Disney wishes are without a doubt one of the biggest ‘wishes’ fulfilled by the Make-A-Wish foundation, allowing thousands of children all across the United States to visit one of the Disney Theme Parks as their wish. Historically, one out of every two wishes made is a Disney wish – a staggering fifty percent – and Disney has granted 165,000 wishes since the program’s first official wish was made in 1981.
“We’re enormously proud of Disney’s relationship with Make-A-Wish, which dates back nearly 45 years to the first official wish at Disneyland,” Bob Iger, Disney CEO, said. “It’s a privilege to use the power of Disney’s stories and characters to lift children’s spirits when they need it most, and we’re honored to work with Make-A-Wish to grant a Disney wish every hour of every day.”
The Walt Disney Company is no stranger to charity and humanitarian relief, and has been helping grant wishes for critically ill children for nearly forty-five years, working closely with the Make-A-Wish foundation to find innovative new ways to bring joy to children facing unfathomable illness. This collaboration has led to Disney being the world’s largest wish-granter; life-changing wishes including theme park and resort vacations, cruises, shopping sprees, film and TV set visits, talent meet and greets, sports-themed experiences, and more have are all granted to thousands of children every year as a way to bring joy and normalcy into the lives of people facing medical hardship within their families.
April 29th is World Wish Day, a day that Make-A-Wish chapters and affiliates gather to reflect on the wishes that have been made and the good that they have done – both over the past year and since the foundations inception.
“World Wish Day is an annual Make-A-Wish event that commemorates more than 40 years of granting life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses,” the Make-A-Wish website explains, “World Wish Day takes place on April 29 every year, marking the anniversary of the wish that inspired the creation of Make-A-Wish.”
In 2023, Disney and the Make-A-Wish Foundation celebrated their longstanding relationship, as well as the 150,000 wishes granted by the Walt Disney Company up to that point. In commemoration of the milestone and the partnership itself, Disney unveiled first-of-it-kind windows on Main Street, U.S.A. dedicated to Make-A-Wish and the wish kids of the world.
With Main Street windows being typically reserved for individuals who have made significant contributions to Disney over the years, it only seems fitting that Make-A-Wish would earn their window upon the historic street as the first ever window set dedicated to a non-profit.
The three windows include a center window dedicated to the Make-A-Wish foundation, and side windows honoring Chris Greicius, whose wish inspired the creation of the foundation, and Frank “Bopsy” Salazar, who made the very first official wish granted by Make-A-Wish – and the first Disney wish to boot!
This year, in celebration of World Wish Day and in reflection on the good that the Walt Disney Company has done for individuals and families facing critical illness, Disney has decided to expand its impact with the first-ever Week of Wishes.
The Week of Wishes is seven days of granting wishes to kids all over the world, all while generating crucial support for the Make-A-Wish foundation itself. Disney is expected to share more than 170 special wishes during this groundbreaking week.
In a press release, the Walt Disney Company drew upon its most core values to explain this newest endeavor, reflecting on words of its founder: ‘Walt Disney once said: ‘My business is making people, especially children, happy.’ In that spirit, Disney is honored to work with Make-A-Wish to provide transformative experiences that deliver happiness and comfort to children facing serious illness.“
Good Morning America recently covered the kick-off of Disney’s Week of Wishes, and the news segment can be viewed below, courtesy of the official YouTube for the popular talk show:
The Make-A-Wish foundation encourages people to visit their website and learn more about their mission, the stories of families who have had their wishes granted over the organization’s illustrious forty-five years, and how individuals can become Wish Makers to help aid the non-profit’s goal of making wishes come true for kids and families across the world.
From grand wishes like Disney vacations to smaller wishes like Florence’s wish to have a play farmyard brought to her preschool, the Make-A-Wish foundation fulfills the wishes of countless children – all through the support of corporate partners like the Walt Disney Company, and Wish Makers who dedicate their time volunteering, fundraising, and donating to help this organization bring joy to as many children as possible.
Check back soon, as Theme Park Shark will continue to report on the remarkable partnership between Disney and the Make-A-Wish foundation, as well as theme park news from Disney, Universal, and theme parks from all across the world!
