Disney unveils a new Sorcerer’s Apprentice Mickey balloon for the 100th Macy’s Parade
Disney revealed its newest Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade balloon at D23 Day: a Sorcerer’s Apprentice Mickey, hand-painted and debuting in November’s 100th parade. It’s Disney’s 90th time in the march, a tradition that started when Mickey first flew in 1934.
At D23 Day at the Disneyland Resort, Disney surprised guests in the Downtown Disney District with the reveal of a new Sorcerer’s Apprentice Mickey balloon, which will make its debut in this November’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. To mark the occasion, Disney actually inflated the balloon right there in Downtown Disney, floating a towering Mickey over Anaheim as a countdown to the holidays.
This year’s parade is a big one: it’s the 100th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Why this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade is special
The centennial belongs to Macy’s, but Disney’s history with it runs deep, if not quite all the way back.
The first parade was in 1924, when it was called the Macy’s Christmas Parade. Disney joined the tradition a decade later, in 1934, when Mickey Mouse first took flight as a balloon. So while 2026 marks the parade’s 100th year, this will be Disney’s 90th time participating.
Why Disney chose Sorcerer’s Apprentice Mickey
Of all the versions of Mickey Disney could have floated over Manhattan, it picked the one in the wizard robe, and there’s reasoning behind it.
“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,” said Disney Consumer Products manager Joseph Titizian. He explained that Sorcerer’s Apprentice Mickey is the character’s “most iconic role,” which is why Disney went with it to make the milestone parade feel extra special.
The timing fits, too. Sorcerer’s Apprentice Mickey, the version from 1940’s Fantasia, has effectively become the mascot of D23 itself, so debuting the balloon at D23 Day lines up neatly. For fans who’ve never seen Fantasia, they still know the character from Fantasmic! at the parks and from meet-and-greets at Hollywood Studios.
The balloon is hand-painted
Here’s the detail that makes this more than an inflatable. The balloon is actually a piece of art.
The Sorcerer’s Apprentice Mickey balloon is hand-painted, with the kind of detail that reads as craftsmanship up close rather than a mass-produced float. And getting one of these ready takes months.
“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 prework that gets us a successful balloon,” said Parade Executive Producer Will Coss. These giant balloons don’t just get inflated the night before, they’re the product of a long, specialized process specific to the Macy’s parade.
A new Disney and Macy’s merch collection dropped alongside it
The balloon reveal came with a shopping tie-in, because of course it did.
Disney and Macy’s launched this year’s collaboration collection with over 100 pieces, themed around Mickey and other characters across the different eras of the parade’s history. It runs the usual range: pajamas, outerwear, matching sets, ear headbands, and Loungefly backpacks.
Select items are on macys.com now, with the full collection hitting select Macy’s stores nationwide later this fall. Disney didn’t list full pricing, which is standard for a launch like this.
What’s still to come
Today’s reveal is billed as the first of many, since Disney set up its Parks Blog as a running hub for parade updates between now and Thanksgiving.
Disney says to expect more balloon and float news, additional merchandise drops, and looks back at its parade history in the countdown to the big day. So the Sorcerer’s Mickey balloon is the opening act, not the whole show.
The 100th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade marches on Thursday, November 26. And when Sorcerer’s Apprentice Mickey rounds the corner onto the route for the first time, he’ll be doing the thing Mickey’s been doing over those New York streets, in one balloon form or another, for more than 90 years. New hat, old tradition.
Article compiled with the help of the Pirates & Princesses newsroom.
Pirates and Princesses is your destination for Disney news, theme park updates, and the pop culture you love. From Disney cruises and travel tips to Disney fashion, food, collectibles, and movie news, PNP covers it all. Visit us at piratesandprincesses.net for daily coverage. Follow PNP on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to the Pirates & Princesses podcast on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.
Hat Tips:
Disney Parks Blog (August 13, 2026), Maura Consedine’s reveal of the Sorcerer’s Apprentice Mickey balloon, the D23 Day inflation, the Titizian and Coss quotes, the 1934 and 90-parades history, and the Disney and Macy’s merchandise collection