Some performers handled real props while recording their lines: Zooey Deschanel carried a sandbag to simulate Lani's squid, and James Woods really did throw things at the filmmakers when his character did the same.
At the start of the movie, Cody is asked if he has any other skills besides surfing. He asks "Like what? Singing and dancing?" This is a dig at the concurrently produced Happy Feet (2006).
All the actors got to record in the same room together, which is unusual for an animated movie. However, due to scheduling conflicts, Jeff Bridges and James Woods never got to record their voices together.
The voice-actors were encouraged to improvise their dialogue where appropriate.