Elizabeth Van Beek

I have been involved in the travel industry for quite some time and have extensive experience booking family vacations to Disney destinations including, Disney Cruise Line, Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Adventures by Disney, Aulani, Disney's Hilton Head Island Resort and Disney's Vero Beach Resort.  My family background has links back to Walt Disney, with my grandfather working for him during the early years of animation and then at different intervals in the 1940s and 1950s.  Before getting involved in the travel industry I was a college history professor in Northern California.  I left academia due to a spousal relocation to the East Coast and then started booking Disney destination vacations.  I regularly book family vacations to Walt Disney World in Florida and to Disneyland in California. 

I have booked hundreds of clients on Disney cruises as well.  This is not surprising, given that going on cruises is my family's favorite mode of travel.  I've sailed on Disney Cruise Line over twenty times (one more sailing to earn Pearl status), and my husband and daughters are platinum Castaway Club cruisers too.  Our most recent cruise was a 15 night transpacific sailing from Sydney to Honolulu on the beautiful Disney Wonder.  My family has been all over the globe on Disney ships, and we look forward to sailing on other cruise lines as well.  

Disney also has an amazing property on the island of Oahu.  Aulani, A Resort & Spa in Ko Olina adds to the special memories of visiting the Hawaiian Islands.  The time, effort, and money that went into creating this place by Disney Imagineers are mind-boggling.  If you have the chance to vacation at Aulani, my advice is to look up, down, and all around as there are so many "hidden touches" that make this resort super special. 

Disney's property on Hilton Head Island is another great place to vacation.  My family has been there several times before Christmas and we have loved every minute of it.  Disney's Hilton Head Island Resort is beautiful and there are so many fun things to do there.  My family enjoys birdwatching, nature hikes, and splashing around - both in the pool and in the Atlantic Ocean. If you are looking for a fun getaway, Hilton Head Island is a great option.

Several years ago as a new travel advisor, I started participating in runDisney events.  In 2014, I ran my first ever half marathon at the Tinker Bell Half Marathon and also the inaugural Tinker Bell 10K at Disneyland.  It was no looking back after that!  I have participated in numerous runDisney events on both coasts, achieving several "coast to coast" medals.  I checked off one bucket list item a few years ago when I participated in the "Goofy Challenge" at Walt Disney World, which included the Half Marathon first and then the Marathon the next day.  Afterward, I hopped on the Disney Dream and finished the amazing runDisney marathon week events with the Castaway Challenge 5K race.  It goes to show that being on vacation can include healthy exercise in the midst of other fun. 

I have traveled extensively to non-Disney Destinations as well.  My husband and I taught University students for a semester in Bath, England while we were still University professors.  We have traveled all around the globe hitting such places as Norway, Australia, Palau, Guam, Saipan, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Fiji, American Samoa, New Caledonia, and the list goes on.  We are the type of parents who believe in taking our children, when possible, on our travel adventures.  Through the eyes of a child, destinations seem ever more magical. 

Now that our daughters are young adults, our travels together are so meaningful because we get to share precious time together before they head back to their Universities.  My family LOVES to travel.   We look forward to experiencing new adventures around the globe, and I would love to help you plan your own travel adventures too.  I can book cruises for you on Disney Cruise Line, Virgin Voyages (Gold Tier certification), Royal Caribbean (Master of Adventure certification), and Silversea (Ultra-Luxury, Classic Ocean and Expeditions specialist certifications.  For anyone interested in river cruising on the great waterways of Europe, Southeast Asia, and Africa, I highly recommend having me find an innovative itinerary on Ama WaterWays through Adventures by Disney. 

I branched out on my own in 2022 and started Global Wishes.  For my fellow cruising enthusiasts, I  am certified as a Master Cruise Counselor (MCC) with Cruise Line International Association (CLIA), which is the world's largest cruise industry trade association. 

I can't wait to spin the globe and find new places to explore with you.   Do contact me with your global wishes!