is the room number on the door of the laboratory. When Dr. Sam shows Mabel Tanaka the chalkboard, a dog collar that translates thought is Idea #113.
John Ratzenberger Described as "Pixar's good luck charm" by John Lasseter, actor John Ratzenberger played a role in every Pixar feature from Toy Story to Onward and subsequent sequels, including productions that were not produced by Pixar. Toy Story, Toy Story 2, Toy Story 3, Toy Story 4, and Toy Story 5 – Hamm the piggy bank A Bug's Life – P.T. Flea Monsters, Inc., Monsters University, and Monsters at Work – Adorable the Abominable Snowman In the seventh first-season episode of Monsters at Work, Ratzenberger also voices Bernard, Tylor Tuskmon's father. Finding Nemo – School of moonfish The Incredibles and Incredibles 2 – The Underminer Cars, Cars 2, and Cars 3 – Mack At the end of Cars, there is a drive-in theater that shows John Ratzenberger as some of the parts of the movies, which are car-versions of Toy (Car) Story, A Bug's Life, and Monster (Trucks), Inc. Mack even notes that they keep using the same actor again. Ratatouille – Mustafa the waiter WALL-E – John Up – Tom the foreman Brave – Gordon the guard Inside Out and Inside Out 2 – Fritz the mind worker The Good Dinosaur – Earl the velociraptor Finding Dory – Bill the crab Coco – Juan Ortodoncia, a skeleton in the Land of the Dead with bad teeth Onward – Fenwick the cyclops construction worker Although Ratzenberger himself did not participate in Soul, a computer-animated version of the actor can be seen 1-hour-and-8-minutes into the film as a tribute, when Joe Gardner (Mr. Mittens) chases 22 (Joe) into the Subway station. He is wearing a white dress shirt and a red tie.
Luxo Ball
A yellow ball with a blue stripe and a red star, which was first shown in the short Luxo, Jr., has been shown in several Pixar feature films and shorts, most prominently in the Toy Story franchise, as well as the print Pixar icon.
The ball's design pattern appeared on the floor of the circus ring in Red's Dream. When Buzz Lightyear demonstrates how he "flies" in Toy Story, he bounces off a Luxo Ball. In Toy Story 2, one Luxo Ball appears in a TV commercial for Al's Toy Barn. Several Luxo Balls can also be seen when the toys are in the store itself: when entering, one can be easily seen to the left; when leaving, a whole box of Luxo Balls can be seen to the left. A Luxo Ball appears in a trailer for Toy Story and Toy Story 2 double feature in Disney Digital 3-D. In Boo's room in Monsters, Inc.; When Boo returns to her room, she gives Sulley the ball. In the toy chest at the dentist office in Finding Nemo. In the Incredibles short film Jack-Jack Attack as one of the toys given to Jack-Jack by Kari. On the floor of a neighbor child's room and on one of Russell's merit badges in Up. In the teaser trailer for Toy Story 3, Bullseye rolls on the Luxo Ball and it forms the fake logo for the film. In the film itself, the ball is seen as a design on a tile in Sunnyside Daycare. The ball itself is also used as a volleyball by Chunk and Jack-in-the-Box during the credits. In Brave, a wooden version of the Luxo Ball is seen inside the witch's cottage. In Monsters University, the ball is drawn as graffiti on a wall during the Scare games. In Inside Out, the ball briefly appears during a flashback of young Riley playing hide and seek with Bing Bong. In The Good Dinosaur, the Luxo Ball is seen flying past Arlo and Spot in an odd scene where their bodies are switched. In Finding Dory, the Luxo Ball is seen as a design on a truck's steering wheel. In Cars 3, a Crazy 8 demolition derby car named Bill is painted in the ball's colors (red, yellow, and blue) and has balls on its wheels. In Coco, a Mexican wrestling mask has the colors of the ball and a red star on top. In Incredibles 2, the Luxo Ball is seen on a seal as a design on Jack-Jack's crib. In Toy Story 4, when Buzz is stuck at the wall of prizes, plastic rockets that have the star and the blue stripe from the Luxo Ball on them can be seen hanging next to him. The ball itself also appears in the antique shop. In Onward, the Luxo Ball is seen on a metal shield in the Manticore's Tavern. In Soul, a translucent version of the Luxo Ball can be seen to the left of the sink and the couch in 22's cardboard box home. In Luca, the ball is briefly seen on a tiled rooftop balcony of a building on the Italian Riviera during the bike race. In Turning Red, the ball is seen in the swimming pool at Tyler's party. In Elemental, the ball can be seen as the "o" in the "Popcorn" logo on the red and white container of popcorn that Wade holds. In Inside Out 2, the ball is seen in the parade of future careers inside Riley's mind. Win or Lose: In "Coach's Kid", the ball is seen by a swing set in the same shot as the Pizza Planet truck during Laurie's run to the softball field to train. In "Pickle", a miniature version of the ball is seen at the daycare, which Vanessa uses to prevent Zane from biting. The ball is also seen at the party. In Elio, the ball is seen on Elio's desk.
Pizza Planet Pizza Planet is a fictional pizza restaurant that appears in Toy Story. In the film, it is a large, sci-fi-themed restaurant with arcade games including robot guards at the entrance. The company runs a fleet of derelict Toyota Hilux pickup trucks (as evidenced by the inscription on the tailgate; it is a Toyota inscription with the first and last two letters, "TO" and "TA", worn off so it simply appears as "YO") with a rocket on the roof featuring the restaurant's logo, as seen in Toy Story, Toy Story 2, and Toy Story 3 (though in Toy Story 2, the truck model is called a "Gyoza" as seen on the owner's manual). There is a Pizza Planet reference in every Pixar feature film to date except for the 2004 film The Incredibles. Lee Unkrich confirmed that there is no Pizza Planet truck anywhere in The Incredibles. Director Brad Bird said that he was too busy making the film to tell the animation team to insert the truck. In Toy Story, Woody sees the truck at the gas station and tells Buzz it is a spaceship with hyper-active hyperdrive which they head on it to the restaurant itself. In A Bug's Life, the truck appears in the scene where one insect warns another not to touch a motor home's bug zapper. A Pizza Planet cup also appears in the Bug City. In Toy Story 2, Mr. Potato Head sees the Pizza Planet truck parked outside Al McWhiggin's apartment building, which he, Rex, Hamm, Slinky Dog, and Buzz drive to the airport to save Woody.