Give Kids The World Village unveils new wheelchair swing attraction

Give Kids The World Village, the Kissimmee-based, nonprofit resort for critically ill children and their families, unveiled a wheelchair accessible swing ride that seats nine on Thursday.

The new ride, “Kelly’s Sunny Swing,” is named in honor of a child who visited the Village in the early 1990s.

The brightly colored swing – topped with a rainbow and smiling sun – features eight standard seats and one specially designed space to accommodate riders using wheelchairs.

Kelly’s Sunny Swing is the fourth wheelchair-accessible attraction at Give Kids The World, joining a carousel, child-size train, and a pedal-powered flying ride.

“It’s so important that we make everything as accessible as possible for our visiting families,” Give Kids The World President and CEO Pamela Landwirth said. “We’re very excited to unveil this new attraction. It’s going to bring a lot of joy to a lot of folks.”

The ride was designed by Zamperla, an Italian design and manufacturing company, who also built the swing and donated it to Give Kids The World Village. It is the third ride Zamperla has given to the Village.

The attraction was named after a young girl named Kelly, who stayed at Give Kids The World Village in 1993. After they returned home, her parents sent the Village a heartfelt letter describing the impact of their stay. Pamela Landwirth carries that letter with her to this day.