Southwest and Make-A-Wish Help Six-Year-Old’s Disney Princess Dream Take Flight

For one six-year-old Disney fan, a dream of meeting her favorite princesses recently took flight! During World Princess Week, Southwest Airlines, Make-A-Wish® and Disney teamed up to give Emmie and her family a magical journey to Walt Disney World, marking a special milestone in a partnership that has been creating wish experiences for children and families for 15 years.

What’s Happening:

• Emmie’s wish was simple, she wanted to visit Walt Disney World and meet her favorite princesses. Thanks to the collaboration between Southwest and Make-A-Wish, her fairytale adventure began long before she arrived in Central Florida.

• The surprises started at home when a special delivery from Disney Store arrived for Emmie. Inside, she found a princess costume, a tiara and activity books to help her get ready for her Disney adventure. A perfect royal preparation for a trip that would soon take her to the Most Magical Place on Earth.

• The next chapter of Emmie’s journey began in Denver on Sunday, August 16. Southwest Employees transformed the airport gate into a princess-worthy sendoff, creating special photo opportunities and celebrating with Emmie and her family before they boarded their flight.
• The celebration didn't stop at the gate. Southwest Crew Members and fellow passengers were surprised with Disney ear headbands, allowing everyone aboard to join in the magical sendoff. With her crown firmly in place and her supporters cheering her on, Princess Emmie was officially on her way to Walt Disney World.

• When Emmie and her family arrived in Orlando, they received another royal welcome. The family walked the blue carpet before officially beginning their Walt Disney World vacation, bringing Emmie one step closer to meeting the princesses she had dreamed of seeing.
• Throughout the trip, Southwest Employees continued to make Emmie and her family feel special, carrying on the airline's tradition of supporting Make-A-Wish families throughout their travels. Customers also joined in the celebration, filling gate areas in both Denver and Orlando to cheer for Emmie and share in the excitement of her wish coming true.

• The celebration is particularly meaningful as Southwest and Make-A-Wish reach 15 years of partnership. Since the relationship began, Southwest has helped children facing critical illnesses and their families travel to life-changing wish experiences.
• Travel is an especially important part of the Make-A-Wish mission, with more than 70% of wishes involving travel. To help make those journeys possible, Southwest donates $1 million in travel each year to Make-A-Wish, helping wish families reach destinations where they can create unforgettable memories together.

• For Southwest Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer Whitney Eichinger, who also serves on the Make-A-Wish America Board, the partnership represents the airline's broader commitment to connecting people with the experiences that matter most.
• “At Southwest, connecting People to what matters most is at the Heart of what we do, and for 15 years, our partnership with Make-A-Wish has helped children facing critical illnesses and their families reach life-changing wish experiences,” Eichinger said. “We’re honored to celebrate this milestone by helping Emmie’s fairytale wish come true.”
• Over the past 15 years, the partnership has helped make thousands of wishes possible, creating moments of joy and hope for children and their families during incredibly challenging circumstances. Each journey is different, but the opportunity to bring families together for a meaningful experience remains at the heart of the work.
• For Emmie, that journey led to Walt Disney World during World Princess Week, where she could trade her tiara at home for the chance to meet the princesses she had been dreaming about.
• As Southwest and Make-A-Wish celebrate 15 years together, Emmie's magical trip serves as a reminder of the impact that can come from helping a family make a dream a reality.

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