Veterans Day At Disney- Honoring America At EPCOT & Magic Kingdom / Voices Of Liberty - Flag Retreat
Veterans Day 2025
Transcript
0:03
Welcome everyone. Adam the Woo here. As
0:03
the recording of this, it is Tuesday,
0:05
November 11th, 2025. It is Veterans Day
0:09
and I have decided to go over to two
0:12
different places on Walt Disney World
0:13
property. Epcot and Magic Kingdom at
0:16
Epcot Center. gonna watch the American
0:19
Adventure Show, show some things in the
0:22
lobby, possibly catch the Voices of
0:24
Liberty doing their ac capella
0:26
performance, and then after that take
0:29
the Montreal or maybe my car, but
0:31
possibly the Montreal Epcot loop over
0:33
TTC and then to Magic Kingdom where I
0:36
will be attending the Flag Retreat and
0:39
watching that there in the front area
0:42
just past the train station as you're
0:44
making your way down Main Street, USA.
0:46
Next year is the 250th anniversary of
0:49
America. I have a lot of road trip pl
0:52
road trips planned during the entire
0:56
year. All US travel. I have an
0:58
international
1:00
couple international destinations later
1:02
this month and into December. But next
1:04
year is all US of A. Got the flag right
1:09
here on the side of the the barn in the
1:12
photo there. Looking forward to that.
1:14
Thanksgiving is approaching as well. The
1:16
American Adventure Show talks a lot
1:18
about the pilgrims and all of that. So,
1:20
this will be my last time seeing that
1:22
before I leave shortly before
1:26
Thanksgiving and I'll be gone for about
1:27
a month. But today is Veterans Day.
1:29
Going to head to the parks and just see
1:32
where the day leads. I'm inviting you to
1:33
join me. It's good to have you here,
1:36
shall you? Here's a close-up front view
1:38
of that barn. Good old Americana.
1:42
small town life, if you will, which I'm
1:44
going to be really diving into once
1:47
again next year. But Veterans Day is a
1:49
day that we honor all those who have
1:52
served
1:54
or have served and are continuing to
1:56
serve in the US armed forces.
2:05
That is a beautiful temperature at 15
2:05
minutes to 1. About to depart my place.
2:08
56°
2:13
56
2:13
going to be sunny. Sunset's going to be
2:16
at 5:30. The flag retreat at Magic
2:18
Kingdom is at 5, so it'll be just shy of
2:22
dusk.
2:23
Loving this weather. Got shorts on,
2:27
t-shirt, and a light hoodie. Perfect.
2:31
All right, porch pilgrim. I will see you
2:35
a little later.
2:43
featured in the American Adventure Show
2:44
at Epcot. I highly recommend it if you
2:46
haven't seen it. Just an amazing show. A
2:48
marvel of animatronic goodness.
2:51
Yeah, I will not be here on Thanksgiving
2:53
Day, but I do have my stuff up, which
2:55
I'll have to take down a couple days
2:57
prior to Thanksgiving. I think I'm in
2:59
town for about 10 more days before
3:02
departing internationally,
3:04
give or take a day.
3:11
Ah, the porch pilgrim with the creepy
3:11
eyes. And to be completely honest, I
3:13
don't even think I need my hoodie at the
3:15
particular moment.
3:18
But as the day progresses and the sun
3:20
starts to set, it'll definitely get a
3:22
lot colder. It's crisp now, but I could
3:25
probably live without my hoodie at the
3:27
moment.
3:28
>> Yeah, the sun is coming out to be
3:30
honest. Don't even really need
3:33
my hoodie that I'm wearing, but I will
3:36
definitely be grateful that I have it
3:38
when the sun starts to set. Yeah, you
3:40
really feel the briskness in the shade.
3:42
When you're in the sun, really do not
3:44
need any sort of jacket or anything. But
3:47
once you get into the shade area like I
3:50
am right now, this is very, very, this
3:52
is very, very nice underneath Spaceship
3:54
Earth. I always try to get a little
3:56
documentation here in the mirror. Hello,
3:57
me. went ahead and mobile ordered my
3:59
coffee. But take a look over here. I
4:01
never really noticed they have all these
4:02
old all these old coffee pots and
4:05
different brewing devices to make tea
4:07
and coffee. Here next to the Starbucks
4:09
where I've ordered my piping hot
4:11
caffeinated beverage. I ordered a
4:13
sugar-free vanilla latte vinty. But they
4:16
got, look at this, they got all these
4:17
relics of the past or maybe even some of
4:19
them current little uh coffee cups.
4:21
There's a quezin art right there.
4:23
There's a little teacup right up top
4:25
there. Some other teacups. Yeah.
4:28
>> Yeah, that's fun. All right. And there's
4:30
a lot of people.
4:32
>> A lot of people getting coffee because
4:34
of the weather.
6:02
Woo!
6:02
2
6:23
Heat.
7:30
>> pajamas.
7:30
>> Hey, hey, hey. No, you can't do that.
7:33
>> I still have money. All right, arrived
7:35
over at the American Adventure now where
7:37
inside there is an exhibit called
7:40
Portraits of Courage, Commander-in-Chief
7:42
Tribute to the American Warriors by
7:43
President George W. Bush. He has painted
7:46
all these inside the lobby of the
7:49
American Adventure. And before the next
7:51
American Adventure show, which I believe
7:53
is either 3:15 or 3:30 at 3:00, the
7:56
Voices of Liberty are going to be
7:57
performing. So, I'll go around the
7:59
portraits in there and then wait for the
8:01
voices of liberty and get a little
8:02
serenade and then watch the show.
8:04
American Adventure Show. Yep. Next year,
8:07
250 years.
8:10
Birthday of America. Next year, 250 be a
8:13
big year. That's a trash can with the
8:17
1776 logo on it. And there is an artist
8:19
signing over here at the American
8:20
Pavilion. David E. Doss. That's him over
8:24
there next to the the worker that's
8:26
helping him out getting stuff signed. He
8:28
has done the magical celebration there.
8:31
He also did the cake castle, the 25th
8:35
anniversary back in 96. I got a photo in
8:38
front of that. A rare photo of myself, a
8:40
younger me in front of the cake castle.
8:42
Oh, this is some of his work too. Right
8:45
here, David Doss. There's the
8:46
contemporary the mouse ears. Mouse's
8:49
ears ears there and the suitcase.
8:52
suitcase in a dream.
9:00
There's
9:00
>> there he is over there signing and
9:01
selling his artwork. Got the sun
9:03
glistening there over the top of the
9:05
building itself. It's 1:30. It's
9:09
half hour. Oh, it's 2:30 right now.
9:11
2:30. That's what I meant to say. Half
9:12
hour until the Voices of Liberty
9:15
perform. Exclusive showing Disney's epic
9:17
theatrical event on stage and screen.
9:20
Highly recommend this. All right. These
9:21
are some of the paintings here that
9:22
George Bush painted and they've been
9:24
brought in here and they put along the
9:25
walls. I think these have been on
9:26
exhibit here for 6 7 8 months. But there
9:29
are a lot of people already lined up
9:31
even a half hour before Voices of
9:33
Liberty. Talked to one gentleman over
9:34
there and he's watching every show from
9:36
the first show until 6:00 p.m. Told I
9:39
try to cut out here after I watch after
9:41
I watch the Voices of Liberty. Then go
9:42
on go on the actual show itself, the
9:45
animatronic show, and then head over to
9:46
Magic Kingdom in time for the flag
9:48
retreat. But yeah, there's a lot of
9:50
people in here. Usually, you don't have
9:52
this many people already waiting for
9:54
Voices of Liberty, but I think today,
9:56
you know, it's an extra special day for
9:58
Voices of Liberty.
10:00
So, this should be this should be a good
10:02
set. And there was even a book right
10:04
down here, the Portra portraits of
10:06
courage book by George W. Bush right
10:08
there. And there's some letters to the
10:10
presidents or to the president right
10:12
here to President Bush all along in
10:14
here. They're dated back to 2013.
10:23
And they have all the names over here.
10:23
So this is Thomas Brooks right there and
10:28
Bri B R B R B R B R B R B R B R B R B R
10:29
B R Brian Vincent right there. They have
10:31
their names, all the corresponding
10:32
[music] art pieces. Sean Bennett,
10:41
US Army. There
10:41
>> Daniel Casera
10:44
1994 to 2008.
10:53
Now, there is an American Adventure show
10:53
starting right now,
10:55
>> but if I go in that by the time I get
10:56
out of the American Adventure show, I
10:58
would not be able to make the Voices of
11:01
Liberty set. So, I'm going to watch the
11:02
Voices of Liberty set and then head up.
11:10
These are all I guess would be oil
11:10
paintings, right? You [music] can see
11:11
the see the brush strokes there. Paint
11:15
on the side. They're covered up,
11:17
obviously, protected
11:19
so that nobody can touch them and damage
11:21
them. Kind of wondering if I'm going to
11:23
have time to go into the American
11:25
Adventure show after the Voices of
11:26
Liberty.
11:28
Just with the time frame of getting over
11:30
to Magic Kingdom in time for 5:00 p.m.
11:34
I don't know. It's going to be it's
11:34
going to be kind of close now that I
11:36
think about it. Jeremy Valdez,
11:40
Robert Leonard, and Andrew Hilstrom
11:43
on this little this little set right
11:45
over here. And then you got Andy Hatcher
11:48
up here in the corner, Jeremy Henderson,
11:52
Robert Dove, John Falenberry,
11:56
and then Juan Carlos Hernandez in the
11:59
top and Alexander Glenn Camden
12:05
painted by the president
12:13
right here at Epcot. This is
12:13
interesting. I've never seen lighting
12:16
up top there before. And
12:19
I've never seen the stars
12:23
on the little roof section there, which
12:27
is what makes the acoustics in here so
12:29
great is the shape of the roof.
13:11
stare down the odds and
13:11
>> [music]
13:42
Thank you so much. Happy Veterans Day,
13:42
everyone. Thank you.
13:45
Liberty. We're so glad to welcome all of
13:47
you here to our home for the American
13:49
Adventure. We'll be singing for you for
13:51
the next few minutes. A mix of Disney
13:52
tunes as well as some Americana. But uh
13:55
we are just wondering how's your day
13:57
going? You having a great day?
14:00
>> [applause]
14:04
>> We're so glad to be here each and every
14:04
day, celebrating this country and
14:06
celebrating [snorts] the wonderful
14:07
people who make it amazing. But we're
14:10
especially grateful today to celebrate
14:12
our veterans today. Like I said, I will
14:14
be singing for you, Patriotic Americana,
14:17
and Disney tunes. We're at Disney World.
14:20
Bill Disney songwriters have been so
14:24
great to a song from our American
14:26
musical heritage that sings of a simple
14:28
lifestyle
14:30
beautiful
14:46
to be
14:46
a gift to be free.
14:49
We're here to come [music and singing]
14:52
down
14:53
to
15:07
[music] the valley of love.
15:20
And [singing] true [music] simplicity is
15:20
king to [singing]
15:28
shame [music]
15:28
in [singing] the valley of love [music]
15:48
to be free.
16:06
>> United [cough] forces [clears throat]
16:06
along with their families, their support
16:08
system. Uh so we can give them a round
16:10
of applause. [applause]
16:29
>> uh especially near to us are the people
16:29
who make what we do here at the Voice of
16:32
Liberty happen. uh those of us who are
16:36
operational uh in the American adventure
16:39
um whether it be our technicians that
16:41
help the lights make this event
16:42
spectacular [applause]
16:50
that have also served it's very
16:50
important uh here are ops folks at
16:53
American venture lighting especially in
16:56
our own cast so we want to thank all of
16:59
you especially [applause]
17:07
We have time for one more song and I'd
17:07
like to set it up with a story. So it
17:10
was 1787
17:12
and the constitutional convention was in
17:14
session but not without a share of
17:16
problems. It would have been more than
17:17
difficult to assemble delegates from all
17:19
13 states. But getting them to agree on
17:22
any one thought or opinion is giving new
17:25
meaning to the word impossible. Every
17:28
discussion punctuated with gossip,
17:30
wrangling, shouted arguments without
17:32
end. It seemed we would have 13
17:35
independent countries instead of one
17:37
United States. But it was Benjamin
17:40
Franklin who was at 81 years old who
17:42
stood up and said, "If we delegates
17:46
cannot even find common ground, how are
17:49
we to expect the same from our people?
17:52
Is this America a rising sun that will
17:56
shine like a beacon for all or a setting
18:00
sun soon?
18:02
We must come together and find common,
18:05
find common ground. And so it was in the
18:08
fall of that same year though
18:10
[clears throat] those delegates wrote in
18:12
one accord the very words that our
18:14
service members take the oath to
18:16
content.
18:18
We the people of the United States
18:22
>> in order to form a more perfect union
18:26
>> establish justice.
18:28
>> Ensure domestic tranquility.
18:31
>> Provide for the common defense. promote
18:35
the general welfare and secure the
18:38
blessings of liberty to ourselves and
18:41
our posterity to ordain and establish
18:45
this constitution for the United States
18:48
of America.
18:59
>> the people [singing]
19:05
establish [singing]
19:05
his constitution [music]
19:12
for the [singing] United States [music]
19:37
[music] sea to shine shine shine shine
19:37
shining shining shining
19:46
to shine. I
19:46
am
20:07
here.
20:31
>> Now to be seated. If you're here to see
20:31
our 30inut animatronic film musical
20:34
show, please move to my left hand side
20:36
by the corridor flags. Disc
20:40
revolutionary territorial
20:42
1 hour
20:44
>> shows at 3:30.
20:47
>> We got one hour to get over to Magic
20:48
King.
20:50
Please take young children by the hand.
20:52
>> I'm going to have to rush it.
20:55
>> Thinking maybe not. Instead of taking
20:56
the Montreal to TTC and the
20:59
transportation ticket center,
21:02
Magic Kingdom, I might just take the
21:03
bus. Might be quicker to go out, grab
21:05
the bus. More direct route. I'm going to
21:08
be on a time crunch.
21:41
Yeah, this is a setup you don't normally
21:41
see. It's kind of neat. They got the
21:42
whole little
21:44
section over here making the lights work
21:46
and everything.
21:54
That was kind of neat seeing the other
21:54
voice performers come out go along the
21:56
railing.
22:18
>> This is how annoying you're getting.
22:18
Yeah.
22:59
All right. Yes. Uh, good afternoon.
22:59
We're so glad you joined us here in this
23:00
lovely autumn afternoon in Florida. I
23:03
got just a couple things for you before
23:05
we get the show started. For your safety
23:07
and your enjoyment, please remember that
23:09
exiting both during and after the show
23:11
will only be through those doors at the
23:13
rear of the theater to your left
23:15
underneath those exit signs. As well,
23:17
smoking, vaping, and flash photography
23:20
are not permitted in any of our
23:21
theaters. And if you haven't done so
23:23
already, please take a quick second to
23:25
go ahead and silence those cell phones.
23:27
And now, let's make sure Mr. Twain and
23:29
Mr. Franklin are awake down here. Give
23:31
them a shout out. Okay.
23:39
Samuel Clemens.
23:39
>> And as always, American Adventure really
23:42
great. All the way they do the
23:44
animatronics. I'd really love to at some
23:47
point I don't know if they do tours of
23:49
the underbelly of it and how the
23:51
animatronics kind of pull down, go up,
23:53
switch around, are stored. It'd be so
23:57
cool to see that all
24:06
the way set up.
24:06
The show ended 3:30 show ended at 4:04.
24:09
A 34-minute show by time I got out of
24:11
the the American Adventure. Took me
24:14
about 15 minutes to walk to the front.
24:16
Montreal is really backed up. So got on
24:19
the Epcot Loop Montreal.
24:23
Got off the Epcot loop Montreal.
24:28
kind of a whole process to try to get
24:30
over there in time for 5 5:00 p p.m. for
24:33
the
24:38
for the flag retreat. I don't know if
24:38
I'm going to make it.
24:46
I think I might make it, but I'm I'm
24:46
cutting it close. Also, I just learned
24:48
there's no bus.
24:55
There is no bus from Epcot to Magic
24:55
Kingdom unless the Montreal breaks down.
24:57
I could have drove my car, but I think
24:58
parking at TTC is just a mad house
25:00
because of the Christmas party tonight.
25:02
But I'm chancing this.
25:04
Taking a chance. It's 4:42.
25:07
I have 18 minutes now to get from TTC
25:10
on that Montreal and get over to Magic
25:12
Kingd.
25:14
Thankfully, flag is right at the front
25:16
of the park. Should be good.
25:43
traffic system. For your safety, please
25:44
hand
25:46
the automatic doors.
25:49
And enjoy your ride on the highway in
25:51
the sky.
26:42
All right, that's cutting it close. 8
26:42
minutes to get into the flag pole. Oh,
26:44
now that was that was cutting it close.
26:47
Seven. Well, no, let's say 6 minutes to
26:49
spare. Already a lot of people over
26:51
here. Actually, a whole bunch of people
26:54
over here. Already people all lined up.
26:58
Detail
27:01
march
27:03
left.
27:24
In just a few minutes, we invite you to
27:24
join us in Town Square for our flag
27:27
retreat ceremony. Once again, this Magic
27:30
Kingdom tradition will begin in just a
27:33
few moments.
28:15
>> Hello, we are the Dapper Dans on behalf
28:15
of our main street philarmonic. our
28:17
Magic Kingdom security color guard and
28:20
our Main Street operations. We are
28:22
pleased and proud to welcome you to
28:24
today's flag retreat ceremony here in
28:27
Town Square. Our Town Square flag
28:29
retreat ceremony is one of our original
28:32
Magic Kingdom traditions. We are so
28:35
honored that you have taken time out of
28:37
your day to be a part of this tradition
28:40
with us. Today is Veterans Day. As we
28:44
retire the colors this afternoon, let us
28:46
keep in our thoughts the individuals of
28:48
our armed forces around the globe who
28:51
selflessly put themselves in harm's way
28:53
in the defense of our liberty. Let us
28:56
also honor our brave first responders
28:58
here at home who put themselves in
29:00
harm's way every day to keep us safe. We
29:04
are honored to be joined in today's flag
29:06
retreat ceremony by members from Walt
29:08
Disney World's very own first
29:10
responders, the Walt Disney World
29:12
District Color Guard. Let's give them a
29:14
warm welcome.
29:24
Please join us as we all say the Pledge
29:24
of Allegiance.
30:38
Heat
31:12
>> Heat.
31:38
>> Please join us as we all sing God Bless
31:38
America. [music]
31:48
God [chant] bless [singing] America.
31:55
And there are
31:55
[music] standard [singing]
32:02
and guide her [music]
32:02
[singing] with the light from above.
32:06
From the mountain [music]
32:09
to the river
32:11
to the [singing] ocean
32:14
where we fall,
32:23
my [singing]
32:24
sweet [music]
32:30
bless.
32:30
Americ. Americ. [singing and music]
33:06
>> Disney World cast members who have
33:06
served in uniform as part of our annual
33:10
Veterans Day tradition. Please welcome
33:13
from the United States Army, Sergeant
33:16
First Class Mark Wright from Early
33:18
Branch, South Carolina
33:26
from the United States Marine Corps.
33:26
Captain Albert Varela from Douglas,
33:29
Arizona.
33:38
>> From the United States Navy, Captain
33:38
Kappy Surret from Westport, Connecticut.
33:46
And from the United States Air Force,
33:49
Senior Master Sergeant Felicia Blackwell
33:52
from Washington, DC.
33:56
Let's thank them for their service and
33:58
for being with us today. [applause]
35:03
heat.