Disney's Celebrate America: A 4th of July Concert in the Sky
Encyclopedia
Disney's Celebrate America: A 4th of July Concert in the Sky is a special fireworks
show that premiered on July 3, 2008 at the Magic Kingdom
theme park at Walt Disney World outside Orlando, Florida, and on July 4 of that same year at Disneyland in Anaheim, California
. The 15-minute show, produced by Walt Disney Creative Entertainment
, under creative director Steven Davison and in house designers Brad Cicotti for the Magic Kingdom's version and Kevin Kelley for Disneyland's version, celebrates the traditions, spirit and music of the United States of America, and is scheduled to be shown in lieu of Wishes
on both July 3 and Independence Day
at WDW and Magical! at The Happiest Place on Earth annually. While both parks use the same soundtrack, the pyrotechnics are different; giving each park its own unique display.
Two previews of the show at the Magic Kingdom were held on June 29 and July 1, 2008. This show included all perimeter launch zones with the exception of the 7SL site (island site). Both tests, aka rehearsals, were held at the Magic Kingdom in the Walt Disney World Resort. More than 1500 shells are launched in the shows. Previously, at Magic Kingdom, a special Independence Day themed version of Fantasy in the Sky
was held on or around the July 4, while the regular fireworks show was augmented by an additional ten minute show at Disneyland.
During its debut on July 4, 2008, the Disneyland version of the show was canceled 11 minutes into the performance. The reason being debris falling on Ball Rd (behind Disneyland) due to winds at high elevation. This caused disapproval from park guests attending that day as Disneyland only performs a July 4-themed fireworks display once a year. For the 2009 season, Disneyland opted to perform multiple showings of the display. A shortened 9-minute version of the display is shown on July 2 through 5, while the full 15-minute version is shown on July 4 and includes additional pyrotechnics.
As the lights dim, the sounds of animals and Native American drums can be heard. A male-voice narrates the show.
Narrator: America! A land where eagles soar! Since history began, its people have celebrated the magnificence of this land. Tonight we celebrate America; a land of many people. A country that continues to grow. A nation of courage and independence. America the beautiful!
Music: Celebrate America!
Celebrate Freedom and Independence
Narrator: To honor Independence Day, we welcome you to our Fourth of July celebration as we commemorate the birthday of this great nation. With joy, we celebrate the United States of America; a vast mosaic of individuality and inspiration. A vibrant pallette of cultures and colors. A country whose pioneering spirit continues to live on in the hearts and minds of people who cherish freedom; in this land and around the globe.
Music: God Bless America
(Irving Berlin
), The Yankee Doodle Boy
(George M. Cohan
) and This is My Country
(Don Raye
and Al Jacobs).
American Folk Songs*
Narrator: The Spirit of America continues to inspire those who believe in their dreams. From sea to shining sea, we are proud to share all this great and beautiful nation has to offer. In the words and melodies of beloved American folk songs, that enduring spirit is found in the music of our land.
Music: America the Beautiful
(Katharine Lee Bates
and Samuel A. Ward
), This Land is Your Land
(Woody Guthrie
), Oh My Darling, Clementine
(Percy Montrose), Oh! Susanna
(Stephen Foster
), She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain
, and Oh Shenandoah
.
A Salute to the Red, White and Blue
Narrator: Just as the fifty stars and thirteen stripes are so grandly united upon Old Glory, our nation's flag unites us all. Let us join together to give salute to the red, white and blue. And cheer the hopes and dreams that continue to shine throughout America.
Music: You're a Grand Old Flag
(George M. Cohen), Stars and Stripes Forever (John Philip Sousa
) and The Star-Spangled Banner
(Francis Scott Key
).
Following the Star-Spangled Banner, the show ends in a massive display of fireworks.
Fireworks
Fireworks are a class of explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. The most common use of a firework is as part of a fireworks display. A fireworks event is a display of the effects produced by firework devices...
show that premiered on July 3, 2008 at the Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom Park is one of four theme parks at the Walt Disney World Resort located near Orlando, Florida. The first park built at the resort, Magic Kingdom opened Oct. 1, 1971. Designed and built by WED Enterprises, the park's layout and attractions are similar to Disneyland in Anaheim, California...
theme park at Walt Disney World outside Orlando, Florida, and on July 4 of that same year at Disneyland in Anaheim, California
Anaheim, California
Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was about 365,463, making it the most populated city in Orange County, the 10th most-populated city in California, and ranked 54th in the United States...
. The 15-minute show, produced by Walt Disney Creative Entertainment
Walt Disney Creative Entertainment
Walt Disney Creative Entertainment is the theatrical and technical live entertainment production division of Walt Disney Imagineering, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Walt Disney Company.-Background:...
, under creative director Steven Davison and in house designers Brad Cicotti for the Magic Kingdom's version and Kevin Kelley for Disneyland's version, celebrates the traditions, spirit and music of the United States of America, and is scheduled to be shown in lieu of Wishes
Wishes
Wishes: A Magical Gathering of Disney Dreams is a fireworks show at the Magic Kingdom theme park in Florida and at Disneyland Park in Disneyland Paris...
on both July 3 and Independence Day
Independence Day (United States)
Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain...
at WDW and Magical! at The Happiest Place on Earth annually. While both parks use the same soundtrack, the pyrotechnics are different; giving each park its own unique display.
Two previews of the show at the Magic Kingdom were held on June 29 and July 1, 2008. This show included all perimeter launch zones with the exception of the 7SL site (island site). Both tests, aka rehearsals, were held at the Magic Kingdom in the Walt Disney World Resort. More than 1500 shells are launched in the shows. Previously, at Magic Kingdom, a special Independence Day themed version of Fantasy in the Sky
Fantasy in the Sky
Fantasy in the Sky was a fireworks performance at Disneyland Paris from 1993 to 2005 in Marne-la-Vallee, France, Disneyland in Anaheim, California from 1958 to 2000, shortly again in 2004, and at the Magic Kingdom in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, until 2003....
was held on or around the July 4, while the regular fireworks show was augmented by an additional ten minute show at Disneyland.
During its debut on July 4, 2008, the Disneyland version of the show was canceled 11 minutes into the performance. The reason being debris falling on Ball Rd (behind Disneyland) due to winds at high elevation. This caused disapproval from park guests attending that day as Disneyland only performs a July 4-themed fireworks display once a year. For the 2009 season, Disneyland opted to perform multiple showings of the display. A shortened 9-minute version of the display is shown on July 2 through 5, while the full 15-minute version is shown on July 4 and includes additional pyrotechnics.
The Show
IntroductionAs the lights dim, the sounds of animals and Native American drums can be heard. A male-voice narrates the show.
Narrator: America! A land where eagles soar! Since history began, its people have celebrated the magnificence of this land. Tonight we celebrate America; a land of many people. A country that continues to grow. A nation of courage and independence. America the beautiful!
Music: Celebrate America!
Celebrate Freedom and Independence
Narrator: To honor Independence Day, we welcome you to our Fourth of July celebration as we commemorate the birthday of this great nation. With joy, we celebrate the United States of America; a vast mosaic of individuality and inspiration. A vibrant pallette of cultures and colors. A country whose pioneering spirit continues to live on in the hearts and minds of people who cherish freedom; in this land and around the globe.
Music: God Bless America
God Bless America
"God Bless America" is an American patriotic song written by Irving Berlin in 1918 and revised by him in 1938. The later version has notably been recorded by Kate Smith, becoming her signature song ....
(Irving Berlin
Irving Berlin
Irving Berlin was an American composer and lyricist of Jewish heritage, widely considered one of the greatest songwriters in American history.His first hit song, "Alexander's Ragtime Band", became world famous...
), The Yankee Doodle Boy
The Yankee Doodle Boy
"The Yankee Doodle Boy", also well known as " Yankee Doodle Dandy" is a patriotic song from the Broadway musical Little Johnny Jones written by George M. Cohan...
(George M. Cohan
George M. Cohan
George Michael Cohan , known professionally as George M. Cohan, was a major American entertainer, playwright, composer, lyricist, actor, singer, dancer, and producer....
) and This is My Country
This Is My Country
"This is My Country" is an American patriotic folk song composed in 1940. The lyrics are by Don Raye and the music is by Al Jacobs.The song begins slowly, opening with:"This is My Country" is an American patriotic folk song composed in 1940...
(Don Raye
Don Raye
Don Raye , born Donald MacRae Wilhoite, Jr., in Washington, D.C., was an American vaudevillian and songwriter, best known for his songs for the Andrews Sisters such as "Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar", "The House of Blue Lights", "Just For A Thrill" and "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy."While known for...
and Al Jacobs).
American Folk Songs*
Narrator: The Spirit of America continues to inspire those who believe in their dreams. From sea to shining sea, we are proud to share all this great and beautiful nation has to offer. In the words and melodies of beloved American folk songs, that enduring spirit is found in the music of our land.
Music: America the Beautiful
America the Beautiful
"America the Beautiful" is an American patriotic song. The lyrics were written by Katharine Lee Bates and the music composed by church organist and choirmaster Samuel A. Ward....
(Katharine Lee Bates
Katharine Lee Bates
Katharine Lee Bates was an American songwriter. She is remembered as the author of the words to the anthem "America the Beautiful". She popularized "Mrs. Santa Claus" through her poem Goody Santa Claus on a Sleigh Ride .-Life and career:Bates was born in Falmouth, Massachusetts, the daughter of a...
and Samuel A. Ward
Samuel A. Ward
Samuel Augustus Ward was an American organist and composer. Born in Newark, New Jersey, Ward studied music in New York and became an organist at Grace Episcopal Church in Newark in 1880. He is remembered for his hymn "Materna" which was used for the anthem "America the Beautiful", with words by...
), This Land is Your Land
This Land Is Your Land
"This Land Is Your Land" is one of the United States' most famous folk songs. Its lyrics were written by Woody Guthrie in 1940 based on an existing melody, in response to Irving Berlin's "God Bless America", which Guthrie considered unrealistic and complacent. Tired of hearing Kate Smith sing it on...
(Woody Guthrie
Woody Guthrie
Woodrow Wilson "Woody" Guthrie is best known as an American singer-songwriter and folk musician, whose musical legacy includes hundreds of political, traditional and children's songs, ballads and improvised works. He frequently performed with the slogan This Machine Kills Fascists displayed on his...
), Oh My Darling, Clementine
Oh My Darling, Clementine
Oh My Darling, Clementine is an American western folk ballad usually credited to Percy Montrose , although it is sometimes credited to Barker Bradford. The song is believed to have been based on another song called Down by the River Liv'd a Maiden by H. S...
(Percy Montrose), Oh! Susanna
Oh! Susanna
"Oh! Susanna" is a minstrel song by Stephen Foster . It was published by W. C. Peters & Co. in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1848. The song was introduced by a local quintette at a concert in Andrews' Eagle Ice Cream Saloon in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on September 11, 1847. Foster was said to have written...
(Stephen Foster
Stephen Foster
Stephen Collins Foster , known as the "father of American music", was the pre-eminent songwriter in the United States of the 19th century...
), She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain
She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain
"She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain" is an American folk song often categorized as children's music. It is a derivation of a Negro spiritual known as "When the Chariot Comes"....
, and Oh Shenandoah
Oh Shenandoah
"Oh Shenandoah" is a traditional American folk song of uncertain origin, dating at least to the early 19th century...
.
- The section is absent in the shorter version of the Disneyland show.
A Salute to the Red, White and Blue
Narrator: Just as the fifty stars and thirteen stripes are so grandly united upon Old Glory, our nation's flag unites us all. Let us join together to give salute to the red, white and blue. And cheer the hopes and dreams that continue to shine throughout America.
Music: You're a Grand Old Flag
You're a Grand Old Flag
"You're a Grand Old Flag" is a patriotic song of the United States. The song, a spirited march written by George M. Cohan, is a tribute to the U.S. flag. In addition to obvious references to the flag, it incorporates snippets of other popular songs, including one of his own...
(George M. Cohen), Stars and Stripes Forever (John Philip Sousa
John Philip Sousa
John Philip Sousa was an American composer and conductor of the late Romantic era, known particularly for American military and patriotic marches. Because of his mastery of march composition, he is known as "The March King" or the "American March King" due to his British counterpart Kenneth J....
) and The Star-Spangled Banner
The Star-Spangled Banner
"The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States of America. The lyrics come from "Defence of Fort McHenry", a poem written in 1814 by the 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet, Francis Scott Key, after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry by the British Royal Navy ships...
(Francis Scott Key
Francis Scott Key
Francis Scott Key was an American lawyer, author, and amateur poet, from Georgetown, who wrote the lyrics to the United States' national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner".-Life:...
).
Following the Star-Spangled Banner, the show ends in a massive display of fireworks.
Show facts
- Grand opening: July 3, 2008
- Show length: 9:25
- Show cost: $9,000 – $12,000
Current Shows
- Magical: An Exploding Celebration In The Sky (2009–present; Summer Nightastic!Summer Nightastic!Summer Nightastic! was an annual three month promotion by the Walt Disney Company celebrating the summer at the US Disney Resorts. It started in 2009 at the Disneyland Resort and had returned for 2010 at the Disneyland Resort and at the Walt Disney World Resort. The event included special...
) - Halloween ScreamsHalloween ScreamsHalloween Screams is a fireworks show that takes place during Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort.-History:...
(2009–present; October–November) - Believe... In Holiday MagicBelieve... In Holiday MagicBelieve... In Holiday Magic is a holiday fireworks show at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. The show runs for much of the Disneyland Resort's holiday season, which typically runs from the third weekend of November to the first weekend of the following January.-History:In 2000,...
(2000–2004, returned 2006–present; Holiday Season December–January) - Remember... Dreams Come TrueRemember... Dreams Come TrueRemember... Dreams Come True is a fireworks display commemorating Disneyland's 50th anniversary. Described as an "E ticket in the sky," the show features fireworks, lower level pyrotechnics, isopar flame effects, projections and lasers set to the soundtracks of some of Disneyland's most famous...
(2005–present; January–May) - Grad Night Explosion (Grad NiteGrad NiteDisney's Grad Nite is an event hosted in April, May, or June for graduating high school senior classes who can gather for an exclusive, all-night party at Disneyland and at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom featuring live performances by some of the...
s May–June) - Disney's Celebrate America: A 4th of July Concert in the Sky (July 4)
Previous shows
- Imagine... A Fantasy in the SkyImagine... A Fantasy in the SkyImagine... A Fantasy in the Sky was a fireworks show at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California that ran from late 2004 to mid 2005. It was a relatively small show intended to bridge the gap between two of Disneyland's most extravagant fireworks shows of all time: Believe... There's Magic in...
(2004–2005) - Believe... There's Magic In The StarsBelieve... There's Magic in the StarsBelieve... There's Magic In The Stars was a nighttime fireworks show at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. The show was introduced in 2000 for the Resort's 45th Anniversary, replacing the aging Fantasy in the Sky fireworks display. At the time, the show was the most complex and lavish...
(2000–2004) - Fantasy in the SkyFantasy in the SkyFantasy in the Sky was a fireworks performance at Disneyland Paris from 1993 to 2005 in Marne-la-Vallee, France, Disneyland in Anaheim, California from 1958 to 2000, shortly again in 2004, and at the Magic Kingdom in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, until 2003....
(1958–2000) Returns annually for New Year celebrations at Disneyland
Current Shows
- WishesWishesWishes: A Magical Gathering of Disney Dreams is a fireworks show at the Magic Kingdom theme park in Florida and at Disneyland Park in Disneyland Paris...
- Summer Nightastic Firework Spectacular (2010; Summer Nightastic!Summer Nightastic!Summer Nightastic! was an annual three month promotion by the Walt Disney Company celebrating the summer at the US Disney Resorts. It started in 2009 at the Disneyland Resort and had returned for 2010 at the Disneyland Resort and at the Walt Disney World Resort. The event included special...
) - Disney's Celebrate America: A 4th of July Concert in the Sky (July 4)
- HalloWishesHalloWishesHalloWishes is a fireworks show that takes place during "Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party" at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom theme park...
(2005–present; September and October during "Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween PartyMickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween PartyMickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is a separate-admission Halloween-themed event held annually during the months of September and October at the Magic Kingdom theme park of the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, outside Orlando, and at Disneyland Paris Resort outside Paris,...
") - Holiday Wishes (2005–present; Holiday season November–December)
- Grad Night Explosion (Grad NiteGrad NiteDisney's Grad Nite is an event hosted in April, May, or June for graduating high school senior classes who can gather for an exclusive, all-night party at Disneyland and at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom featuring live performances by some of the...
s May–June; defunct after 2011)
Previous shows
- Fantasy in the Sky (1971–2000; returns annually for New Year celebrations)