Disney in a Minute: What is planDisney?

PlanDisney is Disney’s own personalized planning resources. A rotating team of several dozen active panelists will answer almost any trip planning question related to Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, or Disney Vacation Club. You write in a question and you get a personal answer back. Questions could include everything from assistance with meeting characters to rules about parking at the resort hotels.

Started in 2008 as the Walt Disney World Moms Panel, there have been several rebrandings and expansions of the program, but from the start all the panelists have been regular people who enjoy planning vacations for their own family and friends. They receive a bit of training from Disney, but they are not Disney employees. Full disclosure: I was a member of the first panel and answered guest questions for several years. The way I liked to describe being on the panel was, “Imagine you have neighbor who has been to Disney a zillion times. If you were planning a trip and had a question, you’d give her a call.” The planDisney panel is that neighbor for everyone.

If you want to use the planDisney panel there are a few things you can do to have a better experience. First note that depending on the volume of questions being asked during a given week, it may take a few days to receive a response. If you have an immediate need, you may be better off doing your own research or calling Disney directly. Second, you can ask a question to the general panel or to a specific individual. The panelists have a wide variety of backgrounds, demographics, and areas of expertise. To read about the specific panelists, click on the “About” tab at the top of the home page and then click on “Meet the Panel.” If you have, for example, a question about military tickets, then you might want to ask a panelist with a military background. Or if you have a question about cruising with a special needs child, then look for a panelist with a special needs family member.

PlanDisney is no substitute for the tools at TouringPlans, but it can be a good supplementary resource to get detailed Disney trip planning questions answered.