I can finally say that I have attended a red carpet event, and it was every bit as glamorous and exciting as I had imagined it to be! The Red Carpet Social at Disney’s Hollywood Studios was a fantastic event that I will not soon forget. We dined on delicious Disney foods. We drank fizzy beverages that helped us to wind down from the day’s events. We danced Gangnam Style, with a DJ that took song requests using the #DisneySMMomsSong hashtag. And we interacted with our favorite classic Disney characters in an energetic and spirited setting.
My family and I enjoyed the company of fellow Atlanta blogger Serious Krystyn, of Really, Are You Serious? and her sweet family. I’m fairly certain that our husbands would be best friends, if only mine were present at the event. (And if you were at the event, were you able to meet up with Krystyn? She’s totally awesome!)
We watched live performance art, as two very talented painters created Disney masterpieces right on the sidewalk of the Lights, Motors, Action! set of Hollywood Studios.
But best of all, we had the opportunity to let loose and just have fun. I missed Danger so much during the day, and while I know she was having so much fun with my parents at the Magic Kingdom, it was so wonderful to sing, dance, and play with her at the event.
(And check out the grand entrance by Gary Buchanan! He really did jump from a tall building!)
What makes an event special to you? Is it the decorations, the food, or the company?
I’m fairly certain that as far as events go, it doesn’t get much better than our Disney Red Carpet Social.
As an attendee of this invite-only event, I received complimentary items, special discounts and other benefits, such as food and entertainment, from the event organizers in order to experience the unique magic of the Walt Disney World Resort. All opinions come from the careful consideration of my own personal experiences, and were not influenced or purchased in any way.
Have you ever wondered what the #DisneySMMoms conference is all about? Up until yesterday, I had no clue what was in store. Read on to find out what this celebration is really like!
We started off the official conference portion of the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration with a very delicious breakfast in the Fantasia Ballroom of the Contemporary Resort. It was a relaxed vibe, and attendees were able to enjoy tasty breakfast foods while chatting with new blogger friends and conference sponsor, Hanes, at the “Hanes Comfort Breakfast.”
To kick off the event, President George Kalogridis spoke to us about the Disney Parks, and the new and exciting things that are changing. One thing that he described were the interactive line queues. With the new interactive line queues, the magic begins before you step foot onto your favorite ride! Pretty neat, right?
Our event host was the energetic and amazing Rene Syler, aka @goodenufmother. She gave me a lot to think over. A few GEMS from the Good Enuf Mother: Find your passion – then hone it. Don’t compare yourself to others, or you’ll despair. And the best advice: Big rewards necessitate big risk! She was so full of wisdom that one post couldn’t possibly hold all of her remarks. Don’t worry – I will have an additional article on the Classic Mommy blog devoted solely to Rene’s words of wisdom very soon!
Next we heard from former Olympian Shannon Miller. She shared a lot of inspiration regarding personal and professional success. A few favorite quotes:
With determination, hard work, and a little luck, you can accomplish anything.
You don’t stumble onto a gold medal, and you don’t stumble onto success.
There are no do-overs in social media. (And would your mom approve of your message?)
Social media magnifies the power of mom.
Love what you’re doing and it won’t feel like the hard work it is.
Women shouldn’t feel guilty for taking time to themselves. We need to stay healthy for the ones we love!
Sometimes what seems like a brick wall is actually a springboard to something else.
Everything that you do matters.
Anything is possible under the right circumstances. Visualize success! Dreams come true every day!
Ok, pretty much everything Shannon Miller said was inspirational and well-deserving of attention. She is an incredible woman who has lived a life that she can be proud of. She gives everything 100 percent, and I know that she is more than qualified to be a role model for moms everywhere.
We also heard from Jackie Huba, who taught us that Lady Gaga has a thing or two that social media moms can learn from. Her main advice? Focus on your “one percenters.” What are one percenters? They are the people that are your biggest fanatics. They will go above and beyond to follow you and promote what you do. Nurture them and treat them like the special people they truly are. Jackie pointed out that it is a common mistake to focus your outreach on getting new customers at the detriment of your current ones. (Cable company??) Jackie also posed the question: Do your readers know what you stand for? Something to think about as I get back into my daily routine.
Ashley Eckstein was another special guest. She created @HerUniverse as a means to provide fashions for fangirls of all ages and sizes, from onesies to plus sizes, and youth sizes, too. Ashley noticed that many girls in the sci-fi community would pretend to be guys on message boards and forums so as not to be made fun of or shunned. Her mission is to make sure that girls of all ages are able to enjoy sci-fi without fear of being bullied or ostracized for their interest.
Next we heard from John from Disney Infinity. He answered a question that I’ve wondered about ever since the first time I picked up my first game controller: Want to be an awesome game developer? Be good at learning new things. Design a game. The Disney Infinity game is a great place to start! Players can design their own adventure. And perhaps the best feature of Disney Infinity is that the game figures will work with ALL game platforms! No need to search for a Wii-specific figure or PS3, etc. Very cool!
Catherine Connors, from @herbadmother, took the stage to discuss the latest app from Disney: Story. She demonstrated how easy it is to weave stories together with the new Disney Story app. This app is so easy, my mom could figure it out (and she will, because I made sure to install it on her iPhone). This app provides a way for everyone to share their story in a way that is rich and meaningful. Pictures and video blend seamlessly in this new interactive storytelling app, and while audio is not included in this version, it is coming soon! You can share your story creations to facebook or email straight from the app, making the storytelling process a breeze.
We were treated to a special presentation from Thomas Smith & Gary Buchanan during our lunch. They discussed the Disney Parks blog and what makes it work so well. (Hint: Personality!) A favorite lesson from this session: People connect with people, not logos. We also took a peek at the Disney Parks blog editorial calendar. With 7-15 posts per day, a calendar is absolutely necessary! The guys also demonstrated what sets Disney’s social media apart from other brands. Check out this wonderful video from Disney Parks to see why:
We also learned about the Disney TRYit initiative. Disney has a commitment to create healthier generations. They are the first in the entertainment industry to offer nutrition guidelines, and they have built 31 playgrounds so far this year in partnership with KaBoom! to get kids up and moving. Isn’t that amazing?!
Our next speaker was Marc Mero. He presented us with a very challenging and deeply touching message. His life experiences, while often sad and depressing, taught him a lot about life. His advice: The best way to accomplish your goals is to write them down then take action towards them! And I’ll never forget this little tidbit: Your friends are like elevators. They can take you up, or they can take you down. Marc travels to schools and talks about the impact of bullying. He is a very compassionate person, and this comes through in his talks.
Dayna Steele was our final presenter of the day. Her brand of humor was just my style. In reference to The Rolling Stones: They look like a pack of Shar Pei puppies! Seriously! Her big advice: Do whatever it takes to wow the customer. Go the extra mile. Dayna provided us with many examples to illustrate her point, including one anecdote about rocker Sammy Hagar, the band Van Halen, and a teenaged boy that they visited in the hospital. She posed the question: What is the one thing you do every day for success? (I make an effort to interact with a certain number of new people every day.)
The Disney Social Media Moms conference sessions would not be complete without the little surprises that makes Disney such a magical brand. We had fresh centerpieces on the tables for every session, delicious foods and drinks, great swag from event sponsors, and even surprise guests (R2D2, Storm Troopers, and Gaston joined us during the event!)
I realize that this is a long and detailed article, but there is still so much information that I just was unable to fit in. Is there a particular speaker that you would like to hear more about? I will be working more on creating detailed posts about each session, but in the meantime, if there is someone that you are particularly curious about, please let me know!
As an attendee of this invite-only event, I received complimentary items, special discounts and other benefits, such as food and entertainment, from the event organizers so that I could experience the magic of the Walt Disney World Resort in a unique way. The opinions shared in this article come from the careful consideration of my own personal experiences, and were not influenced or purchased in any way.
Five bags packed. One oil change. Five pit stops. 2 large sweet teas, 4 large Diet Cokes. 465 miles traveled. All of this to get to Disney World for the #DisneySMMoms Celebration — and I’m still not sure I’m ready for all of the action that awaits!
We’ve checked in to the Contemporary Resort, picked up an information packet from the Disney Social Media Moms registration desk, and are trying our best to learn all about Disney’s transportation system so that no one gets lost or frustrated. While Disney’s transportation is pretty straight-forward once you know where you’re at and where you’re trying to get to, it probably would have been a good idea to brush up on “Bus, Ferryboat, and Monorail 101″ before leaving home. Just sayin’.
The magic was present from the very first moments of the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration – and celebrate, we did! Winnie the Pooh – and Tigger, too! – stopped by the Wonder and Wander event for pictures, cuddles, and story time. It was so nice to see these two right at the beginning of our adventure, as it helped the little ones to ease in to character interactions in a comfortable and laid-back environment. Danger especially enjoyed the sweet snuggles she got from her favorite tiger!
My family and I spent some of our free time wandering around Epcot, taking in the sights, sounds, and foods from the World Showcase.
We traveled from Mexico to China without breaking a sweat! How many people can say that?! And look who we ran into in China… Princess Mulan! So exciting!
Attendees were able to celebrate Mom’s Night Out in style at an elegant welcome reception at Epcot. We enjoyed sparkling beverages, hearty hors d’oeuvres, and light conversation with blogger friends old and new. Special speaker Chris Powell from ABC’s Extreme Makeover Weight Loss Edition greeted attendees with an inspiring and uplifting speech about how WE are in charge of our success and our failure, and it is up to US to be accountable to the promises we make for our own health.
Our families were able to join us for dinner at Epcot, and as part of the Disney TRYit program, we were able to nibble on tasty entrees, ranging from spaghetti to seasoned beef and mushroom dishes. We were joined by Mickey Mouse himself, as he danced on stage to the music of iCurrent (a very cool techno band that uses iPads as instruments!) Wreck It Ralph, Vanellope, Mr. and Mrs. Incredible, and Tarzan were available for character interactions, but Danger wasn’t interested in hanging with the Disney crew – she was all too happy to make new friends on the dance floor! And dance, she did!
After dinner, we were ushered out to watch the Illuminations: Reflections of Earth show from a special viewing area. Desserts were served, and boy, were they delicious! I cannot imagine a more perfect end to the day than watching the Illuminations show at Epcot. It was so wonderful!
Since we spent so much time at Epcot today, it only makes sense to ask you this: What is your favorite Epcot attraction? Do you like the World Showcase area, or do you prefer the rides at Future World?
As an attendee of this invite-only event, I received complimentary items, special discounts and other benefits, such as food and entertainment, from the event organizers in order to experience the magic of the Walt Disney World Resort. All opinions shared in this article come from the careful consideration of my own personal experiences, and were not purchased or directed in any way.
This week, my family and I are spending some time in the most magical place on Earth – that’s right, we’re going to Disney World! My husband will not be able to join us, so I am taking my parents along for this incredible journey. You guys – I get to “do” Disney with my parents! Sweet!
You may remember that I am recovering from two surgeries. While I will admit that the recovery process is not as easy as I would have hoped, I’ve allowed my dreams of the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration to take over and push me toward better health (and most definitely, a better mindset!) I am so ready for this!
I am so excited to share all of the information that I learn at this conference with you – because the best part of learning new things is having the ability to share with friends. I’ll keep you posted with the details of the conference, the venue (Disney’s Contemporary Resort!), the events, and even the Disney theme parks and little extras that make Disney World the most magical place on Earth.
Looking for something fun to do this month in Atlanta? As an Atlanta mommy blogger, I’m always searching for family-friendly events and attractions to entertain and delight my toddler. I’ve rounded up some information from a few of my favorite Atlanta attractions, and created a list of my top four tot-friendly places to visit this month. What Atlanta event are you most looking forward to?
This past week has been very hard. I had a nice little stay in a rural hospital (read: no internet), and it was just as fun as you could imagine.
Two surgeries in one week. FIVE i.v.s inserted into my arms. Six and a half nights in the hospital. No, this week has not been fun. Not fun at all. Continue reading →
I’ve created a new #ww series where I take my favorite Instagram-worthy pic and create a color palette inspired by the image: InstaPalette. This is week #6. Continue reading →
One of only six locations worldwide, Build-A-Dino at the T-Rex Cafe in Downtown Disney is only a short drive away from the heart of sunny Kissimmee. The Build-A-Dino attraction is nestled inside the shopping area of T-Rex Cafe, and is easy to miss by the average Downtown Disney shopper. You have to either know where to look or venture boldly inside the cafe to know it is even there.
What To Expect At Build-A-Dino
Once inside, the experience is much like the Build-A-Bear shopping environment. Children pick out their favorite prehistoric creature and sound device, and then add a heart and stuffing to make it come alive. After that, it’s time to dress up your new friend a little and give it a name. At check-out, children are presented with a birth certificate and box “home” for their new prehistoric friend. Continue reading →
2,000 yards of fabric for costumes. 24,000 watts of sound. 12 1/2 hours to set the stage. 500 hours for rehearsal. Yes, this extravagance can only mean one thing: Disney is coming to town! Continue reading →
Reminder: It’s almost Mother’s Day, the day for celebrating Mom and just how amazing she is. Do you know what Mom really wants for Mother’s Day? Allow me clue you in!
This isn’t a blog about a perfect husband, darling baby, or any of that other mushy stuff that brings ladies to tears. This is a blog about the many parenting challenges and adventures that my family and I experience, with a little bit of Atlanta flair and family travel mixed in.
This is my blog and my life, and I am so excited to share a little part of me with you!
