As part of The Walt Disney Company’s first-ever “Disney Week of Wishes,” celebrating its 45-year partnership with Make-A-Wish®, Disney Cruise Line helped make dreams come true at sea. Three Make-A-Wish children and their families fulfilled their wishes with a special voyage aboard the Disney Wish.
Disney Cruise Line cast and crew were thrilled to welcome Kara, Delaney, Anthony, and their families for an unforgettable cruise vacation. Departing from Port Canaveral, Florida, the families enjoyed visits to Nassau, The Bahamas, and Disney Cruise Line’s private island paradise, Disney Castaway Cay. They experienced dazzling live entertainment, breathtaking fireworks at sea, heartwarming encounters with beloved Disney characters, and so much more.
Moments like these highlight why Disney remains the world’s largest wish granter for Make-A-Wish, fulfilling a wish every hour, every day.
Meet the Wish Kids
For years, ever since she saw her first TV commercial for Disney Cruise Line, 15-year-old Kara Betancourt, from Colorado, dreamed of sailing with DCL. When asked what her wish would be, Kara, who is nonverbal, gleefully signed “big boat” in American Sign Language. Kara’s sister, Ella, another Make-A-Wish grant recipient, and their parents joined for a family adventure. The family had a blast floating in the turquoise water at Disney Castaway Cay and delighted in catching bubbles during the stage show of The Little Mermaid in The Walt Disney Theater.
Delaney Binker, 15, from Florida, was excited to board the Disney Wish and visit another country – The Bahamas – for the first time. Along with her mom, dad, and brother, Delaney was joined by her best friend, her grandma. Onboard the Disney Wish, Delaney met all of her favorite Disney princesses. “The smile that she’s had this entire trip has said everything it needs to,” her dad, Brian, said at the end of the voyage. “Only Disney can do it better than anybody else.”
Anthony DiDonato, 17, from Colorado, loves cruising and enjoyed his first time on a Disney Cruise Line ship. Anthony’s younger sister, Aubrey, 10, said that Anthony was “really happy” during the sailing, adding that “he loves spending time with his family.” Anthony, Aubrey, their parents, and members of their extended family donned pirate garb for the Pirates in the Caribbean deck party, where they danced in the glow of fireworks over the upper decks.
Meet the Wish Makers
While onboard, Anthony, Delaney, and Kara made friends with many of the Disney Cruise Line crew members, who helped make their voyage even more magical. “Crew and cast members have gone out of their way and just make you feel like you’re the most special person on the ship,” said Delaney’s mom, Carolyn.
And it wasn’t only the guests who were moved and inspired by the courage and resilience of guests like Anthony, Delaney, and Kara.
Dining team crew members said they are proud and honored to serve Make-A-Wish families onboard. “You’re creating memories that they’re going to cherish for the rest of their life. It makes me happy inside,” said Gilmar “Gil” Carneiro, a member of the dining team from Brazil. Added Richard Allemant Vera, a crew member from Italy, “We do something magical; it’s really beautiful.”
World’s Largest Wish Granter
Disney is proud to be the world’s largest wish-granter for Make-A-Wish, and Disney Cruise Line cast and crew are thrilled to play a part in making magic for these special families.
Since 2010, Disney Cruise Line has granted more than 5,600 wishes for kids around the world. When the Disney Wish debuted in 2022, Disney Cruise Line even reimagined the time-honored role of a ship godparent by naming all Make-A-Wish children, including past, present, and future recipients, godchildren of the Disney Wish.
Disney and Make-A-Wish have helped grant life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses around the world since 1980. Historically, one out of every two wishes granted in the U.S. through Make-A-Wish has been a Disney wish. For nearly 45 years, Disney has created joy for kids and families when it’s needed most, granting over 165,000 wishes in the process. For children with critical illnesses, a Disney wish can be transformative, bringing happiness, hope, and inspiration when it’s needed most.
Clint Gamache is the owner of ThrillGeek. He started ThrillGeek to share his love of theme/amusement parks and pop culture with the world. You can find him at Halloween Horror Nights. Also, be sure to follow him on Twitter/X, Instagram @iamcg83