Disney goes all in for America’s 250th — ABC News to air 24-hour marathon
Clear your calendar: Disney Celebrates America 250th anniversary marathon is taking over TV — here’s the complete broadcast schedule and when to tune in.
Disney is going big for America turning 250 — as in, 24-hours-of-TV big. ABC News is running a cross-network marathon under the 'Disney Celebrates America' banner, and it touches basically every screen Disney owns. Here is what they are doing, when it starts, and where to find it — without the fluff.
So what is this thing, and when does it start?
The 24-hour live event kicks off Friday, July 3, 2026 at 10/9c and runs straight through Saturday, July 4. David Muir starts it at the Statue of Liberty with a full-on light show. ABC News' Stephanie Ramos even handles the national anthem at the kickoff. Yes, they are going for spectacle.
Where to watch
- ABC (broadcast) and ABC News Live
- Disney+ and Hulu
- National Geographic, FX, and Freeform
- ESPN (yes, even ESPN)
- Plus streams pushed to YouTube throughout the day
Who is steering the ship?
Lead anchor David Muir has a deep bench with Diane Sawyer, Robin Roberts, George Stephanopoulos, and Michael Strahan. The plan is to hopscotch all 50 states over the 24 hours, with linear and digital feeds playing in concert. Think rolling check-ins, big set pieces, and a lot of red-white-and-blue b-roll.
Beyond the broadcast: parks and real-world add-ons
Disney is syncing up its theme parks with the TV blitz. A new 'Soarin' Across America' flight is landing at EPCOT and Disney California Adventure to whisk guests over national landmarks. Spaceship Earth at EPCOT gets a patriotic lighting package, and both the Florida and California resorts are rolling out limited-time merch and menu items just for the holiday window.
Over in Tennessee, they are staging 'Disney Celebrates America: Nashville's Star-Spangled Bash' — a concert with the Nashville Symphony, massive fireworks, and a drone show. If you want the full bombast, that is your stop.
Extra programming baked in
There is a new special feature, 'Seven Natural Wonders of America,' dropping as part of the slate, highlighting the big, scenic stuff. And as a warm-up earlier in the week, ABC aired 'Disney Celebrates America: The Pursuit of Happiness ' on Monday, June 29, 2026 from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m. ET.
The long runway to July 4
This 24-hour blowout is the capper to a year-long 'Good Morning America' project: 'America the Beautiful: GMA travels to 50 states in 50 weeks.' Since July 2025, GMA has hit every state, one per week, right up to the semiquincentennial. Conveniently, the whole thing also lines up with GMA's 50th anniversary year — so the morning show gets its own victory lap inside the bigger birthday party.
Why Disney says they are doing it
"As our nation marks its 250th anniversary, Disney Celebrates America is our way of honoring this historic milestone by celebrating the people, places, and shared moments that define who we are."
- Ken Potrock, President of major events integration for The Walt Disney Co., via GMA
Translation: every Disney screen and stage is pulling in the same direction for one very long day so anyone — cable or no cable — can drop in somewhere. It is a lot, but if you want wall-to-wall July 4 energy, they have you covered.
You tuning in for the kickoff at the Statue of Liberty, or saving your stamina for the Nashville drones and fireworks?