60th Anniversary CHOC WALK Brings Love to Disneyland July 31

For 60 years, Children’s Hospital of Orange County has cared for the needs of children who are in need of medical attention. For over 30 of those years, Disneyland has hosted the unique and magical CHOC Walk, a 5K (about 3 miles) walk around Disney property. I did it a few years back, when I could walk a long distance without a cane, and it was wonderful. There were all sorts of stops along the route with parade floats filled with characters and singular characters. Noe made me a 3-D Orange Bird sign that said “GO SHELLY!” on it. 

The walk starts at dawn on Main Street, USA and is sent off by the President of Disneyland and Mickey and Minnie. Teams often stop for a picture in front of the castle. Oh! Let me tell you about teams! “Based on previous CHOC Walks, this year’s event is estimated to feature around350-400 teams, including participants from the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Australia, and Japan”. MiceChat has had a team in the past, and everyone had a ball!

There are also teams representing different kids who are presently are or in the past were patients of CHOC, including memorial teams. CHOC Walk has a special Ambassador every year, a CHOC patient and their family. This year, it’s Kara Nguyen.

The roughly three mile course winds through Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, ending at a photo spot (there’s a long line but it’s worth it) at Downtown Disney. 

“CHOC Walk in the Park is an extraordinary event that unites thousands of people from all over the world to help advance pediatric care, research, and education. Disneyland Resort and its castmembers work tirelessly to ensure participants enjoy a memorable and magical experience. I look forward to seeing everyone on July 21, when together we will take steps to keep children happy and healthy,”said CHOC president and CEO Kimberly Chavalas Cripe.

“We’re thrilled to bring back ‘CHOC Walk in the Park’ for another magical 5K experience inside the parks,” said Ken Potrock, president of Disneyland Resort and CHOC board member. “We’ve partnered with CHOC for over 30 years to help raise $44 million for children and families in our community, and we’re proud to continue Walt Disney’s legacy of being an active, supportive, and caring neighbor.”

Walkers get a lanyard with a pretty design and pins will also be available. Here is the design for this year’s merchandise: