Hangzhou, June 1, 2024 – In celebration of International Children’s Day, the 50th Disney Fun House opened at the Children’s Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine in Hangzhou, spreading happiness and optimism to children and their families when it’s needed most. This latest installation themed to the Walt Disney Animation Studios film Zootopia marks a significant milestone for the Disney’s children’s hospital initiative in the Chinese Mainland. In 2016, The Walt Disney Company announced a RMB 20 million donation to fund Disney-themed play spaces at children’s hospitals across the Chinese Mainland, as an opening gift for Shanghai Disney Resort.
“Delivering joy, comfort and inspiration to children and their families facing illness is a special Disney tradition. Shanghai Disney Resort is proud to join hands with The Walt Disney Company China to carry on this legacy through developing themed playrooms in children’s hospitals across China,” said Joe Schott, President and General Manager of Shanghai Disney Resort. “The completion of the 50th Disney Fun House, which brings the story of the resort’s new Zootopia-themed land to life, allows children to immerse themselves in the world of their favorite characters while undergoing treatment. It exemplifies our commitment to making a difference in the communities we serve. We are incredibly grateful for the tremendous and ongoing support of our NGO partners and Disney VoluntEARS, who have helped us since our opening to bring hope and happiness to those in need through powerful Disney storytelling.”
This afternoon, an opening ceremony was held with the support of Disney VoluntEARS at the Zootopia-themed Disney Fun House, attended by leadership from Shanghai Disney Resort, The Walt Disney Company China, Children’s Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, and Shanghai Charity Foundation. The beloved leading characters from Zootopia, Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde, made a surprise appearance to celebrate this momentous occasion, providing a touch of Disney magic for patients and attendees.
Featuring Disney characters and infused with storytelling from beloved Disney films, the Disney Fun House serves as a source of familiarity and optimism for young patients receiving medical treatment. The space in the hospital is transformed with murals featuring Zootopia’s diverse landscapes including the iconic Zootopia skyline and a Zootopia-themed mobile movie theater where young patients and their families can watch their favorite cartoons, short movie clips and documentaries during their stay at the hospital. Disney VoluntEARS and staff and volunteers from the hospital will occasionally host interactive play activities for young patients.
Disney VoluntEARS also spent time with the young patients and their families in the Fun House. Using moves from the new Disney Zootopia Day Special Pre-parade, the Disney VoluntEARS put their “paws” up to dance with the children, and before engaging in fun craft and drawing activities together. Accompanied by Disney VoluntEARS, Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde also made special visits to the hospital’s wards, delivering gifts including Zootopia-themed plushes and hand-made gifts prepared by VoluntEARS. To commemorate International Children’s Day, around 5,000 Disney-themed gifts, donated by Shanghai Disney Resort and The Walt Disney Company China, were distributed to all 50 of the Disney Fun Houses, delivering joy to more children across China.
Earlier this week, two more Disney Fun Houses opened at the Shunyi Branch of Beijing Children’s Hospital and the Fujian Branch of Shanghai Children’s Medical Center (Fujian Children’s Hospital) respectively. Representatives from The Walt Disney Company China, China Soong Ching Ling Foundation and the hospitals attended the ceremonies, along with Mickey and Minnie who made surprise appearances to celebrate the occasions.
The long-standing Disney tradition of supporting children’s hospitals began when Walt Disney himself would visit hospitalized children, accompanied by Disney characters and animators. Over the past few years, The Walt Disney Company China and Shanghai Disney Resort have collaborated with China Soong Ching Ling Foundation and Shanghai Charity Foundation, respectively, to build 50 Disney Fun Houses in hospitals across 41 cities of 24 provinces and municipalities in the Chinese Mainland, bringing the positive power of Disney stories to those undergoing treatment and recovery. All these efforts are part of Disney’s commitment of spreading happiness and magic to those in need and supporting meaningful causes in the local community.
***
List of the 50 Disney Fun Houses (in order of completion time)
1. Beijing East Children’s Hospital
2. Shanghai Children’s Hospital
3. Guangzhou Women and Children’s Hospital
4. Sichuan Province People’s Hospital
5. Nanjing Children’s Hospital
6. Hunan Province Children’s Hospital
7. Kunming Children’s Hospital
8. Qingdao Women and Children’s Hospital
9. Xuzhou Children’s Hospital
10. Tangshan Women and Children’s Hospital
11. Wenzhou Women and Children’s Hospital
12. Shenyang Children’s Hospital
13. Shandong Medical University Children’s Hospital
14. Tai’an Children’s Hospital
15. Hanzhong Women and Children’s Hospital
16. Henan Province Women and Children’s Hospital
17. Kaili Women and Children’s Hospital
18. Sanya Women and Children’s Hospital
19. Wuxi Children’s Hospital
20. Ningbo Women and Children’s Hospital
21. Inner Mongolia Women and Children’s Hospital
22. Changzhou Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital
23. Shanxi Province Children’s Hospital
24. Beijing Shijingshan Women and Children’s Hospital
25. Beijing Daxing Women and Children’s Hospital
26. Fuyang Women and Children’s Hospital
27. Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Shanghai Children’s Medical Center
28. Chongqing Medical University Children’s Hospital
29. Hubei Province Third People’s Hospital
30. Yichang Children’s Hospital
31. Shanghai Xinhua Hospital
32. Xingtai Ninth Hospital
33. Hebei Province Children’s Hospital
34. Suzhou Wujiang District Children’s Hospital
35. Lu’an Children’s Hospital of Anhui Province
36. Lianyungang Maternal and Child Health Hospital
37. Beijing Jingdu Children’s Hospital
38. Wuhan Children’s Hospital
39. Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Hubei Province
40. Qinghai Province Women and Children’s Hospital
41. Chuzhou Children’s Hospital
42. Yangzhou Women and Children’s Hospital
43. Nantong Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital
44. Jiangxi Province Women and Children’s Hospital
45. The First Hospital of Lanzhou University
46. The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University
47. Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Shanghai Children’s Medical Center – Zhangjiang Campus* The Fun House was furbished in May 2024 and will be opened to the public when the new hospital campus is in full operation.
48. Shunyi Branch of Beijing Children’s Hospital
49. Fujian Branch of Shanghai Children’s Medical Center (Fujian Children’s Hospital)
50. Children’s Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine
