The holidays have a way of bringing out Disney’s most unexpected ideas, and I’ve compiled another strange photo batch that’s almost as fun as opening your Christmas Day presents. From an oversized Kermit the Frog sitting atop Hollywood buildings to water towers dressed up for the season, these moments sit at the intersection of festive and bizarre. It’s a reminder that holiday magic at Disney doesn’t always come wrapped in tinsel and perfection… sometimes it shows up slightly offbeat and impossible to forget. Ahead, we’re diving into a collection of seasonal oddities that prove the holidays at Disney have always had room for the weird and the wonderful.
Big Balloons
Did you know Macy’s Thanksgiving Day balloons used to float over Disney-MGM Studios’ Streets of America during the holiday season? It’s true! These rare glimpses from 1992 show an oversized Goofy, Betty Boop and Kermit the Frog just… hanging around. (This is my annual reminder that losing Streets of America wasn’t worth Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge — do you agree?)
Source: Unknown
Seasons Greetings from the Briar Patch
Another look back to 1992: where a log filled with Mickey & the gang in their holiday best celebrate the newly-opened Splash Mountain. It’s not every day you see several costumed characters aboard a “you may get wet” attraction.
Source: @JLHomni on X
Pump It Up, Toy Soldier?
In a promotional video released a few years ago, a classic Toy Soldier is shown going the extra mile to earn his place among the trumpet players in Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade. The video even includes a playful training montage, with the soldier sprinting toward Cinderella Castle in a clear nod to Rocky.
Source: Disney
Ghosts of Christmas Past
The Earffel Tower once stood tall above the Disney-MGM Studios skyline, becoming one of the park’s most recognizable icons (and still exists in a few small places today!). Disney often dressed up the ear-topped water tower during special occasions, including a ghost for Halloweentime, and a Santa hat to celebrate the holly jolly Hollywood.
Sources: Unknown
That’s all for now! We didn’t travel too far back in time today; do you remember seeing any of these at the parks yourself?
