In anticipation of America's 250th anniversary, Disney is offering a variety of ways to celebrate, whether at home or at one of its theme parks. The company-wide initiative, dubbed "Disney Celebrates America," will tell stories of American resilience and Disney's legacy in our country. So what can Disney fans expect from this Independence Day celebration? Read on to find out.
Watch Disney 24-Hour Streaming.
Source: Disney
Beginning on the evening of July 3rd and running through July 4th, Disney will broadcast the special 24/7 across all its networks, including ABC, ESPN, FX, National Geographic, Freeform, and streaming services like Disney+ and Hulu. This incredible television project will be hosted by David Muir, anchor of "World News Tonight," along with other renowned television personalities from the Walt Disney Company, including Robin Roberts, Whoopi Goldberg, Michael Strahan, and others.
During the 24-hour live broadcast, viewers will hear stories and meet people from all 50 states, as well as learn about significant moments in our country's history. Live performances and on-the-ground reports from across America will also be featured, showcasing the country's rich past, present, and future.
Source: Disney
The show's program includes segments such as: «"Disney Celebrates America: Nashville's Star-Spangled Bash"» — a concert featuring artists of all generations, a drone show, and fireworks. The Statue of Liberty, created in collaboration with the Consulate General of France in New York, will also be on display. And, of course, there will be a tribute to our brave men and women in uniform, veterans, and military families.
One of the segments of the broadcast that we are looking forward to is «Wonders of America» , a collaboration between ABC News anchors and National Geographic explorers. This segment will feature the new "Seven Natural Wonders of America," a list compiled by ABC News and National Geographic. These natural wonders are scattered across the country, and while the full list will be released during the 24-hour broadcast, the first wonder, Hawaii's volcanoes, was recently featured on the program. «Good Morning, America» .
Sports fans will be able to watch SportsCenter In a special two-hour live broadcast on ABC on July 4 from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM ET, the program will feature live reports from across the country, as well as stories about the people and events that have influenced various sports and sports culture in America. In addition to SportsCenter, ESPN.com will present a five-day series called "AMERICA 250 Road Trips: A Journey Through the Mystery and Greatness of Sports," which will center around a specially curated road trip through sporting events across the country.
Watch Disney's Celebrating America: The Pursuit of Happyness«
Before the barbecue and fireworks, Disney will also premiere Disney Celebrates America: The Pursuit of Happiness« . The two-hour primetime special will air on June 29 from 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM PT/ET. The show will be hosted by the program's co-hosts. «20/20» Deborah Roberts from Walt Disney World Resort and national correspondent Will Reeve from Disneyland Resort. Throughout the program, viewers will see how Disney and American history and storytelling are interconnected.
Celebrate America at Walt Disney World and Disneyland.
Earlier this summer, Soarin' Across America debuted at EPCOT in Walt Disney World, and on July 2, it will debut at Disney California Adventure at Disneyland Resort. This new version of the popular Soarin' attraction showcases America's natural beauty and iconic cities. The five-minute film features more than a dozen locations, including the New England coast, New York City, and the swamps of Louisiana.
Source: Disney
At Walt Disney World, guests can also take part in patriotic celebrations with special performances by the Voices of Liberty choir and the Portraits of Courage gallery at EPCOT, as well as a flag-lowering ceremony at Magic Kingdom. Disneyland will also host a special flag-lowering ceremony at both theme parks, and the Celebrate America fireworks display will return on Independence Day!
How Disney Continues to Honor Veterans and Military Families
As part of the program Disney Celebrates America The company is also expanding its partnership with Blue Star Families, having previously donated $2.5 million. The support goes toward initiatives such as the 25th Disney and Blue Star Books Awards in Washington, D.C., at the Library of Congress, where military families can participate in storytimes featuring Disney characters and receive new books. Disney has already donated more than 370,000 books through this program. Disney also hosted a special screening of the new film. «Star Wars: The Mandalorian with Grogu in starring role, and also plans to show the Disney and Pixar cartoon «Toy Story 5 » especially for military families.
Read the original article on Southern Living.