If you’ve visited Universal Orlando Resort recently, chances are you’ve seen Earl the Squirrel – whether on decorations, merchandise, or just out and about roaming the parks as he makes his grand tour of Universal Studios Florida to celebrate the debut of his new book! (Yes, you read that right; this squirrel is a bestselling author.)
But where did this nutty character actually come from? It can be easy to get swept up in the holiday spirit without knowing much about the story behind the squirrel who’s made Universal Studios Florida his new winter home! While Universal has an impressive cast of characters, like Shrek, Popeye, and Scooby-Doo, Earl The Squirrel is a unique case.
Despite being a relatively new icon – making his official park debut in 2015 as a hidden Easter egg – Earl actually got his start in the early 2000s, during the Universal Studios Christmas Event of 2008, when the 80-foot tall Christmas tree in the New York section of the park started to malfunction. After sending a tech up into the tree to find out what was wrong with an unlit section of lights, executives and techs were delighted to find a squirrel living in the fake tree, who had chewed through a section of lights to pad its nest.
From that moment, Earl the Squirrel was born – officially adopted as the mascot of the holiday season, Universal Creative decided to immortalize the charming little critter with a teeny tiny squirrel animatronic that would pop in and out of the tree every so often (only difference was, THIS one wouldn’t chew their lights!) to delight team members and guests alike.
Over the years, the little animatronic had been adorned with silly little in-jokes – like putting a strand of lights in its mouth, or a silly little hat on its head – and slowly, the image of Earl that we have today was born!
Mark Dixon, who now mages Universal Creative’s Global Communications Team, was the one to pitch the idea of using Earl as an officially marketed holiday mascot.
“I told them all about my grand ideas for Earl [as a] holiday character. They were taken by the idea and let me guest-write an article, which became a poem called ‘The Holiday Tail of Earl the Squirrel.’” This poem would then go on to be shared by Universal’s media department, cluing guests in on who Earl the Squirrel really was – and where to find him!
But Earl didn’t become the beloved mascot we know him as until 2020, when the final touches were being put on the very first Holiday Tribute Store. Certain design elements fell through at the last minute, and the creative team found themselves with an entire room in need of a theme.
“We decided to create this kitschy, maybe a little bit tacky, Christmas room, but we still didn’t have a theme for it,” Rob Cametti, Senior Director for visual merchandising says. That’s when the idea of “a very special squirrel out in the tree” struck as the perfect solution. “We came up with the tree farm idea […} and kind of just made a whole theme around the squirrel and gave him a little personality,” says Rob.
From that moment, Earl the Squirrel was a huge hit. Already beloved by team members and the Annual Passholders who were in on the joke, Earl stole the hearts of guests from all across the world during the holiday season. He was an immediate holiday favorite, and became a beloved tradition at Universal Studios Florida – now effectively the “face” of Universal’s holiday event (sorry, Santa!), Earl hosts the holidays at Universal Studios Florida every year!
For the full story as told by creatives at Universal, check out this video from Universal’s official YouTube:
And last but not least: whether you’re celebrating with family or friends, with Santa or with Squirrels this year, and no matter where you are: Theme Park Shark wishes you a Merry Christmas, a Happy Holiday, and a joyous and peaceful end to your year. Now is the time to reflect on what truly matters in our lives, and to not only be grateful for the good that has happened in 2024, but to look forward to what 2025 will bring for us!
Eat good food (just… maybe not the lights!), spend time with family and loved ones, and bask in all the glory of the holidays no matter how you celebrate! Thanks so much for reading, and have a happy holiday!
