Give Kids the World

Just wanted to tell everyone about the amazing place we will be staying at in Orlando Florida, Truly amazing.

The story of Give Kids The World begins with a little girl with a wish and the desire of one man to make that wish come true.

The little girl's name was Amy. Amy had leukemia and one wish - to visit the theme parks in Orlando. To facilitate Amy's wish, the request of a complimentary stay was made to a respected hotelier. As he had done many times before, the hotelier gladly obliged and Amy's wish was that much closer to being realized. Sadly, the remainder of Amy's travel plans took too long to arrange and her wish was never granted; Amy had passed away. Time simply ran out.

This unfulfilled wish inspired a man, the hotelier, to make a vow that no child in need would ever be failed again. That man was Henri Landwirth and his desire to ensure that Amy's story would never repeat itself is where the story of Give Kids The World begins.

Landwirth enlisted the support of colleagues in the hospitality industry, including our world-famous theme parks, to assist him in bringing these special families to Central Florida within 24 hours if need be. He called the project “Give Kids The World,” because that is just what he intended to do - provide memorable, magical, cost-free experiences to children with life-threatening illnesses and their families.

As the program expanded and the number of families continued to grow, it was apparent that Give Kids The World would need to create a place that could better serve the special needs of our families. The gates of Give Kids The World Village opened in 1989.

The Village-

Give Kids the World Village, a 10-acre gated condo complex created specifically for wish families.The Village has a pool into which wheelchairs can roll...a castle with talking furniture...a lake for boating and fishing...restaurants where you don't pay...arcades that don't need tokens...date nights for parents...a meet and greet at the airport...breakfasts with the Disney characters...and even a mascot rabbit, Mayor Clayton, who will tuck a child in with a bedtime story if you ask for that service. When all that is added to the Disney enhancements, like the button that allows wish families to go to the head of all lines and get special attention from the characters in the park (like Mickey Mouse), a Disney wish done Make-A-Wish style cannot be purchased or duplicated anywhere.