Disney, Marvel and Star Wars Heroes Now Calm Kids in MRI Scanners in 87 Countries
The Walt Disney Company and Royal Philips are integrating Disney, Marvel and Star Wars characters into MRI scanners across 87 countries to comfort children during imaging. A six-hospital European study found themed scans cut kids’ post-scan stress by 43%, and the UK’s NHS is rolling it out starting at Calderdale Royal Hospital.
Hospitals now have a little Disney magic to ease one of childhood's scarier moments. Royal Philips and The Walt Disney Company are building beloved characters — Mickey and Minnie, Marvel heroes Black Panther, Captain Marvel and Doctor Strange, Star Wars favorites like Rey and Yoda, and the Disney Princesses — directly into MRI scanners across 87 countries to comfort children during imaging.
Key Details
- What: Disney characters integrated into the Philips Ambient Experience for MRI
- Where: Medical facilities in 87 countries (U.S., U.K., Germany, France, Spain, Poland, Belgium, Denmark and more)
- The result: A six-hospital European study found post-scan stress in kids ages 6–10 dropped 43%, and scan pauses fell 63%
- UK rollout: Calderdale Royal Hospital is the first NHS site; 100+ NHS hospitals already using the platform get the Disney themes at no extra cost
Turning a Scary Machine Into a Familiar Place
MRI scans can be intimidating, especially for children asked to lie perfectly still for up to 40 minutes. Philips and Disney say the state-of-the-art suites use lighting, sound and integrated Disney characters to transform the room into "a more immersive, calming and familiar experience." The aim is to shift a child's attention away from the clinical setting so more young patients can complete their exams successfully — without sedation.
The Numbers Behind It
This isn't just set dressing. A multi-center study across six European hospitals found that children ages 6–10 experienced a 43% reduction in post-scan stress compared with their pre-exam levels, while pauses during scans dropped 63%. "We believe stories have the power to bring comfort and emotional connection to children and families," said Lisa Haines, Disney's senior VP of corporate social responsibility, describing the goal as "moments of escape, normalcy, and reassurance during what can be an intimidating experience."
The Art — and the NHS Push
The themed worlds were built from sketches by award-winning illustrator Joey Chou, who was asked to create shared spaces where Disney's most beloved characters could come together in a hospital setting. In the U.K., Calderdale Royal Hospital in West Yorkshire has become the first NHS site to introduce the Disney-themed scanners — significant in a country where roughly 200,000 children undergo MRIs each year and about one in three needs general anesthetic because they can't stay still. After peer-reviewed European research, more than 100 NHS hospitals already running Philips Ambient Experience will be able to add the Disney characters at no additional cost.
What the Kids Think
The clearest endorsement came from a 7-year-old named Esme. Her mother said the experience "gave her something to focus on and be distracted by," adding that without it her daughter "might have started moving, getting restless or bored." Asked what she'd tell other children facing a scan, Esme summed up the whole initiative in seven words: "It's OK because you get to watch Disney."
