Disney grants
wishes for 19 children fighting critical illnesses in first
large-scale wish-granting event at Disneyland Resort – Blaze Your
Path: A Star Wars Adventure.
ANAHEIM,
Calif., Sept. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- This week
marked a magical milestone for 19 wish children who joined the
first-ever, multi-day Star Wars-themed wish event at
Disneyland Resort – Blaze Your Path: A Star Wars
Adventure.
Wish kids and their families from Make-A-Wish® and other wish
organizations visited Disneyland Resort for this first-of-its-kind
event, which brought the wonder of Batuu to kids who asked to have
a Star Wars-themed wish. After an immersive breakfast at
which children chose to follow the light or dark path, the unique
experience featured droid building, a scavenger hunt to assemble a
lightsaber, surprise character visits and an immersive private
dinner and dessert party in Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge at
Disneyland park.
"We're humbled that so many children choose Disney to make their dreams come true," said
Josh D'Amaro, chairman of Disney Experiences and Make-A-Wish
America board member. "We're constantly finding innovative and
uniquely Disney ways to grant
wishes at our parks and experiences around the world."
Wishes have the power to renew hope and uplift spirits for
children facing critical illnesses, and experiences like Blaze Your
Path: A Star Wars Adventure can be transformative for the
entire family. Each child attending wished for something related to
Star Wars and had their wishes come true, including:
- 14-year-old Dylan from California wished to experience Star
Wars: Rise of the Resistance at Disneyland Resort.
- 13-year-old Kenobi from North Dakota wished to make
his own lightsaber and droid at Star Wars: Galaxy's
Edge.
- 10-year-old Shepherd from Texas wished to visit Disneyland
Resort and meet some of his favorite Star Wars
characters.
Ahead of the adventure, Disney Consumer Products delivered an
extra dose of magic and surprised families with a Star Wars
backpack containing themed accessories, LEGO® toys and sets,
Funko Pop! figures, pins and more. Disney Publishing also sprinkled
in some extra fun by providing an array of Star Wars
books.
"It's a testament to the passion and commitment to the
Make-A-Wish mission that Disney
continues to find new and creative ways to deliver truly
life-changing experiences for wish kids and their families," said
Leslie Motter, president and CEO,
Make-A-Wish America. "This event gives wish kids and their families
a chance to feel like a normal family again – perhaps for the first
time since the start of their medical journey. The stress, fear and
anxiety that come with their illness are the furthest things from
their minds."
To complete their Disney wish trips, families are now
spending the remainder of their visits at Disneyland Resort,
enjoying the theme parks and a stay at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel &
Spa.
Wish granting is an integral part of the magic at Disneyland
Resort. Blaze Your Path: A Star Wars Adventure is one of the
many ways Disney helps grant wishes across Disney
Experiences. For nearly 45 years, Disney has worked together with Make-A-Wish to
make wishes come true for children fighting critical illnesses.
Since the very first official wish was granted at Disneyland
Resort, Disney has helped fulfill
more than 155,000 wishes globally with Make-A-Wish and is honored
to be the largest wish granter in the world for Make-A-Wish.
Visit Wish.org/Disney to learn more about other
ways Disney is supporting Make-A-Wish.
ABOUT THE DISNEYLAND RESORT
Located in Anaheim, Calif., the
Disneyland Resort features two spectacular theme parks – Disneyland
Park (the original Disney theme
park) and Disney California Adventure Park – plus three hotels and
the Downtown Disney District
dining, entertainment and shopping complex. The Hotels of the
Disneyland Resort are Disney's
Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, the Disneyland Hotel – both AAA
Four Diamond properties – and Pixar Place Hotel. When it opened on
July 17, 1955, Disneyland introduced
the world to a new concept in family entertainment and continues to
use creativity, technology and innovation to bring storytelling to
new heights. With over 35,000 cast members, the Disneyland Resort
is Orange County's largest
employer. For detailed information about the Disneyland Resort,
please visit disneyland.com.
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SOURCE Disneyland Resort