Actor Gary Sinise has brought over 1,000 children of fallen service members to Disney theme parks free of charge.
Context
The program is called the “Snowball Express” and operates through the actor’s nonprofit organization, the Gary Sinise Foundation. While most versions of the claim name the specific theme park as Disneyland, located in Anaheim, California, the Snowball Express actually brings its participants to Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, annually. Further, although minimal, participating families are responsible for some costs of travel like airport transportation and luggage fees.
Claims that actor Gary Sinise, best known for his roles as Lt. Dan in “Forrest Gump” and Detective Mac Taylor in “CSI: NY,” had brought over 1,000 children of fallen service members to Walt Disney theme parks free of charge circulated online in August 2025.
Most users were touched by Sinise’s apparent altruism.
The rumor that Sinise brought over 1,000 children of fallen service members to Disney theme parks is mostly true.
The program is called the “Snowball Express” and operates through the actor’s nonprofit organization, the Gary Sinise Foundation. According to the foundation’s website, its mission is to honor “defenders, veterans, first responders, their families, and those in need” by “creating and supporting unique programs designed to entertain, educate, inspire, strengthen, and build communities.”
While most versions of the claim name the specific theme park as Disneyland, located in Anaheim, California, the Snowball Express actually brings its participants to Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, each year.
Further, while costs are minimal, participating families are responsible for some expenses, like transportation to the airport as well as parking and luggage fees. For these reasons, we’ve rated this claim as “mostly true.”
According to the Gary Sinise Foundation’s webpage dedicated to the Snowball Express program, the event, held annually in December, is a “a five-day experience for 1,750+ children of the fallen and the surviving spouse/guardian. With special time to honor their fallen and a blend of fun entertainment and inspiring programs, these families can lean on their peers for support.”
In addition, the foundation’s official Facebook page posted a variety of photos from the Snowball Express events throughout the years of its operation.
(The Gary Sinise Foundation Facebook page)
According to the Disney Parks Blog, “the official blog for the Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World Resort and Disney Cruise Line,” the Snowball Express has origins dating back to 2003.
The Disney Parks Blog stated:
The Snowball Express has a special connection to Disney Parks. This annual healing retreat began in 2003 when U.S. Army Private First-Class Jesse Givens wrote a letter to his wife before his deployment to Iraq, which included a wish for his family to visit Disney Parks if he didn’t return.
This wish was fulfilled in 2006 when his family and others of fallen soldiers visited Disneyland Resort. Gary Sinise became involved in 2007, when he and his band, the Lt. Dan Band, performed for these families.
“In 2017, the Gary Sinise Foundation took over the program, and the first retreat at Walt Disney World took place in 2018, starting an annual tradition for the families of fallen U.S. military heroes,” the blog continued.
Since the Gary Sinise Foundation took over the program, “more than 17,000 children of fallen military heroes, fallen first responders and their surviving parent/guardian have participated in the healing retreat,” wrote the Disney Parks Blog.
In December 2024, “the Foundation brought more than 1,700 family members from more than 90 cities around the nation and overseas, as far as Europe and Guam,” they added. “During this five-day healing retreat, the families connected with each other and enjoyed the magic of Disney while honoring the legacy of their loved one’s service and sacrifice.”
One such memorial included a sunrise procession at Disney’s Magic Kingdom in which “nearly 1,000 Disney VoluntEARS, including many cast members who are military veterans, lined the streets before 5 a.m. to stand in reverence of these military families for their sacrifices.”
Most claims shared online also alleged the program was “free of charge” to the participating families. While the heaviest financial burdens of airfare, lodging, meals and theme park passes were covered, according to the foundation’s FAQ page about the program, attending families are responsible for the costs related to travel to and from the airport as well as parking and luggage fees.
The organization thanked “the generosity of the American public, our partners, donors, and volunteers” for covering a bulk of the cost.
The same FAQ page said the program “serves the children (and surviving spouse or guardian) of fallen military heroes and first responders, who served on or after Sept. 11, 2001, with a service-related death occurring on or after Sept. 11, 2001.”
We’ve reached out to the Gary Sinise Foundation for further comment on the Snowball Express and will update this article if we receive a response.