2016 Disney Parks Moms Panel Announces Ten New Members and Upcoming Website Makeover

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LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla., Jan. 12, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Disney Parks officially announced the ten newest members to its 2016 Disney Parks Moms Panel, plus a newly designed website that promises to lend fresh insights and improved accessibility for future guests.

Ushering in a new era for the celebrated online forum, this year's newcomers are as diverse as Disney Parks' own culturally rich visitors with bilingual parents, single moms, dads, grandparents, and those with special needs children – all eager to share their trip planning expertise and passion for Disney with like-minded families.

Now in its ninth year, the Disney Parks Moms Panel is an online resource to help guests with their Disney vacation planning using the personal opinions, expertise and relatable experiences of everyday parents and grandparents. With just the click of a mouse or touch screen device, travelers have access to a wide-array of enthusiastic panelists who can share advice on how to maximize their future stay and create lifelong family memories. The multilingual resource, offered in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese, can accommodate every Disney trip-planning inquiry imaginable – from the best fireworks viewing spots, tips for traveling with large families and ideal booking windows for popular restaurants, to special dietary dining options, cruise ship itineraries and on-property hotel offerings.

In addition to being well-versed in so many Disney Destinations' amenities available, all of the panelists are genuine, friendly and excited to share their expertise with others, putting fellow parents at ease during the often stressful and overwhelming process of planning a vacation. Originally created with a specific focus on the Walt Disney World Resort, the Disney Parks Moms Panel has since grown to include members with extensive knowledge of every other unique Disney property and offering, which also includes Disneyland Resort, Disney Vacation Club, Adventures by Disney, Disney Cruise Line, runDisney and the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

Among the most eagerly awaited aspects of the 2016 Disney Parks Moms Panel is the arrival of a refreshed consumer website, slated to launch later this winter. Featuring a sleek new design layout and improved functionality for better user navigation, the mobile-device optimized site will make it easier for guests to plan an unforgettable Disney vacation at home or on-the-go.

Specific updates to the website includes a new topic search structure that will provide guests with easy access to more than 150,000 questions asked by previous visitors and answered by the knowledgeable panelists. With the new feature, guests can quickly sort and filter through tagged topics and find relevant content; and as always, visitors can get their own questions answered using the "Ask a Question" feature. In true Disney style, the website will reflect a sense of community by showcasing trending topics and most popular topics, allowing families to learn from each other's past experiences and inspire the creation of new memories.

"2016 is poised to be an exciting and transformative year for the Disney Parks Moms Panel," said Leanne O'Regan, director of public relations for Disney Parks. "Not only are we welcoming ten motivated and diverse professionals to our esteemed forum, but we are also preparing to debut a new website experience in the coming months, streamlining the trip planning process and paving the way for what should be the most magical time of our guests' lives."

In September 2015, thousands of hopeful parents worldwide vied for a spot on the coveted Panel, making it the second largest pool of submissions since the program's inception nearly a decade ago. Following three rounds of interviews, essays and video submissions, a strong group of ten passionate parents and grandparents – including university professors, a physician and nurse, event planner, and an Information Technician specialist – were selected to join the respected forum. Since 2008, more than 130 experienced parents have served on the Disney Parks Moms Panel helping in the planning process for tens of thousands of Disney vacation guests.

Joining the 2016 Disney Parks Moms Panel are as follows:

• Brandy Robinson; Euless, Tex. (Disney Cruise Line)
• Erin Karsman; Pittsburgh, Pa. (Walt Disney World Resort)
• Jackie Psarianos; Richmond Hill, Ont. (Walt Disney World Resort)
• Jennifer Reeves; Columbia, Mo. (Walt Disney World Resort)
• Kiki Wong-Yee; Carmichael, Calif. (Disneyland Resort)
• Korliss Datcher; Birmingham, Ala. (Walt Disney World Resort)
• Nancy Murphy; Alpine, Ut. (Walt Disney World Resort)
• Priscila Noriega; Miami, Fla. (Walt Disney World Resort)
• Ricardo Stella; Plainsboro, N.J. (Walt Disney World Resort)
• Sally Bulavko; El Paso, Tex. (Disney Vacation Club)

To learn more about the Disney Parks Moms Panel and meet the newest panelists, please visit http://disneyparksmomspanel.disney.go.com/. For those interested in joining next year's panel, application details will be posted on the website in the summer of 2016.

About the Disney Parks Moms Panel
The Disney Parks Moms Panel is an online forum where guests can get tips and insights for a Disney vacation from real moms, dads and grandparents who have mastered the art of planning Disney vacations. Guests can pose questions to the panelists in English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese, as well as gain access to other vacation-planning tools for booking a Disney vacation. Featuring just 12 members during its inaugural year in 2008, the panel now boasts 40 park-savvy panelists as a result of the popularity of the site and an ever-growing number of questions submitted by curious parents. For more information and to meet the panelists, visit www.disneyparksmomspanel.com.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160112/321310 

SOURCE Disney Parks

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http://www.disneyparksmomspanel.com