This Friday and Saturday!Give Kids the World is one of my favorite charitable organizations. They provide Wish Kids and their families a week long vacation at no cost to the family. They can visit Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando, and any other local attraction that they desire. The kids can forget about their illness for a little while, and the whole family will make memories that will last forever.
The families stay at Give Kids the World Village, which is a magical destination in Kissimmee, Florida. For many of the children, the Village is the best part of the week! They can have ice cream for breakfast. Kids can learn to become mermaids. There are dance parties and movies. Both Halloween and Christmas are celebrated each week, in part because some of the children won’t make it to the next holiday.
Even the entrance is festive!As you can imagine, it is not cheap to run such a place! While much is donated and sponsored, there are still fundraisers to help defray costs. That’s what I’d like to tell you about today.
The latest fundraiser is called Balloon Wonderland. It will be held this weekend at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress in Orlando. Give Kids the World Village is being recreated with balloons! I was invited to see a sneak peek of the progress on July 12, and it is going to be remarkable.
Ballon artists hard at work on July 12Balloon artists from around the world, including as far away as Australia, are making this happen. Over 500,000 balloons will be used once the project is complete! This is the first time that this type of event has taken place in the Orlando area, and it couldn’t benefit a better organization.
If you’d like to see Balloon Wonderland for yourself (and if you’re in the area, you don’t want to miss it!) there are two separate events. The first will take place on Friday evening, July 15. This is called Party in Wonderland. You will not only see the balloon village, but you’ll enjoy live bands, special guests, and more. Representatives from Gatorland will also be at Party in Wonderland. You might be able to hold a live gator…if you’re brave enough. This is just part of the fun of Party in Wonderland. Tickets cost $49 per person, and there are still spots available.
Wish Kids wrote their names and wishes on small gold star balloons, which will be worked into the final villageThe main event will take place on Saturday, July 16. Balloon Wonderland will run from 9:00 that morning until 10:00 in the evening. You will buy your tickets for a specific time, and the price depends on that time. They range from $18 to $25. In addition to seeing the balloon village, on Saturday you will find strolling musicians, balloon artists, special activities, and more.
This is what the dinosaur area will look likeYou can purchase your tickets for either Friday evening or Saturday here. Not only will you have a great time, it will warm your heart to know that you’ve helped a worthy cause. It’s a win win.