It’s the 12 Days of Christmas, and Disney is thrilled to share that this year’s Disney Ultimate Toy Drive tally has broken an all-time Disney record with more than 270,000 toys and counting for children in need! Disney believes that there is no better way to celebrate the giving season than by thanking all of those who are contributing to making this year’s Disney Ultimate Toy Drive a record-breaking success! Without the efforts of all of these individuals, this milestone couldn’t be reached and these children in need would not be given these gifts that brighten the season.
Since the Disney Ultimate Toy Drive kicked off last month, Disney shared that it has truly been blown away by the generosity of guests, cast members, and community. To match that spirit of giving, on Giving Tuesday Disney shared that they would give grants to Toys for Tots that will provide an additional 75,000 toys to kids in need. And there is still time to join in by donating a toy online at shopDisney.com/ToyDrive through Christmas Eve. Please consider donating today!
Disney has a very long legacy with Toys for Tots. Disney has supported Toys for Tots since 1947 when Walt Disney and his team of animators designed the Toys for Tots logo that is still used today. Since then, Toys for Tots Marines and volunteers have distributed 652 million toys to over 291 million children.
For 100 years, giving has remained at the core of Disney’s values – from the food donated to the toys collected and hours volunteered, it’s at the heart of what Disney does. This holiday season, Disney continues this century-long legacy of delivering joy all around the world.
Even Cast Members look forward to the annual Toys for Tots drive, with toy collection boxes filling cast areas across theme parks and resorts. Teams also take part in special Disney VoluntEARS opportunities as part of the drive, helping to sort and distribute toys. Here are just a few highlights of the generosity and heart that Cast Members put into giving to those in need.
Over at the Disneyland Resort, Cast Members in the Costuming department put their creative talents to work by creating handmade bears and costumes from repurposed fabric to donate to Toys for Tots and create new one-of-a-kind toys made with care for kids in need. Originally started in 2021 by a few cast members, the project has grown to more than 50 participants at Disneyland Resort and even more across the country – the Walt Disney World Costuming team was also inspired to get involved.
Cast Members volunteer their own time each season to create these one-of-a-kind handmade teddy bears to provide comfort for children in need of holiday gifts. This year, the team at Disneyland Resort produced more than 60 handmade bears to be donated and also introduced a new form of crochet technique incorporated into the design.
At Walt Disney World, Cast Member Jen McKechnie decided to celebrate Disney’s centennial by volunteering with 100 different nonprofit organizations this year. For her 100th organization, she chose to support Toys for Tots and help distribute toys donated by her fellow cast members to children and families in Florida! She’s supported organizations across Florida and beyond, creating positive change for families, future storytellers, teachers, wish families, and more.
For Hong Kong Disneyland Resort’s Christmas Toy Drive, the Resort is donating 60,000 toys! At Disneyland Paris, 170 Disney VoluntEARS and their families wrapped more than 3,000 Disney toys to be distributed to over 60 French hospitals. Throughout December and on Christmas Day, Disney VoluntEARS and characters will visit local hospitals to bring toys and good cheer to children.
Disney continues to wish everyone a very happy holidays and Merry Christmas! Daps Magic also joins in these sentiments! We wish you all the best!
