Disney Social Media Moms Celebration Preparation

I don’t know if it’s the Minnie ears on my head, or the unexpected burst of snow that blasted through my town last night, but I woke up this morning ready to hop on the next flight to Orlando.    With the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration just over a week away, I’ve been answering a lot of questions for first time attendees and alumni who have begun to prepare for their trip. Rather than answer the same question multiple times, I thought I’d save time by writing a post.  All opinions and suggestions are my own and do not reflect my involvement in the planning of the conference. In other words, there won’t be any spoilers in this post 🙂

What to Wear

As you can see from the always stylishly appropriate Molly and Daisy, on this first day of the conference when bloggers participated in a press activity separate from families (meeting family later for dinner and special events), most attendees wore business casual with comfortable shoes.  This is perfect for the first night’s events at Disney’s Wedding Pavilion at the Grand Floridian as well as for the dinner following.  During the speaker sessions the next day, some attendees chose something slightly dressier, but again, cute and comfortable is the way to go.  I plan on changing during the free time between the afternoon sessions and the dinner event at Disney’s Hollywood Studios so that I am able to relax and enjoy the excitement of the night.

Saturday’s activities will be slightly different for each attendee depending on the activities you choose, so in my case, I’ll be wearing the same comfortable clothing I would normally wear during a day in the park.  There will be no reason to dress in business attire on Saturday, so again, go with cute and comfortable! Watch the weather reports leading up to the trip in the event that you will need a wind breaker or light sweater for Saturday night’s IllumiNations event at EPCOT.  Last year we were bundled up in hats and gloves, so be prepared for wild, early spring weather!  Unlike many blog conferences, there will not be an event where fancier attire – cocktail dresses, etc. – are required, so keep it simple!

What to Pack

Last year I didn’t think ahead in terms of the times that I would be separated from my kids, so we ended up having to choose between having a camera in the conference and having a camera in the parks.  This year I’ll be sending our nice camera along into the parks with my husband and kids while taking an older camera with me to the speaker sessions.  You never know who is going to stop by at any of the events…

The Social Media Moms Celebration is truly a blend of a Walt Disney World vacation and a social media conference, so remember park items such as sunscreen, sunglasses, and autograph books, but also remember that you’ll want to hand out business cards and program new connections into your smart phone. Not everyone will be using laptops, minis, and iPads during the speaker sessions, but if you choose not to, be sure to have something to take notes.  Last year attendees left with a wealth of new knowledge.  Also, plan to be separated from your family and need to be in touch to come back together.  Be sure that both you and the person in charge of your kids (spouse, grandparent, etc) have your cellphones and chargers. You may even want to plan ahead by printing out park maps and going over locations where your husband may want to spend the day with the kids while you are in sessions. Also, while the weather where you live may still feel like the dead of winter, prepare for some down time in the pool by packing suits for the whole family!  Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa has two beautiful pools including a zero entry pool with an incredible slide.  I would also strongly recommend bringing along a video camera if you have one because there will be many amazing events throughout the weekend that you will want to capture forever.  Last but not least, remember to allow for plenty of extra space in your luggage to bring some of the magic home with you! There will be goodies to keep even the pickiest princess smiling. 🙂

See you soon!

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10 Comments

  • Sobbing gently to myself… wish my registration had gone through.

  • So glad I found this as I was leaving to go to the mall to buy clothes!

  • Thanks so much for this…I’m also bringing a power strip because my phone dies quickly and I feel selfish hogging the electrical outlet. Others have suggested those backup battery gadgets.

  • Kathleen

    Great post and thanks for the wonderful tips. I think I finally have my outfits chosen and packed. Can’t wait to meet you next week!

  • Great post! Love the point about bringing two cameras if your family is coming as well. I wouldn’t have thought of that if my family was coming, too.

  • Great tips! I wouldn’t have thought about bringing 2 cameras, but definitely will now. Looking forward to meeting you Amy!

  • I hope you have a wonderful time at Disney Moms! The rest of us will have to live vicariously through you. I hope I can afford to go some day.

  • That is great! Looks like you’re a veteran, then. I couldn’t register for two hours. 🙁 But I will be in Disney that weekend with my family anyway in the hopes of catching up with some bloggy peeps.

  • Love this! Thanks for the tips, I was starting to panic over what to pack and I feel much better now. Can’t wait to meet you at the conference!