The planDisney panel search is on! And you probably have a ton of questions about the whole application process. I’ve got a list of planDisney Panel Search FAQs that tend to come up during this time of year about the whole thing. Good Luck to everyone putting their “ears” in the ring this year for the planDisney Panel.

We all love those rose gold ears but there's a new set of ears on the horizon. Vintage Minnie ears are here and we are LIVING FOR THEM. Here's how you can find vintage Minnie ears at Disney. — Photo: Alicia Arbaugh, royalravencookies.com

Page Contents

planDisney Panel Search FAQs

My years of applying for the Disney Moms Panel have passed, but I still look forward to the search every year. Being a ChEAR leader for the search is always fun!

It is the time that regular old moms and dads (and grandparents and aunts and uncles and, well- just about anyone!) can apply to be part of the magic that is the Disney Parks.

I put together this list of planDisney Panel search FAQs to help you find answers to many of the questions you might have around the search.

These questions come up every year, so hopefully, they can help you on your journey to the panel.

What is the planDisney Panel/Disney Parks Moms Panel?

The Disney Parks Moms Panel is the most comprehensive resource for your Disney vacation planning needs.

The current name of the program is the planDisney Panel.

It’s an online resource of questions answered by the most magical people of all: Disney people like you and me! The folks on the panel are not Disney employees, but parents and family members with that magical touch.

The questions they can answer cover all sorts of things: resorts, transportation, dining, Genie+, Magic Bands, and more!

FAQs From The planDisney Panel Application Process

How does someone become a member of the planDisney Panel?

First off, they have to apply. And there is a full application process running from August to November of every year.

This year, the initial application for the planDisney search opens at NOON ET on July 8, 2024, and runs through NOON ET on July 13, 2024.

And yes, that’s a bit earlier than in previous years!

Who’s Eligible for the Disney Parks Moms Panel?

If you have questions about the search requirements, check the requirements and eligibility concerns. This page spells out who is eligible to serve on the panel.

Spoiler: if you work or live with someone who works in the travel industry, you are not eligible. That means travel agents like myself cannot be part of this process. WhompWhomp.

Sleeping Beauty Castle and Partners Statue in the Spring Disneyland free stuff in Disneyland

What Does the planDisney Panel Search Application Look Like?

The application usually has a few questions the search committee uses to get a sense of you and your Disney life. Things like “Tell us about your family in 100 words or less” are typically found on the application.

I Know Everything About Disneyland But Nothing About Walt Disney World. Can I Still Apply?

Absolutely!

The Disney Parks Panel application will ask you to pick a specialty and a backup specialty for consideration. You don’t have to be an expert in all things Disney, but one area of concentration is what they are looking for.

This year the specialty options are:

Walt Disney World® Resort
Disneyland® Resort
Disney Cruise Line®
Disney Vacation Club®

Can I Look At All the Questions Before Picking a Specialty?

You can! If you aren’t sure which specialty you are drawn to, check out the questions for those for which you qualify.

I had years where I was eligible for Walt Disney World and Disneyland but applied based on which questions struck me at the time!

Disney World trip planner: get a travel agent who specializes in Disney on board!

You Can Close the planDisney Application and Restart It Later

You can work on the application, close it, and return later to complete it.

The information won’t save, so you must re-write your answers. But you aren’t locked into a time period when you first go in to look at the questions.

Take your time, and make sure your application looks its best before you submit it!

Do Not Copy and Paste Your planDisney Panel Answers

The submission portal is not copy-and-paste friendly!

If you want to write answers out in advance, just retype them into the application when you wish to submit them. If you copy and paste, the application will result in gibberish.

Do Not Include Hyper-Links In Your planDisney Search Application

For the same reason above, don’t try to skirt the word count and add hyperlinks.

Stick to the word count!

I Submitted My Application. What Happens Next?

Here’s the hard part: you wait.

And the timeline isn’t set in stone. It takes Disney as long as it takes to read each and every application (yes, real people DO read these!) and make choices about who will move on to the next round.

This could change anytime, but traditionally, there are 3 rounds.

The first round is submitting your application. Then you wait to hear if you get into the 2nd round.

Be warned: most people do NOT advance to the 2nd round, but you usually get an email letting you know either way.

The second round will include additional questions for you to answer and submit a one-minute video and/or headshot. Then you wait to hear if you get into the 3rd round.

Again: most people in the 2nd round do not advance to the next stage. The numbers do go down quite a bit!

The third round will consist of a phone interview.

Then you wait… but usually, this is just a day or two before you get the call letting you know if you made the panel or if it wasn’t your year.

From start to finish, the Disney Parks Moms Panel application process starts in July and ends sometime in October or November.

Moms Panel Application Tips

Everyone always wants to know the Disney Parks Moms Panel application tips.

I made it to the final round four times, and I feel my initial answers contributed to that success!

Here are the tips that can help you get farther along in your Moms Panel application process.

1. Use Proper Nomenclature

You’ll want to use the correct names of things on your application. This is very important to the good folks at Disney!

It’s Walt Disney World Resort, not Disney World, for example. If you have questions, check the official Disney websites to see how they write.

2. Spell Check is Your Friend

Use it! You don’t want some errant “e before i” to trip you up!

Hollywood Tower of Terror at Disney World

3. Tell a Story And Make It Personal During the planDisney Panel Search

Disney loves a good story and loves great storytellers.

Don’t just say you loved staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge; tie it back to a personal story or why you love it!

Make your application stand out by putting a little of YOU into it.

4. Be Yourself

Every successful planDisney Panelist will say the same thing: Beeee Yourself.

Don’t be what you think Disney wants you to be; be YOU because that’s what makes you unique.

Will Smith as The Genie from Aladdin Live Action — Aladdin (Mena Massoud) meets the larger-than-life blue Genie (Will Smith) in Disney’s live-action adaptation ALADDIN, directed by Guy Ritchie.

The planDisney / Moms Panelist Training Trip

There is a Moms Panel training trip scheduled at the Walt Disney World Resort and aboard the Disney Cruise Line from November 10 through November 15, 2024

This is required of everyone who is chosen for the Disney Parks Moms Panel and you can not take guests with you on this training trip.

It is a fully paid training experience and is part of the hiring process for those chosen to serve on the panel.

And it’s pretty freaking magical based on what we see via social media every year!

planDisney Panel Search: Disney Parks Moms Panel Salary and Perks

When you serve on the planDisney panel, you get a few perks.

You do not, however, get paid a salary, and you will not be an official Disney Cast Member.

You will, however, do a job with a reward trip as compensation at the end of your service.

Check out this post about my experience applying for the Disney Parks Moms Panel if you want to know more about the perks and salary.

cinderella castle fountain at disney world with toddlers

What Kind of Time Commitment Does Serving on the Panel Take?

While every question is different and could take a different amount of time, it’s safe to say you’ll be looking at 20 to 40 minutes per question- and you’ll have a minimum of 15-20 questions a week required.

Basically: this is a solid part-time job level commitment.

What Is Disney Looking For In A Moms Panelist?

It changes every year based on what the company needs at the time.

They might be focusing on grandparent travel or solo travel or pre-schooler travel.

They might need parents’ points of view on special needs or dietary restrictions.

We just don’t know and won’t know until the panel is picked in November.

So be you, do your best to let your Disney love and passion shine through!

How Many planDisney Panelists Are Chosen Every Year?

This also changes! There have been big classes of new panelists and smaller classes.

A fair number to hope for is about 10 new panelists, but that’s just an average.

It could be more or less and it just depends on what Disney needs that year.

We hope these Moms Panel applications FAQs help you out; good luck on the planDisney panel search for the 2025 class!

More Disney Tips You’ll Love

Patty Holliday

Patty Holliday is the owner and creator of all things No-Guilt Universe. As a lifelong fangirl and pop culture connoisseur, she’s been creating online since 2009. You can find her work at No-Guilt Disney.com, No-Guilt Fangirl.com, No-Guilt Life, and as host of the top-rated No-Guilt Disney Podcast.

noguiltdisney.com

3 Comments

Kristen says:

September 11, 2019 at 3:53 pm

Thanks for the great post! I’m trying to submit my application but now that I’m close to being finished I’m a little confused about eligibility! We went to Disneyland this summer and it was my first ever trip to Anaheim. I’ve been to Walt Disney World many times but not within the past 12 months. So my preference would be WDW but am I making a huge mistake requesting that for my specialty when I’ve not been since November 2017?! I thinking I’m psyching myself out about this, but would love your advice!
1. Patty says:
  
  September 11, 2019 at 4:07 pm
  
  Well, it’s actually simple!
  
  You’re eligible for the Disneyland position but you are not currently eligible for the Walt Disney World slot.
  
  I’d submit for Disneyland with your second choice as Walt Disney World. Good luck!
  1. Kristen says:
    
    September 11, 2019 at 10:38 pm
    
    Thank you!! Such a fun experience, even if nothing comes of it I’ve enjoyed filling out the application and sharing the love of Disney 🙂

Comments are closed.

planDisney Panel Search FAQs (2025)