A Different Kind of Magic: When Two Sanfilippo Families Found Each Other at Disney

6/12/2025

Two Make-A-Wish trips. Two Sanfilippo kids. One unforgettable connection for two families.

When your child has Sanfilippo syndrome, it can feel like the world was built for other families. But when two families—the Doucettes from Canada and the Stoops from Wisconsin —ended up at Give Kids The World Village during separate Make-A-Wish trips in February 2024, they discovered something rare: a moment of joy that only another Sanfilippo family can understand.

The Families

Steph (McCabe) Doucette traveled from Saskatchewan with her husband Andre, daughter Sophie (7), and son Emmett (5), who was diagnosed with Sanfilippo Type A in October 2023. Just four months later, they were in Florida thanks to a compassionate palliative care doctor who helped expedite their wish.

Erin Stoop, her husband Tyler, and their two children—Liv (5, diagnosed in 2022) and younger brother Liam—had also planned a Make-A-Wish trip to Florida, timed so Liam would be old enough to remember it, and Liv would still be able to travel comfortably.

The two moms first connected online in a Sanfilippo moms' group chat. When they realized their wish dates overlapped, they planned to meet. The moment they saw each other in person at the Village, they hugged like old friends. "It felt like family right away," Erin said.

The Village Experience

At Give Kids The World, the families explored together, shared meals, and let their kids simply be kids. Liv and Emmett may not speak much, but their joy was obvious. And Sophie and Liam quickly bonded as fellow super siblings. "She kind of took him in," Erin said. "They just linked up."

Steph recalled the calm of the Village compared to the chaos of theme parks: "It felt like home. No one judged. Everyone was smiling."

The Little Moments

Emmett lit up meeting Spider-Man. Liv was serenaded by a live band at Magic Kingdom. The characters didn’t need to be familiar to be magical. "It didn’t matter if she knew who they were," Erin said. "She was captivated."

Both families agreed that some of the best memories weren’t in the parks, but at the Village itself.
"Don’t treat it as just a place to sleep," Erin said. "It’s where the real magic happens."

Practical Tips for Future Families

For families considering a Make-A-Wish trip to Disney World, both moms had some helpful insights:

Give Kids The World is not just a hotel. It’s a destination all its own, with nightly activities, character visits, playgrounds, and volunteers who go above and beyond. "Try to spend at least one full day there," Steph recommended. "It’s magical on its own."
Don’t over-plan. Families receive tickets to multiple parks—Disney, Universal, SeaWorld—but you don’t have to use them all. “Make room for rest,” Erin said. “Some of our best memories were at the Village, just being present.”
Join the online community. The Give Kids The World and Disney Make-A-Wish Facebook group is filled with itineraries, travel tips, and park guides. "That group saved me so much stress," Erin added.
Be flexible with expectations. Your child may not recognize the characters. The weather might shift plans. "Let go of the pressure to make it perfect," Erin said. "The magic often shows up in the places you didn’t expect."

Looking Ahead

The moms hope other families might have similar opportunities to connect during their own trips. Even a few hours with someone who gets it can make a world of difference.

"Meeting another Sanfilippo family made everything more meaningful," Steph said. "It was just... special."

CLIP #1 (2 minutes long) -- Wisconsin mom Erin Stoop's daughter Liv was diagnosed with Sanfilippo Syndrome. Shortly thereafter, the family was offered a Make A Wish trip and chose Disney World. Here she tells how that trip came together.

The month of February can be quite cold in Wisconsin, so that ended up being a great time of year for our family to escape away to Disney World"

CLIP #2 (2 minutes long) -- Saskatchewan (Canada) mom Steph (McCabe) Doucette shares her family's Make-A-Wish trip journey after her son Emmett was diagnosed with Sanfilippo Syndrome.

Our palliative care doctor at the time told us about this magical place called Give Kids The World Village at Disney, and we decided that this would be a perfect trip destination for our family "

CLIP #3 (1 minute long) -- Erin was worried that her daughter Liv wouldn't know enough Disney characters or stories to enjoy the Make A Wish trip to Disney. But when she arrived, she realized it was the unexpected magic moments that were the most precious and memorable for her family.

It was important for me to let go of any expectations I had going into the Disney trip, and instead being open to the magic that was completely unexpected while we were there "

CLIP #4 (1 minute long) -- Steph's family stayed at Give Kids The World Village during their Make-A-Wish trip to Disney World. The Village experience, she says, was even more magical than the Disney World parks themselves.

Try to spend at least one full day at Give Kids The World. It’s magical on its own - even more so than the Disney theme parks themselves "

CLIP #5 (1 minute long) -- When the Stoops and Doucettes finally met - in person - for the very first time at Disney during their Wish trips, the bond between the families was instantaneous and powerful.