Applications Opening Soon for the Disney Parks Moms Panel

It’s that time of year again. The application window for the Disney Parks Moms Panel is opening on September 5, 2019 and will be available until September 12, 2019.

The Moms Panel is an online service where Disney guests, or potential guests, can ask questions of real people to help them plan trips. Despite the confusing name (yes, it’s strange, just go with it), the Panel allows all genders, includes folks without children, and covers Disney Cruise Line and Disney Vacation Club properties, as well as the Disney Parks.

I was a member of the inaugural Moms Panel, starting my service in 2008. I served on the Panel for about four years total. While some Panelists choose to answer questions for just one year, some stick around in various capacities for several years.

Many Panelists have formed lifelong friendships; I count some of my dearest friends among veterans of the Moms Panel.

Here are some typical questions that come up every year around this time.

What kind of questions will I have to answer?

The best way to address this is to send you over to the Panel itself. Spend an hour or two reading the questions and see if you would feel comfortable answering these types of things. Some questions are asking for basic facts like “what’s the height requirement for ride X?” Some questions are asking for detailed planning advice. And some questions want an opinion about a personal preference for a hotel or restaurant.

How much of a time commitment is this?

The current information provided by Disney states that Panelists will be answering 10-20 questions per week, with an average time to answer a question of 20 minutes. In my personal experience, I answered some “easy” questions in as little as five minutes. And there were a few unique questions that took as long as five hours of research over the course of several days. Most were in the 20-minute range that Disney states.

Do you get paid on the Panel?

Not in cash, no. There is some compensation in the form of a vacation or tickets. The compensation varies slightly each year and I’m not privy to the information about the current contract.

Do you get a lot of inside perks from being on the Panel?

Well, new Panelists get to go on a training trip that’s mostly paid for by Disney. So that’s pretty cool. And some Panelists might get to go to public relations events, but that’s not guaranteed and not everyone gets to do it. But in general, there’s not much that’s insidery. The Panelists are regular guests, not cast members.

So are the Panelists really real people?

Yes! The Panelist are all just regular humans who have been on Disney vacations.

Panelists have been men and women, most with children, but some without. Several Panelists have been grandparents. Panelists have been in their early 20s and some have been in their 60s (I’d love to see the first older great-grandparent panelist). Panelists have been black, white, Asian, Hispanic, and multiracial. There are gay and straight Panelists. There are single parent Panelists. There are Panelists who are parents of children with special needs. There are Panelists who have special needs themselves. There are Panelists with just one child; there are Panelists who have five children. There are Panelists who are parents of twins. There are Panelists who have vacationed with Disney since they were children themselves. There are Panelists who are relatively new to Disney vacations. There have been Panelists from most U.S. States, from Puerto Rico, from the UK, from Canada, and from Brazil, and I’m probably forgetting a place or two. There have been stay-at-home parents on the Panel; there have been full-time workers on the Panel; and everything in between. Panelists have included teachers, librarians, sales people, hair dressers, doctors, nurses, lawyers, volunteers, administrators, and many, many other professions. There are Panelists with no social media presence and there are Panelists with established online followings. Panelists have had pink hair and tattoos. Most Panelists answer questions in English, but some have answered in French, Spanish, and Portuguese as well. Some Panelists have everything in common and some have almost nothing in common – just like real people.

Every year I see someone complaining about the Panel because they “don’t fit the mold” or “no one looks like me.” Why? There is no mold. As long as you meet the eligibility requirements, there’s nothing stopping you from applying. And maybe you could be the first person on the Panel who looks exactly like you.

But, but, but … it’s called the Moms Panel.

I know. For some folks this is weird. Maybe they’ll change the name someday, or maybe they won’t.

Who can apply for the Moms Panel?

There are some rules on the Disney website, which you should absolutely read if you’re thinking about applying, but the upshot is that many Disney-fan adults are welcome to apply.

Some of the rules about who can apply include:

• You must be at least 18 years old.
• You must have ready access to a computer and an Internet connection. This is not provided by Disney.
• You must be able to write answers to approximately 10-20 guest questions each week.
• You must be available to attend the Panelist training. This year training is somewhere in the window of December 11-15, 2019.
• You cannot be a current Disney cast member, or the immediate family member of a cast member.
• You cannot be employed as a travel agent, nor can you or your immediate family members work in several other travel-related postions. (Again, check the official rules for details on this.)
• You must have visited Disney World or Disneyland within the past 12 months, or have been on a Disney Cruise or Disney Vacation Club stay within the past 24 months, depending on which Panel specialty you’re applying for.

Again, read the eligibility rules. Really.

Can you only apply once?

Nope. Many Panelists only made it onto the Panel after several years of applying. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, again.

Can I only say good things about Disney if I’m on the Panel?

Well, the people on the Panel are Disney fans, so they have generally positive things to say about the company and its products. But that doesn’t mean that everything is 100% rosy all the time. When I was was on the Panel I was free to give my opinion. I did say when I preferred one restaurant over another or that I personally did not have a perfect experience at a specific event.

There are some things you can’t say on the Panel – like you can’t use foul language when answering questions – but the prohibitions are common sense things like that.

What’s the application process like?

It varies every year. We’ll know what this year is like when the applications open in on September 5. Generally there have been several rounds of applications, with the first round involving some sort of writing and then subsequent rounds of possibly video submissions or phone interviews.

Come on, what are the REALLY looking for in Panelists?

I’m not part of the section process, and the criteria vary a bit each year, so I can’t give specifics. However, make sure that your application uses good grammar and spelling. Make sure that you’re using correct Disney terminology when you’re referring to hotels, restaurants, and attractions. Otherwise, you do you.

Should I apply?

Do you meet the eligibility requirements?

Do you have the time required to answer questions?

Most of the Panel involves sitting at home writing. Do you like writing? Do you like writing about Disney?

Are you the person in your office or neighborhood who others come to with questions when they’re planning their Disney trips?

If you can answer yes to all those questions, then go for it!

And good luck!