Disney Team of Heroes launches

April 22, 2019

Disney Magic has officially arrived at Texas Children’s Hospital.

Invited guests from The Walt Disney Company, media outlets and health care organizations across the country joined Texas Children’s clinical and executive leadership to celebrate the launch of the Disney Team of Heroes pilot. Texas Children’s is the first hospital to work with Disney on this comprehensive new initiative that will enhance the patient and family experience at children’s hospitals across the globe through a unique combination of reimagined spaces, personalized moments and engaging content, all featuring Disney’s beloved characters and themes.

Watch the video to see how all these elements came together over the past three weeks.

“Disney’s commitment to bringing comfort and inspiration to children doesn’t stop at the gates of Disneyland or Walt Disney World, and we are so grateful Disney is bringing those values to us in this way,” said Texas Children’s Surgeon-in-Chief Dr. Larry Hollier. “The magic and joy we have all experienced at a Disney park is now apparent as you walk throughout our hospital, and I am looking forward to seeing how this special partnership enhances the patient and family experience.”

Texas Children’s relationship with The Walt Disney Company dates back to 1952 when Walt Disney himself gifted the hospital with an illustration depicting his vision for the hospital’s campus at the time. The partnership was further solidified in 2018 when Texas Children’s was chosen as the pilot hospital for this transformative, five-year commitment to the patient experience from The Walt Disney Company.

The Disney Team of Heroes launch was the culmination of a year of hard work and collaboration between a group of more than 80 Disney team members, including Disney’s famed Imagineers, and a dedicated team of Texas Children’s employees and caregivers.

“As the name itself implies, at Disney we know that if you want something to be timeless, and touch the hearts of millions, it requires a talented team to bring it all to life,” said Elissa Margolis, Senior Vice President of Enterprise Social Responsibility at The Walt Disney Company. “We could not have done this without all the guidance, partnership and collaboration from doctors, nurses, hospital administrators, child life specialists, creative teams, tech leaders and also, importantly, parents.”

Guests at the event got a first look at new Disney Team of Heroes experiences on a tour of Lester and Sue Smith Legacy Tower. These elements included the stunning Magic Mural, which allows patients and families to interact with characters and environments; mesmerizing Magic Windows, where favorite characters pop in for a brief visit before taking off again; captivating Magic Portals, seek-and-find activities that provide distraction while waiting for an appointment to begin; and Disney Products and Hospital Gowns, which help brighten patient rooms and bring familiarity into hospital stays. Additionally, Texas Children’s employees system-wide received themed Disney Team of Heroes Employee Badges featuring Disney characters. The badges will create opportunities to engage patients, and fellow employees, in a fun new way.

Stay tuned for a more in-depth look at the new Disney Team of Heroes elements on our Corporate Communications Instagram, @oneamazingteam. Learn more about Texas Children’s partnership with Disney, and check Connect frequently for more exciting updates.