Ever wondered what Disneyland Paris does behind the magic to support local communities? Well, they just wrapped up an impactful year with a special mentorship program for women entrepreneurs, and we’ve got the inside scoop!
Disneyland Paris launched a pilot training and mentorship program with WEConnect International in Fall 2024. Its goal: to champion small and medium-sized businesses founded or led by women.
This initiative shows Disneyland Paris’s commitment to building a more diverse network of suppliers. Since opening in 1992, the resort has worked with over 4,000 suppliers, 83% of them French. These partners bring incredible skill and expertise, helping create the magic guests expect every day. We know that diverse backgrounds and viewpoints drive innovation and success, so supporting women-led businesses feels like a natural step.
After an initial training phase with the Envi school, which brought together about forty women entrepreneurs, 20 of them started a personalized mentorship program with Disneyland Paris in September 2025.
We kicked off this new phase with an event at Le Cercle, in Val d’Europe. It was a chance for the 20 selected entrepreneurs to meet their mentors in person. Many Cast Members jumped in to help, offering support throughout their journey. From Finance teams to Corporate Social Responsibility, and from Vice Presidents to managers, a huge number of Cast Members shared their expertise and experience with these inspiring women.
Since September, mentors and mentees met regularly, both in person and remotely. They discussed challenges, shared experiences, celebrated successes, and explored new development paths together. These interactions gave the entrepreneurs personalized advice and fresh perspectives on their specific business hurdles.
To wrap up this edition, an event took place at Village by CA on June 4. The day featured an opening speech, collaborative workshops, and plenty of time for participants to reflect on their journey in the program. It also fostered connections between mentors and mentees, allowing them to share key insights from their experience. The event ended with a heartfelt thank you, celebrating the commitment of all the participants and the Cast Members involved throughout the program.
Even the Disneyland Paris Ambassadors stopped by to meet the Cast Members who participated in the program, showing their support for these incredible women.
One of the mentees from this edition shared, “Thanks to this experience, I regained confidence in myself and my abilities. Sharing the challenges of entrepreneurship with my mentor made me feel stronger.”
