Disneyland® Resort and Make-A-Wish® Invite Fans to "Share Your Ears" to Help Grant Wishes

Disney Parks to donate up to $1 million to Make-A-Wish

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Feb 22, 2016, 10:00 ET

ANAHEIM, Calif., Feb. 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- To honor the 100,000^th Disney wish granted globally, and in celebration of Disneyland Resort's 60th Anniversary, Disneyland and Make-A-Wish^®are inviting fans to Share Your Ears and share the power of a wish^®.

Disney and Make-A-Wish fans around the world can make a difference for children with life-threatening medical conditions by unlocking a donation with a simple photo. Disney Parks will donate $5 to Make-A-Wish, up to a total of $1 million, for each photo taken and shared of people wearing Mickey Mouse Ears – or any creative "ears" at all. Photos can be uploaded to Facebook, Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #ShareYourEars between now and March 14, 2016.

"For 35 years, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts has been proud to work with Make-A-Wish to make dreams come true for thousands of children, and now we're excited to give Disney fans the opportunity to help us make a difference for even more," said Bob Chapek, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.

Actor and Disney fan-favorite Neil Patrick Harris helped kick off the campaign in style last night during the ABC special, "The Wonderful World of Disney: Disneyland 60." Sporting an assortment of ears and a "dazzled" Mickey Mouse Ear hat, Harris shared the importance of wish-granting and the impact it makes on the lives of children and families. The exclusive dazzled Ear hat – adorned with a diamond "D" – will be part of a Make-A-Wish sweepstakes campaign to raise additional funds for wish-granting.

Guests visiting Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, can also purchase collectible 60th Anniversary Ear Hats that say "Wishes Really Do Come True." Only 7,500 hats will be sold, and all proceeds will go to Make-A-Wish – up to an additional $150,000.

Nearly 8,000 Disney-related wishes are granted worldwide every year – including experiences at Disney theme parks, voyages on Disney Cruise Line, meetings with Disney characters, and visits to TV and movie sets – making Disney the most popular request by Make-A-Wish children.

"The Share Your Ears campaign captures the excitement and creativity that we all associate with Disney. Since the very first wish, Disney has provided wish kids and their families with experiences beyond their wildest imaginations," said David Williams, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish America. Jon Stettner, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish International added, "Disney continues to surprise us with its ingenuity and generosity, allowing its guests and fans around the world to share in Disney's passion for our mission. We couldn't be more grateful."

For more information, visit www.ShareYourEars.org.

ABOUT MAKE-A-WISH^®

Make-A-Wish^® grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Based in Phoenix, Arizona, Make-A-Wish is the world's largest wish-granting organization, serving children in nearly 50 countries on five continents. With the help of generous donors and more than 32,000 volunteers worldwide, Make-A-Wish grants a wish somewhere in the world every 21 minutes on average. Since 1980, it has granted more than 350,000 wishes to children around the world. For more information about Make-A-Wish America, visit wish.org and for more information about Make-A-Wish International, visit worldwish.org.

ABOUT WALT DISNEY PARKS AND RESORTS

Disney Parks and Resorts are where dreams come true. More than sixty years ago, Walt Disney created a new kind of entertainment families could experience together, immersed in detailed atmospheres and vibrant storytelling. His vision now includes a collection of five of the world's leading family vacation destinations – Disneyland Resort, Anaheim, Calif.; Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, Fla.; Tokyo Disney Resort, Urayasu, Chiba, Japan; Disneyland Paris, Marne-la-Vallée, France; and Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, located on Lantau Island. A sixth resort, Shanghai Disney Resort, is opening in June 2016 in Pudong New District, Shanghai, China. In addition, Disney Parks and Resorts includes the world-class Disney Cruise Line; Disney Vacation Club; Aulani, A Disney Resort and Spa; Adventures by Disney, a guided group vacation experience to some of the world's most popular destinations; and Walt Disney Imagineering, which creates and designs all Disney parks, resorts and attractions.