This Mother’s Day, two Disney families are telling a story that goes far beyond the parks themselves, a story about moms who showed up every day with purpose and pride, and children who watched closely enough to want the same thing for themselves.
Connie Latulippe: 35 Years and Counting at Walt Disney World
Connie Latulippe started working at Walt Disney World at 16 years old. It was a part-time weekend job. She had no way of knowing it would become a 35-year career that would eventually support 80,000 cast members behind the scenes through Workforce Management. She moved through roles across parks and resorts, built something lasting, and did it while raising two children on her own.
For Connie, Disney became more than a workplace. It became a second home. And this Mother’s Day, that comes full circle most unexpectedly. Both of her children now work at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort. Her son Matthew is part of the food and beverage team, serving the beloved beignets that guests line up for while pursuing a passion for pastry and culinary arts. Her daughter Aiyana, inspired by watching her mom build something meaningful over decades, recently began her own Disney journey in recreation while studying business administration.
Both are attending Valencia College through Disney Aspire, Disney’s educational program, balancing school and real-world experience the same way their mom balanced career and family for years. Cast members at Walt Disney World average a 12-year tenure, and the company’s retention rate sits above 80 percent with attrition at a 20-year low.
“Being able to watch them build their futures where my journey started means everything to me,” Connie says.
Jenny Sweetman: From New Orleans Square to Three Daughters and Four Decades
At Disneyland Resort, the Sweetman family story started in 1983 when Jenny Sweetman stepped into her first role as a hostess in New Orleans Square. Over the next four decades she built experience across nearly every corner of the resort, growing through leadership roles while raising three daughters. She never pushed them toward Disney. She simply showed them what it looked like to love what you do.
Today all three daughters work at Disneyland Resort. Kellie leads in Custodial. Andie brings the magic to guests in Retail. Jessica tells cast stories in Communications. Three different departments, three different paths, one mom who made all of them look possible.
The photo of Jenny and Jessica standing together in New Orleans Square, the very place where it all began, is one of those images that does not need a caption.
Our Take
These stories remind us that the most powerful thing a working mom can do is simply show up with intention every day and let her kids watch. No grand speech required. Connie did not plan for her children to end up at Port Orleans. Jenny did not map out career paths for Kellie, Andie, and Jessica. They just built something real, and the next generation noticed.
We would love to hear from you this Mother’s Day. What are you doing to celebrate your mom? In what ways do you aspire to be like her? Tell us in the comments or find us on social. Happy Mother’s Day to every Disney mom, and every mom out there.
Stay with Fantasy Land News for all things Walt Disney World and Disneyland. Join the Realm at fantasylandnews.com/the-realm.
