Al’s Toy Barn
Al in ‘Toy Story 2’
The reference to Toy Story 2 is less an easter egg and more a clever nod. Remember how in Toy Story 2 we discovered that Woody, Jessie, Bullseye, and Stinky Pete were classic figures that would fetch a pretty penny if sold together? It was no coincidence in Toy Story of Terror that Woody sold for a high price on an auction website (eBid) and Jessie sold shortly thereafter. On the shipping label that the motel manager prints out, you can make out that Woody is being shipped to the winner, Al, who had been trying to sell Woody and the gang in Toy Story 2:
Al’s Toy Barn in ‘Toy Story of Terror’
Let’s flip that shipping label for a more clear look:
Al’s Toy Barn in ‘Toy Story of Terror’ (Flipped Image)
Raising Arizona
If you take a look at the address for The Sleep Well Motel, the address listed is State Farm Road, No. 31, Tempe, Arizona, which is a reference to the film, Raising Arizona. In the classic film directed by the Coen brothers, the Maricopa County prison is located at the address:
‘Raising Arizona’ reference in ‘Toy Story of Terror’
Buy N Large From WALL-E
Buy N Large in ‘WALL-E’
The Toy Story franchise has already referenced WALL-E, as in Toy Story 3 you can see a logo for Buy N Large, the corporation in WALL-E, on Buzz’s batteries. In the TV special, there is a Buy N Large sticker on one of the glass doors of the entrance to the motel lobby:
Buy N Large in ‘Toy Story of Terror’
DJ Blu-Jay From Small Fry
DJ Blu-Jay (right) in ‘Small Fry’
In the Toy Story short, Small Fry, which introduced us to a wonderful set of happy meal-style toys, one of the new characters is DJ Blu-Jay. In Toy Story of Terror, Bonnie is wearing a shirt featuring the character:
DJ Blu-Jay in ‘Toy Story of Terror’
Sid From Toy Story?
Sid in ‘Toy Story 3’
In Toy Story 3, director Lee Unkrich and his team threw in a cameo of Sid, who apparently never grew out of wearing t-shirts featuring skulls. The car service worker in the TV special, although he does not fashion a skull t-shirt, is wearing brown gloves, which appear to be similar to the gloves worn by Sid in Toy Story 3. This may be a stretch, but it is possible this is another cameo by Sid, in Toy Story of Terror, with the character now sporting a soul patch instead. It would place the character in the service industry once more:
Sid in ‘Toy Story of Terror’?
There are many more hilarious references to classic toys, including:
Transformers:
Transitron in ‘Toy Story of Terror’
PEZ Dispensers:
PEZ in ‘Toy Story of Terror’
Lego:
Lego in ‘Toy Story of Terror’
There was even a nod to Speed Racer and the Rocketeer:
Speed Lacer in ‘Toy Story of Terror’
