From the Disney Parks Blog and written by: Jerome Smith
Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser welcomed its very first travelers this week, and I could not be prouder of the crew members aboard the Halcyon starcruiser who made this possible. Before we took off on our first official voyage though, the crew made extra magic for some very special kids visiting us through wish-granting organizations like Make-A-Wish as they boarded the magnificent ship before it opened to the public.
As
the General Manager of the Halcyon starcruiser, it was a great honor to
welcome these travelers. You see, I’m no stranger to the power of a wish. In
fact, I have a very special place in my heart for wish families, as my little
cousin Cory was the recipient of a Make-A-Wish trip to Walt Disney World Resort
more than 20 years ago. Cory was diagnosed with Wilms’ tumor in 1993, and this
trip provided a special time for his family to gather together outside of
hospital rooms and make lasting memories.
I
was reminded of the importance of a wish as the families and kids boarded the
ship. The crew and I were filled with renewed energy seeing their faces light
up as they entered the grand atrium for the first time and created memories
with each other. They each chose their own paths once onboard – some working
together to help the Resistance and some joining forces with the First Order.
“Oftentimes, wishes play a key role in helping children build the
physical and emotional strength needed to fight – and even overcome
– a critical illness, and I have loved hearing from our wish families and
chapters across the country as they share their Star Wars stories
with us,” Make-A-Wish America president and CEO Richard K. Davis
said.
We
have a long-standing relationship with Make-A-Wish, partnering together for
more than four decades and granting more than 145,000 Disney-inspired wishes
together. This wish voyage was a reminder of how fortunate we are to help bring
these families together to enjoy our beloved characters and stories – here in
our theme parks and in galaxies far away – that help inspire resilience, hope
and family togetherness.
We
have a saying here on the ship, “together as one,” and we stand together as
one with all wish kids and their families.
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