My friend Lisa Battista has released her next edition of her popular “Beyond the Attractions” series, and she has graciously agreed to let me review it and also have a giveaway contest on the blog! Thanks Lisa!
In this writers opinion, “Beyond the Attractions: A Guide to Walt Disney World with Preschoolers” is the book to read if you have young preschool aged children that you are considering taking to Walt Disney World. Lisa is a parent, just like I am and a lot of you are, so she has been through the trenches, so to speak, and gathered up all of the information you need to make great planning decisions on how to approach your upcoming Walt Disney World vacation — or even if you should go at all right now.
So many people approach a Disney World vacation with the mindset of “Why should I take my young child to Disney World before they reach the age of five? They won’t remember anything about it!” However, while there may be some things that they don’t remember about the trip later on, it is my belief that they will still have a wonderful time, and you, as a parent, will really make some memories that will last a lifetime (and perhaps get a great picture of your child with a character that you can save for their graduation or rehearsal dinner before they get married!)
The key to any Walt Disney World vacation, or really, to any vacation at all, is planning. That is what really sets Beyond the Attractions apart. There are a ton of books available about Walt Disney World, but there are really only a few that are geared specifically towards taking small, preschool aged children to Walt Disney World. And Lisa’s book is the best of the bunch in my opinion!
Beyond the Attractions has a ton of information in it, including the following sections:
- Lisa’s Top Six Tips for Travel with Preschoolers
- These six tips are essential to remember when taking your preschoolers to Disney World. Follow these and you will have a vacation to remember!
- Planning your trip
- Best times of the year to visit
- Should you get a travel agent or not?
- Preparing your child for your Disney trip
- Taking multiple generations of family or friends to Disney World
- Disney Lodging
- Benefits of staying on property
- What class of hotel should you look at getting (Value, Moderate, Deluxe, or Deluxe Villa)
- Transportation
- How are you getting to Disney World?
- How are you going to get around at Disney World?
- Touring
- Great advice on how to plan your days at Walt Disney World
- Reducing wait times, and entertaining the kids while in line
- Where are the Baby Care Centers?
- Yuck! It’s raining! What to do now?
- Attractions
- Lisa includes all sorts of categories of attractions, including Preschooler-friendly, Lil’ Daredevils, Fun for the Whole Family, Heed the Warnings, Attraction Height Requirements, and Taking a Break.
- Dining (Everything you want to know)
- Recreation
- Parades and Character Greetings
- Child Care and Safety
- And much more
At 183 pages, plus an index to find things quickly, this book is chock-full of great information to help you get the most out of your Walt Disney World vacation. At only $15.99 for the paperback version, or $7.99 for the Kindle edition, this book is very reasonably priced in my opinion. You can purchase the book at Amazon.
In addition, Lisa has generously agreed to allow us to have a contest! If you are interested in winning a copy of the print edition of the book, go ahead and leave me a comment on this post. Only comments left on this post will count as an entry, just one comment per person please. The winning entry will be selected using the website random.org based off all the comments received by 11:59PM on Friday, October 21st, 2011. The winner will be selected on Saturday, October 22nd, 2011 and announced on the blog, the My Dreams of Disney Facebook page, and via Twitter on Saturday, October 22nd, 2011. If the winner doesn’t email us within 24 hours after notification, a second winner will be chosen on Sunday, October 23rd, 2011.
Thank you for reading, and good luck everyone!
Congratulations, Lisa! How exciting to be in your second edition already!
Would be awesome to win this book. I have a 3 year old and a 20 month old.
lynngpitt@yahoo.com
Awesome giveaway!! I'm planning the first trip to Disney for my two nephews, and I was definitely planning on picking this up to help guide me.
Congrats, Lisa, I am so happy for you! I really want to win this book for a young mother who is getting ready to take her 4 year old on their very first trip. Thanks for sponsoring the giveaway, Mike.
I just added this to my Amazon Wish List! We are planning our youngest's first trip for next Fall!! Good luck everyone!
Awesome Lisa! I have 4 kids to budget for a trip to Disney next year…this book would be SO helpful! Thank you for the offer!
This comment is for Hannah Bursztynski, who was attempting to comment but had some technical difficulties. I'm manually adding her comment in for her so that she is counted in the contest!
That's great your second edition.
Would love to read this book
My youngest is 5 now, so technically he's not a preschooler anymore, but I'd still love to win!
Would love to win this book to help plan our trip in January!
My son turns 2 in February and I'm trying to convince the rest of my family to take him to Disney for his birthday! I really think this book would help to get them to go!
Sounds like a great book for my family! We have 4-yr-old twins who want to move to The World!
Congrats on another edition! I am planning a trip for this December with three little ones, 4,2,1…winning would be awesome! Keep all the helpful information coming!
~Debi White
I would love to have this book! I am going to Disney World in April with my 2 year old and 1 year old!
My husband and I are taking our 4 year old next month and non of us have been before – SCARY! This books looks like it would take some of the fear away.
I would LOVE to win this book, and such a great review!
Awesome!! What a great resource for parents!! I'd LOVE to add it to my collection! :)
I would love to win this to enhance our frequent Disney trips with our 7,4 & 1 year olds!!!!!
I would LOVE to win this book!! I have a 1 1/2 year old that we are taking to Disney next year!
This would be a wonderful read!
I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to win! I have a toddler and a baby and am planning a trip for a couple years from now!
Awesome giveaway, Lisa's book sounds like it would be a great read..
I would love to win this book
How awesome!!!
Christyn
sweetlilrawker@sbcglobal.net
I love Disney and would love to win this book, we are going in 2013 when the new attracations are open!!!!
Great giveaway! My daughter just turned 3 and we've been to the Magic Kingdom many times, but only to the other 3 parks once or twice. I could definitely use some tips and ideas of things to do with her in the other parks!
Sounds like a great book. I have a little one who would benefit from the advice in this book.
-Kim
I cannot wait to go to WDW in December of 2012. We are staying at Art if Animation -Finding Nemo. It will be my youngest daughters first trip. Super excited!!!!!!!!