Broadcast Lineup and Park Events Revealed for "Disney Celebrates America"

As we get closer to the 250th anniversary of the United States of America, we're getting more details about the lineup of events Disney is doing to celebrate, not just at the park, but across its various television and streaming platforms.

What's Happening:

• We've been learning about different aspects of “Disney Celebrates America," a company-wide initiative honoring the 250th anniversary of the United States
• Today, Disney announced a lineup of broadcast moments, parks activities, and community engagements for the celebration, including all-new details for the 24-hour multi-platform broadcast and primetime special.
• On June 29, ABC will air a 2-hour primetime special entitled Disney Celebrates America: The Pursuit of Happiness hosted by 20/20 co-anchor Deborah Roberts from Walt Disney World Resort and national correspondent Will Reeve from Disneyland Resort. ​In this coast-to-coast event, Disney Parks and attractions are the portal through which America's greatest stories, triumphs, and traditions are celebrated. The special will air from 8-10 p.m. PT/ET.
• Beginning the evening of July 3 and continuing through July 4, ABC Entertainment, ABC News, ESPN, and National Geographic will present a 24-hour, cross-platform broadcast spanning ABC, Disney+, Hulu, National Geographic, FX, Freeform, ABC News Live, ESPN, and ABC Owned Television Stations and affiliates. Led by World News Tonight anchor David Muir and featuring anchor Diane Sawyer, Good Morning America co-anchors Robin Roberts, George Stephanopoulos, and Michael Strahan, Nightline co-anchors Juju Chang and Byron Pitts, 20/20 co-anchor Deborah Roberts, Prime anchor and World News Tonight Sunday anchor Linsey Davis, The View co-hosts Whoopi Goldberg, Sunny Hostin, and Sara Haines along with more of the ABC News team and talent, the programming event takes viewers across all 50 states to explore the people, places, and defining moments of the nation’s 250-year history. Featuring live celebrations, storytelling, performances, and reporting from locations across the country, the broadcast delivers a daylong tribute to America’s past, present, and future.
• Alongside a special edition of Good Morning America, World News Tonight with David Muir, and Nightline, curated segments include: 
  • Disney Celebrates America: Nashville’s Star-Spangled Bash - a one-of-a-kind live celebration with must-see performances by iconic artists and musical acts spanning multiple genres. In collaboration with the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp and ITV America Nashville, hundreds of thousands are expected to gather in-person in the heart of downtown Nashville for this milestone event, which will also feature one of the largest fireworks and drone shows in the United States set to a live score by the GRAMMY Award winning Nashville Symphony.
  • Countdown to America’s 250th reporting - featuring rare access inside the Statue of Liberty with a once-in-a-lifetime tribute, produced in close partnership with the Consulate General of France in New York
  • GMA’s “50 States in 50 Weeks: America The Beautiful,” a culmination of the showcase series of the beauty of America’s land and people
  • Dawn of America tracing American history from colonial times through the Declaration of Independence
  • A look at the brave U.S. military service members, veterans, and their families who have helped defend their country for two and half centuries 
  • America Expands Westward highlighting America’s growth through a cross-country adventure including broadcasts from Disney Cruise Line's Disney Wonder with celebrations from Ketchikan, Alaska 
  • Innovation and Invention - presenting a special look at the birth of Hollywood cinema, the history of American fashion, the space race, and more
  • Wonders of America -  a special collaboration between ABC News anchors and National Geographic Explorers
• The Wonders of America broadcast segment will feature the newly announced “Seven Natural Wonders of America,” a list created in collaboration between National Geographic and ABC News, highlighting the extraordinary and awe-inspiring locations across the country. The first wonder revealed today on Good Morning America was the Hawaii volcanoes, with six more sites to be revealed on the Fourth of July during the broadcast with on the ground reporting from ABC News talent.
• National Geographic will further explore the nation’s stories through an expansive summer storytelling package across print, digital, and social platforms launching June 16.
• ESPN’s flagship news and information program, SportsCenter, will present a special two-hour edition live on ABC on July 4 from 2-4 p.m. PT/5-7 p.m. ET, celebrating the people, moments, and stories that have shaped American sports culture. Co-hosted by Kevin Negandhi and Christine Williamson, the program will feature live reports from SportsCenter anchors across the country alongside original storytelling, historical retrospectives, and segments from ESPN’s top personalities.
• ESPN.com will feature “AMERICA 250 Road Trips: A journey though the mystery and majesty of sports,” a five-day series of stories to mark America's 250th anniversary on July 4.
• Soarin’ Across America, now open at EPCOT at Walt Disney World and debuting July 2 at Disney California Adventure, has been reimagined to takes guests on a journey across the United States, spotlighting the nation’s natural beauty and iconic cityscapes in a unique way, including more than a dozen locations such as the New England coastline, Mount Rushmore, Washington, D.C., New York City, Grand Canyon West, and more.
• National Geographic adds to the attraction experience with photography and trivia integrated into the queue for Soarin’ Across America at EPCOT. At Walt Disney World, as fans wait to board the attraction, their knowledge is put to the test with an all-new trivia challenge entitled The Soarin’ Challenge Across America.
• The celebration will continue across Walt Disney World with patriotic lighting on Spaceship Earth, special performances from Voices of Liberty, the beloved Electrical Water Pageant, as well as themed décor along Main Street, U.S.A., character experiences, and limited-time merchandise, food, and beverage offerings throughout the resort. Additional activities include flag retreat ceremonies, performances by the Dapper Dans and Main Street Philharmonic, an extended run of the Portraits of Courage exhibit honoring post-9/11 veterans through Fourth of July weekend, and more. Fans can head to Disney Springs for festive décor, plus special performances from the United States Air Force Band of the West.
• During Los Angeles Fleet Week at Disneyland Resort on May 21, 2026, more than 100 Sailors, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen participated in the event, which included special performances from Navy Band Southwest, a U.S. Navy flyover during a special flag retreat ceremony, and more. Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse also debuted their all-new patriotic attire. With vibrant colors and iconic details, the new ensembles are a perfect nod to America’s story.
• At Disneyland Resort, guests will find special flag retreat ceremonies honoring veterans, themed décor along Main Street, U.S.A. in Disneyland Park and Buena Vista Street in Disney California Adventure, limited-time entertainment, and specialty food and beverage offerings. Additional opportunities to celebrate over Fourth of July weekend include a pre-show fireworks tribute ahead of World of Color, the return of the Celebrate America! fireworks spectacular, patriotic themed attire for the Dapper Dans, military band performances, and a celebratory cavalcade honoring America.
• Themed activities will also be featured onboard Disney Cruise Line, and a Sam Eagle merchandise collection featuring the beloved patriotic character from The Muppets will be available in select Disney Stores and on DisneyStore.com.
• Throughout the celebration, Disney is continuing its longstanding commitment to honoring U.S. service members, veterans, and their families, a legacy that has been part of the company’s story since its earliest days. As part of “Disney Celebrates America,” Disney is expanding its relationship with Blue Star Families through a previously announced $2.5 million commitment to help strengthen military families and communities across the country, creating unique moments of connection and celebration powered by Disney. Throughout May, during National Military Appreciation Month, Disney and Blue Star Families worked together to create meaningful moments for military families across the country. This collaboration with Blue Star Families demonstrates Disney’s ongoing commitment to honoring and uplifting those who serve in uniform and their loved ones.

What They're Saying:

• Ken Potrock, President of Major Events Integration, The Walt Disney Company: “As our nation marks its 250th anniversary, ‘Disney Celebrates America’ is our way of honoring this historic milestone by celebrating the people, places, and shared moments that define who we are. Through immersive and creative park experiences and unprecedented broadcast moments, Disney invites everyone to come together and celebrate America in a truly meaningful way by reflecting on where we’ve been and imagining the extraordinary future we can create together.”

Quick Thoughts on the Event:

• We've already known about a lot of the fun coming to the parks to celebrate the anniversary of America, including the opening of Soarin' Across America.
• We're also curious to see how different and much more grand the typically-daily celebrations are at the parks during the event - namely the Flag Retreat ceremonies at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World.
• This author has a particular penchant for all things World of Color, so he's excited to see what's going on with the Fourth of July preshow during the nighttime spectacular at Disney's Animal Kingdom.
• For those who won't be able to enjoy the parks for the celebration though, Disney has stacked the lineup - as listed above - throughout its various networks with a ton of programming to look forward to.