The Grunty and Zergling pets are references to the Starcraft series. The Zergling is a Zerg unit and Grunty is a Murloc in a Terran Marine's suit.

In 2006, prior to the release of the Burning Crusade expansion, Blizzard announced the Wisp race as an April Fool's joke. The announcement page satirically recounted their role in the death of Archimonde at the end of Warcraft 3.

The race also featured permanent death, and a "Detonate" ability, which would kill the character. The announcement, made a day late, caused an uproar within the World of Warcraft community until it was revealed to be an April Fools' joke, and the Draenei were revealed to be the new Alliance race for the expansion.

The Adominable Greench is a reference to The Grinch from How The Grinch Stole Christmas!

There are two ogres in-game named "Jorb" and "Chort". This is a reference to Homestar Runner character Coach Z, which are his pronounciation of job and cheat, respectively.

The Wretched are the only elf species without a female model.

Gnomeregan has hidden binary messages hidden in it such as "play more WoW", "Help, I'm trapped in a binary punch card factory", "The Gnome King wears night elf underwear", and "Thrall and Jaina sitting in a tree k.i.s.s.i.n.g."

Uwe Boll once tried, and failed, to get permission to make a film based on the World of Warcraft Series. Upon contacting Blizzard CEO Paul Sams, Boll was told:

There are a number of references to the Star Trek series in the game;

• A Goblin Doctor known as "Doc" found in Area 52 will say "Damnit Boots, I'm a doctor not a priest!" after turning in the quest "That Little Extra Kick." This is in reference to Dr. McCoy from Star Trek :The Original Series.
• Also in Area 52 are several Goblin NPCs working on a rocket, all wearing Gold Shirts and Black pants, in reference to the Engineering crews of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Chief Engineer "Trep" is in reference to Chief Engineer Charles "Trip" Tucker from Star Trek: Enterprise. "Trep" also has a quest named "Report to Engineering" in which the player must deliver Etherlithium Matrix Crystals to him, referencing the Dilithium Matrix Crystals which regulates the anti-matter flow for the ships in the Star Trek series.
• In the Exodar Holographic Emitters, there are five NPCs by the names of Curzon, Tobin, Torias, Emony, and Audrid. All five of these are in reference to Dax's previous hosts from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
• The camp "Bash'ir Landing" may be another reference to Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, namely to Julian Bashir the Chief Medical Officer of Deep Space Nine.
• Warden Treelos, a lone-surviving Druid near Cenarion Thicket will randomly yell "There are four lights!" This is a reference to Captain Picard from Star Trek: The Next Generation, specifically from the two-part episode Chain of Command.
• In Gadgetzan, there is a Gnome Engineer wearing a gold shirt and black pants with the name "Jhordy Lapforge", in reference to Geordi La Forge from Star Trek:The Next Generation.
• Another gold-and-black Gnome Engineer can be found in Blade's Edge Mountains by the name of Smiles O'Byron, in reference to Chief Miles "Smiley" O'Brien from both Star Trek:The Next Generation and Star Trek:Deep Space Nine. The NPC even specializes in Transporters, much like the Star Trek equivalent did.
• In Stormwind City, there is an NPC by the name of Lenny "Fingers" McCoy, in reference to Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy from Star Trek:The Original Series.
• Nogg's Machine Shop found in Orgrimmar is named after the Engineer-savant Ferengi called Nogg, from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
• Two Goblins named Scooty and Sprock are in reference to Montgomery "Scotty" Scott and Spock both from Star Trek: The Original Series. Scooty in particular wears a white shirt and black vest, much like what Scotty wore in his later years.

Outside of the past Shattrath City (Warlords of Draenor), you can find an orc named "Goh'kuu" hunched over another one named "Napp'agosh" near an orcish pod-like weapon. This is a reference to the characters Goku and Nappa from Dragon Ball Z.

In the Eastern Kingdoms before the Cataclysm expansion, there was a hidden away area known as 'Newman's Landing,' where it was possible to see Alliance character models quickly appear and disappear. This is because when a new Alliance character was created, this was the place they were first spawned in before quickly being teleported to their race's starting zone.

The sounds orcas make in the game are actually calls of their real-life cousins, the humpback whale. The orca makes a higher pitched and distinctly different call.

All the dances for each race and gender are dances from musical artists or films:
• Draenei Female - Shakira's belly dancing
• Draenei Male - "Tunak Tunak Tun" by Daler Mehndi
• Dwarf Female - Riverdance
• Dwarf Male - Ukrainian Cossack dancing
• Gnome Female - "Don't Cha" by The Pussycat Dolls
• Gnome Male - "The Bad Touch" by Bloodhound Gang
• Human Female - The Macarena
• Human Male - "You Should Be Dancing" by Bee Gees
• Night Elf Female - "J'en ai marre" by Alizée
• Night Elf Male - "Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson
• Worgen Female - "Pokerface" by Lady Gaga
• Worgen Male - "My Love" by Justin Timberlake
• Blood Elf Female - "Toxic" by Brittney Spears
• Blood Elf Male - Napoleon Dynamite dance
• Goblin Female - "Single Ladies" by Beyonce Knowles
• Goblin Male - "Crank That" by Soulja Boy
• Orc Female - "Back That Azz Up" by Juvenile
• Orc Male - "U Can't Touch This" by MC Hammer
• Troll Female - "Whenever, Wherever" by Shakira
• Troll Male - Capoeira (Brazilian martial arts)
• Tauren Female - The Electric Slide
• Tauren Male - Noodle dance / Raise the Roof / Peanut Butter Jelly Time
• Undead Female - The "weeping willow" / Liquid dancing
• Undead Male - Heavy Metal Headbanging
• Pandaren Female - "Caramelldansen" by Caramell
• Pandaren Male - "Party Rock Anthem" by LMFAO
• Druid Bear Form - Bear Dance from Dr. Dolittle 2
• Druid Moonkin Form - Chippendale dancer parody by Chris Farley
• Druid Cat and Travel Form - "I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts" from The Lion King
• Druid Tree of Life Form - The Twist
• Shaman Ghost Wolf Form - Snoopy dance

Like the goblin shredders which depict Sarah Kerrigan from Starcraft Brood War, the Sky Golem mount depicts Kerrigan as seen in Starcraft 2.

A creature called "Nessy" can be found in The Deeprun Tram. This is a reference to The Loch Ness Monster.

Despite the males having a unique facial model, female Taunka share the same model as female Tauren.

In the lower area of Shattrath City, there are two NPCs which are references to He-Man and Skeletor from the "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe" cartoon. These are Adam Eternum (Alliance), who can be seen with his mount which bears a striking resemblance to He-Man's Battle Cat, and Keldor the Lost (Horde), who claims Adam Eternum has stolen his "grey skull", a further reference to the series' Castle Greyskull.

The two also made appearances in the WoW Trading Card Game.

The irradiated workers in Area 52 originally used the gnome model, but used the goblin voice. As of patch 2.3.0, they use the goblin body. It is speculated that they used the gnome model because goblins couldn't wear helmets at the time of implementation. Lead Sapper Blastfizzle still uses a gnome model, however.

Ben Brode, member of Team 5 and Senior Game Designer for Hearthstone, appears in players' Draenor garrison for both factions.
He sells two Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft themed Toys.

In Netherstorm, you can find a High Elf named Nova Terra near a tomb dedicated to her. This tomb and character act as a memorial to the canceled game "Starcraft: Ghost".

There is an unfinished instance that lays just north of Stratholme. It can be seen on the world map but is otherwise inaccessible without the use of glitches or exploits. It contains segments of Stratholme that are inaccessible through normal play including an untextured model of Naxxramus.

Through the use of glitches in 5.4.2, it was possible to fall out of the Naxxramas dungeon in Northrend, walk to a glitched instance of Stratholme, past the unused portal in Stratholme to find the unfinished model of Naxxramas.