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Make-A-Wish and Disney Cruise Line Grant Wishes in Italy for the First Time
For as long as 5-year-old Aurora can remember, her greatest wish has been to meet Cinderella. Aurora lives in Italy, far from Cinderella’s castle, but thanks to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, her dream was able to come true. With a little bit of special Disney magic and help from Disney Cruise Line, Aurora met and hugged Cinderella.
Making Wishes Come True for Nearly 40 Families
During one of the Disney Fantasy’s stops at the port of Civitavecchia this summer, Disney and Make-A-Wish Italia came together to create an extra special experience for nearly 40 families from across Italy to enjoy a magical day onboard the ship, experiencing all the Disney magic at a time when it is needed the most.
“To be able to grant such an important wish, means to give a child the strength to dream, to really believe in the power of dreams, of life, of everything beyond illness,” Aurora’s mother, Daniela, said.
For the first time ever in Italy, crew members brought the happiness, joy and magic of Disney to children living with critical illnesses who had wished to meet their favorite Disney characters.
With many Make-A-Wish families unable to travel to a Disney park, this day provided an opportunity for wish children to enjoy a magical day close to home.
A Day of Fun and Adventure with Disney Characters
Together with their families, the children were the guests of honor onboard, starting their day full of fun with a Royal Tea Party where they met up with their favorite characters, including Disney Princesses, Thor, BB-8, Woody and Jessie. Next, it was off to explore activities in the Oceaneer’s Club hosted by the ship’s crew members.
“Witnessing the joy that this day brought to the children and their families was an unforgettable experience that made me deeply grateful for the opportunity to help make a difference in their lives,” said John, Manager of Human Resources onboard the Disney Fantasy and Disney VoluntEAR. “It reminded me of the power of kindness and community, two things that are very dear to my heart.”
And what better way to wrap up an amazing day than to celebrate with a dance party hosted by Captain Mickey, Captain Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy and Pluto!
“Disney Cruise Line’s warmth, care, and attention to detail created magical moments that these families will cherish forever. For many, it was a once-in-a-lifetime journey filled with joy, laughter, and wonder,” said Luciano Manzo, President & CEO Make-A-Wish International.
The Walt Disney Company is the largest wish granter in the world for Make-A-Wish, granting a wish every hour of every day. This special event in Italy is one of the many experiences that Disney and Make-A-Wish have worked together to create. Since the very first official wish was granted at Disneyland Resort nearly 45 years ago, Disney has helped fulfil over 170,000 wishes globally with Make-A-Wish, delivering happiness when it’s needed most to wish kids and their families.
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