On this day in 1934, a Mickey Mouse balloon flew in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade for the first time, six years after his debut in ‘Steamboat Willie.’ The balloon was 40 feet tall, 26 feet wide, and required 25 handlers to operate. In a stroke of misfortune, the original balloon was destroyed in a fire shortly before parade day! A replacement was constructed in about a week. Since 1934, there have been four versions of Mickey Mouse to fly in the parade. [90 years ago in 2024]