Earl the Squirrel Returns With Animatronics and a Macy’s Parade Balloon

Overview

• Universal reinstalled Earl the Squirrel in the New York‑section Christmas tree for the resort’s holiday season, which opened November 14, 2026.
• This year’s Earl has new animatronic movement in his head, arms, and tail, but guests on November 15 reported the figure leaning forward inside the tree with its hat pointing down and tail up.
• Universal confirmed in October that Earl will debut as a giant parade balloon in the 100th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on November 26, 2026, and that the balloon will return to appear in Universal’s Holiday Parade featuring Macy’s in early December.
• Earl’s role has expanded beyond the tree into themed merchandise, character meet‑and‑greets, and seasonal food items, which Universal is using to boost the parks’ holiday programming through January 3, 2027.
• What began as a nearly two‑decade‑old in‑tree squirrel anecdote now functions as a branded asset for national exposure, a likely driver of merchandising and attendance, and a new operational challenge for live display maintenance teams.