The Luxury Guide to Walt Disney World: How to Get the Most Out of the Best Disney Has to Offer [Illustrated] [Paperback]

Cara Goldsbury (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: 2004

If you're hoping to discover the magic of Walt Disney World on your next vacation and you want to visit Mickey Mouse in style, look no further. You'll save time, money, and hassles with The Luxury Guide to Walt Disney World.

This book is designed for those who wish to tour Walt Disney World in style by staying in the most luxurious resorts, dining at the best restaurants, and having a top-drawer entertainment experience. All four Disney theme parks are included, as well as Universal Orlando and Sea World- along with loads of information and tips.

Cara Goldsbury, a Disney aficionado who has spent many vacations at the most magical place on earth, has put together a guide chock-full of insider tips and suggestions to make your next visit to Walt Disney World the best ever. It explains how to get the most out of the best Disney has to offer. Whether you are a novice to the park or a repeat customer, she shows you how, with proper preparation, even the most discriminating traveler can plan a rewarding trip.

You'll learn:

What time of year you should go for the best weather and the least amount of crowds
How long you should stay to get the most out of your visit
What accommodations offer the best for the money
Where you can buy the neatest souvenirs and the most sophisticated designer duds
Where to sample the most creative cuisine
And much, much more!

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Classy, informative, often suprising guide...a must-have for sophisticates decidedly in the mood for magic, comfort, and fun." -- The Boox Review

"Classy, informative, often surprising guide...a must-have for sophisticates decidedly in the mood for magic, comfort, and fun." -- The Boox Review

...former travel agent Cara Goldsbury offers solid advice for sophisticated travelers on a high-end budget. -- Chicago Sun-Times - Robert Feder

A very good book to have on hand when contemplating a trip to Walt Disney World. -- Travelworld International Magazine, Arline Zatz

An impressively informative vacation planning guide for any individual or family seeking to maximize their experience of the "Disney magic". -- Midwest Book Review - James A. Cox

Here's a new twist on guides to Disney ... a guide to the most luxurious resorts, best restaurants and finest entertainment. -- USA Today - The Associated Press

It is so thorough and informative that anyone would have an easier time planning their next trip to Disney World. -- Book Review Cafe

Luxury means different things to different travelers...However you define it, Cara Goldsbury's book tells you where to find it. -- Disney Magazine - Faye Wolfe

There are lots of insider tips and suggestions to help you have the best time ever. -- Rainbo Reviews

This book is an excellent investment before you take your family to an unforgettable vacation in Central Florida. -- Doc Kirby - WTBF Radio in Troy, Alabama

From the Inside Flap

Discover the Sophisticated Side of Mickey Mouse.

If you're hoping to discover the magic of Walt Disney World on your next vacation and you want to visit Mickey in style, look no further. You'll save time, money, and hassles with The Luxury Guide to Walt Disney World.

Cara Goldsbury, a Disney aficionado who has spent many vacations at the most magical place on earth, has put together a guide chock-full of insider tips and suggestions to make you next visit to Disney the best ever. It explains how to get the most out of the best Disney has to offer. Whether you are a novice to the parks, or a repeat customer, she shows you how, with proper preparation, even the most discriminating traveler can plan a rewarding trip.

You'll learn:

*What time of year you should go for the best weather and the least amount of crowds

*How long you should stay to get the most out of your visit

*What accommodations offer the best for the money

*Where you can buy the neatest souvenirs and the most sophisticated designer duds

*Where to sample the most creative cuisine

*And much, much more!

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 504 pages
• Publisher: Bowman Books; Rev Upd edition (2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0972697225
• ISBN-13: 978-0972697224
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.9 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,243,423 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

World traveler and Disney aficionado, Cara Goldsbury, is the author of The Luxury Guide to Walt Disney World Resort, a guide book designed for travelers who desire to experience the Walt Disney World Resort without sacrificing luxury and style. Something many thought impossible until reading Cara's book.

Cara has over 25 years of experience in the travel industry, and after innumerable visits to the Walt Disney World Resort - where she has stayed at the most luxurious resorts, dined at the finest restaurants and been lavishly entertained in style - she is now considered an authority on Disney luxury travel.

In 2008, Cara appeared as a leading Disney expert on two Travel Channel specials, Disney Splurge! and Disney Royalty. She has also been cited numerous times in national news articles, in such notable publications as Forbes Traveler, as an expert on the Walt Disney World Resort.

As a service to her readers and others interested in experiencing a luxury Disney vacation, Cara offers personalized travel consultation and planning. Her invaluable advice and priceless insider tips, combined with her unprecedented knowledge of the Walt Disney World Resort and personalized approach result in the delivery of a truly one-of-a-kind, luxury Disney vacation experience.

Cara prides herself on the first hand, intimate knowledge that she possesses when it comes to the Walt Disney World(R) Resort hotels, theme parks and entertainment offerings. Not only can Cara advise you on which resort has the most luxurious suites, but she can also tell you what the mattresses are like and how soft the sheets are. She can tell you both how spacious the bathrooms are and if the lighting is good for putting on makeup. Want to know what time the fireworks start? Cara will do even better, and share with you the best places to view the fireworks!

This is the benefit of having your vacation planned by someone who doesn't just read about the Walt Disney World Resort in a brochure, but who spends seven to eight weeks out of the year experiencing, first hand, all that Disney has to offer the luxury traveler.

When Cara is not at the Walt Disney World Resort, conducting research, she lives in Port Aransas, Texas. Visit her at www.wdwluxuryguide.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

62 of 62 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A good guide but short on luxury, December 15, 2003

By 

Catherine R. Nobe "snowleopard55" (Newcastle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Luxury Guide to Walt Disney World: How to Get the Most Out of the Best Disney Has to Offer (Paperback)

I'm a compulsive buyer of Walt Disney World planning guides--they are my favorite virtual escape from the pressures of real life. So I was really excited when this new guide became available! After a thorough reading, though, I was in the end disappointed. It's very well written and the author displays more knowledge of the travel business than the author of any other WDW guidebook I've read. However, it fails to deliver on the promise of "Luxury" which I hoped to be something to make this book really special. Instead, it thoroughly covers the same ground as many other guides with more of an emphasis on value than on the really high-end opportunities at WDW. This guide failed to capture the magic and excitement of Walt Disney World for me.

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars There was nothing really luxury about this book, February 7, 2005

By 

April J. Anderson "Disney Girl" (Manville, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Luxury Guide to Walt Disney World: How to Get the Most Out of the Best Disney Has to Offer (Paperback)

This book was basically the same as most of the other books on Disney. It is just compiled into one book. This book claims to tell you how to get the most out of your disney vacation and it doesn't do that. Actually the best information I have ever found on Disney and the most up-to-date information was found on All Ears Net dot Com. It has more information than you could find in any book and best of all is free.

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Hmm..too general, and too many shill reviews?, September 18, 2004

By 

Gary McCready "Travel and Planning fan" (Westfield, NJ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Luxury Guide to Walt Disney World: How to Get the Most Out of the Best Disney Has to Offer (Paperback)

I'm about to visit WDW this fall, and looking to see what is new and interesting in books, this one showed up. However, about half the reviews read like press releases, which gives more importance to the rest of the reviews, which seem to tell a different story. Even when you go to the book's website, you think it would give you at least a few of the high-end bits, such as how useful the all-inclusive packages are, Victoria and Albert dining options, the tours you can take.

After reading the book, it unfortunately tries to be both an all-inclusive book that covers WDW, Universal and Sea World, and a book that points out the luxury options. Since it tries, you must skim through lots of lists on everything, rather than reading opinions of just what are the best options. There are plenty of guidebooks out there that will cover everything - a repeat visitor like me would wish to see more detail of the special stuff. Or for the new visitor, or one in a hurry, start with a quick "what you must see list" for each park," and the best order to see them, that will give the luxury-bound the best value for their time.

The book seems to do a good description of resort rooms, and some of the tours you can get at the Animal Kingdom lodge, but that is only part of the experience. I would like to see much more detail on the special tours, dining experiences, and the like. I would rather see comparisons of high-end "gold" packages versus buying a-la-carte, and what experiences are really hard to book, even with a package.

Overall, this book will cover all you need to know at the resort, but don't expect a true guide to only what is "luxury" and worth visiting.