Give Kids the World is more than just an organization, it is a life-changing experience for so many children and their families. I first learned of Give Kids the World when I moved to Florida back in 1995 and saw the brightly colored buildings from the road one day.
If you are unaware or haven’t heard of Give Kids the World, they are basically an entire village; an 84-acre, nonprofit “storybook” resort in Central Florida. Children with critical illnesses and their families are treated to weeklong, cost-free vacations in fully furnished and accessible homes. Beyond just the comfortable homes to stay in, the amenities in the village are beyond compare.
Give Kids The World provides meals, transportation, nightly entertainment, and complimentary passes to Orlando’s world-famous theme parks and other attractions. There is never any charge to visiting families, and no child is ever turned away. Since 1986, Give Kids The World Village has served more than 160,000 children and families from all 50 states and more than 75 countries. GKTW is four-star rated by Charity Navigator, with more than 92 cents of every dollar it spends going to program services.
Walt Disney World Moms Panel donation in 2010
I became more closely involved when I joined the (then) Walt Disney World Moms Panel in 2010 (now the planDisney Panel). We, as the new class of 2010, raised $7500 and delivered it to Give Kids the World back in October of 2010. We were given an in-depth tour at the time and it was an incredibly inspiring visit. That day let me know I wanted to help out Give Kids the World whenever I could from that day forward.
My friends and kids and I have done various fundraisers over the years, usually their annual Gingerbread Run, which is now the Challenge for Hope and you don’t have to run to take part. My youngest son Gio and husband Scott got involved this time and all raised money and ran the almost-but-not-quite 5K Challenge for Hope last November. This year it is a virtual event due to the conditions in the country. Sadly, Give Kids the World village has been closed since March of this year for that reason as well.
Because of the closure, Give Kids the World Village has decided to create some magic for locals, which will in turn help the Village when they are ready to safely reopen.
Night of a Million Lights! Here’s more about it:
For 34 years, the non-profit Give Kids The World Village has been brightening the lives of critically ill children and their families from around the world; and now, local businesses will have the chance to illuminate the Village – literally.
For 53 nights from Friday, November 13, through Sunday, January 3, 2021, the Village will come alive with Night of a Million Lights, a walk-through holiday light spectacular that is sure to warm the hearts of Central Florida residents.
More than one million lights will adorn the 84-acre whimsical Village, including a 150-foot lighted tunnel leading to 33 decorated villas; more than 50 larger-than-life holiday-themed wireframes, some spanning more than 40 feet; an enormous incandescent gingerbread arch; and out-of-this-world space-themed decorations showcasing the Village’s newest centerpiece, Henri’s Starlite Scoops.
Adding to the fully immersive lights and sounds experience, Santa Claus will greet guests from the balcony of Towne Hall, with Give Kids The World’s beloved ambassadors, Mayor Clayton and Ms. Merry, on hand to lend some holiday cheer.
Corporate and community partners can get into the holiday spirit by adopting a villa, with the creative freedom to decorate it however they’d like for display throughout the 53 nights of the event.
Beginning on October 1, guests can purchase tickets on the Give Kids The World website at www.gktw.org to walk among the brilliant lights, vote on their favorite villas, and take part in a variety of family activities in a socially distant manner.
Most of the Village’s wheelchair-accessible attractions will be available at no cost, including The Enchanted Carousel, Marc’s Dino Putt, Kelly’s Sunny Swing, and Lori’s Magical Flight – all elaborately decorated for the holidays. Complimentary hot cocoa and ice cream will also be served throughout each evening.
In addition, guests can visit the Village’s most iconic venue, the Castle of Miracles – featuring a mysterious forest, a wishing well that burps, a magic tree that makes pillows, and more. The Castle is highlighted by thousands of stars that fill the ceiling and the adjoining Star Tower, each placed in honor of a wish child who has visited the Village.
“Children with critical illnesses face countless appointments, treatments and hospital stays, and they are often told ‘no’ due to the limitations of their illness. We feel privileged to give wish children and their families a week of ‘yes’ where they can forget their worries, experience joy, and spend priceless time together,” said Give Kids The World President and CEO Pamela Landwirth. “We look forward to sharing some holiday joy with the community while making it possible for future wish children to have their wishes fulfilled.”
Give Kids The World Village closed to wish families in mid-March due to the global pandemic, delaying more than 4,000 wishes. The Night of a Million Lights is designed to raise funds to ensure that wish trips can return bigger and better than ever before once the time is right to reopen.
I am SO excited to take part in this event. I urge locals or those visiting to fit Night of a Million Lights into your plans as well. It’s such a good cause, and I know we’ve all been missing light displays that we used to be able to walk through at Disney’s Hollywood Studios! We were just mentioning it on our Up the Waterfall podcast, how much we miss the experience. I can’t think of a better way to recapture some of that magic, while giving back and ensuring children and their families will experience all that Give Kids the World has to offer once more. The fact that they are offering tours and additional benefits is amazing, because once you tour Give Kids the World, you will definitely want to do and help more.
Tickets are On Sale NOW!
Give Kids the World Night of a Million Lights tickets are on sale now, enabling guests to walk among the brilliant lights and participate in a variety of fun and festive activities in a safe, socially distant manner. Ticket prices start at $15 for children ages 3-17 and $25 for adults, and include: on-site parking complimentary ice cream and hot cocoa and unlimited access to the Village’s wheelchair-accessible attractions – including The Enchanted Carousel; Marc’s Dino Putt; Kelly’s Sunny Swing; Lori’s Magical Flight; an interactive model railroad; and the Village’s iconic Castle of Miracles, where thousands of stars fill the ceiling in honor of wish children who have visited the Village. The event will run from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily, with staggered entry times at 5:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m., and 8:00 p.m. (confirmed at the time of purchase) to ensure social distancing. Mask wearing is required for all guests.
Proceeds from the event will support Give Kids The World’s mission to provide wish vacations for critically ill children and their families.
Give Kids The World Village is located at 210 S. Bass Road in Kissimmee. To learn more, visit gktw.org/lights. For information on group tickets, contact millionlights@gktw.org.
Give Kids the World is an organization near and dear to my heart. I’ve been honored to be a part of fundraising through the Walt Disney World Moms Panelists from 2010 on, who have together with supporters raised close to $35,000 for the Village, which grants wishes for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. I was also able to tour the grounds in Kissimmee with my family and it is a day which I will never forget.
You can read more about some stories that affected friends of mine on my previous post about Give Kids the World. Now, my 12 year-old daughter, Sophia, and I are raising funds for Give Kids the World and running the Gingerbread 5K, held at the Village on November 3. My good friend Nicole started volunteering at the Village this year and wanted to create a team to take on the Gingerbread 5K together and raise awareness and valuable donations for such an amazing cause. Sophia and I would love to have your donation for this Gingerbread 5k as I join my friends on #TeamSparkle.
Team Sparkle has raised close to $3000 and we would love help in reaching our goals! Thank you SO much for helping the wishes of ill children get fulfilled!
One of the wonderful things about the Orlando area is that there are countless attractions and activities for everyone. Medieval Times is a well-known show with locations across the country, where you know going in what to expect – a royally good time. Before you write them off as just being a show with knights on horses and no utensils, Medieval Times has just premiered an all-new show to keep things fresh and exciting. I could not remember the last time I had been to Medieval Times, I think it was when my oldest (now 13) was a wee one. However, now that I’ve been back, I can’t wait to go again.
The whole Medieval Times castle is wonderfully themed and the time you can wait before seating begins is filled with knighting ceremonies, photo opportunities by roaming castle-dwellers, and merchandise to peruse. There are also three cash bars and a lovely “wine cellar” seating area which makes waiting for the show to start relaxing and fun. Soon the knights are announced and begin roaming around and taking photos before guests are called to their table by the color of their crowns they were given upon arrival. I was really impressed with the well-organized check-in process and reception area. It made my family and I genuinely excited for the night (and knights haha) ahead.
I love the castle reception area – the ceiling is gorgeous and there are details everywhere.
Once inside, service instantly began with servers explaining the evening’s fare for us and how things worked. The menu is conveniently printed inside the napkin so you know what to expect. As recent vegetarians, my husband and I let the server know and we were and there were no issues with that. We were still able to enjoy the delicious tomato soup and garlic bread, and the main entree was a lovely combination of hummus and pita chips, a veggie kabob, wild rice and some of the potato wedges served with the regular dinner. I was pleasantly surprised. I do wish they’d have an alternative for small children though. My three-year old was not into any of the choices, and ended up eating bits of the bread and drinking orange juice for the night.
The bill of fare for the eveningThe vegetarian platter was delicious – and they give you utensils! Shhh!
The new show was wonderful and definitely kept everyone entertained and happy. You’ll still find the action-packed knight battles, but this time there is an invader from the north to liven things up and keep the show going even after the winning knight triumphed. There are also beautiful and amazing horses who perform in between battles and a falcon who flies around the entire arena. New costumes and an exciting new musical score round out the new show. It was a fabulous night of entertainment that had everyone cheering and on their feet by the end of the night. I can’t recommend the show and the entire Medieval Times experience enough and I look forward to our next visit.
For more photos, check out the Zannaland Facebook page album – and see the new parts of the show too! (and feel free to “LIKE” my Facebook page while you’re there!)
Check out more info at MedievalTimes.com and book your visit today online or by calling 1-888-WE-JOUST.
Guests also can find Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament on Facebook and Twitter.
My family and I were provided with complimentary admission to Medieval Times for this event, but as always, my opinions and thoughts were my own.
