It's the fundraiser that Disney fans happily and willingly
get out of bed at 3 a.m. to take part
in. The one that people actually schedule their Southern California
vacations around, with some participants flying in from as far away as Texas,
Illinois and Connecticut.
Which event am I talking about? The largest walk for
pediatric care in the nation, Children's Hospital of Orange County's annual
"Walk in the Park." Or as this 5K is more fondly known to the
thousands who participate annually, CHOC Walk.
Photo by Scott Brinegar
So what is it about CHOC Walk that compelled about 16,000
people (FYI: That's the largest field of walkers to have ever signed up for
this event) to make their way to Anaheim
earlier this morning? To stand around in the predawn dark and cold out on the Disneyland
Esplanade before they were then allowed to mass on Main
Street, U.S.A.?
Well, there's actually a number of reasons that Disney enthusiasts
eagerly sign up to take part in this event each year. One is that it raises
money for an organization Walt Disney personally helped get off the ground.
Back in 1960 when an executive council was first being formed to address Southern
California's growing need for a regional children's hospital in Orange
County, Walt immediately said
"Yes" when he was asked to join the council. More to the point, when
fundraising efforts for the construction of this children's hospital officially
got underway, Walt then threw the resources of Walt Disney Productions behind
the project. Which is why — just four short years later — Children's Hospital
of Orange County was actually able to open its doors.
And as the years went along, the Mouse was always there to
backstop and support Children's Hospital of Orange County. Whether it was the
$5 million gift that the Disneyland Resort made back in February 2012 to help
fund construction of the hospital's new 426,000-square-foot patient tower or
the Cast Members who regularly bring the Disney characters by CHOC to visit
with patients there, Mickey has always been there for the Children's Hospital
of Orange County.
Photo by Scott Brinegar
Which is why — when CHOC decided to launch a fundraising
walk back in November 1990 — the Mouse agreed to let the hospital use the Disneyland
parking lot as that event's end point. But starting in 2002, CHOC Walk
participants were given the opportunity to actually walk around inside of Disneyland
and Disney California
Adventure Park
during the early morning hours. And over the past decade, the number of people
eager to participate in this annual fundraising event has just gone through the
roof.
"This year, we have 900 teams and over 35,000 people
who have donated," said Zach Abrams, CHOC Director of Special Events,
during a recent phone interview. "And the Disneyland
Cast Members? They not only help run this event, they actively participate. The
2014 Disney VoluntEARS team that's walking in today's event is over 700 – 800
Cast Members strong."
According to CHOC officials, this year's event raised about
$2 million. However the fundraising continues through October 31st.
Photo by Scott Brinegar
"Disneyland Resort really turns on the magic for CHOC
Walk," Abrams enthused. "The whole thing starts off with fireworks
exploding over Sleeping Beauty
Castle. And then as people begin
moving through the Park, they encounter characters and surprises all along the
way. Cheer squads. Pep bands. You name it. It's genuinely a one-of-a-kind way
to experience Disneyland and Disney
California Adventure
Park."
And this year's event was certainly no exception. From
Flora, Fauna and Merryweather (i.e., the three good fairies from "Sleeping
Beauty") standing in front of Sleeping
Beauty Castle
cheering on the walkers as they stepped off to all of the Disney Princesses
riding King Arthur Carrousel, Fantasyland was like a dream come true for Disney
enthusiasts. And the character encounters continued as people wandered through
Frontierland and bumped into Chip 'n' Dale at the Mark Twain Riverboat dock and
then John Smith & Pocahontas along Big Thunder Trail.
Over in the Small World
Plaza area, walkers could pause en
route to get their pictures taken with Peter Pan, Captain Hook, Mr. Smee and
Tinker Bell. Meanwhile over in Tomorrowland, event participants could snag a
selfie with Buzz Lightyear before slipping behind-the-scenes at Disneyland
Park where they could then see what
the backside of Space Mountain
actually looks like.
Photo by Scott Brinegar
From there, the walkers moved over to Disney
California Adventure
Park. "CHOC Walkers"
encountered a streetcar full of Newsies on Buena Vista
Street. In Hollywood
Land, the cast of DCA's
super-popular "Mad T-Party" nighttime dance party was represented by
Alice, Tweedle Dum & Tweedle Dee. Meanwhile outside of the Hyperion Theatre
(Home to Disney's "Aladdin – A Musical Spectacular"), Princess
Jasmine & Aladdin posed for photos with their royal subjects.
And on and on it went. Princess Atta & Flik were out and
about in A Bug's Land. Lightning McQueen & Mater were spinning their wheels
down in Cars Land.
Even relatively obscure Disney characters like The Three Caballeros (i.e.,
Donald, Jose and Panchito from that 1944 Walt Disney Production package feature
which combined live-action & animation) were on hand to greet event
participants before they exited the park and made their way to this 5K's finish
line, located out in the Downtown Disney District. At the finish line the newly
appointed Disneyland ambassadors, Jessica Bernard and
Allie Kawamoto, were on hand to cheer on the walkers as their
hour-and-15-minute long stroll came to an end.
"It's great that our event participants have such a fun
time as they walk through the parks and meet with all the Disney characters.
But for me personally, the part that moves me the most are all those families
with their balloons and their banners. And they're all walking along all
wearing the same t-shirts. And when you see the slogans on their signs and the
names of the families and the kids that CHOC has helped, I get goose
bumps," Zach continued. "It is the most amazing special moment for me
and what keeps me motivated and excited every year."
Photo by Scott Brinegar
Which brings us to next year. Given that 2015 will not only
be the 25th anniversary of CHOC "Walk in the Park" but it will also
be the Disneyland 60th anniversary diamond celebration, Abrams is anticipating
that a record number of people will be signing up for next year's fundraiser. Zach
is advising people to sign up as early as possible for next year's CHOC Walk.
"We actually started working on the 2015 CHOC Walk a
year ago. We've already started designing our 25th anniversary logos and have
begun looking for a new CHOC Walk ambassador," Abrams said. "We're
also looking at ways we can recognize our patients and their families as well
as our teams and their walkers, some of which have participated for all 25
years of this event."
So if you'd like to be on hand for the 25th anniversary of
CHOC's "Walk in the Park" (where you'll then get to meet more Disney
characters in two hours than you'd ever imagine) not to mention raising some
money for a very good cause, bookmark chocwalk.org now and then sign up as soon
as you can when they begin registering participants for the 2015 event.
This story was originally posted on the Huffington Post's Entertainment page on Sunday, October 12, 2014