Night Of A Million Lights WILL Return This Year!

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks

If you live in Central Florida, then you may know about Give Kids The World Village — an incredible 89-acre non-profit Resort located in Kissimmee where terminally ill children and their families can vacation for a week at no cost to them. Give Kids the World Village has been in operation since 1986 and, since then, has welcomed more than 177,000 families from 76 countries.

For the past couple of years, Give Kids the World Village has hosted a popular holiday event — Night of A Million Lights. The event attracts hundreds of people, but earlier this year, it was announced that the show would not return due to Give Kids The World Village wanting to focus on providing life-changing vacations to families.

However, we are now learning that Night of A Million Lights WILL return at a brand-new location! According to the Give Kids the World Village website, Night of A Million Lights will happen this year at H2O Water Park — which is also located in Kissimmee. H2O Water Park has only been open for about a year and a half, and this is one of the first big events the Water Park has hosted.

Here is more information on Night of A Million Lights — which will take place from November 11 through January 1.

Come enter a dazzling winter wonderland illuminated with millions of lights and filled with festive family activities and live entertainment for a one-of-a-kind, fully immersive holiday experience.

Named by USA Today the “Number One Thing To Do In December In Orlando” when it debuted in 2020, Night of a Million Lights is a lightscape of spectacular sparkle and mesmerizing dancing lights, where guests of all ages can create priceless holiday memories – and all for a wonderful cause.

Night of a Million Lights has quickly become one of the most popular holiday events in Central Florida and many nights will sell out so don’t delay – get your tickets today.

Night of a Million Lights

After the announcement was made, H2O Water Park manager Jim Kunau gave the following statement to WESH2 Orlando:

“It’s an honor to help Give Kids The World deliver happiness and hope to critically ill children and their families by hosting Central Florida’s most popular new holiday tradition at Island H2O Water Park, We invite the entire community to join us at Night of a Million Lights at Island H2O for 52 nights of family fun, live performances, delicious food and holiday cheer, while helping to make wishes come true for families in our community and around the world.”

Night of a Million Lights

Tickets for Night of A Million Lights range from $30 for Standard tickets to $40 for Holiday tickets. You can purchase your tickets by clicking here.

Night of a Million Lights at Give Kids the World Village

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Uncategorized

One of our favorite nonprofit organizations is Give Kids the World Village. It’s an 89 acre complex in Kissimmee, Florida that gives Wish Kids and their families a week that they will never forget. Critically ill children have the opportunity to forget about treatments and tests for a few days, and their parents make memories that will last a lifetime. This is all at no cost to the families. Give Kids the World Village works closely with Walt Disney World, since that is the desired destination for many children. For the holiday season, Give Kids the World Village is even more magical, and the public is invited to be a part of it.

It’s called Night of a Million Lights. The event officially runs from November 12, 2021, until January 2, 2022, but I was invited to a preview on November 9. If you are going to be in Central Florida this holiday season, you will want to check it out for yourself. Last year was the first year of the event, and they welcomed over 92,000 Guests. This season it’s bigger and even better.

Over 3.2 million lights were donated by Walt Disney World. I’ve been told by multiple sources that they were originally from the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights, but that hasn’t been confirmed. Night of a Million Lights has the same feel, without the overwhelming crowd.

There is a beautiful trail of trees that you can walk through, or you might want to take the Village Tram Tour right through the village. That is narrated by Jodi Benson. The cottages around the lake are all decorated, and every few minutes they “dance” to the music. The effect is stunning! There are multiple picture opportunities.

South Pole Marketplace has Give Kids the World and Night of a Million Lights merchandise for sale. There are also places where you can grab a snack or a chicken sandwich. There are strolling entertainers in the area. The best part of South Pole Marketplace, though, is that you can meet Santa in his summer home! You’ll first see the cottage where he and the Mrs. are staying (she’s not there) and then you can meet him in his living room. It’s been years since meeting Santa was a priority for me, but this was a lot of fun.

If you would like an even more immersive experience, you can sign up for a private behind-the-scenes tour. Another option is a dessert party ticket. The cost will include your admission. The dessert party is held in the playground area that is also the world’s largest game of Candyland. Private events are also possible.

Many local companies have helped to make the second year of Night of a Million Lights possible. Walt Disney World has decorated a cottage with an “it’s a small world” theme. The Universal Orlando Resort cottage features minions. SeaWorld, Ripley’s Believe It or Not, and some other businesses also have decorated cottages. There are also sponsors on some of the trees along the trail. The sponsorship adds to the fun and can make for some whimsical pictures.

The best part of Night of a Million Lights is that you know that it’s to raise money for a worthy cause. Since 1986 over 177,000 critically ill children and their families have visited for the week of a lifetime. Tickets start at $15 for kids and $25 for adults. Peak nights and holiday nights cost more, but it is still affordable. If you go, please remember that most of the workers who you may encounter are volunteers. This is one holiday event that you don’t want to miss.

Night of a Million Lights Will Return to Give Kids the World Village

Posted on by Mathew Corn Uncategorized

Give Kids the World has officially announced the return of their hit holiday event, Night of a Million Lights. The event will run on select nights from November 12, 2021 – January 2, 2022.

Give Kids the World, located in Kissimmee, FL, provides families with critically ill children an all-inclusive, week-long vacation. Everything from meals, to transportation, to theme park tickets are included during their stay at one of their villas.

It began last year while the village was closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, the village is open and hosting Wish families, so there are a few operational changes.

night-of-a-million-lights-2021-give-kids-the-world-village-4029749

Concept art for this year’s event shows an upgraded tunnel of lights. Last year, the village was decked out in over 3.2 million lights, donated by Walt Disney World Resort. This year’s event will feature “a spectacular dancing lights show; a tram tour with storytelling; a holiday marketplace; enhanced food & beverage and merchandise offerings; a dazzling tree trail; and more.” While last year was a self-guided walking tour, a portion of the event will only be accessible on the tram tour this year.

Also new this year are add-ons, including a VIP tour and VIP dessert parties. Tickets are on sale now at GKTW.org.

3.3 Million Lights Borrowed from Walt Disney World for Kissimmee’s Give Kids The World Light Display

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks

As shared by OrlandoSentinel: The fantastical 89-acre vacation village of Kissimmee’s Give Kids The World — normally off-limits to the public — is opening its gates for seven weeks this holiday season for what promises to be one of the most extravagant light displays in the nation.

The event, Night of a Million Lights, will actually have 3.3 million lights, borrowed from Walt Disney World Resort, and run from Nov. 13 to Jan. 3. In that time, the charity hopes ticket sales to some 50,000 visitors will help it raise thousands of dollars for its mission.

With help from Disney, SeaWorld, LEGOLAND, Hasbro, the Kennedy Space Center, some three dozen other sponsors and a small army of volunteers, in recent weeks the village has been slowly transformed into a whimsical winter wonderland — with a glittering 150-foot tunnel, 50 holiday-themed structures up to several stories high, a massive gingerbread arch and 45 villas decorated in various themes.

Visitors will be able to stroll among more than a mile of light displays, eat ice cream or drink hot cocoa and ride carousels and other open-air mechanical attractions. Tickets for the event start at $15 for kids and $25 for adults. For more information, go to gktw.org/lights/.