WATCH: Families depart from Cork for extra special trip to Disneyland

Families from across Cork today departed from Cork Airport for a very special trip to Disneyland Paris. 

The trip was organised by Cork City Children’s Hospital Club and will see the group spend the next three days at the theme park. 

More than 80 people are traveling including doctors, nurses, social workers, ambulance personnel, HSE secretaries, security officers, and gardaí; all volunteers who have taken annual leave from their jobs to help keep the children safe.

Speaking to The Echo before the trip, chairperson John Looney said this will be the 30th such visit organised by Cork City Children’s Hospital Club and the first since the covid pandemic.

“There were five children informed that they were going to Euro Disney in 2020, we were due to fly out in February and then covid hit in January, and they were very, very disappointed,” he said.

Mr Looney said that the pandemic was particularly hard for vulnerable children, as they had to stay indoors for a long time.

“These are all children who we were waving at from their windows, the distance was very hard for them to understand, but amazingly, they all did understand.” 

Attendees departed Cork Airport today and will enjoy a meticulously planned trip including three different restaurants on different nights.

The Hospital Club has special passes for the children to help reduce queue times.

The children will return to Cork on the Wednesday evening.

Mr Looney said that though the children will undoubtedly be tired after the action-packed few days, “it’s fantastic to see the smiles on their faces”.

He said that there are lots of children attending who may be struggling with the same things but have never met before, adding: “Suddenly they’ll realise they’re not the only children going through this”.

Mr Looney said there is something for everyone at the park, adding: “We’re all children at heart when we go to Disneyland”.