The Wonderful World of Disney Part IV

The kids decided they wanted their faces painted by some very talented cast members while visiting Epcot.  Shannon, the biggest kid of them all, is the guilty party who got it all started.

:: Face Painting ::

Kalyn and Anna were next.

The Wonderful World of Disney Part III

I was amazed at the wild life found throughout the parks and resorts.  Although I expected to see animals at Animal Kingdom, I had no idea that little critters would come near humans in the other parks or at the resorts.  These images were captured mostly in the Animal Kingdom park but we made a few friends elsewhere.

:: Animals ::

This next little guy decided to make friends as we were taking a break by eating our candy….it was way too funny!  He even had evidence on his arms when he was finished!

Coming up next…Face painting followed by statues, cast members and characters, and famous landmarks.  So stay tuned!

The Wonderful World of Disney Part II

Disney is full of architectural design.  While most of the trip the skies were overcast, most of my best images were taken late in the day and/or after sunset.  Some images were taken after afternoon thunderstorms giving me a dramatic “back-drop” for my images.

:: Architecture ::

Have no fear!  The castle will have it’s own section that I’ll post at a later date.

The Wonderful World of Disney Part I

My family and I recently returned from a weeks vacation at Disney World in Florida.  We were in a photographer’s heaven!  But not without obstacles such as the harsh lighting from the sun, overcast skies, and people everywhere.  Part I of this series will discuss just a few tips for those who might be interested in vacationing at Disney and abstracts that we discovered throughout the parks.

::Tips::

If you travel by air, wear sandals, crocs, or flip-flops.  It will save time going through airport security.  Make sure you have tennis shoes in your carry-on if you use Disney’s Magical Express to transport your luggage to your resort. It is usually 3-6 hours after you arrive that your luggage is delivered to your room. If staying in a Disney Resort, purchase a drink mug in the food court.  It costs around $7 and has unlimited refills for your entire stay. We packed enough clothing to last our entire vacation but learned that 3 changes of clothes would’ve been fine since the resorts have laundry facilities. If you plan to participate in Disney’s Pin Trading, purchase some trader pins on eBay prior to your vacation.  At Disney, the pins cost $6.95 to $16.95.  eBay prices are as cheap as $1.35. The Disney Dining Plan is a smart buy.  Our family averaged $150/day on food and drinks even though we purchased the cheapest items on the menu.  If you don’t purchase the Disney Dining Plan, be aware of the fact that Disney will not let you add it after your arrival.  You can find cereals for breakfast at most resorts and if you purchase a breakfast platter in the dining court, it will come with a biscuit.  Jelly is free so you can actually feed two people with one order.  Purchase 88 cent rain ponchos at Walmart prior to your trip.  Florida is notorious for brief showers.  It rained seven of the eight days we were there.  If you purchase a vinyl poncho at any of the parks, it’ll set you back about 8 bucks each. Try to set aside some time to investigate the Disney Vacation Club.  It’s really a great deal if you’re in a financial situation that you can afford an extra monthly payment. As a free bonus with no obligation, every member of your party will receive 3 free VIP fast passes and you get free ice cream in their ice cream parlor just for listening to the short (about 30 min) seminar!  Transportation is provided. Have lots and lots of fun!

::Abstracts::

Throughout the parks you’ll find many opportunities for abstract photography or shots that would make interesting desktop backgrounds.  Here are just a few that we took.

Next in the series, Architecture….stay tuned!!!