THE SIMPSONS ARCHIVE FAQS, GUIDES & LISTS

Disney References in The Simpsons

Maintained by Chris Courtois

[7F17] Old Money Abe visits "Dis Nee Land (not affiliated with Disneyland, Disney World, or anything else from the Walt Disney Company)" 
[8F02] Treehouse of Horror II Two headstones during the opening credits. One reads "Bambi's Mom". Another which has ice on it reads "Walt Disney".(Reference to the rumor that Walt was frozen after his death). 
[8F23] Brother, Can You Spare Two Dimes? One of Herb Powell's fellow bums related the tale of how he owned the "Mickey Mouse Massage Parlours" until the "Disney sleazeballs" shut him down, despite his offer to change the logo and put Mickey's pants back on. 
[9F02] Lisa the Beauty Queen A lawyer and two thugs from the Walt Disney Company attempt to close down Springfield Elementary's school carnival for using the phrase "Happiest Place on Earth." 
[9F03] Itchy & Scrathy: The Movie
  • Kent Brockman shows a clip from "Steamboat Itchy", a spoof of the first sound Mickey Mouse cartoon "Steamboat Willie." 
  • 40 years from now Chief Justice Bart and his senior citizen father attend a "Classics of Animation" double feature of "The Itchy and Scratchy Movie"; also "Beauty and the Beast" in much smaller letters.
  • The scene of I&S cutting off Hitler's head is a reference to the classic Donald Duck anti-Nazi propoganda cartoon "Der Fuehrer's Face", which won an Academy Award in 1943.{hl}
[9F11] Selma's Choice Many references in the Duff Gardens sequences. 
  • TV commercial with Lance Murdock. "I'm going to Duff Gardens" 
  • The 7 Duffs walk-around beer bottles (only 4 - "Tipsy, Queasy, Surly, and Remorseful" are named in the episode), similar to walkaround characters in Disney's theme parks. 
  • The Beer Hall of Presidents, complete with rapping Abe Lincoln crushing an empty Duff can on his head. Similar to Disney World's Hall of Presidents. Also resembles "Great Moments with Mr.Lincoln" at Disneyland (minus the rapping, of course!) 
  • Little Land of Duff. Dead-on parody of It's a Small World, complete with insipid repetitve song:

  • "Duff beer for me,
    Duff beer for you,
    I'll have a Duff,
    You have one too"
    This scene contains the most accurate Disneyland reference ever! Bart: "I want to get off!!" Selma: "You can't get off! We still have 5 continents to visit!" 
  • Parade very similar to the now defunct Main Street Electrical Parade. Nicest touch: the float of the Statue of Liberty holding a can of Duff instead of her torch.
[1F07] The Last Temptation of Homer Homer and Mindy eat a foot-long chili dog from opposite ends in a manner very reminiscent of the spaghetti scene in "The Lady and the Tramp". 
[1F19] The Boy Who Knew Too Much Dr. Hibbert testifies that Hitler, Walt Disney, and Freddy Quimby all had the "evil gene". 
[2F01] Itchy & Scratchy Land Many, many Disney references. 
  • "Scratchtasia" - parody of "The Sorceror's Apprentice" sequence from "Fantasia" 
  • "Pinitchio" - parody of "Pinocchio" 
  • "The Roger Meyers Story" - Roger Meyers "loved and cared about almost all the peoples of the world" but got in trouble for his short "Nazi Supermen Are Our Superiors" - reference to rumors that Walt Disney was anti-Semitic. 
  • Parent's Island - Disney World's Pleasure Island 
  • T.G.I.McScratchy's - "always New Year's Eve". Similar place in Disney World. 
  • Various themed lands within the park. 
  • Euro Itchy & Scratchy Land - deserted park in France, reference to the EuroDisney park outside of Paris (now called Paris Disneyland), which initially lost tons of money.
[2F06] Homer: Bad Man Homer wants to escape the media by moving "Under the Sea". Dream sequence parodying the "Under the Sea" musical number from "The Little Mermaid". Main difference is Homer is chowing down on all of Ariel's buddies. 
[2F18] Two Dozen and One Greyhounds
  • Title reference to 101 Dalmations. 
  • Burns wanting to make a tuxedo from the puppies' pelts is similar to Cruella DeVille wanting a dalmation fur coat. 
  • Santa's Little Helper and She's the Fastest's walk through Springfield is similar to Lady and the Tramp's stroll. They end up sharing a plate of spaghetti similar to Lady and the Tramp. 
  • Mr. Burns' musical number "See My Vest" is a spoof of the "Be Our Guest" musical number from "Beauty and the Beast".
[2F19] The PTA Disbands Civil War battle site is under new management. "Diz-Nee Historic Park. There's profit to be had." Reference to Disney's aborted Disney America theme park which had been planned for an area near Manassas, Virginia. 
[2F32] 'Round Springfield
  • Bleeding Gums Murphy appears to Lisa in the clouds similar to Mufasa appearing to Simba in "The Lion King". 
  • Mufasa appears in the clouds and says "You must avenge my death Kimba, I mean Simba". Reference to controversy surrounding Disney's first "original" story having many similarities to the 1960s Japanese "Kimba the White Lion".
[3F16] The Day the Violence Died
  • Roger Meyers Sr.'s head gets evicted from the cryongenics center. Reference to the rumor that Walt Disney was frozen after his death. (See 8F02 comments). 
  • "Steamboat Itchy" appears as evidence in court. - parody of "Steamboat Willy". (See 9F03 comments). 
    • Dinner Dog, similar to Disney's Dippy Dawg, later renamed Goofy.{mk}
    • Rich Uncle Skeleton similar to characters in the Disney short "The Skeleton Dance".{mk}
    • Roger Meyers didn't made Itchy. Itchy was made by Chester P. Lampwick. Walt Disney didn't made Mickey. Mickey was made by Ubb Iwerks.{as}
    • Walt Disney was a bad drawer like Meyers, the sketch of a rat (called Mortimer) sucks, like the Postman of Roger Meyers.{as}
    • Disney didn't gave a credit to Iwerks for make Mickey, like Meyers and Lampwick.{as}
[3F17] Bart on the Road Bart, Milhouse, Nelson, and Martin narrow their choices for a road trip destination to the Knoxville World's Fair or Disney World. They choose the fair. 
[3F23] You Only Move Twice According to a Cypress Creek brochure, one of the area's giant redwood trees can provide enough sawdust to cover an entire day's worth of vomit at Disneyland. 
[3G03] Simpsoncalifragilistickexpiala-D'oh-cious Entire episode is an extended parody of the Disney musical "Mary Poppins". 
  • Title is a reference to that film's song "Supercalifragilistickexpialadocious". 
  • Sherry Bobbins insists she is not Mary Poppins but an completely original character like Ricky Rouse or Monald Muck.
[4F07] Hurricane Neddy "Alice in Wonderland", Disney's adaptation of this Lewis Carrol novel/"Willy Wanka and the Choclate Factory" - a tiny door leading to a room{hl}
[4F13] My Sister, My Sitter The Disney Store- "Itchy & Scratchy Store" based on this chain of novelty stores.{hl}
[4F15] Homer vs. The Eighteenth Amendment DUCK WITHOUT PANTS -- Disney's Donald Duck, Daisy, Huey, Duey, and Luey are the only ones drawn without pants. The reason is the feathers cover their genitalia (Cheer's Clifford Claven is never wrong!){hl}
[4F21] The Secret War Of Lisa Simpson Homer and Marge trick Lisa and Bart into going to military school by saying they're going to Disneyland (and later to the dentist office){hl}
[5F08] Bart Carny Hitler's car was featured in the "Diznee Electrical Parade".
NOTE: This reference appears only in the closed captioning for this episode. The audio dialog said the car was the first to feature Farvugneugen. 
[5F23] The Joy of Sect Mr. Burns draws the mouse ears logo while attempting to create a logo for his new religion. 
[5F11] Das Bus Bart's fantasy of the Swiss Family Robinson treehouse closely resembles the treehouse from the Disney film version (which was replicated as a walk-through attraction at Disneyland and has since been replaced with the "Tarzan" treehouse). 
[5F19] When You Dish Upon A Star
  • Title: Spoof of "When You Wish Upon A Star", song from Disney's "Pinocchio", subsequently appropriated as the corporate theme song. 
  • Sign in front of Twentieth Century Fox studios: "20th Century Fox A Division of Walt Disney Co"
[AABF08] Sunday, Cruddy Sunday A member of the victorious team declares he's "going to Disneyland", to which Wally Kogen replies "Really, cause I'm a travel agent and I've heard nothing but bad things." 
[AABF12] Make Room for Lisa Lisa mentions her favorite movie was "The Little Mermaid", until Homer taped over it. {pc}
[AABF14] Simpsons Bible Stories The "Night on Bald Mountain" segment of "Fantasia" is spoofed when Goliath 2 (Nelson) rises from the ruins of the Tower of Babel as Moussorgsky plays. Nelson is drawn to look like Chernobog. 
[AABF15] Mom and Pop Art Homer is going to turn old baseball cards, Disney memorabilia, and antiques into something valuable.{aar}
[AABF19] E-I-E-I-(ANNOYED GRUNT) End credits of "The Poke of Zorro" list Mule kicking Man as "Gus", the title character of a 1970s Disney film about a football playing mule.
[BABF04] Little Big Mom The shot of Homer chasing the charity van is very similar to the shot of Buzz Lightyear chasing the moving van in "Toy Story".
[BABF13] Bart to the Future In 2030, Ralph mentions Bart's lawsuit involving a spider bite at Disneyland. {pc}
[CABF02] The Computer Wore Menace Shoes Title is a reference to "The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes", the first of Disney's Dexter Riley films which starred a very young Kurt Russell as a college genius.
[BABF22] HOMR (Backwards R)
  • The Sorceror's Apprentice hat from Fantasia can be seen in the background at the Animation convention.
  • Among the spots Homer passes in his lonely search for a place for a man with a 105 IQ are "The Dum-Dum Club", "Lunkheadz", and the "Disney Store".
[CABF13] Simpson Safari At sunrise, Marge sees a Lion King-like procession of animals before the sun while "Circle Of Life" like music plays.
[CABF15] I'm Goin' to Praiseland Title spoofs Disneyland advertisement catch phrase.(See 9F11 comments)
[CABF17] Simpson Tall Tales The photographer taking souvenir photographs of Tom and Huck (Bart and Nelson) at the base of the waterfall is a reference to the souvenir photos one can purchase of one's plunge down the final waterfall of the Splash Mountain attraction at various Disney theme parks. The woman flashing her indecent ankle, along with the photographer's keeping the photo for himself, is a reference to the "Flash Mountain" phenomena, in which female riders (willing or unwillingly) flash their breasts for the camera at this point in the ride. These photos are supposed to be deleted by park employees, but many have been smuggled out of the park and are posted on the web.
[CABF18] A Hunka Hunka Burns in Love The Spaghetti Dinner scene from "Lady and the Tramp" is spoofed.(See 1F07 2F18 comments.)
[DABF01] Brawl in the Family Mr. Burns announces "that thanks to the magic of Disney animatronics, Strom Thurmond will live another hundred years".
[DABF05] Jaws Wired Shut The Springfield Gay Pride parade has a float honoring "Lesbians of the Caribbean". The float features women running away from men, as featured in the pre-PC version of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. Heard is a spoof of the Pirates theme song, singing about "an alternative lifestyle for me".
[DABF11] Weekend at Burnsie's According to Smithers, Michael Eisner has been dead for five years.
[EABF01] The Great Louse Detective
  • Title: Spoof of "The Great Mouse Detective", a Disney animated feature from 1986.
  • When the family visits Sideshow Bob in prison, Marge says she doesn't think prison is "a great place to bring the children", to which Lisa replies "It still beats Disney's California Adventure." Bart and the rest of the family loudly agree. Reference to new (as of 2001) second park in Anaheim which was met with underwhelming attendance, bad word of mouth, and which initially generated the complaint that it had nothing to do for kids.
[EABF02] Special Edna The Simpsons go to Orlando's EFCOT park, a parody of EPCOT. Many references to the Orland property.
  • Homer cries out "It's even boring to fly over".
  • Enron roller coaster. Most of EPCOT's attractions are sponsored by a corporation and somehow relate (however tenuously) to their business
  • Homer hops the fence into the adjacent Magic Kingdom, and pays $15 for a churro. Reference to the spreading outdoor vending carts and their overpriced fare.
[EABF18] My Mother the Carjacker Homer promises to hide his fugitive mother "someplace where there's nobody for miles, Disney's California Adventure." Reference to the sparsely attended Anaheim park.
[FABF08] The Ziff Who Came To Dinner One of the films playing at the Springfield Googleplex is "Eating Nemo".

Thanks to the following contributors for their additions and clarifications:

{hl} Haynes Lee
{mk} Matthew Kurth
{as} Andres Sanchez
{aar} Alan@Arizona Roads
{pc} Paul Campa


Search The Simpsons Archive:    Search Help

[ FAQs, Guides & Lists | Upcoming Episodes | Episode Guide | Capsules | Miscellaneous | Web Links | News | About | Home ]

Last updated on March 20, 2004 by Chris Courtois (courtois@simpsonsarchive.com