“When we initially found out Visalia’s wish was going to be granted, it was a very gut-wrenching feeling,” wish mom Erin wrote. “We were excited for her to have this incredible opportunity, but I think at the same time, the reality of our lives hit us as well.

“You hear about Make-A-Wish® all your life, but you never think you will have a wish child. It’s a bittersweet moment in the sense that it is kind of a reality check of what is happening in your life.

“Soon as Visalia knew her wish would be granted, she immediately started a countdown! She has been so excited, and it’s truly given a light to all this darkness we’ve been surrounded by.”

For her wish, Visalia, who is nicknamed Boogy, chose a wish trip to Disney World because she’s a big fan of all the princesses. Just last year, Visalia was crowned princess of the North Idaho Fair, so she would be visiting her peers in Orlando.

“It was, well, a no brainer for her to decide to go there. She couldn’t even think of a backup wish if it didn’t work out! So, to say we’re relieved that Make-A-Wish Idaho did everything they could to make her wish come true is an understatement,” Erin wrote.

The flight out to Orlando was smooth. Boogy met with the pilots, and the folks at Give Kids the World Resort had dinner ready for the family when they arrived.

One of the first parks the family went to was to Universal Studios, and although Visalia wasn’t a thrill seeker, she tried some of the scarier rides and enjoyed them.

They also went to Epcot where she played charades with Elsa and Anna and spent 20 minutes talking to them. That night, they watched the fireworks there.

At Animal Kingdom, she met Nick and Judy from Zootopia and rode Avatar: Flight of Passage many times.

“Boogy has completely shocked us all and is now a thrill seeker, not something any of us had seen coming. We rode Test Track two times in a row!” Erin wrote on social media.  

Before Visalia left, she met all her favorite characters: Ariel, Rapunzel, Tiana, Belle, and Mickey and Minnie Mouse. During their last morning in Florida, they went to SeaWorld to see the exotic waterbound creatures. In the afternoon, Visalia and her sister had their nails done. Her parents got massages, and her brother spent his time at Mayor Clayton’s Wonderlab.

“This wish is more than just a wish for Visalia. We lost my dad, her grandfather, three weeks before her diagnosis. Along with this, a month after her diagnosis, I was diagnosed with MS. So, to say our family has had a stressful year is an understatement.

"We have learned to truly enjoy the little things and to be thankful for everything. We are so grateful to Make-A-Wish Idaho for granting Visalia a wish that means more to us than you may even know," Erin wrote.