LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – For Connie Latulippe, Walt Disney World was never just a place to work. It became the backdrop where she raised her children, built a decades-long career and, eventually, watched that journey spark a new generation.
Connie began working at Walt Disney World Resort as a teenager, turning an early job into a career that has stretched more than three decades. Over the years, she worked across parks and resorts before moving into workforce management, supporting cast members behind the scenes.
Along the way, she was also raising two children on her own — and the parks became part of their everyday life.
“My kids grew up with me here in the parks all the time with them,” Connie says.
As her children got older, that connection deepened into something more permanent: They chose to apply to work for the same company that helped shape their childhood.
“When they became adults, they decided they wanted to come and work for the company as well,” Connie says. “My son actually works here at Portland’s French Quarter in the food and beverage location, and my daughter’s a pool attendant for this region,” she added, referring to Disney’s Port Orleans Resort area.
Now, Connie says she’s able to stop by and see them on the job — a small, everyday moment that carries the weight of everything it took to get there.
“I am so proud of them and glad to get to see them here in the the resorts,” she says. “I’ll come out and visit them sometimes just to say hi.”
Connie’s son, Matthew, works in food and beverage at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort while pursuing pastry and culinary arts at Valencia College through Disney Aspire, the company’s education investment program. Her daughter, Aiyana, recently joined the resort and is studying business administration through Disney Aspire, with hopes of pursuing a leadership role.
For Aiyana, seeing her mother’s long tenure helped turn Disney from a childhood memory into a goal.
“It’s really awesome because seeing how my mom grew with the company, inspires me to grow with the company like her,” she says. “We have so many opportunities to do so many different roles, and get to learn very, like, a lot from everything.”
The pride runs both ways, and the emotion can catch them off guard.
“Oh, my gosh, I’m going to cry again. She’s a hero. She’s my world. She’s just very strong. And I just love her so much,” Aiyana says.
Matthew echoes that gratitude.
“I’m proud of you. And thank you for everything you do for providing me with growing up. You’re the best,” he says.
Beyond the milestone of working under the same umbrella, the family describes the everyday closeness — the shared experiences, the way their personalities fit together.
“Working in the same company as mom has been wonderful,” Matthew says.
Connie, too, talks about them with an ease that comes from years of knowing every version of her kids — from little ones in the parks to adults building their own paths.
“She is so outgoing and friendly, and, she keeps me on my toes, so that’s good,” Matthew says of his mom.
Connie laughs about her son’s calm demeanor.
“He’s so laid back and just a chill kid. Well, kid, he’s an adult now, right? I don’t know. Just hanging out with him is a lot of fun,” she says.
On Mother’s Day, Disney is spotlighting cast member families like Connie’s as an example of how careers can become legacies — and how a mother’s determination can open doors her children one day choose to walk through themselves.
For Connie, the wish is simple.
“Just want happiness and success for both of them,” she says.
This Mother’s Day, their story is a reminder that a mother’s impact is often measured in the quiet, steady work that happens long before any milestone is celebrated. To all the moms who show up day after day, who work hard to provide, to guide and to lift their families forward: Thank you. Your strength, sacrifice and love help shape the next generation, and your legacy lives on in the lives you’ve built.