Polar Express Float in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (2024)

Polar Express Float in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (1)
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NYC FanOGR Forum Member DIGITAL SUBSCRIBER

With the approaching Holiday Season I was thinking back to The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2005 and 2006. The great Polar Express float appeared in the parade those two years only. Both years featured the song "Believe," sung by Brian McKnight in 2005 and Natalie Grant in 2006. Here is a photo of the float designed by artist Joel Naprstek.

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Sparty1225OGR Forum Member DIGITAL SUBSCRIBER

Wow, that float looks awesome.

11/11/2010:02 PM

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coach joeOGR Forum Member DIGITAL SUBSCRIBER

It's getting to be that time of year for Skip's Holiday train trail in Manhattan.

11/12/208:15 AM

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B BMT-ExpressOGR Forum Member

@coach joe posted:

It's getting to be that time of year for Skip's Holiday train trail in Manhattan.

Not going to be this year. No Santaland in Macy's. No Grand Central Transit Museum display, and no Jerni Collection at the NY Historical Society.

11/12/208:42 AM

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SL Silver LakeOGR Forum Member

Not going to be this year. No Santaland in Macy's. No Grand Central Transit Museum display, and no Jerni Collection at the NY Historical Society.

The information you have on the Jerni collection at the New York Historical Society is wrong. I was there on Friday and it is already installed. I can take pictures next week if you would like.

This display is my favorite of the year. I saw this full collection at Sotheby’s a few years ago with the Forbes collection of toy soldiers. The best collection I have ever seen. I don’t think all of it went to the NYHS.

11/12/208:56 AM

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johnstrainsOGR Forum Member SUPPORTING MEMBERDIGITAL SUBSCRIBER

@BMT-Express posted:

Not going to be this year. No Santaland in Macy's. No Grand Central Transit Museum display, and no Jerni Collection at the NY Historical Society.

And no "live" parade this year. I heard yesterday there will be a virtual parade.

11/12/209:10 AM

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B BMT-ExpressOGR Forum Member

@Silver Lake posted:

The information you have on the Jerni collection at the New York Historical Society is wrong. I was there on Friday and it is already installed. I can take pictures next week if you would like.

I stand corrected.

Any running trains? Or static display only? They let Mike Thornton the curator go. No one else knows how to make a train go.

11/12/209:11 AM

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SL Silver LakeOGR Forum Member

@BMT-Express posted:

I stand corrected.

Any running trains? Or static display only? They let Mike Thornton the curator go. No one else knows how to make a train go.

I saw nothing running but the exhibit was not officially open. Only replica trains run at any rate.

I find the fact that across the park at the Museum of the City of New York the collection of toy trains that was seen in the Charles and Ray Eames film “Toccata for Toy Trains” all seems to have gone missing.

11/12/209:55 AM

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prrhorseshoecurveOGR Forum Member

@Silver Lake posted:

The information you have on the Jerni collection at the New York Historical Society is wrong. I was there on Friday and it is already installed. I can take pictures next week if you would like.

This display is my favorite of the year. I saw this full collection at Sotheby’s a few years ago with the Forbes collection of toy soldiers. The best collection I have ever seen. I don’t think all of it went to the NYHS.

YES! PLEASE DO!Polar Express Float in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (23)

11/12/2010:11 AM

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NYC is a different place than it was a year ago. There is not going to be trains in GCT, no Santaland at Macy's. I have heard that the Christmas Market at Bryant Park is going to be scaled down dramatically, although I can't confirm that. The beautiful hotel decorations will not be available to the public, only guests. This city has been beat down.

11/12/2010:19 AM

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Sparty1225OGR Forum Member DIGITAL SUBSCRIBER

It would be cool if they ran a “best of” rerun of the Macy’s parades. Cut together footage of all the coolest floats like this one, bands and so on and air it.

11/12/2010:34 AM

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UKE KATOGR Forum Member DIGITAL SUBSCRIBER


This is the Canadian Pacific float that was in the 2018 Chicago Thanksgiving Day Parade...I was in the VIP seating area located in front of Macy’s and the blast from that air horn in the video was pretty amazing & LOUD!!! 🚂

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11/12/2012:52 PM

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DW Doug W.OGR Forum Member

@johnstrains posted:

And no "live" parade this year. I heard yesterday there will be a virtual parade.

A virtual parade ? Polar Express Float in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (31)

11/12/201:44 PM

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NeophyteMRROGR Forum Member

@Silver Lake posted:

The information you have on the Jerni collection at the New York Historical Society is wrong. I was there on Friday and it is already installed. I can take pictures next week if you would like.

This display is my favorite of the year. I saw this full collection at Sotheby’s a few years ago with the Forbes collection of toy soldiers. The best collection I have ever seen. I don’t think all of it went to the NYHS.

Please do and thank you!

11/12/202:04 PM

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NeophyteMRROGR Forum Member

My ten year old loves this movie! He just watched it this past weekend. It will be one of many airings in our household. Unfortunately, the Henry Ford IMAX may not show this movie this year but we had gone the last four years. Thanks for sharing!

11/12/202:13 PM

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NeophyteMRROGR Forum Member

@UKE KAT posted:


This is the Canadian Pacific float that was in the 2018 Chicago Thanksgiving Day Parade...I was in the VIP seating area located in front of Macy’s and the blast from that air horn in the video was pretty amazing & LOUD!!! 🚂

My son and I really enjoyed your pictures and video. I guess we’re railfans too. There are four side-by-side rail lines in Wyandotte that we go to regularly to catch the freight trains coming through. We see quite a few CN engines but they’re the black and reds.

11/12/202:17 PM

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NYC FanOGR Forum Member DIGITAL SUBSCRIBER

I'm afraid all the rumors are correct. There is no Macy's Santa Land this year at all, so that means no access to the train layout. There will be no train layout at the MTA Museum Store in Grand Central Terminal. The Christmas Spectacular at Radio City has been cancelled. There will be no live tree lighting in Rockefeller Center, just a TV event, and access to see the tree in the plaza is going to be extremely restrictive. Many of the things we know and love to visit may be available virtually, like the Thanksgiving Day Parade and visiting Santa at Macy's. The great windows at Macy's will be fully decorated, in fact, they are working on them now. Times Square will be empty on New Years Eve and the ball drop will be done as a TV event. That's about all I know. Sorry to those of you who, like me, but are disappointed. It's been that kind of year.

11/12/2010:08 PM

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Dave NYC Hudson PRR K4OGR Forum Member SUPPORTING MEMBERDIGITAL SUBSCRIBER

Unfortunately Skip, that is the way it is. I always like seeing how things ramp up for the holiday season and seeing how NYC does their train displays about the city during this time. My mother would always watch the Thanksgiving Day Parade without fail when she was with us. I guess will have to make do or simulate our own if we're able.

11/13/205:57 AM

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T towdogOGR Forum Member

I would've loved to have seen that float in person. I'll never get tired of the Polar Express aesthetics and seeing such a large depiction of it must've been something else. There is something about the mere sight of anything Polar Express that makes my heart skip a beat.

Skip, looking forward to seeing pictures of your PE layout posted again here next month. TW did such a great job on it.

11/13/204:51 PM

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Polar Express Float in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (2024)

FAQs

Do the balloon holders get paid? ›

This year, over 20 giant balloons, with dozens of balloon handlers carrying each one, were seen by millions through the streets of New York City and televisions across the country. But for a position that pays nothing and is free to participate, it's shockingly hard to join in on the fun.

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31 Floats
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The average construction cost is $30,000 to $100,000 per float. Roughly 50 million people watch the parade from home, and an approximate 3.5 million watch in person in New York City. There is a full-time staff of over 26 employees, with a total of $1.3 million in salary.

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Do people get paid for being in the Macy's Thanksgiving parade? ›

It takes 10,000 people to put on an event of the magnitude of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, most of which are volunteers. However, 26 full-time staffers and 14 temporary workers are paid a combined total of $1.3 million to make it all happen.

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How much do you have to weigh to be a balloon handler? ›

There are strict physical requirements to be a balloon handler the day of the parade: anyone interested must be over 18, at least 120 pounds, have strong knees and a good back, and no history of heart problems.

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How to become a balloon holder in the Macy's Day parade? ›

In order to be a balloon handler or other volunteer, one must be a Macy's employee, colleague, family, friend or other affiliate. Speaking of balloon handlers, each balloon requires 80-100 of them to guide the massive balloons safely through the streets of NYC.

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What is the oldest float in Macy's parade? ›

In 1927, Felix the Cat (seen here in 1932) kicked off a new era by becoming the first balloon in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. The original Felix balloon was filled with air rather than helium, and was held up by stilts.

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What do they do with the balloons after the Macy's parade? ›

After the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, the large character balloons and inflatables used in the parade are typically deflated and folded up. They are then transported to a designated storage area.

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How long does it take to inflate a Macy's Day Parade float? ›

8. It Takes a Long Time to Inflate Those Mega Balloons. Each large balloon needs about 90 minutes to be inflated. But it only takes 15 minutes to deflate (thanks to strategic deflation vents and the ol' lay-on-it-and-roll method that balloon handlers employ at the end of each parade).

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Where are the Macy's parade floats stored? ›

Although the parade route begins on Manhattan's Upper West Side, on Central Park West at 77th Street, the floats first need to get from the warehouse where they're built and stored, in Moonachie, New Jersey, to the starting point in the city.

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Who cleans up after the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade? ›

The Department of Sanitation (DSNY) keeps New York City healthy, safe and clean by collecting, recycling and disposing of waste, cleaning streets and vacant lots, and clearing snow and ice.

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Who gets to sit in front of Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade? ›

To see all the action, street-side is best! But truthfully – it's not that easy to get those spots and you must plan ahead. The parade route bleachers you see on TV are reserved for Macy's employees, VIPs, and guests. Watching the parade from the public areas along the route takes a bit of dedication.

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Do balloon pilots get paid? ›

While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $201,000 and as low as $49,500, the majority of Balloon Pilot salaries currently range between $100,000 (25th percentile) to $155,000 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $175,000 annually across the United States.

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How much does a Balloon Artist make? As of Jun 2, 2024, the average hourly pay for a Balloon Artist in the United States is $31.93 an hour.

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What happens to the balloons after the Macy's parade? ›

These days, the balloons are simply deflated, crated and stored in New Jersey once the parade ends.

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The key to any successful balloon business, including one that delivers you a full-time income is that you need to price for profit and growth in your business. You also need to be constantly watching the cash flowing in and out of your business and making sure you are generating the profit you need.

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