You don’t have to be at this week’s Disney Social Media Moms Celebration to learn from it

For many family bloggers, this week is a roller coaster of emotions. Those invited to attend the 2018 Disney Social Media Moms Celebration are undoubtedly feeling the excitement of all the new experiences and pixie dust that The Walt Disney Company has to offer. On the other hand, many other bloggers are feeling left out and wondering why they weren’t chosen for this coveted experience.

If you’re among the second group, know that there is a lot you can learn by following along on social media this week rather than avoiding the Internet because of your FOMO. Unlike other professional development conferences, this is one where the participants are clamoring to share online what they are seeing and doing, and you can benefit from their tweets and posts. First, make sure you are following the hashtags #DisneySMMC, #DSMMC and #DSMMC2018 as well as @disneymoms.

The conference takes place Feb. 20 to 26, 2018, but there will be plenty of material to peruse after the participants go home and write and post about their experiences.

Speaking of which, half of the 2018 Disney Social Media Moms Celebration takes place at Walt Disney World and the other half on a Disney Cruise Line ship. (This year it is based at Coronado Springs hotel and the Disney Dream.) It is a conference for bloggers who get professional communication advice from a range of speakers from national companies. The multiday event also includes elements of a press junket, allowing conference attendees to experience what’s new at the Disney Parks and Disney Cruise Line. Plus, it’s a celebration that includes many fun family dinners and experiences.

Participants pay their own way to the conference and a discounted registration fee that includes the stay at a Walt Disney World resort, the Disney Cruise Line travel, theme park tickets and dinners for the family, and meals for the blogger. This year, the trip included three nights at a moderate Walt Disney World hotel and a three-night stay in a Disney Cruise Line stateroom with a veranda. The price was $1,450 for the invitee and one guest. The invitee could bring up to two additional family members at a cost of $450 per guest.

So, if you can put aside the disappointment of not being among the attendees, here are some of the valuable things you can learn by following along this week:

** If you don’t write about The Walt Disney Company on a regular basis, you might not know what’s new and what’s next. You can be sure, though, that Disney officials will be promoting the company’s important initiatives throughout this conference. For example, this year’s opening night dinner was Pixar-themed and there were displays and presentations about Toy Story Land, which opens June 30 at Hollywood Studios, and Pixar Pier and Pixar Fest at Disneyland. If you want the folks at Disney to notice you, it certainly can’t hurt to be talking about the news it holds dear in a timely fashion.

** Get advice from professionals about how to make your blog better. Not only will you see tips from the folks at Disney — after all, they are some of the world’s best storytellers — but you’ll also see participants share information from leaders at top brands and websites. Some participants are bound to post videos, too, if you want to get a more complete picture of a particular presentation.

** And that leads me to my next tip: Use the hashtags I mentioned above to find and follow 2018 Disney Social Media Moms Celebration participants. Check out their content, style and presentation and adapt ideas for your own use. Ask questions. Participants may be networking with each other in person, but there’s no reason you can’t engage them online.

** Finally, pay attention to announcements made during the conference. You may find out the dates and locations for the 2018 Disney Social Media Moms Celebration On The Road events. These mini satellite conferences typically take place in a handful of cities in the United States in the summer. They are a good way to network and promote yourself to the organizers of the big conference taking place now.

Participation in “The Most Magical Social Media Conference of the Year” may be by invitation only, but the professional advice is yours for the taking. Seize the opportunity to learn from 2018 Disney Social Media Moms Celebration participants!