Disney and Make-A-Wish Celebrated Second Annual Aulani Wish Week

The Hawaiian getaway is a continuation of Disney and Make-A-Wish's over 4 decade long partnership.

Disney Parks Blog has shared the magic of this year’s Aulani Wish Week, which took place last month.

What’s Happening:

  • Disney Parks Blog has shared that Disney’s Aulani Resort & Spa hosted another magical Aulani Wish Week.
  • Premiering for the first time last year, the success of the Disney and Make-A-Wish event returned to bring the beauty of Hawaii to families around the country.
  • The most recent event even hosted a spook-tacular Halloween dance party.

  • Bringing together a group of 22 Make-A-Wish kids and their families, Disney helped connect the group through a week of relaxation and fun.
  • Among the group was 8-year-old Harper from Connecticut. Her wish was to meet Moana and soak up the sun, which was made a reality by Aulani cast members, Disney VoluntEARS and Make-A-Wish.
  • Harper’s mom Jenna shared “We got to meet Moana on our first full day here… Harper had been sleeping, and when she woke up, she reached out and grabbed Moana’s hand. It was just….magical.”
  • Harper also got to enjoy Aulani Resort’s KA WA’A Luau, where she was immersed in Hawaiian music and dance.
  • Through the magical week, Harper and her family made a special connection with another Connecticut family. The new friends would even attend Harper’s birthday party back in their home state, highlighting the connections that Aulani Wish Week fostered.

  • Jenna stated “It’s very hard in the real world to find people who share the same experience of having kids that need special things. We just made a whole family of friends of people that understand the same thing that we’re going through. That’s something we never expected from this trip, but it’s a better gift than we could ever ask for.”

  • Through Aulani’s ‘ohana spirit, Disney VoluntEARS and cast members helped create these magical memories and connections for the Make-A-Wish families.
  • In addition to the week’s adventures, which included snorkeling, meeting with Moana, and more, wish kids and their families gathered on Hālāwai Lawn for a Trick-or-Treat dance party on Halloween night.
  • The group was surprised with costumes and accessories donated by Disney Store and Disney guests from around the country.

  • With capes, tiaras, and other accessories, wish kids were able to transform into their favorite Disney characters as they celebrated with their families.

  • Disney and Make-A-Wish have granted 155,000 transformative wishes over the past nearly 45 years. Granting wishes for children fighting critical illnesses, Disney is the world’s largest wish-granter for Make-A-Wish.
  • Disney is committed to creating joy and magic to families all around the world.

Read More Aulani:

Maxon Faber
Based in Los Angeles, California, Maxon is roller coaster and musical theatre nerd. His favorite dinosaur is the parasaurolophus, specifically the one in Jurassic World: The Ride.