Disney’s 170,000th Wish Celebrated on 70th Birthday

On July 17, 2025, Disney and Make-A-Wish granted their 170,000th wish together. The wish was for Madison (Maddie), a 13-year-old who read The Imagineering Story and watched Behind the Attraction on Disney+ while battling leukemia. This led to her wishing to meet the Imagineers who bring the parks to life and someday also become an Imagineer herself. Disney and Make-A-Wish granted Maddie’s wish on the 70th birthday of Disneyland. During this day, she appeared in the celebratory cavalcade, along with getting to have many other incredible experiences. She also didn’t know that her wish would be the 170,000th wish granted by Disney and Make-A-Wish together. Below is a look at Maddie’s wish being granted, as shared by Disney.

To share this momentous occasion, Make-A-Wish America President and CEO Leslie Motter and Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro met with Maddie at Walt Disney Imagineering headquarters and surprised her with the news and a plaque commemorating her milestone wish. 

After the momentous kick-off, Maddie and her family received a full tour and VIP treatment, including meeting with Imagineers who work on ride technology, Audio-Animatronics figures, Disney Live Entertainment, and many other disciplines.  

She also got an exclusive viewing of historical sketches, artwork and archives at the Imagineering Resource Center before wrapping up the day meeting none other than Baby Groot!    

One of Maddie’s favorite moments of the day was a Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance panel hosted by five Imagineers that worked on the attraction: Asa Kalama, John Larena, Greg Johnson, Ugo Okwumabua, and Chris Mais.  

Madison learned about the creation of the attraction, the technology that brings the entire experience together and other behind-the-scenes tidbits. As an aspiring future mechanical or electrical engineer (not to mention a huge Star Wars fan), this experience, alongside her visit with Imagineers inside our Ride Studio, were true highlights of Day 1. 

Day 2 began with a bang… or, rather, a rev of the engine! Maddie and her family were up bright and early to meet Imagineer Emily (Emo) O’Brien, who was the principal interior designer for Cars Land at Disney California Adventure Park for a walkthrough of Radiator Springs Racers, the attraction Maddie was most excited to experience at Disneyland Resort! 

From there, Maddie headed to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, where Josh and Thomas Mazloum, Disneyland Resort President, brought along a few unexpected friends… Oskar and Red, two of the BDX Droids!  

Madison later had the chance to ride Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance with two of the Imagineers she met at the panel the previous day, and Imagineer Nick Ross, former project manager for Milennium Falcon: Smugglers Run.  

Day 2 wrapped with Madison participating in The Celebrate Happy Cavalcade, where she was honored as Disney’s 170,000^th wish kid! The final moment culminated in a tour of Walt’s apartment – leaving the family to enjoy an evening of 70^th Anniversary parades and spectaculars.  

Before beginning her wish trip, Maddie shared with us that she hoped to meet as many Imagineers as possible and ask them to sign her copy of The Imagineering Story by Leslie Iwerks, a book about the history of Imagineers that she read throughout treatment. Imagineers were definitely up for the challenge and came together to execute tenfold.  

Throughout her two-day visit, Maddie not only had her book signed by each Imagineer she got to meet throughout her time at Imagineering and Disneyland, but Imagineers from both the Glendale and Anaheim campuses each compiled an additional autograph book full of well wishes, notes of inspiration, sketches, signatures and more.  

To top it all off, Leslie Iwerks herself met with Maddie in Cars Land on the second day of her wish to say hello and sign the cover of Maddie’s copy of The Imagineering Story.  

Disney is proud to be the world’s largest wish granter for Make-A-Wish, granting a wish every hour of every day. Since the very first official wish was granted at Disneyland Resort nearly 45 years ago, Disney has now helped fulfill 170,000 wishes globally with Make-A-Wish, delivering happiness when it’s needed most to wish kids and their families around the world. We are thrilled to continue making wishes like Madison’s come true.