For more than four decades, Give Kids The World Village (GKTW) has delivered weeklong, cost-free vacations to children with critical illnesses and their families. Located in Kissimmee, Florida, the colorful nonprofit resort removes the logistical and financial burdens that often accompanies travel. GKTW provides transportation, lodging, meals, entertainment, theme park tickets, and accessible attractions in one coordinated experience.
“When families come to Give Kids The World, they are surrounded by kindness, fun, and positive memories,” says GKTW President and CEO Caroline Schumacher.
That spirit extends beyond central Florida through the IAAPA World Passport for Kids Program. The initiative ensures that positivity created during a wish trip does not end when families return home. Upon departing the Village, each wish child receives an IAAPA World Passport for Kids certificate along with a list of participating attractions. The passport provides complimentary admission for the wish child and their immediate family to a registered IAAPA member attraction within one year of their GKTW visit.
“Through the generosity of IAAPA member attractions, wish families continue to have something to look forward to when they return home,” Schumacher explains.
Families coordinate directly with the attraction they wish to visit and follow that facility’s individual booking guidelines. While each attraction establishes its own procedures, all participating partners agree to provide complimentary admission for the wish child and their immediate family.
Many IAAPA members expanded on the commitment—offering additional amenities, like complimentary parking, wheelchair or stroller rentals, and meals—further easing barriers to access and enhancing the guest experience.
For families, the impact of such generosity is deeply felt. “We went to Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari in Santa Claus, Indiana,” shares the Chappell family of Kentucky. “It had been several years since we had been there, and it was a favorite place for our boys. We had two great days there, and they gave us a pass to skip lines if we needed to. It was a great bonus to our GKTW stay.”
Others describe the program as an opportunity to create experiences that would otherwise be out of reach.
“We used our passport at Canada’s Wonderland, the Niagara Falls Ripley’s and Guinness Book locations, Darien Lake, Knoebels, and Hersheypark,” shares the Burt family of New York. “All of these were experiences we could have never afforded with all the medical expenses we had.”
The program allows IAAPA member attractions to leverage existing capacity to deliver meaningful guest experiences.
Since 1994, IAAPA’s partnership with GKTW has generated millions of dollars in support through member-donated experiences, products, services, and special events. Through the program, that original spirit of collaboration continues—one memory at a time.
IAAPA members interested in joining the World Passport for Kids Program can do so by completing and submitting the Partner Contact Information form. Questions regarding enollment can be directed to [email protected]
