My Top Five 2016 Disney Social Media Moms Celebration Takeaways

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My Top Five 2016 Disney Social Media Moms Celebration Takeaways

It has been two weeks since I attended the 2016 Disney Social Media Moms Celebration held at Walt Disney World. Transitioning back to everyday life after a fun-filled yet whirlwind trip to Walt Disney World is no easy task. I still can’t figure out why my Magic Band won’t work here in New Jersey. So many emotions are swirling around in my head right now. I’m sad that it is over, honored to have been invited, excited that I was able to bring my family this time around and anxious to visit Walt Disney World again real soon (yes, I have already started planning my next trip).

As I said, I was honored to once again receive a coveted invitation. I was also chosen to attend last year’s event. But this year felt different. I felt different. Not to get sappy, but this year has been tremendously difficult for my family. My son’s terrible leg injury in August, which has resulted in six surgeries to date, and my father in law’s sudden passing just three weeks prior to the conference, left us all a little lost, scared, overwhelmed and grief-stricken. We all needed a little Disney magic in our lives….and magic we received. Yes, that Disney magic has a way of helping us forget the present and focus on the fun, happy times. That’s is why I love visiting Walt Disney World so often. The pixie dust can help make things a little better, even if only temporarily.

This year’s conference was much different than last year’s. That’s the way it should be or else, no one would want to attend. This year’s conference focused a lot on all the exciting things going on throughout the parks. Progress is important and I can’t help hum the Carousel of Progress song as I am typing this. Walt Disney World is progressing to the next level by creating even more captivating experiences and attractions for visitors. I can’t wait to see what’s in store. While the weekend was a mix of family-oriented and influencer-only events, the Disney Social Media Moms celebration is a family oriented professional development conference where mom and dad social influencers were given an inside peek at all things Disney and a chance to learn a lot about the social media industry.

Here are My Top Five 2016 Disney Social Media Moms Celebration Takeaways

Disney Time Means Family Time: I love the way Disney makes everything a family-oriented event. Whether you visit with your family as an attendee of the conference, like I did, or just take a vacation to Walt Disney World, Disney is all about the importance of family. Spending quality family times exploring the parks is a perfect way to live in the moment and make many magical memories. Family is what grounds us and the extra pixie dust that Disney provides during a visit to Walt Disney World is so special. Suzanne Todd, Executive Producer of Alice Through The Looking Glass, spoke to us about the movie during the conference, emphasized that time we spend with others is precious in any situation. That it is.

Dream Big! Disney has launched the Dream Big Princess recently. Dream Big Princess empowers girls to be their best and strive for their best. But the underlying message is geared towards all of us. Don’t be afraid to follow your dreams. Set goals and be confident in your actions so that you can achieve them. As a mom to two teenagers, one who will be heading off to college in a few months, this resonated with me.

Be Creative!  As writers and social media influencers, we all have a creative side. Continue to nourish our creative side, challenge ourselves so we can bloom and grow as writers and content creators. “Creativity is contagious, pass it on” – Albert Einstein

Change is good! Big Things Are Happening throughout the Disney Parks. For instance: Shanghai Disneyland is opening June 16th, the new Rivers of Life show is a not to miss opportunity set to open sometime in the fall, Hollywood Studios is continuing to evolve into Star Wars heaven and Toy Story Land while Disney Springs is in the final stages of its facelift and will feature first class restaurants and shopping. It’s all about progress and reinventing the magic.

It’s fun to be a kid! My inner Peter Pan always comes out when I visit Walt Disney World, I don’t want to grow up. Disney is fun for kids of all ages. It allows us the opportunity to escape adulthood for a brief period of time, don some Mickey ears and even have our photo taken with one of our favorite characters. Disney brings out the kid in all of us and in today’s crazy world, that’s a good thing.

Disney Social Media Moms Celebration 2016 Conference Speakers:

· George A. Kalogridis, President, Walt Disney World Resort
· Theron Skees, Walt Disney Imagineering – The Disney Springs Project
· Mark Renfrow, Walt Disney Creative Entertainment – The New Rivers of Light show at Animal Kingdom
· Nancy Kanter, Disney Junior Channel
· Suzanne Todd, Producer, “Alice Through the Looking Glass”
· Lindsey Collins, Producer, “Finding Dory”
· Erin Glover and Jennifer Fickley-Baker, Disney Parks Blog
· Charisma Star, Maker Studios and You Tuber
· Abigail Atzkin, Disney/ Dream Big, Princess Initiative

Thank you to the team of cast members who coordinated this event. It was an honor to be invited once again. I will be forever grateful for this wonderful opportunity. There is a great big beautiful tomorrow in store for Disney, and I can’t wait to see it.

Disclosure: I was invited by Disney to attend the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. I did pay a modest conference free to attend. I was not asked to write this post by Disney. As always, opinions 100% are my own.