Disney is Celebrating 100 Years of The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and Unveils New Sorcerer Mickey Mouse
How Disney is Celebrating 100 Years of The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
The first Macy’s parade took place in 1924, but 2026 marks its 100th march. Three wartime cancellations explain the difference.
The parade did not take place in 1942, 1943 or 1944. Macy’s redirected materials, including rubber, to the war effort.
Character balloons joined the celebration during the parade’s early years. They later became its most recognisable feature.
When does the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade start?
Audiences nationwide can watch Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade only on the official telecast on NBC and Peacock, broadcast starting at 8:30 a.m. in all time zones. An encore telecast will air at 2 p.m. ET/PT. The final groups usually reach Macy’s Herald Square around noon.
However, the parade does not reach every viewing area at 8:30 a.m. Spectators on Central Park West see the procession first. Those on Sixth Avenue must wait for it to reach Midtown.
Recent parades have followed this three-and-a-half-hour schedule. The 2025 procession started at 8:30 a.m. and finished around noon.
We recommend choosing your viewing location before planning lunch or other Thanksgiving activities. Leaving the area can take longer than expected.
What is the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade route?
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade follows a 2.5-mile route through Manhattan. It begins on the Upper West Side and finishes at Macy’s Herald Square.
The traditional route is:
- The parade starts at West 77th Street and Central Park West.
- It travels south along Central Park West.
- It turns east at Columbus Circle.
- It continues along Central Park South.
- It turns south onto Sixth Avenue.
- It finishes at West 34th Street outside Macy’s Herald Square.
Macy’s has used this route consistently in recent years. The official route runs from West 77th Street to West 34th Street.
The starting point and Herald Square television area are not normal public viewing locations. Check the official Macy’s parad e website before choosing your exact block.
Street closures begin early and cover a large part of Manhattan. Review the official NYC traffic advisories during Thanksgiving week.
How early should you arrive for the Macy’s parade?
Arrive between 5:30 and 6:00 a.m. for a realistic chance of finding a good viewing position.
Front-row spaces can fill earlier, especially along Central Park West. The 100th parade may attract even stronger interest.
Once you choose a position, moving elsewhere becomes difficult. Barricades, street closures and dense crowds limit access between blocks.
The 2026 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade takes place on Thanksgiving morning. Here are the most important details.
How can you watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?
You can watch the parade from Manhattan, on NBC or through Peacock. Telemundo provides Spanish-language coverage.
NBCUniversal and Macy’s have a broadcasting agreement covering NBC, Peacock and Telemundo through 2034.
Television coverage usually begins at 8:30 a.m. The broadcast includes performances staged outside Macy’s Herald Square.
Street spectators do not see every television performance. Broadway casts and musical guests usually perform near the end of the route.
Watching from home provides the clearest view of those performances. Watching from the street gives you the scale, sound and festive atmosphere.
We love the energy of watching in Manhattan. However, television often shows details that are difficult to see from the crowd.
Check the official NBC parade page closer to Thanksgiving for the final schedule.
Your holiday hub for Macy’s Parade news, updates, and reveals as Disney prepares to participate in the 100th march.
For many Americans, The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has long marked the official start of the holiday season, giving those across the country their cue to start decking the halls, listening to holiday tunes, and shopping for the perfect presents. And this year in 2026, the storied spectacle that has been seen by generations is celebrating 100 years of bringing jolly cheer and jubilant entertainment to millions of viewers, both on screen and in the streets of Manhattan.
Since the first parade in 1924, then called The Macy’s Christmas Parade, Disney has joined in on the festivities with floats, character appearances, and of course, larger-than-life balloons that soar across the New York City skyline. Mickey Mouse and plenty of other characters have become a cherished component of this tradition, and I’m so excited to see what’s in store this November.
As we count down the days to this historic moment, we’ll be sharing exciting updates right here on Disney Parks Blog. Stay tuned for more details about our balloons and floats that will be part of the celebration, festive merchandise collections, glimpses into Disney’s Parade legacy, and plenty of other wonderful ways to get into the holiday spirit (as early as you want, we never judge).
August 13, 2026: Disney Unveils New Sorcerer Mickey Mouse Balloon Debuting in this Year’s Parade, plus a New Macy’s Merchandise Collection
Guests attending D23 Day at Disneyland Resort were surprised by a spellbinding sight when entering the Downtown Disney District today, with the spectacular reveal of Disney’s newest balloon joining the 100th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade lineup this year.
The Sorcerer’s Apprentice Mickey Balloon will make its debut in November’s Parade, marking the 100th march down the iconic NYC route, which begins on the picturesque Upper West Side. Disney’s history with the parade dates back to 1934, when Mickey Mouse first took flight in balloon form.
And just for today, the newest balloon was inflated for the first time right here in the Downtown Disney District at the Disneyland Resort, spreading festive cheer and kicking off the countdown to the holiday season.
Sorcerer’s Apprentice Mickey Takes to the Skies
Mickey Mouse has existed in so many unforgettable forms, and we spoke to Disney Consumer Products Sr. Manager, Brand Commercialization Joseph Titizian about why this Sorcerer’s Apprentice Mickey version seemed like the best way to commemorate 100 years of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, of which Disney has participated in 90.
“When we had to select a character to appear in the 100th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, there was only one choice: the most iconic character in the world, Mickey Mouse,” revealed Joseph. “And Mickey Mouse’s most iconic role is that of the Sorcerer’s Apprentice Mickey, so we wanted to bring his joy, optimism, imagination, and wonder to make this 100th parade even more magical.”
It feels especially fitting, as D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event presented by Visa is just one day away, and Sorcerer’s Apprentice Mickey seems to serve as the symbol of this beloved biennial affair.
Even for those who may not have seen Disney’s Fantasia, which is where the character first appears, Sorcerer’s Apprentice Mickey is no stranger to Disney Parks. He appears as the star of the epic nighttime spectacular, Fantasmic! and can be found greeting guests at Red Carpet Dreams in Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
I’ve watched the Parade on TV every year with my family for as long as I can remember, and even attended once in person during my time living in NYC, but getting the chance to see this magnificent balloon up close felt like crossing a once-in-a-lifetime item off my bucket list. Fans oohed and aahed over the towering, vibrant Mickey Mouse, which is beautifully detailed and actually hand-painted, so it truly feels like a piece of art. “The balloon process is a really unique and special one, and it’s very specific to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade,” shared Parade Executive Producer Will Coss. “There’s a lot of art, there’s a lot of science, and ultimately, it creates that magical moment on Parade morning, but there’s months and months of pre-work that gets us a successful balloon at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.”