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Local Schoolkids Get First Look At New Floats For Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

MOONACHIE, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Macy's is planning to put on quite a show next Thursday for its 90th Thanksgiving Day Parade.

A handcrafted wooden Christmas cottage with a fully-working carousel and a Hawaiian island with volcano that shoots confetti are among the four new floats that will make their way down the famed parade route this year.

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Guide: Where To Watch

As for the balloons, lead designer John Piper said they're going retro with a recreation of the 1927 Felix the Cat.

"We've re-created him in the same scale, size and manner that he was carried in the first parade with balloons on poles," Piper said.

After a year's worth of work, Macy's opened the doors of its parade studio in Moonachie to some tough critics -- school kids from northern New Jersey.

"I think it's awesome and they did work very hard, so thumbs up," one student said.

"It's really fun in here, I love floats, there's balloons, it's almost like a circus," another said.

More than 3.5 million spectators are expected to line the parade route next Thursday.

1010 WINS is the official radio station of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Be sure to tune in for live coverage on Nov. 24, or listen live here.

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