Pediatric patients treated to special screening of ‘Toy Story 5’ at AdventHealth for Children

ORLANDO, Fla. — AdventHealth for Children, Walt Disney World Resort and Starlight Children’s Foundation turned an ordinary day at the hospital into an unforgettable experience, giving young patients and their families the chance to watch the new “Toy Story 5” movie while it’s still in theaters.

“I was 10 when the first ‘Toy Story’ came out, and now my son is 12, and watching him enjoy the ‘Toy Story’ movies just as I did as a kid is really special,” said Jessie McCracken, who said she’s felt a special connection to Cowgirl Jessie since she was a child. “Having an event like this, I just got to enjoy watching him be a kid again, and I think it’s so special because a lot of these kids don’t get that kind of thing. They’re either in the hospital or they're sick, and to see our children getting to experience normal things, it’s very special for them and for us.”

Beloved characters Woody and Jessie saddled up to the Walt Disney Pavilion at AdventHealth for Children and were there to greet kids as they arrived, bringing instant smiles and a little movie-star magic to a day built around wonder and imagination.

Hospital team members donned their best western wear, and children showed up as cowboys, cowgirls and Star Command space crew members, wearing hospital gowns donated by Starlight Children’s Foundation.

“We know that children heal in more ways than one, and today healing took the form of cowboy hats, popcorn and the chance to watch a fun movie. We take care of children every day, but moments like this remind us of the joyful magic of kids getting to be kids,” said Dr. Matthew Henderson, an AdventHealth for Children oncologist who joined the event.

His patients are used to seeing him in his white coat, but today, he swapped it for a cowboy hat and bandana.

“This was more than a movie,” he said. “For these children and their families, it brought comfort, laughter, a little extra strength and a moment of light in the middle of a hard day.”

The experience is part of Disney’s Movie Party in a Box program, which provides children’s hospitals with access to new movie titles shortly after theatrical release, plus a curated assortment of themed products delivered by Starlight Children’s Foundation, to create memorable cinematic experiences.

For young patients who cannot visit theaters due to medical restrictions, Movie Party in a Box brings red-carpet moments to children without having to leave the hospital.

“There’s nothing more powerful than seeing a child smile, especially during a difficult time,” said Walt Disney World Ambassador Kylee Withers. “Our relationship with AdventHealth for Children, together with Starlight Children’s Foundation, allows us to create experiences like this that bring comfort, inspiration and hope to kids and families. Creating happiness for children and families is at the heart of what we do, and knowing we can help create those moments here in Central Florida and at children’s hospitals across the country makes this especially meaningful."

Before the film began, AdventHealth for Children’s music therapists performed Randy Newman’s iconic hit, “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” and Taylor Swift’s new song for the film, “I Knew It, I Knew You,” inviting patients to sing and even play along.

Meanwhile, the hospital’s Child Life team gathered children to make friendship bracelets – a nod to Swift’s involvement in the film – and decorate cowboy hats. Starlight also provided “Toy Story” toys and plushies for patients to take as keepsakes.

"Just because a kid is staying in the hospital, doesn't mean they should miss out on being a kid. We believe that healing begins with happiness, and when children get to play and use their imagination, it makes treatment a little less scary," said Christine Soldner, senior director of partnerships at Starlight Children's Foundation. "We are so excited to team up with Disney to bring all the fun of ‘Toy Story 5’ right into the hospital, so kids and their families can enjoy the magic of the movie."

For many of the AdventHealth for Children physicians, nurses and caregivers, as well as the team members who helped organize the event, the celebration had a personal note of nostalgia.

Many were kids themselves when the first “Toy Story” film premiered in 1995, and now they are the grown-ups caring for the next generations of “Toy Story” fans.

That full-circle moment and seeing the impact the movie had on patients, inspired AdventHealth for Children team members to host a toy drive, inviting employees to donate toys for the hospital’s Child Life team, which uses therapeutic play and emotional support to make hospital stays less scary for kids.

This year marks 15 years of the Walt Disney Pavilion at AdventHealth for Children in Orlando, a milestone that reflects the long collaboration behind many of the pediatric spaces at AdventHealth for Children, where Disney has helped shape environments designed to make the hospital more kid-friendly.