In February of 2018, my family was “pixie dusted” with the opportunity to attend Disney’s Social Media Moms Celebration. While we paid a discounted cost to attend this event, my opinions are 100% mine and, as always, 100% honest.
What is Disney Social Media Moms Celebration?
I often forget that while I am a huge Disney fan/geek/nerd, not everyone in the world is. When I announced on social media that I would be attending the 2018 Disney Social Media Moms Celebration in February, many people offered me public congratulations.
However, for as many congratulations as I received, I had almost as many people slide into my DMs and ask “What the heck is Disney Social Media Moms?” I thought I “knew” exactly what it was until I attended it in person earlier this year. You now have the benefit of my learning experience to pull from should you, one day, have the great fortune of attending this amazing event.
How to Get Invited
First, and foremost, DSMMC is an invitation-only conference. You cannot apply, donate money, or buy a ticket to attend this conference. As many other bloggers have pointed out in their various posts, the way Disney picks and choose attendees is all on them.
Personally, it appears that they chose a conglomeration of Disnerds, like myself, sideline Disfans, and complete newbies. I think this variety only added character to the mix. It was interesting to meet folks in attendance that were not as rabid of a fan as I am. Those people do exist!
There is no sure way to guarantee your attendance, but I can say that working hard on your blog and/or social media game and making connections through networking and putting yourself out there in the big, wide world of blogging certainly won’t hurt you.
Benefits of Attendance
In my disclaimer above, I noted that my family paid a discounted rate to attend this event. So why would I want to attend DSMMC, especially if it’s not free? So, so many reasons.
First, I mean, hello? It’s Disney. If you love Walt Disney World (and Disney Cruise Line this year), then why would you not want to go? The 2018 conference consisted of three “land” days and three “sea” days. We sailed on the Disney Dream, which was a new ship for us, so of course we had to say yes (research, yo).
Secondly, networking. I met so many online creatives that I’ve adored from across the world wide web in person. I also put my face in front of so many Disney PR folks I lost count of the people I chatted with. It’s always refreshing to be in a room full of people who not only “get” what you do, but also want to see you succeed.
Finally, because we were treated as media, we had some special experiences not available to be public. Being in Pandora at Disney’s Animal Kingdom with my family while the sun rose is a memory I won’t soon forget.
We were also treated to special character experiences at meal times, and we had lengthy sessions with Disney photography pros, Walt Disney Studios movie producers, and even the President of Walt Disney World himself, George Kalogridis. Surreal doesn’t even begin to describe it.
What to Expect at the Conference
Disney Social Media Moms Celebration has been around almost 10 years. Each event follows a similar pattern, but they aren’t all exactly the same.
In past years, there have been runDisney pre-dawn events, special previews of attractions and movies, unique speakers, celebrity encounters, character experiences and more. The Disney Cruise Line portion of the event was a new addition last year, and, because it was such a hit last year, they made it part of the event in 2018 as well.
Be prepared to take notes, photos, and videos! Keep your devices charged so you don’t miss a second of the fun.
During the Walt Disney Studios panel, we had to put our phones away for a portion of time because we got to see some amazing clips of their upcoming movie slate (including scenes from Wreck It Ralph 2 and Mary Poppins Returns just to name a few)! That panel alone made the trip worth it for me. As an amatuer movie critic, hearing stories from behind-the-scenes and previewing snippets of films not yet released made me giddy.
Expect to enjoy all that Walt Disney World and Disney Cruise Line have to offer, including special opportunities like early park entry, private dinners, and exclusive fireworks viewing areas.
Overall Thoughts
I’ve loved the Walt Disney Company for as long as I can remember. My love of the parks, cruise line, movies, cartoons, and more would be the same with or without my attendance at this year’s Disney Social Media Moms Celebration. Having said that, I have a new appreciation for the company as a whole and a renewed love of the magic Disney brings to everything it touches.
Whether or not you’re a Disnerd like I am, if you have the opportunity to attend a Disney Social Media Moms event, don’t hesitate. It’s absolutely, 100% worth it.