Sometimes Disney magic means a little more than rides, fireworks, and castles.
In celebration of World Princess Week, Walt Disney World brought some very special Disney Princess magic to Give Kids The World Village, creating an unforgettable celebration for wish kids facing critical illnesses and their families.
From decorating Tangled-inspired lanterns with Rapunzel to parading through the Village alongside Princess Tiana and Louis, the event brought Disney Princess stories to life through experiences centered around courage, kindness, strength, adventure, and hope.
Families staying at Give Kids The World Village were treated to several special experiences inspired by different Disney Princess stories.
Rapunzel helped wish kids decorate paper lanterns inspired by the floating lanterns from Tangled. Later that evening, the finished lanterns illuminated the Village and welcomed families home after spending their day enjoying adventures around Central Florida.
Belle hosted a special story time centered around bravery, kindness, and believing in yourself, while Moana joined children in creating Heart of Te Fiti-inspired jewelry as a reminder of their own strength.
Then it was time for a celebration straight out of New Orleans.
Princess Tiana and Louis led a second line parade through Give Kids The World Village, with wish kids and their families joining the festivities by dancing and playing instruments along the way.
This year’s World Princess Week theme is “Once a Princess, Always a Princess,” highlighting the lasting impact these stories and characters can have on children.
That became especially meaningful for Orlando wish kid Ny’lah, whose wish included meeting Princess Tiana.
Ny’lah received a surprise visit from Tiana during the celebration, where the two shared a hug and talked about Mama Odie, the Bayou, and their shared love of music, dancing, and beignets.
Ny’lah said her wish gave her the opportunity to spend time away from the hospital without worrying, calling meeting Tiana and experiencing her wish trip magical.
Disney and Give Kids The World Celebrate 40 Years of Wishes
The event also comes during an important milestone. For 40 years, Walt Disney World, Give Kids The World, and wish-granting organizations including Make-A-Wish have worked together to provide special experiences for children facing critical illnesses and their families.
Disney is a founding partner of Give Kids The World, a nonprofit resort that provides weeklong Central Florida wish vacations to eligible families at no cost to them.
Disney also says it is the world’s largest wish granter for children facing critical illnesses.
The celebration isn’t limited to Walt Disney World.Disney highlighted several additional wish experiences happening as part of World Princess Week.
In 2023, Mikayla became Disney and Make-A-Wish’s 150,000th wish kid when her wish to perform at Walt Disney World was granted during the first Once Upon a Wish party. Now, in 2026, she returned as a wish alumna and performed at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event alongside Broadway legend Susan Egan.
Six-year-old Emelie also received a royal send-off for her Disney World wish trip, beginning with an Elsa costume, tiara, and activity books delivered by Disney Store. With help from Southwest Airlines, the celebration continued aboard her flight, where crew members and fellow passengers received Disney ears and joined in celebrating her trip.
At Disneyland, Make-A-Wish families received a VIP experience for Disney Princess: The Ultimate Concert Celebration, including an exclusive dessert party, front-row viewing, special Princess gifts, and more.
And soon, Disneyland Paris will welcome 50 Make-A-Wish children and their families from across Europe for a special royal-themed weekend featuring gifts, costumes, makeovers, and Disney Princess meet-and-greets.
The Magic Behind a Disney Wish
Thousands of children facing critical illnesses choose Disney Princess characters and stories as part of their wishes, and events like this one are designed to create memories that extend well beyond the celebration itself.
A paper lantern, a Heart of Te Fiti necklace, a dance through Give Kids The World Village, or finally getting that hug from a favorite Princess may seem like relatively small moments, but for these families, they can become memories that last a lifetime.
Keep checking back with Theme Park Scope for more stories from Walt Disney World, Disney community initiatives, World Princess Week, and the people behind the magic.
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