Bringing the Magic of Disney Storytelling to Military Families with Blue Star Families

Throughout June, Disney celebrated U.S. military families coast to coast with special events and movie screenings as part of Disney Celebrates America, the company’s celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary and its century-long admiration for service members, veterans, and their families.

The events in June were hosted in collaboration with Blue Star Families (BSF), a nonprofit dedicated to supporting military families. As part of the company’s semiquincentennial celebration, Disney was honored to donate $2.5 million to help advance BSF’s important mission building upon their 15-year relationship and shared respect for military families. This follows many events where Disney made magic for military families throughout the month of May as well.

On June 30, Disney and Blue Star Families hosted a special screening of Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story 5 for military families at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, Calif, bringing together nearly 500 military children and family members for a memorable afternoon of community, appreciation, and Disney magic.

Disney VoluntEARS helped make the day magical as attendees enjoyed meeting Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and Mickey Mouse, enjoyed special activities, and took home special gifts including books, Toy Story 5 giveaways, a Mickey Mouse plush, and bag charms. Adding to the experience, guests received a heartfelt message from Joan Cusack, the voice of Jessie, Tim Allen, the voice of Buzz Lightyear, and Greta Lee, who voices newcomer Lilypad, before the movie began.

As part of the screening event, the families were surprised with theme park tickets to Disneyland Resort by Josh D’Amaro, Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company. The gift to The Happiest Place on Earth was in Disney’s appreciation for all the military families’ contributions to their country.

“For decades, Disney has honored the service and sacrifice of U.S. military members, veterans, and their families,” said Josh D’Amaro, Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company. “We’re proud to continue that legacy alongside Blue Star Families by creating moments for military families to come together, make lasting memories, and feel the appreciation they so deeply deserve.” 

On June 16, Blue Star Families and Disney hosted a special Blue Star Books event at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Fla. The literacy-focused celebration brought together military families and featured a special appearance by Second Lady of the United States Usha Vance, who helped launch her 2026 Summer Reading Challenge, a nationwide initiative encouraging children to read in honor of America’s 250th anniversary.

“Throughout our long-standing relationship, Disney continues to deliver the joy of reading, helping military children navigate the unique challenges of service life,” said Kathy Roth-Douquet, CEO and co-Founder of Blue Star Families. “The presence of Second Lady Usha Vance at this event highlights the transformative power of literacy and powerfully underscores the national importance of supporting our military-connected youth. By fostering stability, well-being, and a love of learning for our families, we directly bolster the retention of our service members and, ultimately, the operational readiness of our force.”

More than 200 military children and their families were surprised with tickets to Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., during this special event. The day also featured themed crafts and a special appearance by Mickey Mouse in his new patriotic attire.

This special gift capped a great day of storytelling and Disney magic, where Disney VoluntEARS from Walt Disney World Resort helped children select 10 Disney books to take home with two more to share with their friends along with a Mickey Mouse plush. These gifts were designed to help the children build their personal libraries while inspiring a lifelong love of reading. Families also received Blue Star Welcome Kits, assembled by Disney VoluntEARS at Walt Disney World Resort during a day of service to provide comfort for children navigating military moves.

Over the course of their 15-year collaboration, The Walt Disney Company has donated more than 370,000 books to military children, bringing the magic of storytelling directly to those who serve. Other recent Blue Star Books events included a visit last year to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii and most recently at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.

Military families were also transported to a galaxy far, far away as Disney VoluntEARS from Disney Entertainment welcomed more than 150 attendees to Lucasfilm in San Francisco, Calif. on May 30 for a private screening of Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu. During this special event, Blue Star Families toured the studio and explored the Yoda Fountain, and during their visit, the Mandalorian and Grogu surprised families.

The participating military families were also gifted Star Wars-themed giveaways. As the event continued, families expressed their gratitude and emphasized how much these events meant to them.

One of the most meaningful takeaways from visiting Lucasfilm was hearing directly from families,” said Sheila Stevens, Vice President, Chapter Impact & Outposts for Blue Star Families. “Many shared how this experience helped them connect not only with each other but with families. Creating those moments of connection is at the core of our mission.”

The Walt Disney Company’s collaboration with Blue Star Families reflects a broader, longstanding commitment to supporting U.S. service members, veterans, and their families — a tradition that dates back more than 100 years to founders Walt and Roy O. Disney, who both served their country during World War I.

That commitment continues through “Disney Celebrates America,” a companywide effort showcasing stories, experiences and programming across Disney’s brands in honor of the United States’ 250th anniversary. To read more details on how Disney is commemorating this historic milestone, click here.

Disney’s celebration of America’s milestone continues with special programming across Disney owned broadcast platforms honoring America’s 250th anniversary.

Beginning the evening of July 3 and continuing through July 4, ABC Entertainment, ABC News, ESPN, and National Geographic will present an unparalleled 24-hour, cross-platform broadcast spanning ABC, Disney+, Hulu, National Geographic, FX, Freeform, ABC News Live, ESPN, and ABC Owned Television Stations and affiliates. Good Morning America is also broadcasting live from the Disney Wonder in Alaska from June 30-July 4, showcasing the beauty of Alaska and how families can experience the region with Disney Cruise Line.

Now streaming on Disney+ and Hulu, “Disney Celebrates America: The Pursuit of Happiness” is a two-hour primetime special hosted by 20/20 co-anchor Deborah Roberts from Walt Disney World Resort and ABC News national correspondent Will Reeve from Disneyland. 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. In this coast-to-coast event, Disney Parks and attractions are the portal through which America’s greatest stories, triumphs and traditions are celebrated.