Each year during the holidays, Disney Ultimate Toy Drive brings toys and helps make moments of happiness for kids in need. One of the big helpers for this initiative is Mickey Mouse. He has been traveling the globe to help bring magic as he helps deliver toys to young ones who are in need. Below is a look at the many different places and ways Mickey has brought holiday magic this year as he has helped deliver toys!
The Disney Ultimate Toy Drive dates back to 1947 when Disney’s relationship with Toys for Tots began. Walt Disney and his animators personally designed the original train logo for Toys for Tots. It is still in use today. This is a legacy that continues on over 75 years later as Disney (and Mickey Mouse) helps bring toys and joy to millions of children in need during this special time of year.
Disneyland Paris
After being greeted in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle by Disneyland Paris Disney Ambassadors José Alfaro Navarro and Dylan Legras, Mickey joined hundreds of Disney VoluntEARS with their families to wrap thousands of Christmas gifts destined for 80 hospitals across France. Mickey then accompanied the Disney VoluntEARS to distribute the gifts to hospitalized children at the Parisian Hospital Trousseau.
Every year, this heartwarming Christmas tradition is not-to-be-missed by Disney VoluntEARS and their families, which brings happy Christmas moments to children in need. This year, over 7,000 gifts were wrapped for delivery to hospitals all over France.
Nassau, Bahamas
Before making his way to Walt Disney World, Mickey received an invitation to set sail aboard the Disney Wish cruise ship to The Bahamas. Of course, Mickey was overjoyed! He visited Disney VoluntEARS from the Disney Wish to surprise students and families at a primary school in Nassau. Here, the students received new books from Disney Publishing Group and lots of Disney plush toys before taking photos with Mickey.
Disney Cruise Line strives to make a positive impact in the many places it sails around the world. The majority of Disney cruises have at least one stop in The Bahamas, which is also home to Disney Cruise Line’s two island destinations – Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point and Disney Castaway Cay. For many years, Disney Cruise Line has supported programs designed to empower and inspire Bahamian students to pursue their career dreams. Disney Cruise Line also teams up with local organizations to provide school supplies, build backyard gardens for students, and support cultural celebrations.
Brevard County, Florida
Shortly after his time in New York, Mickey took off to the Disney Cruise Line at Cape Canaveral. He was joined by Disney VoluntEARS aboard the Disney Wish to help surprise students and families at a local elementary school in Brevard County, Florida!
Disney VoluntEARS brought gifts, played games, and shared snacks with the kids while Mickey shared hugs with teachers, students, and families bringing the Disney spirit to all for a happy holiday season.
Disney Cruise Line has called Brevard County home since 1998, when it first began sailing from its homeport of Port Canaveral in Florida. Disney Cruise Line is committed to creating lasting, positive impacts in the port communities it calls home. Cast and crew members annually donate thousands of hours of their personal time to reading education programs in schools, shore cleanups to remove trash, and more.
7 Hudson Square, New York City
Shortly after his appearance on ESPN’s First Take, Mickey got a call from the new Disney office space located in Hudson Square to join Disney VoluntEARS and Marines hard at work sorting toys collected through the Disney Ultimate Toy Drive. After hearing Mickey was in the city, they invited him to stop by and join. Of course, he said yes!
The festive employee event got an extra dose of magic when Mickey arrived to lend a helping hand. Together, Disney VoluntEARS organized toys that will soon be delivered to children and families in need.
ESPN’s ‘First Take’
As he was leaving Times Square, Mickey heard that some friends down the street at ESPN had been collecting toy donations as part of the Disney Ultimate Toy Drive. What’s one quick detour on ESPN’s First Take before heading down to Walt Disney World?
Mickey took to the streets of New York and joined host Molly Qerim live on air, helping add the collected toys to his growing stash of holiday cheer. It was a moment of festive fun, teamwork and community spirit!
Times Square, New York City
When Mickey was tasked with delivering toys during the holiday season, he knew that Disney Store Times Square was the place to pick up toys for his journey! Here, Mickey and Disney VoluntEARS picked out special gifts for kids of all ages — from plush to dolls, collectibles, games and more. Alongside Disney Ambassador Shannon Smith-Conrad, Toys for Tots, and Marines, Disney VoluntEARS helped Mickey load up with goodies galore and gathered toys for kids in New York. Before heading out, Mickey helped the Disney Store team surprise the Marine Toys for Tots Program with a donation of 10,000 toys from Disney Store, through the Disney Ultimate Toy Drive!
Disney has been bringing happiness to kids and families for more than 100 years, and this holiday season, the legacy continues with the 2024 Disney Ultimate Toy Drive supporting Toys for Tots. Disney is helping bring toys — and joy — to kids in need, and this year, in addition to toys collected from so many families and fans, Disney has donated more than 110,000 toys to Toys for Tots! Each year, Disney Store supports the Disney Ultimate Toy Drive through charitable giving, volunteering, and collecting toy donations from fans and guests across the country. By engaging Disney employees, cast members, and our communities, the Disney Ultimate Toy Drive creates moments of happiness and connects people to one another.
If you would like to help support the Disney Ultimate Toy Drive, it is very easy! Simply go to DisneyStore.com/ToyDrive between now and December 24, 2024 ,to donate. New and unwrapped toys can also be donated in person at a U.S. Disney Store location, the Downtown Disney District at the Disneyland Resort, or also in select locations at Disney Springs at Walt Disney World Resort through December 13, 2024.
What do you think of Disney Ultimate Toy Drive and Mickey Mouse’s efforts to support it? Will you be donating to this cause? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!
