News broke a few days ago that Universal Orlando’s beloved mascot Earl the Squirrel would be hitting a big milestone this year. He’s headed to the 100th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and if you plan to watch on NBC or with your Peacock subscription, you’ll be able to see him getting his own giant balloon. It’s a big anniversary for the Thanksgiving parade, but it’s also a solid one for Earl, who turns 5 this year. Let’s talk out what we know.
Alright, I’ll Bite: Who Is Earl The Squirrel?
Here at CinemaBlend, we’ve been big fans of Earl The Squirrel for a while. The story behind Earl goes that Earl the Squirrel was a real mammal who burrowed in Universal Studios’ giant Christmas tree in Orlando in the early aughts. One of the best parts of being at Universal Studios around the holidays is the lighting of the Christmas tree, and the original Earl liked to chew on the aforementioned lights.
Someone on the team jokingly put a stuffed squirrel in the Christmas tree in homage, and then in 2021, someone had the bright idea to bring Earl into the parks officially.
Now, he’s the mascot, and most definitely one of the cool Easter egg found throughout the parks. I visited during the holidays last year and saw him cutely burrowing in the big Christmas tree. I’ve also caught Earl in the Tribute store in the past, and a life-size version of Earl does meet-and-greets throughout the holiday season. Finding him on the tree is still a sort of yearly scavenger hunt.
The Earl Balloon Isn't Done After The Parade Either. Universal Will Step Up
However, I get the sneaking suspicion anyone watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade won’t have any trouble spotting Earl. That’s because he’s going to be 30.4 feet tall and 14.5 feet wide. Literally, you won’t be able to miss him.
I haven’t been to the real-life Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York, but Universal Orlando already offers the next best thing: The Holiday Parade Featuring Macys. The theme park actually has had ties to the Macy’s Parade for years, and even if you aren’t normally a parade person, bringing the giant balloons into the theme park is real feat, and impressive to see. A visit around the holiday season is worth it for the parade alone.
The holiday season kicks off this weekend at Universal Orlando, starting on Saturday, November 14th, and Earle will join The Holiday Parade lineup in early December. For now, you can catch The Grinch in action, or check out the Red Coconut Club's alpine makeover. This year, Universal is also once again upping its food game, and you can try out one of the many new cabin-style holiday food kiosks featuring items like Christmas Tree waffles, red-nose reindeer donuts, oh and Earl gets a shoutout there too with Earl The Squirrel’s hazelnut dot cake.
I’m not even getting into the hot chocolate options, which are usually my personal favorite snack this time of year. (Well, as long as it’s not 90 degrees out.)
All in all, there’s a lot to look forward to if you’re planning a trip to the parks, and there are special tickets being offered this holiday season. You can find out more on the Universal Orlando site.
