2018 Disney Parks Moms Panel selection process begins Sept. 6

Get ready, get set, type! The application process for the 2018 Disney Parks Moms Panel begins at noon EDT Wednesday, Sept. 6, and those interested have until noon EDT Wednesday, Sept. 13, to express their interest.

The Disney Parks Moms Panel has evolved from its inception in 2008, but its goal remains the same: to provide vacation-planning advice from adults in families that are interested in and knowledgeable about the Disney properties. For the most part, the panelists’ jobs are to answer a number of written questions each week, though there also are some public appearances by the group. In exchange, The Walt Disney Co. provides the selected panelists with family trip — plus a second trip for training — to one of the Disney properties. This year’s training session is at Walt Disney World Resort from Nov. 29 to Dec. 3, 2017, and those selected must be able to attend.

Now, Disney Parks Moms Panelists not only help plan magical vacations for guests heading to Walt Disney World, but they also answer questions about Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line and Disney Vacation Club. And they do it in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese. Despite the name, however, panelists are not just limited to those who are mothers — dads and grandparents have been chosen, as well.

If you are the one all your friends turn to when they plan Disney vacations, this may be a golden opportunity for you! To get started, visit MomsPanelSearch.com beginning Sept. 6. The application process is the same as in recent years. You can expect to answer short written questions in the first round. About a month later, applicants are notified whether they have been selected for the next round, which requires submitting a short video and answering more written questions. The final round consists of phone interviews. The 2018 Disney Parks Moms Panel will be announced in January.

Competition for a spot on the Disney Parks Moms Panel is intense — thousands apply each year and only about a dozen new members are chosen. But as the panel’s creator, Walt Disney World Director of Social Media Leanne O’Regan, wrote on the Disney Parks Blog: “The most recent panelists to join the team include several who have applied every year, a few who applied for the very first time, and those in between. Dreams really can come true.”

And there is no magical formula to being picked to provide the best answers about all things Disney. I can tell you, though, that several factors weigh heavily in the evaluation process:

** Writing ability. Your application must be flawless, with no grammar or spelling errors or typos. After all, your job is going to be providing written answers for the Disney website. (In fact, the moms panel’s answers are not reviewed or approved by Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Online prior to posting.)

** Accuracy. Double-check your Disney facts to make sure things haven’t changed since your last experience. This will be vital when you are answering questions online for families planning Disney vacations.

** Your personality. Disney is not hiring publicists or copy writers for this panel. Instead, the company is looking for engaging personalities who can express themselves clearly in an enthusiastic way.

Get to know the current Disney Parks Moms Panel at https://disneyparksmomspanel.disney.go.com/meet-the-moms/ You also can see the types of questions they answer — which are pretty much about anything and everything!

To be eligible to apply, each panelist must meet certain criteria, in addition to being available during the time of the training trip. They include:

** Be 18 years of age or older.

** Have access to a computer and an Internet connection.

** Have visited either Walt Disney World Resort or Disneyland Resort at least once in the last 12 months. If applying to be a Disney Cruise Line or Disney Vacation Club Panelist, you must have experienced that vacation within the last 24 months.

** Be able to complete at least approximately 10 to 20 written responses per week.

** Provide their own opinions, tips and feedback on Disney vacations.

** Submit an autobiography and personal photo and/or video to be posted online.

** Not be current employees/ cast members of The Walt Disney Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates, including Disney Internship programs, or of any operating participant located at the Walt Disney World or Disneyland Resorts, must not be immediate family members of a current employee/ cast member of The Walt Disney Company, including Disney Internships participants, or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates or of any operating participant located at the Walt Disney World or Disneyland Resorts, and must not currently reside with a current employee/ cast member of The Walt Disney Company, including Disney Internship participants, or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates or of any operating participant located at the Walt Disney World or Disneyland Resorts. In addition, participants must not be employees, contractors, advisors or consultants for, must not hold more than a de minimis ownership interest in, and must not serve on the Board of Directors of, any entity of The Walt Disney Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates or of any entity which owns or operates any hotel, resort or theme park located in Orange, Osceola, Lake, Polk or Seminole Counties, Florida or Orange County, California.

** Not be currently employed in the travel, hotel or theme park industries (including being a travel agent or consultant); and not be an immediate family member of, or currently reside with, people currently employed in the travel, hotel or theme park industries (including being an immediate family member of, or currently residing with a travel agent or consultant).

Good luck to everyone who applies for 2018! Please let us know how the process goes and if you are chosen to advance in the application process.

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