All the famous voice acting cameos were actors chosen from 80's/ 90's films that inspired the miniseries.
The composition of the tree house shots in episodes 1 & 2 were based identically on that of the tree house in Stand by Me (1986).
The "weird looking beavers" as Dre describes them, are obviously based on the Xenomorphs from Alien (1979). Carrie Henn cameos, from Aliens (1986), in the first episode because of that series' huge impact on the inspiration for thunder island.
Band Box hamburgers (from episode 2) is based on a real life Burger joint in Minneapolis, MN.