For World Wish Day on April 29, Disney EMEA and Make-A-Wish are celebrating the power of wishes to deliver joy, hope and strength for children facing critical illnesses and their families.
Wish granting is one of the magical ways Disney EMEA creates Moments That Matter for children across the region when they it the most. And last weekend was no different as Disneyland Paris welcomed 80 Make-A-Wish children from across 12 different countries to have their wishes granted and experience a weekend of celebration to mark World Wish Day in the theme parks. During their magical getaway, the children enjoyed various attractions, awe-inspiring shows and unforgettable moments alongside their favourite characters. In addition, they were invited to participate in a special pre-parade that made its way through Disneyland Park.
Jade, the mother of Make-A-Wish France child Coralie, said: “To live this experience is unique. Thank you so much to Make-A-Wish France and to Disneyland Paris for making this dream come true. You made our children dream, you pampered us all weekend long. Jade has totally freed her spirit from hospitals, doctors and injections, and seeing her so happy and full of life touched me deeply”
Since its opening in 1992, Disneyland Paris has worked to grant wishes and deliver joy when it is needed most to 20,000 children, making it the second largest Disney wish granter worldwide. Every year, more than 1,000 children’s wishes are granted through a tailored programme run by the Wish Granting team at the park and hundreds of Disney VoluntEARS, who notably completed more than 15,000 volunteer hours in 2023.
A Disney VoluntEAR from UK & Ireland said: “I feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to join in as a Disney VoluntEAR, helping to create Moments that Matter for some of our wish families as part of the World Wish Day weekend, including dancing with the Wish children in a very special wish parade.”
Sara Hanson, Director of EMEA Corporate Social Responsibility, said: “World Wish Day gives us a platform to celebrate the power of wish granting and the children who experience it, but also the perfect opportunity to recognise and publicly thank the hundreds of dedicated Disney Cast Members and VoluntEARS who make these magical wishes possible.”
Elise Murray, Director of Strategic Partnerships, Make-A-Wish International added: “It was an incredible weekend in celebration of World Wish Day. We are so grateful to all the Disney VoluntEARS and team at Disneyland Paris for going above and beyond for the wish children and their families. It was heartwarming to see the children’s smiles throughout the weekend. Thank you to all involved. We’re proud of our long-standing collaboration with Disney, bringing hope, strength and joy to wish children and their families when they need it most.’’
World Wish Day marks the anniversary of the original wish that inspired the creation of the Make-A-Wish Foundation in 1980. Disney has since granted more than 155,000 wishes alongside Make-A-Wish and continues to be the most-requested wish globally for the organisation.
To learn more about our charitable giving with Make-A-Wish and other organisations, visit here.