ORLANDO, Fla. – Universal Orlando dropped an early Christmas gift for its fans.
On Friday, the original and legendary holiday character, Earl the Squirrel, dashed into the theme park for his big debut.
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Beginning Dec. 11, Earl will be walking around the park to meet some of his biggest fans during the holiday season.
“Earl’s origin began more than a decade ago, when Universal Orlando’s Entertainment team discovered a squirrel nestled in the branches of its iconic Christmas tree,” Universal said in a news release. “Surprisingly, the squirrel had an affinity for blue Christmas lights, often stealing strands and bringing them back to his nest.”
The bright-eyed and bushy-tailed squirrel stands six feet tall and sports a festive “I Love Acorns” holiday sweater. Guests can further their Earl the Squirrel fandom by visiting the Universal Holiday Tribute Store.
The popular character has an assortment of merchandise within a dedicated room being called Earl the Squirrel’s Christmas Curios Museum & Emporium.
Universal Orlando’s Holiday Celebrations run through Jan. 2. Guests can experience Christmas in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, meet the maven of mischief himself, the Grinch, during Grinchmas, and experience the larger-than-life return of Universal’s Holiday Parade featuring Macy’s.
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