It's that time of year; Macy's testing their Thanksgiving balloons

FLUSHING (WABC) -- Some of the new stars of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade got to practice in Queens before their big debut on 6th Avenue.

Hundreds of operators took the new balloons out for a test flight in Citi Field.

There is a new record for the number of balloons making their debut this year: six.

The six new arrivals include Pikachu, the Pillsbury doughboy, the red Power Ranger, Skylander's Eruptor, Thomas the Tank engine and Paddington bear.

A special guest, who had also seen where the balloons were built, reviewed the new additions.

"I'm never going to look at the parade the same again. After what I saw, at the factory where they actually designed them and made them, it was amazing. How they did that, I mean, it's just amazing," said Austin Freeman, balloon enthusiast.