Kai's Wish Trip

If you could do anything, go anywhere or meet anyone; if you had just one wish, what would it be?

Kai, the lion-loving, Darth Vader princess wanted to bake cookies! When prompted further, she asked if she could meet Ariel at Disney World (or visit her grandparents, go camping, be a cowgirl or ride a spaceship into space - clearly no wish is too big or too small for Kai!)

On the day of her trip, Kai, who is usually difficult to wake, bolted straight up in bed and yelped, "We're going to Disney!" They picked us up for the airport in a limo and the kids got preferential treatment on the plane - visiting the cockpit (where they said hi to me over the intercom) and handing out snacks to the other passengers. We also received well wishes and applause via an announcement from the captain before we landed.

Once we arrived, we were met at the airport by a Give Kids The World volunteer, who helped us into our rental van (that was already paid for) and gave us a map to the Give Kids The World Village. 

When we arrived at the village, we were greeted by staff and volunteers who gave the kids gifts, explained how everything worked during our stay and gave us our passes for Disney, Universal and SeaWorld. Our villa was full of balloons and more gifts for the kids! 

After settling in, we visited the large, heated, salt-water pool and splash park before heading to dinner, a ride on the carousel and ice-cream!

The next day, after eating ice cream for breakfast and getting a pony ride, we checked out Animal Kingdom, where Kai was bumped to the front of the line of almost every ride and front row seats at the Lion King show (baby Ama's favorite part of the trip)!

Thursday morning, Kai was granted her Wish - to meet Ariel. She got to spend a whole hour with her, to be exact! Kai was a little overwhelmed at first but quickly warmed up, and she and Reef, along with the rest of our family, enjoyed the visit in which the kids taught Ariel - who stayed in character the whole time - how to make snow angels, how to stand on a surfboard with human legs and much more. The wonder and joy on Kai's face was immeasurable!

During the rest of the week-long trip, our family enjoyed preferential treatment as we met Disney characters, watched parades, got bumped to the front of lines for rides, photos and front row seating at shows, fed and pet dolphins, visited the ocean, became a pirate and a princess, and enjoyed Give Kids The World Village, which is like a fantasy-land/theme park in and of itself (more on Give Kids The World, here)!

Kai's favorite part? Too many to count! Obviously, meeting Ariel is at the top of the list, but like her numerous wish requests, nothing was too big or too small for Kai. From mingling with ballerinas to swimming to feeding dolphins to receiving the royal treatment at the Bippidy Boppidy Boutique, it all added up to one amazingly memorable experience that I'm sure she'll never forget. And, if she does, we have 300 professionally taken photos given to us for free of the entire experience!

My favorite part? Watching the kids enjoy themselves for a week that was all about them and being able to experience it as a family, free from the stresses of our every day lives: doctor's appointments, poking and prodding, tests, results, hospitals, medical bills, and insurance battles. The pure joy and excitement on their faces and those of all the other kids at Give Kids The World. The generosity and compassion of all the wonderful people who make this possible for these kids.

Kai sent Ariel and "Thank You" letter, after we got home. She said she "Wished she could live in the castle with her, forever, because there are no owies, there." *tears*

Thank you, Make A Wish and Give Kids The World, for a week of joy and a lifetime of memories!