Mom Topics - Family Vacations

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If you are a regular reader at Zannaland, you are no doubt familiar with the fact that I hold just a *teeny* obsession with wanting to be on the Disney Moms Panel. Just a slight one. I am, however, not alone in that obsession. For those unaware, the Disney Moms Panel is an online question and answer forum at DisneyWorld.com where anyone with access to a computer can ask the Disney Moms Panel a question regarding a Disney World vacation, resort, restaurant, special event - pretty much any and everything under the sun - and get a factual answer or an unbiased opinion.

The panel is not employed by Disney, therefore if you ask them which restaurant they prefer, you aren't going to get a pat answer, you are going to get a real, live, personal opinion. In addition, the panel offers tips and hints to make your time at Disney World as special as you hope it will be.

I have quite a bit of company in my quest to join this prestigious group, now entering its third year. There are countless others out there just like me, on message boards, twitter, facebook and blogs alike - all making a wish upon a star for this Disney Dream Job (that's not a job at all, it's a volunteer position). That is but one piece of evidence of the love, devotion and commitment so many fans have for Disney. It is, to borrow a Disney tag line - Where Magic Lives, after all.

Now that September is upon us, the applications for the 2010 panel are a mere 9 days from today - on September 10, 2009. Once 9am Eastern time hits, the Disney Moms Panel application page will change to a submission form with questions for the first round of the process. I cannot speak from experience after that first round, but I am told there are more essay questions to answer, followed by a phone interview for the final round.

The current Disney Moms (and Dad) have shared their thoughts on the oft-asked question, "Why were you chosen?" which might give you some help in crafting your answers, or at the very least increase your excitement about the process. With a pool of over 20,000 people trying for 12 spots in last years round, one can only imagine how many more will try to compete this year, with the increased presence of the Disney Moms Panel members online.

The 20,000 applications was the Disney-imposed cut-off point. It has not been announced if those numbers and the number of spots available on the panel will change this year. One thing is certain: You do NOT need to be a mom, or even a dad to apply. I've mentioned before and will say again, if I do not make the cut this round, I will keep trying for as long as I can type. It is something I know I want to achieve and be a part of and I will not give up that easily. And if I don't make it, I still have the wonderful Mickey Moms Club to be a part of, which is a gift in itself.

I want to thank my husband and children (and twitter and facebook followers and off-line friends as well) for bearing with me and my obsession this past year. I promise I'll mellow out after September 10th. Maybe. Probably not. Ok, who am I kidding? I will always be Disney-obsessed!

To all those applying - BEST of luck, and I mean that...I've met so many wonderful people recently and just the thought of someone I 'know' being on the panel next year is exciting in itself. To the 'retiring' moms & dad, thank you for all your hard work and pixie dust to all of us with questions and all those that follow your lives on twitter and on your blogs - it's been a pleasure getting to know you and I am confident you will continue to share your amazing knowledge, tips, and ideas with all of us.

Suzannah DiMarzio is creator & author of ZannaLand where she blogs about her family's adventures, memories of Disney World, offers tips, reviews and more. Suzannah also writes for several other blogs as a guest author & is always up for freelance writing or audience-relative product reviews.

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