Disney is turning Walt Disney World and Disneyland into the backdrop for tonight’s tribute to the United States, with “Disney Celebrates America: The Pursuit of Happiness” airing Monday, June 29 from 8 to 10 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.
The two-hour primetime special is hosted by “20/20” co-anchor Deborah Roberts, reporting from Walt Disney World Resort, alongside ABC News national correspondent Will Reeve, reporting from Disneyland Resort. It’s produced by “20/20” and ABC News Studios, with Matt Lombardi and Jennifer Joseph serving as executive producers. The special is the first major broadcast moment in Disney Celebrates America, the company wide initiative marking the country’s 250th anniversary that Fantasy Land News first reported in full on June 2, ahead of the bigger 24 hour broadcast coming July 4.
Each Disney park location tonight is used as a doorway into a different piece of American history. Main Street U.S.A. anchors segments on one of the country’s oldest family run small businesses and the rise of the automobile industry, while Toy Story Land traces the story behind some of America’s most iconic toys. Cars Land gets its own segment on road trip culture and the open road. Hawaiian performer Moana Jones Wong shares her perspective on island culture and community, and National Geographic Explorer at Large Sylvia Earle talks through her decades of ocean conservation work. Musician Jon Batiste visits the New Orleans studio considered the birthplace of rock and roll, and the special also looks at how Pan Am shaped modern air travel and how the Savannah Bananas fit into the larger story of American baseball. Old Hollywood gets its moment too, with a stop at the TCL Chinese Theatre built around Marilyn Monroe, and the broadcast closes with a tribute to ABC News’ own 30 hours of continuous Apollo 11 coverage in 1969.
How to Watch Disney Celebrates America: The Pursuit of Happiness
“Disney Celebrates America: The Pursuit of Happiness” airs tonight, June 29, from 8 to 10 p.m. ET/PT on ABC, and streams the next day on Disney+ and Hulu. An encore broadcast is set for Friday, July 3, also from 8 to 10 p.m. ET. You can watch the official trailer below.
This is just the opening act. Disney Celebrates America runs through the July 4 weekend, including Soarin’ Across America’s Disneyland debut and the 24 hour David Muir led broadcast. If you haven’t ridden the new Soarin’ Across America at EPCOT, our full review is a good place to start. Join the Realm at fantasylandnews.com/the-realm.
