Giant ‘Toy Story’ Character Balloon Returns to Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade After Years Away

To infinity and beyond! Buzz Lightyear is back at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade after more than a decade away — and he’s gotten an out-of-this-world new look.

The iconic Toy Story character returns to the skies of Manhattan for the first time since 2013 this year, ahead of the 2026 release of Toy Story 5. The new Buzz Lightyear balloon measures in at more than 45 feet tall, 58 feet long, and 39 feet wide, and was announced at Destination D23 earlier this year.

Buzz’s first balloon made his Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade debut in 2008, measuring in at almost 68 feet long and 40 feet wide, making him the widest balloon throughout all of his parade appearances.

Buzz’s clear helmet, which measured in at an impressive 17 feet in diameter, made waves at the time, as the balloon became only the second in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade history to use a clear material.

The beloved spaceman’s character would appear in six more parades, with his last appearance coming in 2013. It was a fraught year for the balloon and its handlers, as Buzz’s left arm was almost damaged by a flagpole on the Santaland Express float when the balloon attempted to pass by the broken-down float.

One of the Buzz balloon’s utility vehicles also ran over a handler’s foot. Despite all of the challenges of the 2013 route, the balloon did finish its parade appearance, after which it was retired. Following its retirement, the Buzz balloon appeared once more at the 2015 D23 Expo outside of the Anaheim Convention Center.

How to Watch Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

The 2025 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade special begins at 8:30 a.m. in all time zones on NBC and Peacock on Thursday, Nov. 27, Thanksgiving Day. At the same time, Telemundo will be offering coverage of the parade in Spanish with hosts Andrea Meza, Aleyda Ortiz and Clovis Nienow. An encore telecast of the parade will air at 2 p.m. ET/PT.