The SEASIDE®-Disney Connection
Two general managers, one in SEASIDE® and one at EPCOT, share a mission of service to their customers
Just as Walt Disney World’s EPCOT captures a sense of wonder and imagination, Seaside, Fla., offers its own version of magic, though on a smaller scale.
Always eager to try something new at one of Disney’s theme parks, Kevin Boyle, General Manager for Seaside Community Development Corp. (SCDC), visited EPCOT’s Monsieur Paul. This high-end, gourmet restaurant at the France Pavilion serves classic French cuisine. “I’m a giant nerd about the similarities between Seaside and Disney,” Kevin says. “I am always looking for examples of leveled-up hospitality. Monsieur Paul is a restaurant I was aware of and always wanted to try.”
Dining options at EPCOT include the tastes from countries represented around the World Showcase, but Kevin’s quest was to experience an elevated dining evening, with a delightful meal that exceeded even his lofty expectations. “It’s a very intimate experience,” Kevin says. “My server, Dylan, gave excellent service. And Philippe Girard, the restaurant’s general manager, was constantly coming by to make sure I was having a great dining experience.”
Named for the late Paul Bocuse, who created the most prestigious cooking competition in the world (Bocuse d’Or), Monsieur Paul is one of the finest dining experiences in EPCOT’s World Showcase. The legendary chef’s son, Jerome, designed the menu to feature throwbacks to some of his father’s recipes. With classic French architecture, bright colors and a touch of modern design, the dining experience is an escape from the main area of the park. “It’s a quiet, serene, high-end place,” Kevin says. “It feels like you’re transported to a place overlooking Palais-Royal in Paris.”
Kevin notes the connection that Disney World has to Seaside, particularly its commitment to quality service. The Disney Institute, celebrated for its transformative impact on hospitality and employee engagement, recently hosted two groups from SEASIDE® that provided profound insights for the town’s businesses. The teams from The Dawson Group and SEASIDE® leadership team had the opportunity to delve into Disney’s renowned approach to quality service and employee engagement. The training offered invaluable insights and strategies that are set to enhance employee engagement and customer service in Seaside. “The tie-in for me is that prior to being General Manager at SCDC, bringing our team to Disney and now as General Manager, I’m taking what I know and implementing that level of hospitality for employees and guests,” Kevin says. “For me, it’s a very natural connection about how we operate. I use it as an opportunity to connect with others.”
Thrilled by the dining experience at Monsieur Paul, Kevin invited Philippe and his wife, Janie, to Seaside. The couple stayed at The Court and enjoyed a meal at The Shrimp Shack. “It was a time to show him our hospitality experience in Seaside,” Kevin explains. “They had the best time.”
Philippe and Janie knew Seaside was special from the first moment they arrived in town. “It was very nice,” he says. “The location was impressive and we loved the beach. I wish I could buy that sand.”
Both seafood lovers (Philippe previously lived in Maine and Janie is from Vermont), The Shrimp Shack was the ideal restaurant to showcase this town’s flair for oysters, lobster, shrimp and crab dishes. “I’m passionate about seafood,” Philippe says. “Everything we had was delightful.”
The couple celebrated a gorgeous sunset with Champagne at Bud & Alley’s rooftop bar. “Kevin was my guest, and now we were his guests. It was the perfect getaway.”
SIDEBAR:
Did You Know?
The Seaside – Disney Similarities are unmistakable:
EPCOT (Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow), opened in 1982, was designed to be a walkable community, with pedestrian-friendly streets, gathering places and appealing architecture. As Walt Disney described in his vision for the park, “It will be a community of tomorrow that will never be completed, but will always be introducing and testing and demonstrating new materials and new systems.”
Disney’s plan was for EPCOT to be a town built from scratch. “His intention, in the 1960s, was for people to live there,” Kevin says. “But Walt passed away before that plan could come to fruition, and EPCOT eventually became a theme park, sharing some inspiration from his original vision.”
Seaside was founded in 1981. The vision for the town of Seaside was similarly ground-breaking and disruptive to commonly held beliefs of the role of communities. In a lot of ways, Robert Davis picked up where Walt left off with a planned community that would change the way people thought about developments.
