Disney And Make-A-Wish Just Granted Their 1,000th Wish In A Magical Way
Disney and Make-A-Wish UK have celebrated the milestone of granting more than 1,000 wishes through A Disney Wish, a partnership program designed to bring Disney magic to seriously ill children and their families who may not be able to travel to the theme parks. To mark the occasion, nearly 200 families were invited to a nine-day event at Wotton House Hotel in Dorking, England, with every experience thoughtfully adapted for the children's specific medical, physical, and sensory needs. The event featured a fully accessible carousel, immersive themed environments, a drone show, a Frozen sing-along, a chance to read with Belle, a Pixar-themed play zone, and Marvel Super Hero training sessions, along with appearances by actress and Ted Lasso star Hannah Waddingham, television presenter Sian Welby, and author and podcaster Giovanna Fletcher. Waddingham said the day was really important to her because A Disney Wish takes you out of yourself, whether you are a wish child or a wish parent, and she could not think of a better place for seriously ill children to spend time with their families. The program seeks specifically to reach families for whom a visit to Disney Parks would not otherwise be possible, bringing the characters, stories, and experiences to them instead.
The 1,000th wish itself was granted at sea, aboard the Disney Dream cruise ship, which hosted wish children for a day of Disney magic as part of a separate partnership between Disney Cruise Line and Make-A-Wish Ireland. Before the ship set sail, the children were welcomed with a special celebration featuring Joy and Sadness from Inside Out. Once aboard, they received personalized greetings in the atrium, attended brunch at the Royal Palace restaurant where they met Cinderella, Rapunzel, Tiana, and Belle, got creative with Stitch at Disney's Oceaneer Club, joined Mickey Mouse and friends for a silent disco dance party, and each received a collection of keepsakes to take home. Deborah Armstrong, Country Manager for The Walt Disney Company UK and Ireland, said she had been part of A Disney Wish since it started, and that seeing the 1,000th wish granted through the experience was incredibly special. She noted that even as the program has grown, every wish remains personal to the child and family at its heart. Make-A-Wish's core belief is that the experience of a wish fulfillment can give a child with a critical illness the strength and hope to keep going, and across 1,000 Disney wishes the two organizations have spent years finding ways to make that true.
