Walt Disney World Resort is near Orlando, Florida.
The widely reported Snowball Express events associated with Sinise have taken place at Walt Disney World.
Social media posts frequently use “Disneyland” as a generic name for any Disney theme park. In factual reporting, however, the resorts should not be treated as interchangeable.
The correct location is important because it helps identify which event, year and attendance figure the post is describing.
Did Sinise Personally Take and Pay for Everyone?
Sinise is the foundation’s founder and its most recognizable public representative. He attends events, meets families and uses his profile to raise money and awareness.
But Snowball Express is a large organizational effort.
It involves:
-
Gary Sinise Foundation employees
-
Donors
-
American Airlines and airline personnel
-
Walt Disney World
-
Volunteers
-
Event coordinators
-
Counselors and family-support personnel
-
Surviving parents and guardians
-
Other nonprofit and community partners
Describing the trip simply as something Sinise personally did is understandable shorthand, but it erases the many people required to transport and host more than a thousand participants.
The stronger story is not that a celebrity performed a miracle alone. It is that he helped build and lead an organization capable of coordinating a national support network.
The Program Has Continued
Snowball Express did not end after the viral 2018 event.
The Gary Sinise Foundation continues to host gatherings at Walt Disney World and provide other forms of support throughout the year.
Attendance varies. For example, the foundation reported more than 1,800 children and surviving spouses or caregivers at its 2023 event. In 2025, it said more than 1,600 children and surviving family members attended.