Disney Sisters: The Celebration, Magic, and Memories of Disney Social Media Moms #DisneySMMoms

The Celebration, Magic, and Memories of Disney Social Media Moms #DisneySMMoms


Celebration
A few weeks ago we attended our first Disney Social Media Moms Celebration, and it was just that, a celebration. There were inspiring speakers, once in a lifetime moments like Meg Crofton taking the time to speak to us, (if only we'd taken a picture with her), and countless family memories were made because Disney invited our whole family to join the Celebration.

Disney calls this event a Celebration rather than a conference. What a fitting title because we feel like we're still celebrating. Celebrating the Magic, the Memories and the Media Moms (and Dads) that we met while at Walt Disney World.

Magic
It was extremely exciting and magical meeting so many awesome bloggers that we have only had online relationships with until now. It's such a cool experience walking up to a perfect stranger and asking them if they are "@EnterTwitterNameHere" & hoping they say yes. Then once they say yes, telling them your blog and hoping that they know who the heck you are. Next big hugs, smiles and a sigh of relief when you make a connection and with any luck you have just started a lifelong relationship.

Being a parent, blogger and Disney fan are things that most of the attendees have in common. Add that to the fact that we are a select few experiencing this unique event together, and the bond just got stronger. It's kind of like summer camp where some of the friendships made will be for life. Except now we all keep in touch not by writing letters, and not even with email but with Social Media. We get to hear and see day-to-day happenings with each other on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, through our You Tube Channel, Flickr Phtotstreams and of course, the old fashioned way, by reading each other's blogs.

We wrote this today not only to share with you all the wonderful people we met, but also because we don't want to forget a single Magical Moment.


From the minute we headed over to registration the magic began with the first two people we saw,
Jackie Gailey of Jackie's Magical Moments and Mitch of Gay NYC Dad we exchanged hugs and felt as though we'd known each other forever.

En Route from registering we met Beth Levine, The Angel Forever and her husband Jason Levine, Techy Dad, then Alyssa Enders of Clever Compass and Christy Matte of More Than Mommy (and yes, there was more hugging).

In the Yacht Club Hotel lobby we met the lovely ladies Jyl Johnson Patee of Mom It Forward, of Amy Bellgardt of Mom SparkJenny Ingram of Jenny On The Spot, & Haley Shivers of Love Life Family and then Some.

At the front desk we met Amanda Tinney of Disney Everyday, checking in with our friend Suzannah of Zannaland.
After breakfast we became fast friends with Shannon Hurst Lane of Traveling MamasJennifer James of Mom Bloggers Club and Catherine Connors of Her Bad Mother. It was hugs all around and we all really missed not having Tracey, our other sister there with us.

In the Conference Hallway we chatted with Lori Nash is Miss Lori, Nadia Carriere of Childmode and her adorable baby, Lindsay Maines of Rock & Roll Mama, and Carol Cain of NYCity Mama.

After hearing Amy Jo Martin speak Becky was so moved and overcome with emotion she stepped out and was greeted with open arms and a big hug from Leanne Jakubowski. You are so kind, Leanne.


Waiting to board the bus we had a great visit with Karen aka A Magical Mommy
and Stacie aka The Divine Miss Mommy


Lisa Druxman of Stroller Strides was our Dinner Date at Animal Kingdom.


On our walk through Animal Kingdom we stopped to take a photo with Maria Bailey of Mom Talk Radio and Molly Gold of Go Mom Inc.

While running from buffet table to buffet table, at the Animal Kingdom Party we met WDW Moms Panelist Ashley of Mama Of All Trades, Tammi of My Organized Chaos, Candy of Mommypalooza,  Jayme with Build-A-Bear Workshop, Amy from Mommy Mentor and Nirasha of Mommy Niri.


We shared a bus ride with Shelley Caran of On The Go in MCO and JL Knopp of the Disney Driven Life after dinner, headed back to the hotel from Animal Kingdom.

Back at the Yacht Club, we got to ride the elevator with Cooper Monroe of The Motherhood.

We bumped into Mike O'Brien from A Father Knows Less at the hotel gift shop. We had a late night  rendezvous shopping for snacks with Susan Pazera from Macaroni Kid.


Before getting on our bus headed to the Art of Animation Resort dinner, we caught up with
  Jeanette Kaplun of Todobebe and Jenn aka Super Jenn.

Poolside at the Art of Animation Resort we celebrated with Danielle Smith of Extraordinary Mommy, Piera Jolly of Jolly Mom, Sami Cone from Sami ConeNicole of SAHM Reviews and
Melanie Sheridan from Mel, A Dramatic Mommy.


We had a ball dancing the night away with Jenn and Shelley, our mom at The Art of Animation Resort.

On the docks of Disney's Yacht Club Resort we ran into Colleen Padilla of Classy Mommy &

Walking to the hotel from the bus we introduced ourselves to Jennifer Hutchinson of Mami To Mommy.

Before the breakout sessions we said hello to Charmed Valerie at the Coffee Bar.


We planned our next Disney Cruise together with Alex Busy Working Mommy, Jackie Gailey of Jackie's Magical MomentsAshley of A Cup Of Disney and her husband Robin Reeve of The WDW Dads.

In the Cruise Breakout Session we met Maria T Ramos from A Savings WOW and Maricris Guadagna of Zensible Mama.

In the Disney Parks Blog session with Thomas Smith and Gary Buchanan we got to know
Lou Mongello of WDW Radio, Pilar Clark with One Mom Media and also Disney Social Media Magic and we finally got to meet Laura Spencer face to face!

 Back in the Yacht Club lobby, the last night of the conference we met Teach Mama, Carolina Mama with her sweet boys and Tech Saavy Mama.

At the Yacht Club Bar we met Debbie aka TV Producer Deb, and Renee Stylus of Good Enough Mother.

Spending time at DisneySMMoms with friends we see frequently proved to be magic as well.

Although we connected with so many people, there are many more we missed...
The heart remembers what the mind forgets!
We look forward to meeting you IRL in the near future. 

Memories...
Thank you to everyone for being a special part of our first DisneySMMoms Celebration!
We will never forget you!!!

Full Disclosure: We were invited to the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration. Walt Disney World offered a special discounted rate for all attendees and their families. This is a once in a lifetime experience and we are grateful to Disney for allowing us to participate. We'll be sharing unique things seen and heard throughout the Celebration. Please keep in mind these our own personal thoughts and opinions, not those of the Walt Disney Company.



3 comments:

  1. Such a joy to have met the two of you! Hope we can connect the next time we are in each other's "Happy Place".

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  2. Thanks Amanda, we hope to see you at Disneyland sooner than later!!!

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  3. I so want to go to this next year wondering what I need to do to get an invite!!LOL!! Looks like you had a blast!

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