Earl the Squirrel balloon will debut at Macy’s 100th Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City on November 26, 2026, before heading to Universal Studios Florida for Universal’s Holiday Parade with Macy’s in early December.

After the parade, Earl will headline Universal Orlando Resort’s Holiday celebration running from mid-November through early January, with Earl appearing in the park and new merchandise in the Holiday Tribute Store.

Meet-and-greets with Earl begin on November 14, 2026 at Universal Studios Florida, with additional weekend appearances at Universal CityWalk; a Hazelnut Dot Cake inspired by Earl will be offered at Universal Studios Florida.

The piece suggests broader implications for park branding, noting that small moments and genuine memories can boost guest engagement and merchandise appeal without over-relying on established franchises.

Universal’s holiday approach is presented as a contrast to Disney’s formula, emphasizing humor, quirky characters, and discovery to differentiate during the season.

The Earl balloon is assembled from heat-steamed pieces and is hand-painted.

Readers are invited to share excitement on social media, with links to related Universal and Disney Parks news.

Rob Cametti of Universal explains the design process for Earl, noting the hat inspired by Cousin Eddie from Christmas Vacation and influences from rubber hose cartoons like Betty Boop.

Cametti helped develop Earl into a cartoon balloon design, drawing on Cousin Eddie and rubber hose cartoon aesthetics.

Macy’s creative director Brendan Kennedy described the balloon’s creation process from sketch to 3D modeling and flight testing to ensure accurate flight and character fidelity.

Kennedy outlined the steps for creating the balloon, including sketching, 3D modeling, and flight testing to ensure proper flight and character resemblance.

Holiday add-ons are on sale, including the Universal Holiday Tour and a 3-Day Ticket option that grants access to multiple parks and Epic Universe, starting at $99 per day plus tax.