Disney Will Celebrate the U.S. 250th Anniversary at the 2026 Rose Parade. Disney is heading back to the Tournament of Roses Parade on New Year’s Day 2026. The company announced today that it will lead the event with a new “Disney Celebrates America” entry to mark the country’s 250th birthday.
The display won’t just be about floats and characters. Disney is putting its own employees who are U.S. military veterans front and center. More than 50 veterans who work for the company will ride along the parade route with their families.
Honoring Veterans with Symbols. The parade vehicle will carry Mickey Mouse and friends, but the floral arrangements are the real focus. Designers chose specific flowers to honor the military with Red poppies for remembrance, Rosemary and blue irises to show honor and appreciation, and White lilies and red roses for love and respect.
CEO Bob Iger said the event is a way to highlight the “spirit of America” and the people who make it special, specifically mentioning service members and their families.
If you want to see the float in person, you’ll need to be in Pasadena on January 1, 2026. Otherwise, ABC will broadcast the parade live starting at 11 a.m. ET. Kevin Negandhi and Hannah Storm from ESPN are returning to host the two-hour show.
Disney has been involved with the military since its founding, starting with Walt and Roy Disney’s service in World War I. This 2026 push seems to be the company’s biggest effort yet to connect its brand with American history.
Disney Will Celebrate the U.S. 250th Anniversary at the 2026 Rose Parade
The relationship between The Happiest Place on Earth and The Tournament of Roses is filled with milestones. In 1966, Walt Disney was the Grand Marshal of the Tournament of Roses Parade, with nephew Roy E. Disney serving as the parade’s titular honoree in 2000. In 2005, Mickey Mouse himself even served as the Grand Marshal!
