Within the hour, the space needs to become something completely different.
Tables and chairs have to be moved. The floor plan has to be transformed. Teams have to coordinate across departments. And somewhere in the middle of it all is Addison Da Silva ’21, helping make sure the next event is ready to go.
It is a scene that captures much of what Da Silva loves about hospitality: the pace, the people, and the challenge of turning someone else’s vision into reality.
As an Event Catering Coordinator with Marriott at the Swan and Dolphin, an on-site partner hotel of Walt Disney World Resort, Da Silva works with the resort’s Catering and Events team to manage the food and beverage components of events taking place on property. Her work can mean preparing and managing banquet event orders (BEO’s), assisting with sales site inspections, or helping the Banquets team transform a convention space for the next event.
On some days, she may create 10 BEOs. On others, she can be responsible for nearly 1,000, depending on the size and complexity of the events taking place over the coming weeks and months.
But the scale of the work is not what keeps her coming back. It is the people behind it.
“Every client has a different vision for how they want their event to look, feel, and be executed,” Da Silva said. “It is incredibly rewarding to see those ideas come to life.”
That ability to create experiences for other people is something Da Silva has been drawn to since she was young.
Growing up in Celebration, Florida, she was about 10 minutes from Walt Disney World Resort and regularly visited with her family and friends. Long before beginning her career at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort, she was fascinated by the atmosphere Disney created for its guests.
“I was drawn to the idea of working for a company that allows you to reconnect with your childhood in a professional environment while ultimately making people feel happy,” Da Silva said. “There is something special about being able to relive those childhood memories in a completely different way as an adult while helping create those same memories for someone else.”
That early connection to Disney helped shape Da Silva’s interest in hospitality, but her career has been built through experiences across the industry. For her, getting to the Swan and Dolphin was about developing the skills and experience to become the hospitality professional she wanted to be.
That process began at Flagler.
As a Hospitality & Tourism Management student, Da Silva found some of her most valuable lessons outside the classroom. Experiences at events including the Spanish Food & Wine Festival and The Players Championship gave her an early look at the industry she hoped to enter.
“As a child, I would watch major events like The Players on national television, so being able to actually volunteer and become part of those experiences felt like a major steppingstone,” Da Silva said. “I quickly realized that I had chosen the right major, school, and career path.”
Those experiences also taught Da Silva to embrace opportunities before she felt completely ready for them, a lesson that would follow her into her career.
“Do not be afraid to step forward, even when something feels unfamiliar, intimidating, or uncomfortable in the moment,” Da Silva said. “Sometimes the opportunities that make us the most nervous are the ones that help us grow the most.”
After graduating in 2021, Da Silva put that lesson into practice. She joined the Disney College Program as a Food & Beverage intern, gaining experience at two Disney hotels and learning how to navigate the pace and demands of professional hospitality.
After completing the program, she continued building her experience with Marriott before joining their Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort in the winter of 2022 as a Guest Experience Expert.
The role gave Da Silva a deeper understanding of the guest experience and strengthened skills she would later bring to events, including patience, effective communication, and empathy. After about a year, she transitioned into Event Catering, combining her hospitality experience with the interest in events she had developed at Flagler.
Her Flagler experience also extended well beyond the hands-on opportunities that first introduced her to the hospitality industry. Da Silva said Dr. David Rivera and Dr. Zachary Cole had a lasting impact on her from her first year at Flagler through her graduation in 2021.
Rivera, she said, consistently looked for ways to give students opportunities to learn beyond what was required in the classroom, while Cole brought personality and energy that made even challenging subjects engaging.
“Having both of them as professors was truly special,” Da Silva said. “They encouraged me to pursue what made me happy and reminded me that there is value in choosing a path that is right for you.”
That path has not always been easy. Da Silva said her transition into Event Catering came with challenges and moments when it was difficult to keep going. But those experiences ultimately helped her become more confident in her work. Approximately three years into the role, she was recognized as a Quarter 4 Star of Excellence recipient.
“Over time, I learned not to give up on myself,” Da Silva said. “I developed a thicker skin, became more confident in my work, and learned to recognize my own growth.”
That growth has become one of the most meaningful parts of Da Silva’s career. Rather than defining success by a particular title or destination, she measures it by the opportunity to continue improving.
“For me, success is continuing to grow, learn, and move forward,” Da Silva said.
It is a philosophy shaped by the experiences and relationships she built at Flagler and one she now carries into her work at the Swan and Dolphin.
For current Flagler students considering careers in hospitality, events or with Disney, Da Silva's journey offers a reminder to embrace the opportunities that can move you closer to the career you want.
“Take the opportunities in front of you, stay curious, ask questions, and give yourself permission to grow along the way,” Da Silva said.
From volunteering at major events as a Flagler student to helping execute them at one of Walt Disney World's largest partner resorts, Da Silva has turned her interest in hospitality into a career built around creating experiences for others.
And for someone who dreamed of working for Disney as a child, she has found a career that brings that dream into focus every day.
