History
August 03, 2025
CHOC Walk History
TIMELINE: 33 Years of Walking for Kids
November 10, 1990, was a landmark day for CHOC, as patients and staff moved through tunnels and halls, beginning the process of transitioning from their original building (constructed in 1964 through the efforts of local civic leaders and philanthropists, including Walt Disney) to a new patient care tower. At the same time, nearly 1,000 community members walked past the new hospital for the inaugural CHOC/Disneyland® Community Walk.
The first CHOC Walk stretched over five miles, starting at Main Place Mall in Santa Ana, past CHOC and through neighborhoods to the Disneyland® parking lot. By its third year, the event had outgrown that route and moved to South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa for the next nine years.
In 2002, the fundraising event returned to “The Happiest Place on Earth” and was reimagined as “CHOC Walk in the Park,” presented by Disneyland® Resort. In this all-new incarnation, walkers had the unique opportunity to stroll a 5K route through Disneyland® park, Disney California Adventure® park and the Downtown Disney® District, experiencing early morning magic before the parks opened to the public.
As the first event of its kind to take place at Disneyland® Resort, this new venue proved a huge success for CHOC. The inaugural walk was the biggest fundraising milestone in the event's history at the time, raising more than $550,000.
CHOC Walk in the Park, presented by Disneyland® Resort, continued to enjoy annual growth. In 2004, it became CHOC’s first-ever million-dollar event. Today the popular fundraising effort remains a favorite destination event among Southern California residents (and beyond).
Over its 33-year history, the event has raised more than $46 million for Orange County’s only pediatric health system and holds the distinction of being one of the largest and most unique pediatric fundraisers in the nation.
2025 event and registration information is available now and real-time event information can also be found on our Facebook and Instagram.
About CHOC: Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC), a nationally recognized pediatric healthcare system based in Orange County, California, is committed to being a leading destination for children’s health by providing exceptional and innovative care. CHOC’s community includes two state-of-the-art hospitals in Orange and Mission Viejo and a regional network of primary and specialty care clinics serving children and families. CHOC offers several clinical programs of excellence providing the highest levels of care for the most serious pediatric illnesses and injuries, physical and mental. CHOC’s research and innovation institutes are focused on translating real patient needs into real-world treatments so every child can live the heathiest and happiest life possible. In affiliation with the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine, CHOC collaborates to train future physicians, future pediatric specialists, conduct groundbreaking research, and develop innovative care coordination to serve the children in our community.
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