Top 24 Vacation Movie Facts

Following is our collection of Vacation facts. Handpicked and verified, these little-known details can be obscure enough most people will miss. These behind the scene easter eggs and hidden messages will give you another view of Vacation film message.

Clark helps Ellen with the dishes, but he never actually washes them or puts them in the dishwasher. Instead, he wipes them off and puts them back in the cabinets.
Clark helps Ellen with the dishes, but he never actually washes them or puts them in the dishwasher. Instead, he wipes them off and puts them back in the cabinets.
In "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation", you can see that Eddie is wearing a mock turtleneck that shows through his sweater.
In "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation", you can see that Eddie is wearing a mock turtleneck that shows through his sweater.

Vacation Easter Eggs

Hidden objects, characters, easter eggs, and their meanings are wonderful ways to discover the filmmaker's perspectives of any given movie.

  • 1 - Clark and Cousin Eddie drink from Walley World brand mugs. Walley World is the fictional amusement park from the original NL's Vacation (1983).
    Clark and Cousin Eddie drink from Walley World brand mugs. Walley World is the fictional amusement park from the original NL's Vacation (1983).
  • 1 - 1989, uncle Eddy's RV is already in the yard when Clark's lights initially turn on. Merry Christmas everyone!!
    1989, uncle Eddy's RV is already in the yard when Clark's lights initially turn on. Merry Christmas everyone!!

Vacation Hidden Details

1 - While Aunt Bethany is "saying grace" she skips the Under God line of the pledge while everyone else says it (explanation in comments)
While Aunt Bethany is "saying grace" she skips the Under God line of the pledge while everyone else says it (explanation in comments)
1 - After Clark cuts down his replacement tree, he is seen washing his hands to rid them of sap. He failed to do so after putting up his first tree and he has learned from that mistake.
After Clark cuts down his replacement tree, he is seen washing his hands to rid them of sap. He failed to do so after putting up his first tree and he has learned from that mistake.
1 - You can clearly see the detonation cord before Clark "sleds" down the hill.
You can clearly see the detonation cord before Clark "sleds" down the hill.

Snot is shown drinking water from the Christmas Tree and Clark remarks how if the dog keeps drinking from the tree it will "dry up". Later on Lewis throws a match and the tree burns up instantly, presumably because the tree is a fire hazard from lack of water.

The senile 80-year-old Aunt Bethany says the Pledge of Allegiance instead of grace before Christmas dinner. She forgets the line "under God," which was only added to the Pledge in 1954.

1 - Clark and Eddie are drinking eggnog out of moose mugs, a reference to Wally World from the original Vacation movie.
Clark and Eddie are drinking eggnog out of moose mugs, a reference to Wally World from the original Vacation movie.
1 - While the Griswolds are arriving in Vegas, Rusty sees a sign saying that a Casino is giving away 4 cars in 5 days and that YOU could win. Foreshadowing when he wins all 4 of those cars later in the movie.
While the Griswolds are arriving in Vegas, Rusty sees a sign saying that a Casino is giving away 4 cars in 5 days and that YOU could win. Foreshadowing when he wins all 4 of those cars later in the movie.

Laying in bed the grandpa is on the top bunk smiling up to a poster on the ceiling of a woman. While the camera is panning up, there is a poster of two turtles having sex in the background.

1 - The cup Clark and Cousin Eddie drink out of is a Walley World glass, which appeared in the original National Lampoon's Vacation.
The cup Clark and Cousin Eddie drink out of is a Walley World glass, which appeared in the original National Lampoon's Vacation.
1 - Clark and Eddie drink egg nog from Wally World Marty Moose glasses.
Clark and Eddie drink egg nog from Wally World Marty Moose glasses.

You can see the spring attaching the jaw on the (teaching)skeleton in the desert.

" after Clark offers to buy gifts for Cousin Eddie's kids ("A real nice surprise"), Eddie takes a wish list out of his jacket. Eddie says the list is "Alphabetized, starting with Catherine." Catherine is Eddie's wife.

1 - Clark and Ellen Griswold are both wearing the same brand of jeans when they arrive at the decrepit and dirty campground in South Fork, Colorado.
Clark and Ellen Griswold are both wearing the same brand of jeans when they arrive at the decrepit and dirty campground in South Fork, Colorado.

/u/ sandscript pointed out In National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation(1989) Aunt Bethany recites the original version of the Pledge of Allegiance ,without God, when asked to "Say Grace". Uncle Lewis audibly adds in God when he joins in saying the Pledge.

Clark gifts his boss a similarly wrapped gift as presumably his coworkers.

1 - Clark 'fixes the newel post' by chainsawing it off. A recurring gag involving a broken newel post also appears in "It's a Wonderful Life". The assistant director of Christmas Vacation, Frank Kapra 3, is the grandson of Frank Kapra, who created "It's a Wonderful Life"
Clark 'fixes the newel post' by chainsawing it off. A recurring gag involving a broken newel post also appears in "It's a Wonderful Life". The assistant director of Christmas Vacation, Frank Kapra 3, is the grandson of Frank Kapra, who created "It's a Wonderful Life"

- the opening passport shots contain Chevy Chase's character's full name, DOB, address etc.

1 - Ellen grabs Clark's genitals in the ending scene.
Ellen grabs Clark's genitals in the ending scene.

Vicki says "Daddy says I'm the best at it" in regards to french kissing, subtly foreshadowing Cousin Eddie's dissatisfaction with his wife/marriage.

Vacation poster
Vacation poster

Vacation Plot

Rusty Griswold takes his own family on a road trip to "Walley World" in order to spice things up with his wife and reconnect with his sons.

Cast and Details

Here are the full cast and crew of Vacation. The goofs, crazy credits, and trivia they have performed may have not taken your attention. Some are hidden for a reason, while others randomly forgotten.

Genre Adventure, Comedy
Director John Francis Daley
Stars Ed Helms, Christina Applegate, Skyler Gisondo, Steele Stebbins
IMDB score 6.1

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