Every year, many, many families gather at the Magic Kingdom to celebrate the Fourth of July by watching one of the best fireworks shows anywhere – “Disney’s Celebrate America! A Fourth of July Concert in the Sky.” Today, Walt Disney World will be sharing this magnificent display with guests around the country (and around the world!), through their next #DisneyParksLIVE stream.
The live stream of the park’s special “Disney’s Celebrate America! A Fourth of July Concert in the Sky” fireworks will be held July 4 at 8:55 p.m. ET.
How can you catch the live stream? Visit the Disney Parks Blog on July 4 and a fresh blog post containing the live stream feed will be ready and waiting at the top.
Kick off your Independence Day celebrations with a special talk and film screening of Johnny Tremain, which follows the exciting story of a young patriot in colonial Boston and the tumultuous times leading up to the American Revolutionary War. Rated among the best Revolutionary War films of all time, the film’s star, Hal Stalmaster, joins us for talk after the screening to share his personal stories from making the film, what it was like working with Walt Disney, his later career in casting for The Walt Disney Studios, and his time serving as an Army officer in the Presidio.
The film will be screened prior to the program at 4pm. Admission to the film screening is included with the program ticket.
TALK | A Conversation with Johnny Tremain’s Hal Stalmaster
Wed, Jun 29 | 4pm film screening, 5:45pm talk
$18 members | $20 non-members | $12 student & youth members | $15 student & youth non-members
The film will be screened prior to the program at 4pm. Admission to the film screening is included with the program ticket.
FILM SCREENING | Johnny Tremain
Wed, Jun 29: 4pm | Fri, Jul 1; Sat, Jul 2; Mon, Jul 4: 1pm | Sun, Jul 3: 3pm
FREE for members or with museum admission
$7 non-members | $5 student & youth
About the Speaker –
Hal Stalmaster was born in Los Angeles, California and attended Beverly Hills High School where he recalls that his accomplished classmates were not particularly impressed when he landed the lead role in Walt Disney’s Revolutionary War drama, Johnny Tremain. Hal was seventeen when the film debuted in 1957. Three years later, while studying at UCLA, he went to work for Walt again, this time as Gwynn in the Walt Disney Presents miniseries, The Swamp Fox. Although the role required Hal to grow a pony-tail, he continued to participate in ROTC—an obvious anomaly among his crew-cut classmates. After graduation Hal served for two years as an army officer in the Presidio of San Francisco—home now to The Walt Disney Family Museum—before returning briefly to acting. It was his interest in working behind the camera that led him back to The Walt Disney Studios, this time as a casting director. The job not only suited his career goals, but also provided him with an opportunity to work directly with Walt Disney. After leaving the Studios, Hal went on to a 30-year career as a talent agent.
Walt Disney World Resort will be celebrating Independence Day with special firework displays, patriotic character meet and greets, and music concerts on July 3rd and July 4th.
Magic Kingdom
“Disney’s Celebrate America! A Fourth of July Concert in the Sky” will be shown at 9 PM on both July 3rd and July 4th.
Firework shows at Walt Disney World are pretty impressive, but the fireworks for Independence Day are even more so. In addition to the normal Wishes launch sites, this show uses nine perimeter launch locations, island launch site in the Seven Seas Lagoon, and use of the Water Pageant barges for light show and audio for the Magic Kingdom resorts
Park hours are July 3 – 8 AM to 1 AM, with Extra Magic Hours 1 AM to 3 AM. July 4 – 8 AM to 1 AM.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
At the Studios, the new “Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular” show will take place at 9:30 PM.
Park hours are 9 AM to 9:30 PM.
Epcot
“Illuminations: Reflections of Earth” with a special Independence Day finale at 10 PM on July 4th.
Park hours are 9 AM to 10 PM.
The Voices of Liberty will also perform a Fourth of July concert at the America Gardens Theatre at 12:30 PM, 1:45 PM, and 3 PM, and in the American Adventure pavilion at 4:15 PM and 5 PM. Special patriotic character greetings also are available at various times throughout the day at the American Adventure, along with an opportunity to catch the Spirit of America Fife & Drum Corps outside at 2:15 PM, 3:30 PM, 4 PM and 4:45 PM. The Fife & Drum Corp has not performed at Epcot since being retired in October 2014.
Walt Disney World Resort will be celebrating Independence Day with special firework displays, patriotic character meet and greets, and music concerts on July 3rd and July 4th.
Magic Kingdom
“Disney’s Celebrate America! A Fourth of July Concert in the Sky” will be performed at 9 PM on both July 3rd and July 4th.
Fireworks shows at Walt Disney World don’t come much bigger than this. In addition to the normal Wishes launch sites, this show uses nine perimeter launch locations, island launch site in the Seven Seas Lagoon, and use of the Water Pageant barges for light show and audio for the Magic Kingdom resorts
Park hours are July 3 – 8 AM to 1 AM, with Extra Magic Hours 1 AM to 3 AM. July 4 – 8 AM to 1 AM.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
“Rockin’ Fourth of July Celebration” fireworks show at 10:15 PM on July 4th.
Park hours are 9 AM to midnight, with morning Extra Magic Hours from 8 AM to 9 AM.
Epcot
“Illuminations: Reflections of Earth” with July 4th finale at 10 PM.
Park hours are 9 AM to 10 PM, with evening Extra Magic Hours from 10 PM to midnight.
The Voices of Liberty will perform a Fourth of July concert at the America Gardens Theatre at 12:30 PM, 1:45 PM, and 3 PM, and in the American Adventure pavilion at 4:15 PM and 5 PM. Special patriotic character greetings also are available at various times throughout the day at the American Adventure.
Guests can celebrate America’s birthday with a red, white and blue extravaganza at Walt Disney World Resort. There will be no shortage of nighttime fun as fireworks will dance across the skies above the Florida vacation kingdom. This year marks a special milestone in America’s history, too: the national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner,” observes its 200th anniversary in 2014.
Here’s a look a what’s in store:
Magic Kingdom
The celebration begins with “Disney’s Celebrate America! A Fourth of July Concert in the Sky,” July 3 and 4 at Magic Kingdom. The 14-minute fireworks spectacular rockets into the sky above Cinderella Castle at 9 p.m. both nights.
The fireworks are set to an exciting musical score produced in a concert band style. This score was specifically created to stir a sense of pride in being American, show producers say, while at the same time, inviting guests from around the world to feel part of the celebration.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Guests also can enjoy a twist on traditional fireworks with the “Rockin’ 4th of July Celebration.” At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the party kicks off at the Sorcerer’s Hat stage at 6 p.m. and continues through 11 p.m. on July 4 with live entertainment from “The Hollywood Rockers” whose music will take guests on a rockin’ road trip across America.
Everything leads up to a special rock n’ roll fireworks presentation above the Sorcerer’s Hat starting at 10:15 p.m.
Epcot
Guests visiting Epcot on July 4 will have the opportunity to meet some of their favorite Disney characters dressed in patriotic attire throughout the afternoon at the American Adventure Pavilion. Voices of Liberty, the eight-part a capellagroup, will have special performances at American Gardens Theatre at 12:30, 1:45 and 3 p.m. They also will perform inside the American Adventure Rotunda at 4:15 and 5 p.m. that day. Guests also will have the opportunity to catch the Spirit of America Fife & Drum Corps outside at 1, 2:15, 3:30, 4 and 4:45 p.m.
That evening, the spectacular fireworks and laser show “IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth,” lights the night at 10 p.m. with a heart-pounding grand finale in a salute to America.
Additional Patriotic Entertainment
Pride in America is a daily celebration at Walt Disney World Resort, not just on July 4. Other patriotic offerings that guests can enjoy year-round in the parks include indoor attractions that offer shows about the history of America, dining options and entertainment.
Guests at Epcot’s American Adventure Pavilion will find various ways to explore America’s past and present with “We, The People,” a journey through pivotal moments in America’s history narrated by Audio-Animatronic figures of Benjamin Franklin and Mark Twain, and “The Kinsey Collection,” an exhibit that showcases 400 years of African-American achievement through rare art, documents, books and artifacts.
At Magic Kingdom, The Hall of Presidents: A Celebration of Liberty’s Leaders gives guests an entertaining lesson in American history. Guests also can get a taste of traditional New England-inspired foods at Liberty Tree Tavern, a restaurant situated in a colonial-style inn that serves lunch and dinner daily. After nightfall, dancing patriots, a stately bald eagle, glittering lights and the patriotic music of the Main Street Electrical Parade all honor America as the parade’s stunning final float lights Main Street, U.S.A. nightly.
Even the waters of Seven Seas Lagoon glitter with patriotic pride when the Electrical Water Pageantsets sail. The pageant features the American flag and red, white and blue stars set to patriotic tunes, along with favorite sea creatures. Guests can view the water pageant nightly from various resorts surrounding the lagoon.
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