'Inside Out' Has Pixar References Galore

If you've seen Inside Out, Pixar's newest creation and, in my opinion, total winner of a movie, chances are it was a very emotional experience. Whether you're a parent who couldn't believe how quickly your kid's youth was passing, or a teenager relating a bit too closely to Riley's emotions, or just a 20-something moviegoer in awe of Pete Docter's brilliant story, there's a high probability that you shed at least a few tears during the course of the film. Yet while that's all healthy and good, it probably means during your crying jags, you missed quite a few important movie moments, specifically all the many Pixar and Disney references included in Inside Out .

From tributes to the characters of Up to subtle signs of the next Pixar movie around the corner ( The Good Dinosaur , you can't come soon enough), Inside Out was riddled with Easter Eggs from the studio's past and future films. Some were obvious (that Pizza Planet truck, anyone?) but others, like the nods hidden on classroom posters and Chinese take-out containers? You had to have the sharpest eye to spot those. Below, the 14 biggest Pixar references hidden in Inside Out:

1. The Rat From Ratatouille

This reference is a big one, but not the nicest — the rat appears first as a dead creature in Riley's room, then later, as a character in her terrifying nightmare.

2. Carl And Ellie's Life In Up

In Riley's long-term memory section, moments from the lives of Up characters Carl and Ellie, including their wedding, can be seen in the orbs.

3. Sid's Skull T-Shirt From Toy Story

Remember Sid, Toy Story's main villain, and his trademark skull t-shirt? In a classroom scene in Inside Out, a "cool girl" can be seen wearing a very similar outfit.

4. Arlo From The Good Dinosaur

On the way to San Francisco, the family visits a dinosaur exhibit and their car slides into one of the models — who happens to bear a strong resemblance to Arlo, the protagonist of November's The Good Dinosaur.

5. The Plot Of La Luna

In a poster in Riley's school classroom, you can see a boy reaching for the stars, just like the story in La Luna, the Pixar short.

6. The Music From The Haunted Mansion Ride

When Riley has a nightmare, the music from Disney's Haunted Mansion ride starts playing. Clever, Pixar.

7. The Finding Nemo Board Game

In Imagination Land, you can spot a board game called "Find Me!" featuring an image of a very familiar clownfish.

8. The Tri-County Setting Of Toy Story

Toy Story's setting was only ever specified as being in the Tri-County area, a location that's also home to Riley's hockey team. Could the two movies be in the same world? It's not the only clue to suggest it...

9. Sunnyside Daycare From Toy Story 3

Fans of Toy Story 3 remember the ominous playground structure at Sunnyside, and will definitely notice its re-appearance in Inside Out during a peek into Riley's memories.

10. The Birds From For The Birds

Another Pixar short got a shout-out when the stars of For The Birds appear during Riley's move to San Francisco.

11. The Giant Monster From Monsters, Inc.

In Dream Productions, you can see the feet of a very large monster, and it's the same image that's shown during a scene in Monsters, Inc.

12. The Building From A Bug's Life

When Riley and her parents eat Chinese food, you can see a structure that appeared in A Bug's Life on the take-out carton.

13. The Luxo Ball From Toy Story

Pixar's yellow ball has made appearances in several of the studio's films, and it shows up once more in Inside Out — albeit not as an actual ball, but as the red star sticker on Riley's backpack (she's 11, after all).

14. The Pizza Planet Truck

Several times throughout the movie, you can see the Pizza Planet truck from Toy Story zoom by. Nearly every Pixar film to date has included the nod to the studio's first film.

Got all that? It wouldn't be a Pixar film without some major nods to the studio's other movies. Perhaps when The Good Dinosaur comes to theaters this fall, it'll have some references only Inside Out fans recognize — is it too soon to suggest a loving ode to Bing Bong ?

Images: Walt Disney Studios (15)