wdwmoms

*this giveaway is closed but keep reading because the info is great!*

I’ve been answering questions on the Disney World’s Mom’s Panel for several weeks and let me tell you: IT IS HARD! Between newbies and those who have been ten billion times, the questions range from so general (“what should i do?”) to completely specific (“i’m leaving at 7:14am and want to get a mickey ice cream bar, meet mary poppins and get front row seats at fantasmic and get discount tickets while sleeping at cindrella’s castle. how can i do that?”).  But that’s really how it works, anyone can submit a question and then the Moms search through the questions, find one that suits their expertise and answers it!

So, after a few weeks of scrolling through the 1000′s of questions we get every day, I’ve compiled a very helpful (if I do say so myself) list on how to get the most out of the Disney World’s Mom’s Panel.

1. Use the Search.

There is a search feature on the front page of the panel. Before you ask your question try searching. If you are asking about static things—”Where can I meet Cinderella?”, “Which park has the castle?” or “Can I bring coolers into the park?”, you’ll probably find your answer by simply searching. This also works well for opinion questions such as, “What’s the best character meal?” or “What’s your favorite water park?”

2. Read the Bios.

Every Mom and Dad has a bio with lots of vital information inside. Some of our moms have experience traveling with large families, preschoolers, teenagers. Some are Florida residents or Disney Vacation Club members. If you read a bio that sounds similar to your own family, then keep reading–all the questions they’ve answered are below their bio. You’ll find lots of good info within their answers!

3. Pick a Mom.

To go along with the bios–once you find a mom or dad that is an expert on your particular need then ask them a question! At the bottom of every bio page is a link to ask that mom a specific question. On mine, you can click “Ask Amanda a Question” and it will send it directly to my queue. The plus of this is that I usually answer those questions first! So, you’ll get your answer sooner than by adding it to the general pool!

4. Check Your Email.

When you ask a question, you will receive an email that says, “Hey, we got your question!” Then when your question is answered you’ll get another email that says, “Hey! They answered your question!” So, don’t worry about having to search through the bajillion answers to find yours—they’ll let you know!

We work hard at answering the oldest questions first, so even if it takes a week or more, keep checking that inbox! We’re trying!

5. KISS.

I know true love’s kiss is an important one to Disney, but I’m talking about the “keep it simple” kinda kiss. If you can narrow down your question to uh…ONE question, it makes it easier for us to answer. When a question asks four or five questions in one, especially questions that are not remotely related, we tend to skip over those for “easier” answers.

So, instead of asking, “What attractions are best for my 1 and 4 year old? Will there be 2% milk at my resort? Oh, and where is the best place to catch the bus to get to Downtown Disney?” Try asking a few separate questions—they’ll probably get picked up quicker! Plus, we have character limits on our answers, too. If there are too many questions in one, we won’t be able to get all our answers in!

6. Use the Site.

Admittedly, the Disney World website is not the most user friendly. It’s because there is so much information it’s hard to put into a logical and orderly fashion. But if you do a little research first and then ask a question, it will help us answer your questions better.

For example, ask “I saw on the Disney site that September 30th is considered value season but October 1 is not. Why?” as opposed to, “When is value season?” We’ll be able to understand your question better and give you a fuller and more detailed answer.

7. ReAsk.

I know, that’s not really a word. But the idea is good. If you ask a question and get an answer that you don’t understand, feel free to ask that Mom or Dad specifically what they  mean. Or if you just find an answer to a question while searching and want to know more, ask that Mom or Dad to clarify!

I’d be honored if someone saw one of my answers and wanted to know more! Then it starts to be a real conversation–how fun!

8. Wish Upon a Star!

OK. Not really. But did you see the little ratings button? Go ahead and click 5 stars. We know it doesn’t really mean anything and it doesn’t up our pay (we don’t get any) but it does make us feel better to see that someone likes our answers! Well, they did away with our star ratings. But maybe you could SHARE it on facebook? We would LOVE that!

9. Videos.

There are several great videos about planning, special tips and cool events all done by the Moms Panel! You can actually see an in-room celebration, how the Pirate’s League works, the Baby Care centers and how to do the baby swap on an attraction! These videos are full of awesome tips from real moms (and dads!).

10.  ASK ME A QUESTION.

What can I say? I’d love to answer your question!

{Special thanks to fellow Disney Mom, Suzannah of Zannaland.com and Disney Dads Joel and Jonas for helping me compile this list!}

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In honor of the Mom’s Panel I contacted a fellow Disney Mom…er, Dad to help me out today. Enter Doug Ingersoll. Not only is he a member of the Mom’s Panel, he is also an author! He wrote The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Walt Disney World and now has an amazing Walt Disney World Complete Travel Guide iPod App! It’s only $4.99 which is a steal for all the cool stuff it’s got on it!

Just like his book there are maps, reviews of parks, attractions, restaurants and resorts. It’s amazingly detailed and really easy to read and use!

Doug is generously giving away a copy of his new app to TWO readers today! Just think, next time you go to Disney not only can you ask little old me a question, you have all of the Mom’s Panel at your fingertips AND you’ll have this handy dandy app right on your phone!

If you’d like to win this iPhone app all you have to do is leave me a comment about your favorite Disney memory, the first time you went to Disney or when you are planning your next Disney trip.  That’s it!

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OK, gotta Top Ten list to share? WRITE a fun one on your blog, LINK to me in your post, cut and PASTE your link below, then LOVE the rest of the folks on the linky–tweet with the #toptentues hashtag, LIKE the posts on facebook, stumble the truly great ones and otherwise leave some comment love! If you need more info, please read my Top Ten {Tuesday} page!

I am not a Disney employee. The opinions of this post are my own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Disney company.

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