Recently, over 30 wish children and their families were brought together for a multi-day experience. Called A Disney Wish experience, it included an afternoon aboard the Disney Dream for a first-of-its-kind day filled with happiness and Disney magic while the ship was in Cork.
This was a first-of-its-kind event for the Disney Cruise Line and Make-A-Wish Ireland. Over 30 wish children and their families came together during the Disney Dream’s visit to Cork, Ireland. The A Disney Wish experience brought Disney storytelling, magical moments, Disney characters, and joy to families close to home. On top of this, it happened in an incredibly magical setting: the Disney Dream. This allowed for some very special experiences as wish kids and their families enjoyed character encounters, interactive activities, and Disney magic.
Disney is the world’s largest wish granter. On average, it helps fulfill a wish somewhere around the world every hour of every day. This collaboration has spanned 45 years and has granted more than 175,000 life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses around the world. The Disney Cruise Line itself has granted almost 6,000 wishes for children around the world since 2010. In 2022, the Disney Cruise Line named all Make-A-Wish children, past, present, and future, as the godchildren of Disney Wish. This was a reimagining of the traditional ship godparent role. Make-A-Wish Ireland has been bringing hope, strength, and joy to children living with critical illnesses and their families for nearly 35 years. It has granted 3,700 wishes in Ireland since 1992. This includes 229 wishes in 2025 alone!
“At Make-A-Wish Ireland, we see every day the powerful difference that hope, joy and connection can make in the lives of wish children and their families,” said Susan O’Dwyer, Chief Executive Officer of Make-A-Wish Ireland. “Disney Cruise Line shares that spirit, creating joyful experiences that bring families together. This event gave our wish families a wonderful opportunity to have fun, build lasting memories and connect with others who understand the journey they are on.”
For this special event, the experience began the evening before boarding the Disney Dream with a special celebration that welcomed attendees. Children met Disney characters Joy and Sadness from Disney and Pixar’s Inside Out. They were also presented with Disney wish wands to mark the beginning of this experience that would become a core memory for many.
The following day, the celebration moved to the Disney Dream. Once on board, every wish child received a personalized greeting in the ship’s atrium. This is how every guest is welcomed aboard a ship in the Disney Cruise Line fleet. It really is magical and makes people feel special. The greeting was followed by a beautiful brunch at Royal Palace. The wish kids were joined by Disney Princesses, including Cinderella, Rapunzel, and Belle. Throughout the day, there were other activities to be enjoyed. This included themed arts and crafts, a fun-filled visit with Stitch in Disney’s Oceaneer Club, and even a silent disco dance party with Mickey Mouse and friends.
On top of all of the exciting activities, every child also received gifts from Disney. This included plush toys, pins, autograph books, and other souvenirs to remember the experience. The event was made possible through the help of dozens of crew members from across the Disney Dream. All of this was to create a hospitable and memorable experience for the wish kids and their families.
Ella Leavy and her family shared how this was a day that will never be forgotten. Ella’s mother, Arlene, and father, Chris, shared, “Ella has always said she wanted to play and be a little girl. Because of her diagnosis, that was stripped from her. We spent the last year at medical appointments instead of playgrounds and in surgeries instead of enjoying Disney movies and different things. Ella’s wish was to go and see all the Disney characters and meet her biggest fan, Minnie Mouse, and that dream came true today.”
The magic didn’t stop there for Ella. During the Royal Palace lunch, special friends appeared to join the children and their families.
“It was just pure joy to see Ella so happy and so excited.” Arlene shared about the moment Ella saw Princess Cinderella, “It was the most incredible thing to see that smile on her face and to know that there was pure joy behind it, pure excitement, and just the brightness coming from her was incredible.
For young Tyler, his wish to meet Mickey Mouse someday also came true aboard the Disney Dream.
“Today, I met Captain Mickey Mouse on the cruise ship,” Tyler said. “I was on the cruise ship and dancing with Mickey Mouse.”
Tyler’s dad, Alan Curtin, shared about what an impact the experience had. He said, “It was such an amazing day. It was filled with uplifting, rewarding moments from start to finish. Seeing the light in their eyes was so special. After all the heartbreak we’ve been through, to have a day like this — a day to simply enjoy and make memories together — was incredibly meaningful. It was just amazing.”
The Disney Cruise Line continues to expand its fleet and continues to reach new destinations around the globe. This provides unique opportunities to create Disney magic in ways that wouldn’t be possible without a Disney ship to new places. A Disney ship can bring Disney stories, characters, and magic directly to the children and families where it visits.
“Disney and Make-A-Wish have worked together for many years to grant wishes that make a meaningful difference in the lives of children when they need it most,” said Tracy Wilson, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Disney Cruise Line. “As Disney Cruise Line continues to visit more places around the world, we have the unique opportunity to bring Disney stories and characters directly to these families, creating moments of joy and happiness closer to where they call home.”
