Planning a Make A Wish trip to Disney World? Check out these tips to help you plan a magical and smooth Make a Wish Trip!

Has your child been granted a Make-A-Wish trip? If so they may be wishing for a magical trip to a Disney Park. 

This blog is all about 9 Tips for a Magical Make-A-Wish Disney trip!

Being both a Wish Kid Mom and a Disney Park fan, I can understand this wish, and want to give you some tips on making this the most magical wish trip ever! 

9 Tips for Planning a Magical Make A Wish Trip to Disney World!

 

The Make a Wish Foundation

The Walt Disney Company and Make a Wish have been a fabulous team dating back to the first wish at Disneyland Resort back in 1981! Together they have worked to make more than 145,000 wishes come true globally for kids with severe or critical illnesses, including all of their theme parks, cruise lines, and even their amazing resort in Hawaii, Aulani!

For the first wish the Make A Wish company joined with the Anaheim Fire Department to make Frank “Bopsy” Salazar an official member of their team for the very first wish in 1981. Since then they have granted hundreds of thousands of wishes to children battling life-threatening illnesses.  According to the Make-A-Wish website (and I wholeheartedly agree), “A wish can be that spark that helps these children believe that anything is possible and gives wish kids the strength to fight harder against their illnesses.”

Our Make A Wish Trip

Dylan’s battle with Leukemia

Before I share my tips on making a Make-A-Wish trip to Disney World even more magical, I would like to share the story of my daughter Dylan’s Wish trip.  Dylan was diagnosed with a rare form of ALL (Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia) called IAMP 21, at the age of 6.  This type of ALL requires a stronger and more prolonged chemotherapy protocol.  Dylan also was allergic to one of her chemotherapy medications so she had to endure painful shots in both legs multiple times per week as a result.

She lost her hair, lost so much weight, was tired, nauseous, anemic, and frustrated with her limitations during those 2.5 years of treatment.  But she went into remission quickly and stayed there.

Planning our Make A Wish Trip

The Make-A-Wish organization contacted us in late 2018 to let us know she had been granted a wish, and the magical planning began! We had been on a trip to Walt Disney World as a family early in her treatment (and a couple of times before her diagnosis) so she wanted the magic of a Disney trip, but also a more relaxed time with her family.  Dylan had never been to Hawaii so asked if she could go to Aulani, a Disney Resort in Oahu, and also for a horseback ride on the beach.  Make A Wish could only do one so she had to choose but we were able to make the horseback riding happen later in the trip on our own.

They started the planning process and made it so special for Dylan.   One of the wish-granting volunteers came to our house and gave us Hawaii-themed gifts and cards from the other wish granting volunteers who were planning the trip.  Also, just before the trip they planned a Hawaiian-themed wish party and invited Dylan’s close friends and family!

Disney’s Aulani Resort

After finishing her inpatient chemotherapy days, we were able to get to Aulani in July of 2019.  It was just what we needed, time together as a family without doctor visits, illness, and weakness.  We were able to enjoy the ocean, the pools, the activities, and, of course, Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Moana, Daisy, Pluto, and Stitch.  Dylan was able to choose a special private meet and greet with a character.  She chose Stitch and he was so much fun!

We are so grateful to the Make A Wish Foundation of America for granting Dylan’s wish and giving Dylan and our family members a much-needed break from the intense stress of her treatments and cancer.  This was the trip of a lifetime for our family and Dylan got all of the special treatment she deserved after what she endured!

So, let’s move on to the tips….today’s blog is all about planning a Make A Wish trip to Disney World, as it grants the most Wish trips.  But there are more blogs to come on Disneyland and Aulani!

Walt Disney World

Walt Disney World Resort is by far the most requested Disney Make-A-Wish destination!  For many wish children this will be their first time to a Disney Park and Walt Disney World Resort has so much to offer that planning can get overwhelming.  Here are some things to make it easier (and check out my other blogs on Disney World Trip Planning):

1. Use your Disney Wishes pass for your wish kids’ favorite ride and more! 

This pass, formerly called the Genie Pass (or Genie Wish Pass) allows you front-of-the-line access and/or alternate entry to all attractions.  This includes stroller, and wheelchair access through the attraction queues. You will be using the lightning lane for the most popular attractions.  The Disney Wishes pass (formerly the Genie Pass) also includes free wheelchair or stroller rental, and access to the Disney Wish Lounge at the Magic Kingdom!

Your family deserves this trip to be a special, low-pressure time filled with magic.  Waiting in 1 + hour lines is so hard for any kid, particularly a kid who has disabilities, side effects from chemo, or a chronic illness that leaves them depleted.  Skip those lines and have the best day ever for you and your wish kid!

2. Don’t forget the shows!

Taking in a show like the Beauty and the Beast stage show, Fantasmic, Festival of the Lion King, a Frozen Sing Along, or any of the fantastic shows at Disney World can be a great way to have a rest from the heat (most of the year in Florida) and the crowds.  And they are filled with magic too- costumes, dancing, songs, and Fantasmic even has fireworks (and tons of Disney characters)!

Your wish kid and the entire family will be sure to have a fabulous time seeing the Disney characters in the shows and parades.   The Disney Wishes Pass also allows expedited entry to shows via the lightning lane entrance or other special entrances if needed.

3. Walt Disney World Resort is BIG, use the Wish Family Lounges and take breaks  

Walt Disney World Theme Parks are crowded, almost all the time.  The crowds can be overwhelming.  Kids and grown ups alike can get cranky.  

Be sure to check the times on the Wish Lounges at Epcot and Magic Kingdom.  You can also take breaks by doing a character meal (see below), taking in a show like those above, or trying an attraction like Mickey’s Philharmagic or Carousel of Progress (both are at the Magic Kingdom).

4. Use a stroller or wheelchair

Use a stroller or wheelchair, if you need to and even if you don’t think you will.  Many special needs children that have Make A Wish trips will already have their own wheelchair or specially equipped stroller.   But if your wish kid normally does not use a stroller keep in mind how big Walt Disney World resort is.  There are four parks and lots of walking!

On our Disney World trip, I have had to use strollers for my kids up to age 7 sometimes, even for my kiddos who weren’t critically ill.  It’s a big place and you don’t want your Wish kid to get too tired.  Bringing one from home or renting a stroller from a local company might be more comfortable than the Disney Park strollers.  They are uncomfortable but they are free so weigh the pros/cons for your family.  The wheelchairs that you can rent are standard wheelchairs.  We have used these for Dylan when she got a bit older and they work just fine too.

5. Make a reservation for a special character meal  

Character meals are so fun, though they may not included in your Make-A-Wish offering.  See my section below on the spending money that is usually included for Make A Wish trips.

My favorite character meal is Garden Grill at EPCOT’s Living with the Land Pavilion.  They have fresh food, family style, and you get to meet Farmer Mickey, Pluto, and Chip, and Dale!

If your kiddo is a princess fan you can check out Akershus or Cinderella’s Royal Table (though Cinderella’s is expensive and a hard reservation to get).  Akershus is located in Epcot at the Norway Pavilion in the World Showcase.  Cinderella’s Royal Table is inside of Cinderella’s castle at the Magic Kingdom.  Could it get any more magical than that for any Disney princess fan?

Or you could try Chef Mickey’s for a good character dance-off and a Mickey and Friends breakfast (or dinner).  This incredibly fun location is just outside the Magic Kingdom at the Contemporary Resort.

If your wish kid would love meeting Mickey, Goofy, Donald, and Daisy in their adventurers’ costumes (and are adventurous eaters) try Tusker House.  This is a lovely buffet in the heart of Animal Kingdom.

There are so many other great options too- we have not tried them but I hear great things about Topolino’s, and Story Book Dining at Artist Point.

I recommend getting up early (online reservations open up at 6 am EST) exactly 60 days before your trip and booking the character dining reservation you like most to be sure you don’t miss out.  This could also potentially be something your make-a-wish volunteer could help with!

6. Know that there are special parade viewing areas 

There are special parade viewing areas for kids or adults in wheelchairs, medical strollers, and for those who are hearing impaired.  These special spots make it easier for your child to see the parade and they usually will meet quite a few characters that way too.  

The special parade viewing areas can be found across from the Hall of Presidents in Liberty Square.  It’s best to ask a cast member if there are any other newer spots available while you are visiting.  Fantasmic and other shows have special seating as well.

7. Disney is awesome for Special Dietary Needs 

If your child had special dietary needs be sure to download the My Disney Experience app.  Almost all of the restaurants will have their allergy-friendly menu items listed below the regular menu.

This app is essential for your trip so getting to know its features is key for having a more magical trip, and not just for menus.  You can mobile order your food ahead of time and skip lines, view maps, show times, parade times, character meet and greet locations and times, and make last-minute dining reservations (these can be tricky but many people do cancel some reservations 24 hours ahead of time, or less, so always check the app close to your trip to see if you can snag a last minute reservation if you need one).

8. Visit Give Kids the World Village (but you likely will be staying there!)  

The Give Kids the World Village (GKTW) has partnered with Walt Disney World for more than 30 years, providing villas for Wish families to stay cost-free.  Not only is the lodging part of your Wish trip, but everything else there (other than the gift shop) is free also!

The GKTW villas are 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom cottages that include a washer and dryer, living room and full kitchen.  The Village provides complimentary breakfast, lunch, and dinner all day long.

They have accessible rides, a water park, a 24-hour ice cream parlor, a theater, character meet and greets from various local parks including Disney characters, and so much more!

Most wish kids love the free ice cream 24 hours a day- how could they not? And having accessible rides for those wish kids that use specially equipped strollers or wheelchairs is such a blessing!

9.  Be Aware of Your Spending Money Budget

There is not a guaranteed amount of spending money that is given on every Make-A-Wish trip.  The Make A Wish foundation tries to make it as stress-free of a trip as possible.  They want to provide everything your wish kid will need on the trip to make this trip truly special.  The organization includes having some spending money for snacks, meals, and even some special gifts as part of your trip.

The wish granting volunteer in charge of your trip will discuss your spending money allotment before your trip.  It’s important to be aware of how much is on the card they give you. 

 After you know your spending amount, check out the prices of the extras (like the character meals) you plan to do and be sure everything fits in your budget ahead of time.   Food is included when you are on campus at Give Kids the World, but any money you spend onsite at Walt Disney World will need to come out of this budget.

The Make A Wish foundation and the Walt Disney Company have made it their mission to grant life-changing wishes to critically ill children around the world!  A Make a Wish trip to Disney World is one of those special trips you will never forget!

This blog was all about making your Make A Wish trip to Disney World even more magical.  I hope this helps! 

To learn more about the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and Give Kids the World check out:

https://worldwish.org/around-the-world/

https://www.gktw.org/index.php

You may also like:

The Ultimate Guide to Planning a Disney Vacation on a Budget

5 Essential Disney Packing Tips: How to Pack and Plan like a Pro for any Disney vacation!

Complete Guide: How to Use the My Disney Experience App