Why This Is A VERY Special Week For Disney

This week, Disney kicked off their Week of Wishes, which is a weeklong campaign celebrating 45 years of wish-granting with Disney and Make-A-Wish. Disney is Make-A-Wish‘s larger WishMaker, granting wishes every hour of every day. In total, they’ve helped grant more than 175,000 wishes for children with critical illnesses worldwide, and have no intentions of stopping any time soon.

Make-A-Wish at Destination D23

To celebrate this particular Week of Wishes, Disney did something extra special. Not only did they recently revamp their Wish Lounge, available solely for Make-A-Wish guests, but they’ve also rededicated the lounge as well!

The Wish Lounge is located in Magic Kingdom, and is meant to be a quiet, restful, and relaxing place for Wish families to go while on their vacation. It opened in the late 2000s and was recently renovated, with the help of former Wish kid, Abigail Hoyle, who is now a Disney Cast Member part of the entertainment team, and other fellow Cast Members who are Make-A-Wish alumni. They were invited to sign a wall in the Wish lounge, to be part of the legacy and leave inspiring words for families who travel there. Abigail, along with Disney Experiences Chairman Thomas Mazloum and Walt Disney World President Jeff Vahle, teamed up to surprise six-year-old Paxton, a wish kid from Pennsylvania who is living with a gastrointestinal disorder, along with his family, with a visit to the newly reimaged lounge, as well as a visit from Mickey and Minnie.

©Disney

That’s far from the only thing happening during the Week of Wishes. This week alone, Disney will spotlight 200 different wishes, including:

Wishes Assemble, a first-of-its-kind experience at Disneyland Resort, where nearly 40 Make-A-Wish kids and their families will become Avengers recruits and experience an exclusive, unique party
Performing in Disney’s Aladdin on Broadway
Two Wish kids announcing NFL first-round draft picks on ESPN
Surprising a Wish kid with an invitation to the star-studded The Mandalorian and Grogu premiere
So many more!

©Disney

When talking about Week of Wishes, Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro said, “We’re honored that so many wish kids choose Disney. Our stories bring joy, hope, and inspiration to millions around the world, and that’s a privilege we take very seriously. Our work with Make-A-Wish speaks to the connection that generations of families have with Disney and builds on Walt’s legacy of using storytelling to spread joy when it’s needed most.”

©Disney

Leslie Motter, president and CEO at Make-A-Wish America, also commented on the company’s long-standing partnership, saying, “For wish kids and their families, Disney represents joy, imagination, and hope during some of their most difficult moments. This 45-year relationship has never been stronger, and Disney Week of Wishes will spotlight the remarkable scale and lasting impact of Disney’s commitment to bringing life-changing wishes to children around the world.”

©Make-A-Wish

Former Disney CEO Bob Iger will also be awarded the inaugural WishMaker Lifetime Achievement Award for his service, granting over 110,000 wishes under his tenure. To kick off the week, Disney also released “Drawn to You,” a new brand spot directed by Emmy-nominated filmmaker Goh Iromoto that touches on real-life stories of Wish kids, and how Make-A-Wish’s official Wish Discovery Phase uses conversation, play, and art to help children express their heartfelt wishes.

Want to get in on the fun and support this great cause? Make-A-Wish and Charitybuzz have launched a fundraiser sweepstakes! When you make a donation to Make-A-Wish, you’ll enter for a chance to win a magical VIP weekend, including the Disneyland Resort vacation of a lifetime and walking the red carpet at Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Doomsday global premiere. Plus, the first 350 donors who donate $350 or more will receive a 1-year Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited Bundle Premium subscription.

Learn more about the sweepstakes here!

We’ll be sure to keep you updated on all the latest Disney news, so stay tuned to DFB!

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