The Walt Disney Company Launches Inaugural, Company-Wide “Disney Week of Wishes” Campaign to Celebrate World Wish Day With Make-A-Wish

As the world’s largest wish granter for Make-A-Wish, Disney grants a wish every hour of every day all year long

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Today, The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) kicks off a weeklong company-wide campaign to celebrate its 45-year relationship with Make-A-Wish^® by launching the first ever “Disney Week of Wishes.” During this unprecedented week, Disney is honoring World Wish Day on April 29 by sharing unique wishes selected by Make-A-Wish kids that only Disney can make come true. This includes a wish-granting moment on American Idol, a Princess-themed ball for nearly 50 families at Disney World, and making one girl’s wish of meeting a star of the Marvel Cinematic Universe come true. The unique power of Disney to grant more than 170 signature wishes this week is made possible by harnessing the breadth of the company’s businesses to deliver on the core promise that has guided Disney for over a century: to create happiness for kids and families around the world.

“We're enormously proud of Disney’s relationship with Make-A-Wish, which dates back nearly 45 years to the first official wish at Disneyland,” said Disney CEO Bob Iger. “It’s a privilege to use the power of Disney’s stories and characters to lift children’s spirits when they need it most, and we’re honored to work with Make-A-Wish to grant a Disney wish every hour of every day.”

“Disney has supported Make-A-Wish from the very beginning, and now 45 years later, we are making a greater impact together than ever before in honor of World Wish Day on April 29,” said Leslie Motter, president and CEO, Make-A-Wish America. “Disney Week of Wishes is a testament to the company’s steadfast commitment to delivering hope and joy when it’s needed most to wish kids and their families around the world."

ABC News’ Good Morning America kicked off the week by highlighting the company’s longstanding relationship with Make-A-Wish, taking viewers back to where the first official wish was granted: Disneyland. Now, 45 years later, six-year-old Justice from Washington State traveled to Disneyland where her wish to be a princess came true. Throughout Disney Week of Wishes, Disney will spotlight several different wishes taking place across the company. Some of the wishes include:

• Meeting Luke Bryan of ABC’s American Idol
• Meeting Sebastian Stan of Marvel’s Thunderbolts*
• Announcing a draft pick for the NFL, broadcast on ESPN
• Having the ultimate Disney Princess experience at Once Upon A Wish Party, a storybook event at Walt Disney World for about 50 Make-A-Wish kids and their families
• Visiting Disneyland Resort, which is hosting nine wish kids and their families for a princess celebration
• Sailing on Disney Cruise Line, which granted the wish of three kids who set sail aboard the fittingly named Disney Wish
• A Disney Store shopping spree and princess makeovers for two sisters, arranged by Disney Consumer Products

Global Disney teams are also bringing happiness to wish kids around the world. A few examples include:

• Disneyland Paris, which hosted 78 Make-A-Wish families for a special wish weekend
• Disney’s Latin America office, which created the first ever Princess wish event in Argentina for six wish kids and their families
• Disney teams across Asia are working with Make-A-Wish to grant wishes, inviting wish alumni to franchise-themed experiences, and hosting activations at Shanghai Disney Store and Parks sites across the region

All week, the company’s largest social handles will share wish stories in the U.S. and around the world for fans to follow along. To join Disney and become a WishMaker with Make-A-Wish visit wish.org/Disney.

Disney is the world’s largest wish granter for Make-A-Wish, granting a wish every hour of every day. Disney has helped grant more than 165,000 life-changing wishes since the first official wish was granted at Disneyland Resort in 1981. These Disney wishes are transformative. They have the power to renew hope, uplift spirits, and unite families in life-changing experiences.

About The Walt Disney Company

For more than 100 years, Disney has been committed to bringing happiness to kids and families around the world. Learn more about Disney’s commitment to delivering happiness and joy when it’s needed most at joy.disney.com. Join Disney and become a WishMaker with Make-A-Wish at wish.org/Disney.

About Make-A-Wish®

Make-A-Wish creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. Founded in Phoenix, Arizona, Make-A-Wish is the #1 most trusted nonprofit operating locally in all 50 states throughout the U.S. Together with generous donors, supporters, staff and more than 20,000 volunteers across the country, Make-A-Wish delivers hope and joy to children and their families when they need it most. Make-A-Wish aims to bring the power of wishing to every child with a critical illness because wish experiences can help improve emotional and physical health. Since 1980, Make-A-Wish has granted more than 615,000 wishes worldwide; more than 390,000 wishes in the U.S. and its territories alone. For more information about Make-A-Wish America, visit wish.org.

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Olivia Perez-Cubas

Corporate Communications

olivia.perez-cubas@disney.com

Source: The Walt Disney Company