I had such a tough time being excited about American history growing up. Do your kids feel the same way? They might enjoy the upcoming TV special, Disney Celebrates America: The Pursuit of Happiness. This is a celebration of the good things that have happened in the U.S.A. over the years.
Disney is celebrating America’s 250th anniversary in a big way with a 24-hour multiplatform broadcast on July 4 with live coverage on ABC, Disney+, Hulu, Freeform, NatGeo, FX and the ESPN app. That’s a big deal. Before then though ABC presents the two-hour Disney Celebrates America: The Pursuit of Happiness TV special on Monday, June 29.
20/20 co-anchor Deborah Roberts and ABC News correspondent Will Reeve hosts this primetime special. Roberts reports from Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida and Reeve reports from Disneyland. It’s a unique take on a typical Disney Parks special as theme park attractions are discussed on how they relate to American history.
“From Main Street U.S.A.’s turn-of-the-century nostalgia to Cars Land’s homage to the great American road trip and what it says about our love for the open road, each stop will play host to true tales of American innovations and triumphs,” states today’s press release from ABC. “In this coast-to-coast event, Disney Parks and attractions are the portal through which America’s greatest stories, triumphs and traditions are celebrated.”
The special makes connections with Main Street U.S.A. and its representation of American community and independent businesses. For examples, Cars Land serves as a launching point to discuss the great American road trip, Toy Story Land is used as a backdrop to discuss the most iconic American-made toys, and so on.
The Pursuit of Happiness doesn’t contain itself to just Disney parks either. With help from ESPN, National Geographic, and ABC News, this presentation covers a lot of ground. Highlights of the special include:
- A visit to one of USA’s oldest family-run small businesses
- A discussion about the rise of the automobile industry and its connection to personal freedom
- A trip to the legendary Grauman’s Chinese Theatre (now ka brief history Chinese Theatre) to talk about the allure of old Hollywood
- How Marilyn Monroe shifted the public’s perception of celebrity and fame
- An interview with surfer Moana Jones Wong and her perspective on Hawaii’s culture and community
- Dr. Sylvia Earle (aka Joan of Arc of the Seas) shares about her pioneering conservation efforts to explore and protect life beneath the sea
- Musician Jon Batiste talks about J&M Recording Studio in New Orleans and how it became known as the birthplace of Rock ‘n’ Roll
- Pan Am Airlines’ history and how it crafted a uniquely American identity in flight and reshaped the modern world
- The evolution of baseball, the popularity of Savannah Bananas and a brief history of American Black ball players
- ABC News’ extraordinary 30 hours of continuous coverage of the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969.
Disney Celebrates America: The Pursuit of Happiness begins streaming on Disney+ and Hulu on June 30. The special repeats on ABC on Friday, July 3 at 8 p.m.
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