It’s a bird, it’s a plane, no … it’s Sailor Mickey floating high above the crowds on Broadway. In this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City on Thursday, November 26, the guest of balloon honor will be Sailor Mickey.
This year marks the 83rd annual Macy’s Parade, and the Sailor Mickey balloon will be featured in it through 2011. Though Mickey Mouse has appeared in the parade before, this is the first time Disney Cruise Line will be represented. Collectors can buy a special-edition plush toy of Sailor Mickey at Macy’s department stores.
Fun Facts
- Mickey Mouse was last seen in the Macy’s Parade in 2000 as Bandleader Mickey.
- The Sailor Mickey balloon is approximately 61 feet high, 33 feet wide and 48 feet long. That’s more than six stories tall.
- It takes about 14,000 cubic feet of helium to fill the Sailor Mickey balloon.
- It will take about two hours to fully inflate and secure him under a Macy’s balloon net.
- The Sailor Mickey balloon has 52 handling lines and will be guided by a team of 70 volunteers.
- The parade route is approximately two-and-a-half miles long.
