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Disney & Make-A-Wish Bring the Magic to a Young Girl at School in Florida

World Princess Week starts on August 20, and Disney is hosting an event sure full of dreams coming true and wishes granted during the “Once Upon a Wish Party!”

Once Upon A Wish Party Logo

The special event was created just for Wish families–those who have children that have chronic or serious illnesses and have shared their wishes with the very special people at the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The magical party will be a full-day event with no shortage of enchanting surprises, magical inspiration, and, of course, exciting adventures perfect for any hero or heroine.

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There will be tea and treats, character meet and greets, and wish kids visiting from all across the country will be proclaimed royalty for the evening at a ball they’re sure to remember forever. So, where do all royal balls begin? With invitations, of course! Happening right now, wish granters and magic makers are working hand-in-hand to deliver magical invitations to our guests of honor.

This week, seven-year-old Scarlett got a very magical surprise when Minnie Mouse and several Cast Members, along with the Make-A-Wish team at Ventura Elementary School in Florida, let her know that her wish had come true: she would be having a “Disney Princess Experience,” and she was the very first child to be invited to the event.

Wish Kid with Minnie Mouse
Scarlett & Minnie Mouse/Credit: Disney Parks

“She’s going to have this super special experience and be able to go to the royal ball as a princess,” said Scarlett’s mom. “I know she’s going to enjoy every single second of it. To see her happy and completely fulfilled is every mother’s dream. It means so much that she’ll be able to experience life as a normal kid at a theme park where we don’t have to think about a lot of the medical stuff that has consumed our lives in the past.”

Per Disney Parks:

A lifelong fan of Disney Princesses, Scarlett was surrounded by nearly 100 of her fellow first grade classmates and teachers when she heard the news. When she was just a baby, Scarlett’s family learned she would need a heart transplant. After undergoing many surgeries and a transplant at 18 months old, school was always a place of comfort for her after so much time in the hospital, so we worked with our friends at Make-A-Wish and in the community to make it happen right before school lets out for the summer. Talk about an unforgettable way to wrap up the year!

Make-A-Wish Reveal with Students
Credit: Disney Parks

“Disney is the largest wish granter in the world, and over our more than 40-year relationship, we’ve granted some pretty incredible wishes together,” said Leslie Motter, Make-A-Wish America President and CEO. “Whatever Disney does, they go all out. I can’t wait to see the new happy memories Scarlett and our other attending wish families will be able to make at what is sure to be an unforgettable event.”

While this will be a first-of-its-kind wish event here at Walt Disney World, we know wishes have the transformative power to change lives. In fact, we recently celebrated the 150,000th Disney-inspired wish with 16-year-old Mikayla from Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, who began her battle fighting cancer three years ago.

Wish Kid in Cinderella Castle Suite
Credit: Disney Parks

Mikayla’s day was full of excitement, including a really “suite” surprise at Magic Kingdom, if you know what we mean . . . Read more about Mikayla’s day here.

Becky Burkett

Becky's from the Lone Star State and has been writing since she was 10 and encountered her first Disney Park when she was 11. It was love at first Main Street Electrical Parade. Joy is blank lined journals, 0.7 mm pens, and all things Walt, Woody and Buzz, PIXAR, Imagineering, Sleeping Beauty (make it blue!), Disney Parks history and EPCOT. At Disney World, you'll find her croonin' with the birdies at the Enchanted Tiki Room or hangin' with Woody and the gang at Toy Story Land. If you can dream, you really can do it!

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