The Walt Disney Company has announced that Disney’s children’s hospital program will continue to deliver joy across the globe in 2023 through its partnership with with Starlight Children’s Foundation.
Photos courtesy of Disney
Disney plans to expand programs for about 750 children’s hospitals and pediatric places of care around the globe, including mobile movie theaters, complimentary content access, additional character-themed hospital wear, special deliveries, and in-hospital installations.
These efforts are part of Disney’s continued collaboration with Starlight Children’s Foundation and the company’s global commitment to help reimagine the patient experience in children’s hospitals by delivering joy to children and their families.
“We’re honored and grateful to have a longstanding relationship with Disney in helping us bring happiness to seriously ill kids and their families,” said Starlight Children’s Foundation CEO Adam Garone. “For over 20 years, we’ve been transforming the hospital experience through programs that entertain and provide comfort to kids at a time when they need it most.”
Mobile Movie Theaters & Complimentary Content Access
This year, Disney’s children’s hospital program is expanding access to Disney content for patients and their families by broadening its mobile movie theater program and Disney+ and Disney Movie Moments initiatives globally.
“We are so grateful for the opportunity to work with Starlight Children’s Foundation in the U.S. and other wonderful organizations abroad to deliver joy when it’s needed most through beloved Disney stories,” said Disney+ President and Vice Chair of the Starlight Children’s Foundation Board of Directors Alisa Bowen. “Through access to Disney+ in children’s hospitals, we’re seeing the power of storytelling in action, creating a more positive experience for young patients and their families around the world.”
Inspired by the cinema on Main Street, U.S.A., at Disneyland Resort in California, mobile movie theaters offer patients and their families places to enjoy complimentary Disney+ access and first-run movies through Disney Movie Moments.
Beginning in Jan. 2023, Disney expanded the mobile movie theater program to include children’s hospitals in Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, Taiwan, and the United States, as well as throughout China and Europe. These mobile movie theaters will also complement the specially-designed Disney interactive murals at select hospitals that draw patients into the enchanting world of Disney.
Already in the United States and launching in Australia this year, the Disney Movie Moments Program brings special screenings of newly-released Disney movies to the mobile movie theaters, offering opportunities for families to create happy memories, even in the hospital.
In addition, Disney began a global rollout of Disney+ into children’s hospitals in over 30 countries in 2022, and one year later, over 430 children’s hospitals in 17 countries have access to this service. This year, Disney is focusing on locations including Greece, Mexico, and Japan.
Disney-Themed Starlight Hospital Wear & Deliveries
In collaboration with Starlight Children’s Foundation, Disney’s children’s hospital program brings Disney stories, characters, and immersive experiences to children’s hospitals, including Disney-themed Starlight Hospital Wear that reimagines traditional hospital gowns with characters and designs from Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, Frozen, Mickey & Friends, ESPN, and Disney Princesses.
This year, new designs will feature Mirabel from Encanto, and beginning in March, the Hospital Wear program will extend outside of the United States to hospitals in Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, and France.
Disney and Starlight Children’s Foundation also deliver packages of toys, books, games, and movies. To celebrate its 100th anniversary, Disney is rolling out a new delivery celebrating Disney stories and memories throughout the last century. In addition, Disney will share 40,000 activity packs of games with children’s hospitals across Europe throughout 2023.
“Teams from across Disney, including our world-renowned Walt Disney Imagineers, worked with a global network of experts to identify unique experiences we could provide to ease the anxiety of a hospital stay for children around the world,” said Jennifer Cohen, executive vice president, corporate social responsibility for The Walt Disney Company. “Delivering joy builds on a legacy that started with Walt Disney himself, who brought animators and characters to visit hospitalized children.”
Click here for more information about Disney’s children’s hospital program, and click here to learn about The Walt Disney Company and Starlight Children’s Foundation partnership.
