Walt Disney Company CEO Josh D’Amaro surprised nearly 500 military children and family members with tickets to Disneyland Resort during a special Toy Story 5 screening hosted by Disney and Blue Star Families at Camp Pendleton, California on June 30.
What Happened at Camp Pendleton
Blue Star Families and The Walt Disney Company brought close to 500 military children and family members together at Camp Pendleton for a private screening of Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story 5, along with appearances by Woody and Buzz Lightyear and a special greeting from cast members in the film. D’Amaro appeared in person and announced that every family in attendance would receive tickets to Disneyland Resort in recognition of their service. The event is part of a 15-year partnership between Disney and Blue Star Families, one that has included reading programs, volunteer work through Disney VoluntEARS, and community-building events for military families across the country.
The $2.5 Million Commitment
The Camp Pendleton screening is part of Disney’s broader Disney Celebrates America initiative, through which The Walt Disney Company committed $2.5 million to Blue Star Families to support military family wellbeing and create opportunities for connection during the country’s 250th anniversary year. “Military families serve our nation every day, often behind the scenes and without recognition,” said Blue Star Families CEO and co-founder Kathy Roth-Douquet. “Events like this provide more than just entertainment. They foster connection, strengthen community, and remind military families that their service and sacrifices are seen and valued.” D’Amaro echoed that in his own remarks, saying Disney is proud to continue a decades-long legacy of honoring service members and their families by creating lasting memories.
The Camp Pendleton event follows a year of Blue Star Families activations with Disney, including the 25th and largest Blue Star Books event at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., a reading with Second Lady Usha Vance at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, a private screening of The Mandalorian and Grogu at Lucasfilm in San Francisco, an American Idol appearance, and volunteer service projects at both Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort.
Disney Celebrates America This July 4 Weekend
The Camp Pendleton event lands one day before the July 4 weekend that serves as the capstone for the entire Disney Celebrates America initiative, which has been running since Veterans Day 2025. Several of the biggest moments are still ahead.
Walt Disney World is hosting a flyover by the U.S. Air Force Reserve’s 920th Rescue Wing from Patrick Space Force Base over Magic Kingdom and EPCOT beginning at 10:30 a.m. on July 4, weather permitting. Disney’s Celebrate America: A Fourth of July Concert in the Sky runs all three nights of the holiday weekend at Magic Kingdom, July 3 through 5, at 9 p.m. EPCOT adds the Heartbeat of Freedom fireworks grand finale after Luminous: The Symphony of Us on July 4, with Spaceship Earth lit in patriotic colors and special Voices of Liberty performances July 3 through 5 including exclusive echo set performances on July 4.
Beginning the evening of July 3 and running through July 4, ABC Entertainment, ABC News, ESPN, and National Geographic are presenting a 24-hour cross-platform broadcast spanning ABC, Disney+, Hulu, National Geographic, FX, Freeform, ABC News Live, ESPN, and ABC affiliates. The broadcast closes with a live fireworks finale from both Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort.
At Disneyland, the holiday weekend includes a pre-show fireworks tribute ahead of World of Color, patriotic themed attire for the Dapper Dans, military band performances through July 5, and a celebratory cavalcade honoring America at select times July 3 through 5. An earlier Disney Celebrates America activation at Disneyland featured a flyover by U.S. Navy F/A-18E Super Hornets from the Mighty Shrikes of Strike Fighter Squadron 94 from Naval Air Station Lemoore over Town Square during a flag ceremony.
Disney Cruise Line is also recognizing U.S. military personnel with an exclusive $250 onboard credit per reservation on select Disney Wish and Disney Dream sailings throughout 2026.
Blue Star Families has impacted more than 1.5 million military-connected individuals annually through its nationwide chapter network since its founding in 2009. For more on Disney’s July 4 weekend plans at Walt Disney World, see our full EPCOT guide and D23 2026 hub for everything coming up this August. Join the Realm at fantasylandnews.com/the-realm.
