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.
Dining and Cooking