The playhouse Regina is building is based on her castle as the Evil Queen.
When David is on the toll bridge waiting for Mary Margaret, someone drew a pink R onto the TOLL BRIDGE sign making it TROLL BRIDGE.
The genies line, "In my time I have granted a thousand and one wishes and I have seen them end poorly a thousand and one times..." is a reference to One Thousand and One Nights.
This episode is one of seven episodes of the entire series to not feature a co-starring cast member. The other are Red-Handed (2012), The Stable Boy (2012), Into the Deep (2012), A Curious Thing (2014), Poor Unfortunate Soul (2015) and Her Handsome Hero (2016).
As Regina tells Emma and Sidney, the present events in Storybrooke take place three weeks after Desperate Souls (2012).