Cleveland, OH
Avon
By Rebecca Turman
Avon resident Monina Wagner is in love with all things Disney, and she’s thrilled that she’s able to share that adoration with others.
While Wagner is a media relations specialist for the Cleveland Clinic by day, it’s also her job to help families plan their fairy tale Disney trips.
This year, Wagner was chosen as one of 45 people to serve on the Walt Disney World Moms Panel. The Walt Disney World Moms Panel is an online forum that helps families plan Walt Disney World Resort, Disney Cruise Line, Disney Vacation Club or Adventures by Disney vacations.
Avon resident Monina Wagner is in love with all things Disney. Photo courtesy of Coyne Public Relations
“It was a pretty extensive application process,” she said. “I love Disney. The Moms Panel was always in the back of my mind. I applied for it before, but I didn’t make it past the first round.”
When applications were being accepted for positions last year, Wagner said her sister, who also applied, mentioned it to her. Wagner decided to apply again. While Wagner was chosen, her sister, unfortunately, was not.
“My family has always been big Disney fans,” Wagner said. “Disney World – it’s a huge vacation. My parents … it was a big deal for us for them to be able to take us to Disney.”
Wagner shares her love for Disney World with her husband and her 7-year-old daughter. She and her husband spent their honeymoon there. That was her husband’s first experience at Disney.
Because her family loves Disney so much, “people expect to see Mickey Mouse plastered on the walls (at our house), but that’s not how it is for us,” she said, adding for her family it’s more about the experience at Disney World. “My husband, he will tell you Disney is not just for kids. He loves it as an adult.
“Being on the panel … my family gets a (free) trip down to Disney,” she said, adding she plans to take her daughter to celebrate her eighth birthday this summer. “This will be my daughter’s fourth time down to Florida.”
Wagner has lost count of how many times she’s been to Disney World, but she’ll never forget her first trip there.
“I was a toddler,” she said. “One of my first memories of all time – I had an unfortunate accident on Dumbo on my dad’s lap.”
Wagner learned she made the Moms Panel in November, and in December she trained for five days at Disney World.
“While we were down there to learn about just the technical side (of serving on the panel), we also got to experience parts of Disney that just sometimes time doesn’t allow when you are on vacation. I got to sit in Cinderella’s Carriage,” she said, noting the carriage is made by Bennington Carriages, the same company that makes carriages for the British royal family.
Since January, when she started offering advice online, Wagner said she’s had plenty of questions from families.
“There are always people who are planning a Disney vacation,” she said.
Wagner said the questions she responds to run the spectrum from, “Are there high chairs in all of the restaurants?” to questions about tickets expiring.
“It’s really gratifying to be able to help others plan their vacations,” she said. “I know the type of magic Disney has to offer. Disney brings so much joy to my family. You want to be able to share that joy with others.”
Wagner hopes to help families make planning their Disney trips fun.
“Planning should not be the chore,” she said.
Wagner’s Moms Panel page can be found here.
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