Universal Orlando Resort has revealed that their new Christmas icon, and no we don’t mean Santa, will soon be available for meet and greets!
What’s Happening:
- If Jack the Clown is synonymous with Halloween Horror Nights at the Universal Orlando Resort, then Earl the Squirrel is definitely trying to move in on that territory but for their Holiday celebrations.
- Starting December 11th, the new fan-favorite Christmas icon, Earl the Squirrel, will begin greeting guests at Universal Studios Florida, likely near the Christmas tree in the park’s New York section that is part of his origin story.
- Don’t know who Earl the Squirrel is? Well, the official story goes like this: More than a decade ago, Universal Orlando’s entertainment team discovered a squirrel nestled in the branches of the park’s Christmas tree. What they soon noticed was that the squirrel had an affinity for blue Christmas lights, often stealing strands and bringing them back to his nest within the tree. In recent years, Universal has paid homage to this squirrel by placing a lifelike squirrel into the tree that pops out periodically for the guests who are eager to find him.
Can you find Earl?
- The character has garnered almost a cult following, selling merchandise in droves, and even Universal Orlando announced the meet and greets on their social media accounts and the Universal Orlando Annual Passholders Facebook page, saying they’ve listened and answered their cries for the walkaround character.
- For the past few years, the lore of Earl the Squirrel has captured the hearts of fans, and more and more merchandise has debuted featuring the character.
- The Tribute Store, located near the tree of Earl’s lore, has featured rooms dedicated to the character. Last year’s featured “Earl’s Tree Farm” and this year features Earl the Squirrel’s Christmas Curios Museum and Emporium as a highly-themed room in the merchandise location.
- Fans have been picking up shirts, art, and even blankets with the imagery below, showcasing Earl in a Christmas-y truck surrounded by references to iconic Universal Orlando attractions and experiences, almost to say he too is now part of the Universal family.
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