On Saturday, July 4, 2026, the United States of America celebrated its 250th anniversary. This milestone celebration was celebrated in many ways around the country. For Disney, the overarching Disney Celebrates America initiative led the patriotic celebrations throughout its parks and resorts. At the Disneyland Resort, the resort included the opening of Soarin’ Across America this week, along with many other offerings. This included entertainment, photo ops, special costumes for characters, military bands, and a whole lot more.
One of the highlights for many guests at the Disneyland Resort was the patriotic flag retreat in Town Square, USA, on the 4th of July. This saw the Disneyland Resort Security Honor Guard and the Dapper Dans joined by the 1st Marine Division Band out of Camp Pendleton. This took an already beautiful and patriotic ceremony to the next level.
Well before the ceremony began, guests began to look for places to watch. By the time the flag retreat began, Town Square was packed. Guests could also be seen lining up on either side of Main Street so they could watch the Marine band march by. Scattered throughout the crowds were plenty of patriotic outfits, including many with Sam Eagle that were made specifically for this celebration.
The flag retreat began at 4:15 PM. The 1st Marine Division Band marched down Main Street, USA, to Town Square. They were followed by the Dapper Dans and the Disneyland Resort Security Honor Guard. The crowds cheered as they marched around Town Square to start the ceremony. Among the crowd was Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro, Disney’s President of Major Events Integration, Ken Potrock, and new Disneyland Resort President Jill Estorino.
The ceremony began and felt more powerful than normal. Part of this was because of the number of people in attendance. The power of the Marine band also added to the power of the moment. There also seemed to be a shared realization that this was a beautiful and historic moment. As the ceremony continued and veterans and active service members from the United States Armed Forces were invited to congregate around the flag, this moment got even more beautiful. There were many different people from many different backgrounds and walks of life. However, they all were here to celebrate 250 years of the United States of America and the many sacrifices it took to get to this point. This was an incredible thing to experience.
The full flag retreat can be seen in the following video:
Following the flag retreat, the 1st Marine Division Band marched through Disneyland. This video can be seen here:
The patriotic flag retreat is a daily occurrence at the Disneyland Resort in Town Square. It continues a tradition that dates back to the opening of Disneyland in 1955. It continues a legacy of commitment to service in the United States of America that dates back to World War I and founds Walt and Roy O. Disney. This legacy continues today through many moments like these throughout The Walt Disney Company, along with initiatives designed to support service members, their families, and veterans.
What do you think of this beautiful patriotic flag retreat for the 250th Anniversary of the United States of America? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!
