The Walt Disney Company brings magic to children in hospitals through Movie Moments

For more than 100 years, The Walt Disney Company has positively impacted children and communities worldwide through its social purpose programmes. That legacy is at the heart of Movie Moments – a programme that reimagines hospital stays through the magic of movies.

Through the Movie Moments programme, we collaborate with charities to bring the magic of movies to children in hospitals – helping them escape the day-to-day reality and immerse themselves in great stories. From big-screen movie cinema experiences to providing mobile movie theatres and Disney+ subscriptions for more intimate viewings, the programme helps children and their families experience moments of joy, comfort, and togetherness when they need it the most.

Nominate a hospital

To help us reach even more children, we’re inviting fans to nominate a hospital for the chance to receive some Disney magic through our Toy Story: Take a Look artwork, designed to bring comfort to seriously ill and socially isolated children.​

 
Nominate a hospital

Nominated hospitals will be considered as part of Disney’s wider hospital programme, with selected locations receiving Disney’s hospital artwork, Toy Story: Take a look Disney Hospital prints.

Examples of Impact across EMEA

Since 2020, the Disney Moments That Matter Programme has created over 550,000 moments of joy, comfort, and togetherness for children across EMEA. This is a major contributor to Disney’s ambition to create one million moments that matter by 2030.

Here are just a few examples of how the programme comes to life.

The Magic of Disney in hospitals

The magic doesn’t stop at the screen. Across EMEA, Disney works alongside healthcare professionals to reimagine care journeys, reducing stress and fear for children and their families.

Through partnerships like our collaboration with Philips, creating the Philips Ambient Experience with Disney themes – an MRI experience designed to help children feel calmer and more relaxed during scans -we make clinical environments and procedures into more engaging, reassuring experiences, alongside immersive installations, creative workshops and special hospital visits.

For children living with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions, we also partner with wish-granting organisations to deliver life-changing experiences for them and their families.

This commitment is rooted in Walt Disney’s own tradition of visiting children’s hospitals with animators and beloved characters to bring joy and comfort. Today, this legacy is reflected in Disney’s commitment to delivering moments of comfort and joy to seriously ill children around the world. As part of a recently fulfilled $100 million commitment to help reimagine the patient experience, more than 1,700 children’s hospitals and paediatric places of care in 45 countries around the world, including in Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA).

Celebrating Toy Story 5 across EMEA

To celebrate the release of Toy Story 5, we’re bringing the magic of movies to children in hospitals across the region through a series of tailored experiences. Screening events will take place in hospitals across multiple countries, while beloved characters Woody, Buzz and Jessie will visit children in eight markets, creating meaningful moments of comfort and joy. Alongside this, we’re expanding access to Toy Story: Take a Look, an innovative programme developed in partnership with Disney Ireland and Children’s Health Ireland at Crumlin, offering nearly 400 hospitals the opportunity to install character-led X-ray imagery that helps demystify procedures and reduce anxiety for young patients.

Italy & UK

For 25 years, MediCinema and Disney have proudly worked together to bring movie magic to patients, their families, and the medical staff who care for them. MediCinema builds and runs cinemas inside hospitals equipped with space for beds, wheelchairs, and medical equipment.

Birmingham Children’s Hospital opened the new, fully accessible, 84-seat MediCinema – the largest MediCinema in the UK – following support from Disney, the Julia Rausing Trust, and a £1m charity appeal by Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity and MediCinema charity. The opening marks the next chapter in MediCinema’s more than 25-year collaboration with Disney. To celebrate, the red carpet was rolled out for patients at the MediCinema’s ‘premiere’ opening screening of Disney and Pixar’s all-new feature film “Hoppers” screened ahead of its national cinema release. Upon arrival, the children were greeted by Disney’s Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, which added to their excitement. The magic continued inside as patients enjoyed additional fun before “Hoppers” began.

France, Poland, Bulgaria & Romania

Disney VoluntEARS have brightened hospital stays with character visits for years. In 2020, “happy kits” were introduced to provide children facing unexpected hospital stays with toiletry essentials and a surprise Mickey plush. To date, over 14,000 kits have been donated across 17 hospitals including to children in emergency units at Robert Debré Hospital in Paris.

Germany, Israel & Portugal

Since 2019 Disney Germany have supported Deutsches Herzzentrum München – Klinik für Kinderkardiologie und angeborene Herzfehler to help reduce fear and anxiety in young patients experiencing MRI scans with Disney+ subscriptions via VR headsets that allow them to escape into their favourite story during the procedure. All German partner hospitals have also received “Get-well-soon boxes” with toys, books and plush including branded certificates of “bravery” for difficult examinations in hospitals.

In 2025, Disney Germany, Israel and Portugal installed murals inspired by Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars in collaboration with their partner hospitals in each region. The vibrant designs help ease anxiety and bring moments of joy, turning intimidating spaces into comforting ones.

Mural in Dr. von Haunersches Kinderspital and München Klinik Schwabing hospital in Germany.

Turkey

At Koç University Hospital in Türkiye, the paediatric inpatient floor was transformed with Disney-themed murals that bring comfort and imagination to young patients. Developed in collaboration with Make-A-Wish Türkiye, the experience came to life with a special visit from Mickey Mouse, while Disney VoluntEARS spent time with children doing creative bedside activities — helping create brighter hospital moments for children and their families.

Spain

Since 2020, Disney has been collaborating with the Juegaterapia Foundation on the design of special editions of the Baby Pelones, charity dolls created to support children undergoing cancer treatment. With the funds raised, Disney and the Juegaterapia Foundation built Disney-themed cinemas in hospitals, transforming them into more cheerful and welcoming spaces for children and their families. One example is the Baby Pelones doll, created in 2023 and inspired by “The Lion King” characters. Thanks to the funds raised through this initiative, a The Lion King-themed cinema was built at Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecillas.

South Africa

In 2024, Disney South Africa partnered with non-profit organisation Reach For A Dream to create the 45th “Dream Room” at Pholosong Regional Hospital – a vibrant space featuring a fully renovated ward, dedicated therapy room and playful garden designed to inspire hope and joy.

By transforming hospital spaces into places where children can dream, laugh and experience the magic of movies, Disney builds on its legacy of social purpose and moves closer to its ambition of creating one million Moments that Matter by 2030.