For over 40 years, the Make-A-Wish Foundation and Disney have helped make life-changing wishes of children with critical illnesses and their families come true. This year, Disney helped grant its 150,000th Make-A-Wish request — all while continuing to find new and uniquely Disney ways to grant wishes through first-of-their-kind events at parks and resorts across the globe.

So, with 2023 coming to a close, the company and the non-profit organization reflect on the magic they’ve created and continue to make dreams come true for those who wish upon a star.

The goal of fulfilling these wishes is to alleviate the pains of stressful situations that these medical conditions can bring. As such, Disney’s wish-granting helps bring hope to a child, their family, and the care team. “We know the power of the Disney brand when it comes to evoking positive emotions,” said Chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, Josh D’Amaro, a board member for Make-A-Wish America. “And we take great pride in the fact that we have granted 150,000 wishes with Make-A-Wish since 1981.”

Over at Main Street, U.S.A., three windows are dedicated to the foundation and the wishes of kids past, present, and future. These windows honor Chris Greicius, the wish that inspired the creation of Make-A-Wish, and Frank “Bopsy” Salazar, the first official wish granted by Make-A-Wish (and the first Disney wish).

During World Princess Week, Disney hosted a first-of-its-kind event at Walt Disney World, welcoming more than 50 wish kids and their families from wish organizations around the country. They treated them to a magical day, complete with a royal ball, where they could meet their favorite princesses.

To commemorate their 150,000th wish granted, Disney seventeen-year-old Mikayla had her wish to perform at the royal ball in front of nearly 300 guests. She received training from a professional voice coach, recorded a song in a Disney recording studio, got dressed up in a ball gown with the help of Disney Costuming, and met with a Disney Live Entertainment casting director to plan for her grand moment.

And Halloween was incredibly spooky, but in a fun way, for guests at Disney’s Aulani in Hawaii. The Disney Resort & Spa welcomed 20 wish kids and their families for a spooktacular Halloween week full of Hawaiian tradition, delicious food, character meet and greets, and more. Aulani Wish Week culminated with KA WA’A Lū‘au, brimming with rich Hawaiian traditions, delicious food, and enchanting performances. 

With the World of Frozen officially opening at Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, Disney and Make-A-Wish invited 11 wish kids and their families from Hong Kong and the larger region to experience the icy new wonderland. There, they enjoyed all of the Frozen-themed attractions, including Wandering Oaken’s Sliding Sleighs and Frozen Ever After, shows like Playhouse in the Woods, character greetings, and even a behind-the-scenes tour led by Disney Imagineers.

Make-A-Wish Shanghai and Shanghai International Youth Orchestra enchanted nearly 1,000 guests – including wish families, partners, and guests with the first “Wishing Star Charity Concert” at the Walt Disney Grand Theater in Disneytown. There, talented musicians from the Shanghai International Youth Orchestra performed songs from Disney and Pixar films such as The Lion King, Coco, Mulan and more, giving everyone the hope they needed while supporting the magic of wish-granting with the power of music.

Finally, Disney helped one future Imagineer’s dream come true. 11-year-old Ross wanted to meet Disney Imagineers, learn how they design attractions, and ride the Disneyland roller coasters after watching Disney+’s Behind the Attraction episodes. It was that behind-the-scenes docuseries was really special to him, and as such, the company and Make-A-Wish invited Ross’s family out to tour the Walt Disney Imagineering campus in Glendale, Calif., and Disney California Adventure in Anaheim, California. The campus tour was an opportunity for Ross to see how the Imagineers designed the next great attraction from its conception to the construction or sketch to scream if you prefer.

Through their first-of-their-kind events at our parks and resorts across the globe, the Disney and Make-A-Wish partnership has helped give hope and uplift the spirits of children with critical illnesses. Treatments can be painful at times, and these wish-granting moments bring joy to children and families who need it. It’s truly magical to see how a child and their family can light up when they get to experience the magic of Disney and forget troubles and worries for a moment.