Celebrating July Fourth with Walt Disney

 by Ray Keating

Commentary

DisneyBizJournal.com

July 4, 2024

 

Walt Disney was a patriotic guy, and he served up lots of quotes reflecting his love for America. But there was a depth to Disney’s patriotism that captured what’s been best about the United States. 

The following five quotes that I selected came from two wonderful books of quotes from Walt Disney on all kinds of matters – i.e., Walt's Words: Quotations of Walt Disney with Sources by Jim Korkis, and The Official Walt Disney Quote Book from the staff of the Walt Disney Archives. Hopefully, these capture the depth of Walt’s love for and understanding of America, as we celebrate the nation’s July Fourth birthday.

 

Walt understood that parts of the foundation upon which America is built are freedom and optimism about the future. Walt was speaking to his own time and to ours:

 

“Once a man has tasted freedom he will never be content to be a slave. That is why I believe that this frightfulness we see everywhere today is only temporary. Tomorrow will be better for as long as America keeps alive the ideals of freedom and a better life.” (Korkis)

 

There’s a reason why people want to come to America, and that has been the case throughout our history to this very day. Even with all of our shortcomings and failures, America is, as Walt says in this next quote, about tolerance, democracy and freedom – and under freedom, it’s clear that people see opportunity, i.e., the freedom to make a better life:

 

“All men will want to be free and share our way of life. There must be so much that I should have said and haven’t. What I will say now is just what most of us are probably thinking every day. I thank God and America for the right to live and raise my family under the flag of tolerance, democracy, and freedom.” (Korkis)

 

Unlike many today, Walt understood that there is a price for freedom. Freedom, as they say, isn’t free. And having gratitude for those who have secured our freedoms is very American, as is helping others in their struggle for freedom:

 

“The liberties which we enjoy and take for granted didn’t just happen. They had to be won. Even today, there are parts of the world where the fight for freedom is still going on.” (Korkis)

 

Walt loved Abraham Lincoln, as should all Americans. Disney understood that the principles of the American Revolution weren’t fully realized until we fought a bloody Civil War, with Lincoln, flaws and all (as we all have), leading the way:

 

“Most Americans will agree with me that no man has had more of a positive impact on a nation than Abraham Lincoln has on our country. Yet I have always felt that too few people realize that Lincoln’s concepts and philosophies are as useful, as necessary, as applicable today as they were when he pronounced them a century ago. His analysis of freedom and its true meaning, his approach to justice and equality, his own courage and strength – all areas vital in the 1960s as they were during the mid-1800s.” (Korkis)

 

It's striking how often Americans need to be reminded that freedom of speech and the free exchange of ideas are parts of what makes America great. To those who lack faith in their own ideas and beliefs to the point that they wish to take away the freedoms of others, well, Walt Disney wisely would disagree:

 

“Our heritage and ideals, our code and standards, the things we live by and teach our children are preserved or diminished by how freely we exchange ideas and feelings.” (Archives)

 

Thanks Walt, and God bless, America!

 

__________

 

Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com; and author of the Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries, the Alliance of Saint Michael novels, and assorted nonfiction books. Have Ray Keating speak your group, business, school, church, or organization. Email him at raykeating@keatingreports.com.

 

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Fourth of July Festivities to Light the Skies at Disney

 by Beth Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

June 28, 2023

 

Happy Fourth of July!  Now cue the crowds … as Disney’s Fourth of July celebrations bring some of the biggest crowds of the year to the Disney World parks.  (Christmas and New Year’s Eve are likely the only time you’ll see the crowds grow larger.)  It’s easy to understand why, since everyone, Disney included, loves a good party, and the fireworks over Cinderella Castle most definitely bring the bling.

“Disney’s Celebrate America! A Fourth of July Concert in the Sky” will be performed on  both July 3 and 4, 2023 at Magic Kingdom. (It takes the place of the “Happily Ever After” fireworks for those two nights.). The shows take place at 9:20 each evening, and are even more spectacular than the normal nightly shows. The Fourth of July productions feature 360° fireworks, surrounding the entire park.

Fireworks aren’t the only highlight to the Independence Day celebrations at Disney World.  While you are enjoying the colorful bursts overhead, you can also join in to the DJ dance parties at Magic Kingdom, happening around the park on both July 3 and 4.

EPCOT is not to be outdone by its older sister park at the Magic Kingdom, and demands its own attention for the holiday. In fact, despite the fact that the EPCOT holiday fireworks only take place on July 4, there really is a bit more of a “patriotic” feel to the EPCOT efforts.  The “Heartbeat of Freedom” is a short, add-on display that takes place after "EPCOT Forever" on July 4, 2023. The Heartbeat fireworks are launched from around World Showcase for a dramatic blockbuster of a tribute.

If you are a fan of the sparkly lights on Spaceship Earth, you’ll be excited to learn that there will be a patriotic red, white and blue salute on the sphere, alternating with the regular “Beacons of Magic” lights on Spaceship Earth. If you won’t be at EPCOT on the Fourth, you may still be able to catch the lights, as they will begin on July 1, and run nightly through July 4, 2023.

The delightful and talented “Voices of Liberty” a capella group performs regularly in the rotunda at the American Adventure, and they’ll be bringing traditional selections from their American songbook for your Independence Day enjoyment.

 
While in the American Adventure pavilion, be sure to keep an eye out for some of your favorite Disney pals, dressed in their patriotic “Spirit of ’76” outfits. It’s a rare opportunity!

And if you’re looking for a sweet treat to enjoy while you are watching the shows, there are a number of interesting selections (including some savory ones, too) around the parks. But don’t sleep on it, because most of these goodies are very limited time offerings. Here’s the highlights, as shared by Disney Parks Blog in their Foodie Guide (it also includes Disneyland treats in California):

 

WALT DISNEY WORLD RESORT 

 

EPCOT 

 

Connections Cafe (Available July 4 only)

• Fourth of July Liege Waffle: Brioche dough with pearl sugar 

Fife & Drum (Currently available) 

• The American Dream: Frozen Fanta Wild Cherry, vanilla ice cream, and Frozen Fanta Blue Raspberry slushy 

Regal Eagle Smokehouse: Craft Drafts & Barbecue (Currently available; mobile order available) 

• Celebrate the regions of American backyard barbecue with classic dishes (Some plant-based items available on the menu) 

Sunshine Seasons (Available July 1 through 31) 

• Fourth of July Shake: Red velvet shake with whipped cream and red velvet cake pieces 

 

DISNEY’S HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS

 

Backlot Express (Available July 1 through 31)

• Mickey Apple Pie Cupcake: Yellow cupcake filled with an apple pie filling, topped with a salted caramel buttercream, cinnamon streusel, and garnished with rainbow silver sparkle and red, white, and blue Mickey Ears

Woody’s Lunchbox (Available July 1 through 31) 

• 4th of July Lunch Box Tart: Cherry pie filling, vanilla fondant, and star sprinkles

DISNEY RESORT HOTELS 

 

Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort, Disney’s All-Star Music Resort, and Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort 

 

Intermission Food Court, World Premiere Food Court, and End Zone Food Court (Available through August 31; mobile order available) 

• Sweet Summertime Favorites: Hot dog éclair with chocolate buttercream, iced sugar cookie ‘fries’, and raspberry dipping sauce

 

Disney’s BoardWalk 

 

BoardWalk Deli and Carousel Coffee (Available June 27 through July 4)

• Independence Day Cupcake: Cinnamon cupcake, apple pie filling, and vanilla mascarpone cream
• Freedom Cheesecake: Red velvet brownie base, vanilla cheesecake, sweet cream, crisp pearls, and white chocolate garnish

 

Disney’s Contemporary Resort 

 

Contempo Café (Available July 1 through 8; mobile order available) Fourth of July Fruit Tart: Blackberry custard topped with fresh berries and a vanilla panna cotta popsicle

 

Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort 

 

Centertown Market and Spyglass Grill (Available July 1 through 31; mobile order available) 

• Star-spangled Brownie Bar: Graham cracker crust and chocolate chip fudgy brownie topped with a brown butter caramel mousse, popping candy, and chocolate décor

 

Disney’s Old Key West Resort and Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa 

 

Good’s Food to Go and The Artist’s Palette (Available June 27 through July 4; mobile order available at The Artist’s Palette only) 

• Fourth of July Layer Cake: Layers of red velvet cake with white and blue buttercream filled with a patriotic sprinkle surprise

 

Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter and Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside 

 

Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory, Riverside Mill Food Court (Available July 1 through 31; mobile order available) 

• Star-spangled Brownie Bar: Graham cracker crust and chocolate chip fudgy brownie topped with a brown butter caramel mousse, popping candy, and chocolate décor

 

Disney’s Riviera Resort 

 

Bar Riva (Available June 30 through July 14) 

• Patriotic Wave: The Mediterranean Wave with the addition of blue curaçao and hibiscus to celebrate both Independence Day and Bastille Day

Le Petit Café (Available June 27 through July 4) 

• Patriotic Top Hat: Vanilla bean cheesecake with morello cherries on a Riviera brownie (New) 

 

Disney’s Wilderness Lodge 

 

Roaring Fork (Available June 27 through July 4; mobile order available) 

• Lemon Mousse Cake: Lemon cake and white chocolate lemon mousse with a blueberry compote center and chocolate star décor

 

Available at Various Disney Resort Hotels (Available June 30 through July 9) 

• Red, White, and Blue Colada: Bacardi Raspberry Rum blended with flavors of coconut, pineapple, and raspberry purée topped with a float of Bols Blue Curaçao
• Red, White, and Blue Gin and Tonic: Empress 1908 Gin, tonic water, and cranberry and pomegranate juices (New) 

DISNEYLAND RESORT 

 

DISNEYLAND PARK 

 

Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe (Available July 1 through 4; mobile order available) 

• Fourth of July Donut: Cotton candy icing donut filled with strawberry compote, red, white, and blue whipped topping and sprinkles (New) 

Plaza Inn (Available July 4 only) 

• Fourth of July Dining Package: Slow roasted BBQ pork, fried chicken thigh, smoked sausage, watermelon wedge, small corn on the cob, broccoli salad, sharp cheddar mac & cheese, bread roll, specialty dessert, and specialty beverage (New) (Reservations strongly encouraged) (Kids version available) 

 

DISNEY CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE PARK 

 

Clarabelle’s Hand-Scooped Ice Cream (Available June 30 through July 5; mobile order available) 

• Red, White & Blue Sundae: Strawberry and blueberry sorbets topped with fresh strawberries, blueberries, whipped cream, and sprinkles in a waffle bowl (New) 

 

Disneyland Hotel 

 

The Coffee House (Available June 30 through July 9; mobile order available) Red, White, and Blue Cupcake (New)

 

Downtown Disney District 

 

Black Tap Craft Burgers & Shakes (Available June 30 through July 4) 

• Red, White, and Blue CakeShake: Vanilla shake featuring a vanilla frosted rim with red, white, and blue sprinkles topped with red, white, and blue cake, whipped cream, more sprinkles, and a cherry

Blue Ribbon Corn Dog (Available July 4 only) 

• Fourth of July Mozzarella Dog: Red, white, and blue mozzarella cheese, dipped in batter, rolled in panko crumbs, fried, rolled in sugar, and served with a side of sriracha dipping sauce (New) 

 

Available at Various Locations at Disneyland Resort including Candy Palace and Candy Kitchen, Pooh Corner, Trolley Treats, Bing Bong’s Sweet Stuff, and Marceline’s Confectionery (Available June 30 through July 4) 

• Fourth of July Apple: Granny Smith apple dipped in caramel with marshmallow ears, enrobed in blue-colored white chocolate and red-colored white chocolate, striped with white chocolate, and sprinkled with sugar stars 
• Fourth of July Marshmallow Wand: Marshmallows dipped in caramel, enrobed in blue, white chocolate and red, white chocolate, striped with white chocolate, and sprinkled with sugar stars
• Fourth of July Cereal Treat: Mickey-shaped cereal treat enrobed in blue, white chocolate and red, white chocolate, striped with white chocolate, and sprinkled with sugar stars
• Fourth of July Cake Pop

 

__________

 

Beth Keating is a theme parks, restaurant and entertainment reporter for DisneyBizJournal.

July 4th: Walt Disney and America on Parade

by Ray Keating

Feature Story

DisneyBizJournal.com

July 4, 2020

On July Fourth each year, we Americans celebrate the birth of our nation. Independence Day marks the signing of the Declaration of Independence. 

Disney traditionally has been at the forefront of this celebration each year. After all, Walt Disney very much was a patriot who loved history and this country. He once said, “I believe that this spiritual and intellectual freedom which we Americans enjoy is our greatest cultural blessing. Therefore, it seems to me, that the first duty of culture is to defend freedom and resist all tyranny.” He also struck a note of gratitude about this nation: “I thank God and America for the right to live and raise my family under the flag of tolerance, democracy, and freedom.”

And Walt’s patriotism was distinctly American in that he saw the value of our past, and was optimistic about the future. In Beyond the Wisdom of Walt,  Jeffrey Barnes noted, “When leading, people don’t care about where you’ve been— past credentials, past experiences, past exploits. What they care about is their future— and as much as Walt Disney was patriotic about the past, he was equally fervent about moving forward into the future.” Indeed, Walt summed it up best, “Tomorrow will be better for as long as America keeps alive the ideals of freedom and a better life.” As Americans do at their best, Walt tied together the past with the present and the future.

With all of this in mind, YouTube offers us opportunities to take note of the Walt Disney Company’s celebration of American Bicentennial in 1976. First, there’s “America on Parade,” which was held at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland from June 1975 to September 1976. As Dave Smith noted in Disney A to Z: The Official Encyclopedia: 

“Disney designers, led by entertainment head Bob Jani came up with special floats and a series of costumes featuring oversized heads that told the story of America’s history, culture, and achievements, from its pioneers to present, all marching to a sound track of American popular songs recorded from a band organ, the Sadie Mae. The parade was led by Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy as the ‘Spirit of ’76.’”

For good measure, there was an “America on Parade” TV special that aired on April 3, 1976.

God bless, America!

__________

See related...

“Walt Disney Quotes About the USA on Independence Day”

__________

Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of The Disney Planner 2020: The TO DO List Solution (now available at a deep discount) and the Pastor Stephen Grant novels. He can be contacted at  raykeating@keatingreports.com.

Get the paperback or Kindle edition of Ray Keating’s new book Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York.

Walt Disney Quotes About the USA on Independence Day

by Ray Keating

DisneyBizJournal.com

July 4, 2019

I have great admiration for the entrepreneurs who drive the American economy forward. One of the great entrepreneurs of the 20^thcentury certainly was Walt Disney. I also admire Lou Mongello, a current-day entrepreneur who launched the WDWRadio Podcast, ranks as a true Disney expert, and also is an author and a social media guru.

On this Fourth of July, I turn to a piece that Lou Mongello wrote several years ago titled “Top 10 Walt Disney Quotes About America.”

Here’s the list of quotes from Walt courtesy of Lou:

1. “Disneyland would be a world of Americans, past and present, seen through the eyes of my imagination – a place of warmth and nostalgia, of illusion and color and delight.”

2. “I’ve been selfishly indulging myself as an American… as a United States citizen… enjoying all privileges that one has as a citizen, and it’s only times like this that you sort of wake up to … what it really means to be a citizen.”

3. “Actually, if you could see close in my eyes, the American flag is waving in both of them and up my spine is glowing this red, white, and blue stripe.”

4. “I believe that this spiritual and intellectual freedom which we Americans enjoy is our greatest cultural blessing. Therefore, it seems to me, that the first duty of culture is to defend freedom and resist all tyranny.”

5. “Laughter is America’s most important export.”

6. “Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams, and the hard facts that have created America… with hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to all the world.”

7. “I get red, white, and blue at times.”

8. “In my view, wholesome pleasure, sport, and recreation are as vital to this nation as productive work and should have a large share in the national budget.”

9. “In America, we are guaranteed these freedoms. It is the constitutional privilege of every American to become cultured or to grow up like Donald Duck.”

10. “Tomorrow will be better as long as America keeps alive the ideals of freedom and a better life.”

Thanks, Lou! And God bless, America!

Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of the Pastor Stephen Grant novels. He can be contacted at  raykeating@keatingreports.com.

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