Make*A*Wish

It never fails. Seeing a family in Disney with a Make-A-Wish button on always chokes me up. Today was no different.

Tonight, a gentleman came up to our podium inquiring if we had any availability for his family for the evening. As always, we responded with a resounding, "I'm sorry, sir, but we are fully booked for the evening. If you'd like, you can call the Disney dining line at 407-WDW-DINE and see if there are any openings for the duration of your stay." He, looking crestfallen, told us that it was okay, he understood, he was there with his family for his daughter's Wish and he knew that getting in was a longshot, and walked away.

I feel guilty every time I turn away a guest. Realistically, we are fully booked everyday, and we book out six months in advance. If I could, I would let every family come inside and visit Cinderella's Castle, eat with the princesses, and have a great time; however, seeing as there are only 43 tables and a capacity of 211 (including staff) this, of course, is not possible. Seeing the disappointment on little girls' faces everyday is hard to see, especially when parents blame me for ruining their child's vacation... but seeing a Make*A*Wish family walk away without being able to show their family the castle is heartbreaking. I know that, if given the chance, they would give anything to change the cards they were dealt, and these vacations are a chance for them to escape, if only for a short time.

The end of the night came, and the father came walking back up to the podium in the off chance we were able to let his family inside. As luck would have it, my coordinator told me to go ahead and take them in as a walk-in for our last turn. As I turned and told the father that we were able to take his family inside for dinner and asked for his information, he started to tear up. He profusely thanked me, sharing part of his story...

His daughter, Ella, was diagnosed with neuroblastoma. Despite numerous rounds of chemotherapy, the cancer wouldn't back down,  and the doctors told their family there was nothing else they could do. She was given approximately two months to live, and sent home to spend the remaining time with her parents and big sister. Make*A*Wish granted her wish to spend a week in Walt Disney World, and seeing where Cinderella lived was the top item on her list.

While I know that I wasn't the one who made her wish come true, but knowing I was involved in a very special, very important memory for this family lifted me up and made me feel good.

Most of all, it made me so grateful for the life I was given.