The Walt Disney Company UK and Make-A-Wish® UK have once again come together to create a magical Disney Wish experience for children living with serious illness.
TV stars Tasha Ghouri and Amy Dowden also made special surprise appearances at this years A Disney Wish UK event; the immersive experience that brings the happiness, joy and magic of Disney to children living with life-limiting or life-threatening illnesses.
With many Make-A-Wish families unable to travel to a Disney Park due to their circumstances, the experience provides an opportunity for 200 families to take part in unforgettable events with their favourite Disney stories and characters, over the course of 12 days (with each family staying for three days). Including this year, nearly 1,000 wishes have been granted over the five A Disney Wish events.
During their stay this year, families are enjoying six unique Disney shows, 32 beloved Disney characters, 12 Disney themed family activities including singalong celebrations, a Toy Story carnival, an accessible carousel, a Winnie-the-Pooh picnic and treasure trail as well as beloved meet and greets with Disney characters. The children and their families are also spending time with their favourite Princesses, joining the Avengers Training Initiative and partying with Stitch in the Silent Disco. To add to the magic, all children received a personal invitation from Mickey Mouse ahead of their stay.
Bubbly and bright twins Tiwalade and Tinuade Edun, aged eight, from Staines in Greater London, live with sickle cell disease, a genetically inherited blood disorder, and are attending this year. Temi Edun, the twins’ dad, said: “For us as a family, A Disney Wish has brought us together. It’s a time which has brought us so much happiness, something that is so important in times of distress – especially for kids with difficult health situations. It’s an amazing experience and brings integration and actually takes away stress from our lives.”
TV personality and campaigner Tasha Ghouri met and spent time with the Edun family, attending a special Storytime with Belle and learning more about the magical story of Beauty and the Beast, before joining the family for character meet and greets with Moana and riding on the accessible carousel. She said: “I feel so honoured to have been part of A Disney Wish UK. For so many of these seriously ill children that Make-A-Wish support this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience—and it’s incredible to see the joy and magic it brings them.
“Everyone has their own journey, and all the little things we often take for granted simply aren’t a reality for some families, so creating moments like this really matters. Watching families make memories they’ll cherish forever, surrounded by their favourite Disney characters and stories, has been amazing.”
TV Star, Amy Dowden, met with Marvel-lover, Max Farmer, aged 8, from Perth, Scotland. Max was diagnosed with spinal muscular dystrophy type 1 – a condition that causes serious muscle weakening – at just nine weeks old. As mum Elaine explained: “He shouldn’t be here, we were told he wouldn’t see his first birthday.”
The physical implications of his condition are many. Max will never walk and until he was four he didn’t have the strength to speak. Mum said: “Every day is never a given, but each day is even more precious when your child has a life limiting condition. […] We went through the process with Make-A-Wish and here we are – it’s come true and we’re here today. […] Today has just been a day like no other. People often say there are no words to describe how I feel and, honestly, for us to see him with Spiderman and to see him so engaged and captivated, taking part, is just unbelievable. […] You just cannot believe what has gone into making this happen for so many families, for so many children. Everything has been so magical, so unbelievable.”
Amy Dowden said “I’m so lucky I got to meet some incredible families today – I met Max and his big sister Beth and we had our very own personal meet and greet with Spiderman, Max’s favourite character, and we learnt some Avengers moves. I wasn’t as good as Max, but I gave it a good go!”
“A Disney Wish is so important – not all children and their families can get to Disneyland because of their hospital trips, but this experience is accessible for every single family. Seeing the joy on the children’s faces with them meeting characters up close and personal has been incredible – the families get memories and moments to cherish forever”
Creating moments that matter for children and their families when they are needed the most is at the core of Disney’s social purpose. The Walt Disney Company is the largest wish partner for Make-A-Wish globally, granting a wish on average every hour of every day across the world. A Disney Wish UK is one of the many experiences created through Disney’s 45-year partnership with Make-A-Wish which has helped grant over 165,000 wishes globally – starting with the very first wish granted at Disneyland Resort in 1980.
Since the first Disney Wish UK event in 2021 – and by the time this years’ experience is complete – Mickey, Minnie and friends will have welcomed over 4,000 guests (wish children and those closest to them) to the experience.
Deborah Armstrong, Senior Vice President, Disney Advertising EMEA and Country Manager UK & Ireland said: “Every year it’s amazing to see that A Disney Wish creates magical life-changing moments for kids and families, in a way that only Disney can through our beloved characters and stories. The event has such a positive impact, helping families make joyful new memories together at a time when they need it the most. It’s a very special privilege to bring this experience to the UK again this year and see the lasting impact it has on the families – it truly is Disney magic at its best.”
Make-A-Wish UK Chief Executive, Jason Suckley, said: “At Make-A-Wish UK, we believe every child deserves to wish for more than a life defined by illness and we’re thrilled to work, for a fifth year, with Disney to bring the magic to critically ill children right here in the UK. Five years since the pandemic, the number of children eligible for a wish continues to rise but the heartbreaking reality is that many children either can’t wait or can’t travel to make their wish come true. With Disney’s incredible support, we’re able to create joy, happiness and magical memories through this life-changing wish for these children.”
To find out more please visit www.make-a-wish.org.uk.
