Interview 2010 Disney Moms Panel Member Suzannah and You May Win a Mickey Moms Club Party in a Box

What has been you favorite Memory involving Disney and Your Family? was it a a specific event or a whole vacation?
*FYI- i want a party in a box……. but if I don't win I will just gate crash who ever does win *

What direction do you see the WDW Moms Panel heading? Do you think they'll continue to offer seats on the panel through an essay-writing application process?

Who is your favorite Disney Moms Panel Member?

I'm heading out to Disney for our third time in a calendar year – I can't believe it! My question is – we've done all the typical restaurants one thinks of – Le Cellier, Chefs de France, breakfast at Chef Mickey's and Ohana's. We even have our reservations for Wishes which will be back when we're there around Memorial Day. My question to you is what's the best dining for those who have done the typical ones?

Amanda, thank you for the fun entry! The only problem is, I want to answer ALL these questions right NOW!!

Thanks for the great questions everyone, keep 'em coming – I can't wait to get together with Ms. Tinney and answer them!

Ooh, this is a great question and a tough one…I can't wait to answer it!

How did you become involved in the Disney World Moms Panel and how has it changed your perspective on Disney World?

Hey Suzanna. My question is: How do you juggle being a mom and all that goes with that, being a Disney Moms panelist and writing and keeping up with your blog Zannaland and still keep your sanity and stay so organized.

This is a totally fun idea! Two top Disney experts teaming up to not only bring info, but a fun way to do it & a contest to boot…
OK – so, here's my question …
What is your #1 insider secret that no one knows about WDW but will enhance a vacation for anyone?
Rori
RorITravel

If you could take over for Bob Iger for a day what one change would you make and why?

What has been your most memorable experience at Disney, and what special Disney memories do you hope to pass on to your children?

I am curious about the demographic of the Mom'sPanel. Are there representatives of all ages and ethnicities? As a very active 72 year old, I am frequently asked about what WDW has to offer for an “older visitor' to the World and how to plan their visit to the World. Just curious because their is a perception that anyone over the age of 70 needs a wheel chair, or some kind of special assitance, or if they don't how to plan their visit.

Great contest! My question is around the fireworks. My kids are still on the young side and we want to pick one late night. Which would you suggest (Wishes, Illuminations or Fantasmic) and why? Thanks!

My family is celebrating our 20th Annual Reunion in 2011 and we want to make it Magical…so of course the plan is to celebrate with the Mouse! If all of this comes together we're talking upwards of 60 people. I'm a Disney addict and have been tasked with helping plan this monstrosity of a party. What tips/suggestions would you have for someone planning an event like this? Thank you!!

Here's my official written answer

My Dad’s family is from Ocala, so I know as a baby (about 7 months old) we visited my Gramma Lucy and my Dad’s sister and her family and included a trip to the Magic Kingdom too (that would be in 1974). Of course I don’t remember that trip, or the next one when I was about 5 or 6 either. I do have a picture of me eating a frozen banana in front of the castle from that trip though. The trip I remember is from 1983, when my parents and I drove down from Boston to Orlando, with stops along the way.

I can’t really explain what it was about that trip, I guess I was just the right age to actually comprehend and remember what I was experiencing. I was 9, and EPCOT Center had just opened. My mom was big on ‘educational moments’ on vacations, so I was used to loving learning and that sort of thing, so I never thought of EPCOT as being ‘boring’ because it didn’t have the traditional Magic Kingdom-like rides. In fact, I fell in love with EPCOT. Figment in particular just won me over and that became my favorite ride. Horizons was next and World of Motion was third in line. I just loved the story that each attraction told. I’ve never really been a thrill ride person (I only rode Space Mountain for the first time about 4 years ago!) but the attractions that drew you in and made you feel a part of the tale they were telling always captivated me. I feel that much of that feeling is now gone in Epcot, but for now, we still have Spaceship Earth to remind us where we once came from. I’m not sure how that experience translated into being Disney-obsessed, but it just happened. Walt Disney World seemed like home, a perfect escape where there was always a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow, shining at the end of every day…I still feel that way 27 years after that trip in 1983.

As for my favorite souvenir – I no longer have it, but I remember keeping my little plastic orange-shaped cup from the Sunshine Tree Terrace where the Orange Bird was. I know I had an Orange Bird figuring too. I also still have my original 1983 Figment plush doll, though he is not very plush anymore. His neck looks broken and most of his fluff is deflated, but I still cherish him and the time he represents.

Here's my official written answer

Oh Molly, I most definitely do. If I had one thing I could shout from the rooftops about the Moms Panel, it would be that you don’t have to BE a mom to ask a question. The truth is, every single panelist has experienced Walt Disney World without kids at least once. We are all taken on a training trip, which includes visiting the parks, restaurants and special events – without kids. So we all have at least one thing to share about planning a trip without kids. In addition, many Panelists visit WDW multiple times a year without their kids! We know that it’s a completely different place and experience without kids and we love talking about it – trust me! Please don’t be afraid to ask a question there, I know lots of us would LOVE to answer it.

Here's my official written answer

Well, I answered part one above for the most part, but as for my specific earliest memory, it’d have to be driving up to the now Amateur Athletic Union (then it was the central registration for all the Lake Buena Vista Villas) and checking in. I remember how SUPER nice the cast member was that checked us in and thinking it was the coolest thing ever that he gave us a folder that said “Walt Disney’s Lake Buena Vista Villas” with a PEN that said Walt Disney World and a pad of notepaper – all of which I still have. Then finding out we got our own golf cart to drive to the Marketplace was the coolest thing ever. I may or may not have almost driven into the lake with it. * whistles innocently *

Favorite retired attractions are mentioned above – Journey into Imagination (in its original form) and Horizons. Favorite current ride is probably Soarin’ I love it because of the immersion into the atmosphere, and that’s tied with Toy Story Mania! because it’s just so fun. However, I will always love the Wedway People Mover (TTA) and Carousel of Progress too. Being on either of those is like I’m 8 again. And I love the WDW Railroad. And Pirates. And Peter Pan’s Flight. And Splash Mountain. I have difficulty with decisions. And yes, we love you!

Here's my official written answer

Thank you, Stephanie! It has definitely been the most magical time of my life and I am grateful every day for the gift I’ve been given.

This question was the one that gave me the most pause for reflection. It’s really hard to pick one place as my favorite! After all this time, I still don’t think I can come up with an answer. I love all the parks at night, near closing time, and the only secrets to that is hanging out until the park’s about to close. I also love walking around the Boardwalk at night.

Another place I love is the Days of Christmas store in the Downtown Disney Marketplace. I love Christmastime, so it doesn’t matter what time of year it is, the minute I walk in there and smell the wonderful cinnamon scents and hear the music and see the ornaments, I’m happy.

Really, I love the special events during the year more than a specific place. The International Flower & Garden Festival each spring, the International Food & Wine Festival, and then the special ticketed events of Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. I love these unique events that you can only experience at certain times of the year. It’s fun to plan visits around them. The only secrets I have is weekdays are less crowded than weekends for the festivals and if you attend the ticketed events, you can arrive as early as 4pm even though the tickets say 7pm.

Here's my official written answer

See above for most of that answer! I will say that although I am still chocked full of pixie dust and magic, being on the Moms Panel does provide a slightly different perspective on the business end of Walt Disney World. We are never told or asked to say specific things because we are not cast members, but it is part of social media so there is a public relations aspect to parts of the panel as well. As someone with an interest in public relations and a social media addict, of course this is only a positive thing for me and I love it! When I was a cast member, I knew all sorts of backstage info that’s not immediately available to guests and it never spoiled the magic for me then. As a lover of all things Disney, if anything it provides more appreciation for the company and my teeny tiny role within it.

Here's my official written answer

Oh, Ellen…the simple answer to that is I don’t – my sanity is long gone as is my organization! I will say it was a lot easier to keep up with the blog when I had a newborn who slept most of the day. As my youngest has gotten older he’s abandoned most of his naps and now there’s pretty much only a 1-2 hour window that I can accomplish everything I need to for the day: showering, laundry, cleaning, writing for my blog, writing for other outlets, etc. The cleaning tends to fall to the bottom of that list of priorities!

Once my time on the Moms Panel started, I found I had even less time. I thought I could answer tons of questions really quick on the Panel, but I found that I didn’t want to give out a single bit of misinformation, so checking and double checking, getting links to add, etc. makes question answering a bit more time consuming than I anticipated. Now recently, my son has gone from happy little toddler to “I-need-your-attention-at-all-times-please-and-by-the-way-I’m-also-a-complete-daredevil!” So. That means I have even less time to write as I once could throughout the day if he was playing. Obviously he’s my first priority so if you’ve been following my blog at all, you’ve probably noticed a lack of content lately!

So again, I am definitely not organized and I learned very quickly in the last few months that I cannot in fact do it all. What I realized is I had to re-prioritize the things that were most important to me. I knew I could not keep up with daily blogging or bringing the latest news to my readers, so I’m trying to get back to more meaningful personal posts when I find the time, with some news or spotlights on certain Disney topics mixed in. I’ve got such a great supportive audience of readers, I have to hope they’ll understand and still be there for me when I have the time to write. I’ve made a commitment to the Moms Panel, so that comes 2nd after my family (but before laundry)

If I had any advice in this arena, it is something I was told when I started blogging too – what do you want to get from your blog? Money? Fame? Opportunities? And to be quite honest, that answer has changed several times over the past year of blogging. It’s all about balance and thinking about what will be there in a year or five years vs. what needs to take priority now. I’m still working on it myself.

Here's my official written answer (which is the same on the video really because I actually remembered your answer when I was there!)

ONE change? That’s so tough. As much as I’d love to say bring back Horizons or the original Imagination, that seems kind of non-forward thinking. I think I’d expand the monorail line. I know it’s outrageously expensive to do so, but just think of the convenience it would provide to so many guests. It would be hard to do without interfering with current resort theming, but that’s why I’d have a team of Imagineers ready to help me out!!

Here's my official written answer

Well, I covered a lot of that in questions above, but I’d have to add that the Family Magic tour at the Magic Kingdom was such a wonderful experience that my whole family loved. At one point at the end of the tour, some ‘friends’ join the group and we all go on an attraction together. Seeing my kids playing ring around the rosie and duck duck goose with those characters was such a special memory. I’ll treasure it forever.

As for what memories I hope to pass on to my children, I hope they at some point appreciate the traditions we are forming here. I do fear that being in the parks so much is making them a bit immune to the magic, but we do switch things up every now and then and I can see they still love it here. I hope when they’re my age they get tears in their eyes when they see the castle or watch whatever fireworks are showing then…I hope they believe in magic, forever.

Check out Amanda's new post for your answer!

Check out Amanda's new post for your answer!

Check out Amanda's new post for your answer!