By the time Connor arrived at EPCOT for his wish experience, the Disney Culinary team had been preparing for his arrival for months. They knew he loved food and dreamed of becoming a chef. So, together with Make-A-Wish and Connor’s family, the team began asking themselves an important question: How could they create an experience that felt uniquely Connor?
The answer would eventually bring together our EPCOT cast members for a day filled with festival flavors, behind-the-scenes surprises, and time in the kitchen cooking up delicious bites.
But first, the team had some planning to do.
A Wish Designed with Connor in Mind
The details started well before the first fried pickle spear. It began with a phone call 10 months earlier when Chef Eddie, the Culinary Director at EPCOT, first learned about Connor’s wish to have a food tasting tour with Disney Chefs at Walt Disney World.
Connor lives with a neurological condition that may impact his ability to enjoy food later in life, so the Disney Culinary team wanted to create a meaningful experience for him and his family. And what better time to do a foodie event than during the 30th anniversary of EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival?
With the October date confirmed, Chef Eddie began working backwards when building the plans for the day, all based on how he hoped Connor would feel throughout his experience.
He pulled together his team for the wish, and they got to work preparing to create a memory for Connor that would stay with him and his family forever.
As they learned more about Connor and his passion for food, ideas began taking shape, and they decided the Disney magic shouldn’t wait until he arrived in Florida. So, the Culinary team sent a few items to his hometown in Minnesota beforehand so they’d be all set for the special day.
The items inside that celebratory box included World Showcase pavilion T-shirts for the whole family, a Disney Culinary crossbody bag, and a baseball cap signed by members of the team. There was also a collection of welcome cards from Food & Beverage locations across EPCOT offering a preview of just how many cast members were looking forward to his visit.
Every small detail was taken into account before the family arrived, and now the special experience was coming to life.
A Day Full of Culinary Adventures
When the day finally arrived, everyone gathered in World Celebration Gardens to welcome Connor and his family for the start of an adventure-filled day!
Hugs and handshakes exchanged; it was time for everyone, including EPCOT Vice President Matt Simon, Culinary Director Chef Eddie, Executive Chef Daniel, Chef de Cuisine Tony, Chef de Cuisine Amanda, and Chef Marco to head to the first Global Marketplace and let the culinary adventure commence.
Connecting Through a Passion for Food
The EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival was a natural place for the culinary team to connect with Connor over something they all shared: a love of food.
Starting first at the Fry Basket, the team shared how this stop has become a guest favorite thanks to its famous Fry Flight. But you can’t talk about food without a taste test. So, the team grabbed a flight and brought it over to the Brew-Wing Lab at the Odyssey, where a table of food and beverage items were waiting for Connor and his family to dive into.
Behind-the-scenes and within the kitchens, more food and beverage cast were preparing for Connor’s visit. Everyone walked through the event trail in advance and went through logistics for the main day, so they were ready to make it the most magical day possible.
“As we walk from each marketplace, we’re reaching out to team members to let them know we’re on the way, so they can begin preparing everything for the family,” shared Chef Marco.
That ensured extra surprises for Connor and his family and the chance for plenty of tasting.
“We wanted to surprise his family with one of everything from the entire menu,” said Chef Tony. “Plus, for each item we’re explaining how the items were created and developed before the festival.”
During the feast, Connor shared his love for the fried pickle spears (might have been his favorite overall!) and chatted with the Chefs about the inspiration behind the plates at this stop.
It was a true family dining experience as everyone gathered together, ate festival favorites, and shared stories.
With each stop along the group’s trail, more and more Food and Beverage cast members stepped out of their Global Marketplace locations to spend time with the family. There was even a visit from Senior Vice President of Operations, Jason Kirk, and Food and Beverage General Manager, Mike Driscoll, who were walking around EPCOT for the day to try the new marketplaces that opened earlier that month.
After stopping at the four booths in the morning, the team had a surprise waiting in the kitchen.
Welcoming a New Chef to the Team
In a nearby kitchen, Connor encountered another culinary legend: Chef Goofy, who was excited to help with the next surprise for the day with the help of Chef Eddie. Together, they presented Connor with his own personalized Chef coat, officially welcoming him to the team.
“It was my favorite part of the entire day,” said Jessica, Connor’s mom. “Seeing him in his very own Chef coat felt special because that’s what he hopes to do in the future.”
Now, dressed for the job, Connor was going to get his own turn in the kitchen.
Putting Connor’s Chef Coat to Work
At Connections Café & Eatery, Connor moved from tasting to creating within one of our kitchen pods, first cooking pizza alongside Chef Joey before working on pastries with Chef Amanda.
The Magic Goes Both Ways
After saying goodbye to his new culinary teammates, Connor and his family continued wrapping up the day at Space 220 for dinner with a few surprise desserts waiting for them from the team.
But Connor wasn’t the only one leaving with memories to last a lifetime. For the cast members who planned his visit, cooked alongside him, and gathered around the table with his family, this was a memory they’ll take with them forever.
They welcomed Connor into their kitchen, pulled up a chair, and made memories together. That might have been the best thing anyone cooked up all day.
The Impact of a Wish
For more than 45 years, Disney and Make-A-Wish have worked together to create magical wish experiences. They build hope, lift spirits, and offer new, hopeful memories for the whole family. Disney is the largest wish granter for Make-A-Wish, granting a Disney wish every hour of every day.