Thursday morning I spent at the Animal Kingdom. That is a park that can become unbearable when it is hot and humid, which this week has been in Florida. Luckily, the park opens at 8am and early entry got me in the park by 7:25am. I walked over to the Pandora area to see if Flight of the Avatar would be worth the wait. It was already at a sixty minute wait time. I headed over to Asia to ride Expedition Everest.
I spent the remainder of the morning photographing the animals that can be found all around the park. I also enjoy capturing the details the Imagineers built into the park that bring everything to life. And of course, I always photograph the many sides of the Tree of Life. Most visitors get the first view of the tree as you cross the bridge to Discovery Island. There are so many views that can be found and in the early morning the light the better view of the tree is from behind…
Wednesday started at Epcot. More rides (definitely ride Guardians of the Galaxy:Cosmic Rewind) and photography. I wanted to get any topiaries I missed, try a few food items at the kiosks and of course, experience more rides. I was also going to Hollywood Studios for the After Hours event but planned on going early to capture pictures.
OK. I know Disney is expensive. Most days it feels like everything is a cost. The After Hours event was so much fun! Fewer people in the park, ice cream, beverages and the premier rides available as often as you like.
I ran around all evening before official park closing grabbing my pictures. I then put the camera away and enjoyed the next three plus hours of the event. I rode Rise of the Resistance twice, Smugglers Run two more times, Star Tours, Rock -n- Roller Coaster, Slinky Dog Dash, and most open rides multiple times. The Mickey Bar was as good as I remember but even better due to the heat. I had a great time.
Hollywood Studios doesn’t really have a park icon. Magic Kingdom has the castle, Epcot has Spaceship Earth, Animal Kingdom has the Tree of Life but at the Studios there is such a mix of themes nothing stands out to me as an icon (I know, I don’t talk about the hat). I used to like the water tower with the Mickey ears but I think that is only a memory now.
To me, Hollywood Studios is the area around Echo Lake. I like both Hollywood and Sunset Boulevards as well. All these areas turn it up a notch when evening hits and the neon turns on. This is the Studios to me…
My first day at Disney was spent at Epcot. I was fortunate at 7am to get a boarding group for the new Guardians of the Galaxy ride. My problem began when I found out I was in boarding group one and needed to get on the ride before 9:40am! I was still on my way from the East Coast. So much for going to the resort. I drove directly to Epcot.
The ride was amazing!
I spent a good portion of the morning riding everything in the front of the park and photographing the topiaries. Of course, I couldn’t be at Epcot with out capturing the monorail! There will be more monorail images coming…
I’m getting ready for a trip to Florida and decided to look through my images from my last trip to Walt Disney World. Plenty of images to process. My favorites have already been posted (considering last trip was two years ago), but I did find this one.
It was late at Epcot and I was on my way back to the resort. I stopped for a look at the Morocco Pavilion from the International Gateway. I can’t resist a good reflection and the pavilion is a favorite of mine. I didn’t get one of the tripod legs completely locked. During the 4 second exposure the camera started to fall over. I caught it but not before this image was captured.
I like it! 🙂
I love the architecture and details in the Morocco Pavilion at Epcot. It is one of my favorite areas to photograph. I especially like this view across the water from the viewing area near the International Gateway. I always consider it a bonus when I manage to capture one of the Friendship boats as well… 🙂
At one point yesterday I looked out the window at work and saw blue skies, puffy white clouds and the sun. That all changed about an hour before I left work. We got snow! Not a lot, only 4 – 6 inches but enough to change my plans… no sunset photography. Now the snow I’m OK with but these single digit temperatures hurt. It is supposed to be clear skies this morning, maybe I’ll brave the four-degree temps and search out the sunrise… maybe… 🙂
My Lightroom catalog was still on the Disney folder when I opened the program. Yeah, a warm looking sunrise image would help take my mind off the current temperature. Most images of the Tree of Life at the Animal Kingdom are from the “front”, if a tree can have a front or back. There is generally a long line of people waiting to grab the iconic image (Tree of Life Morning), but I prefer the opposite view. Probably due to my preference for a good reflection.
Other than a moment of sun a couple of days ago we have had only grey skies lately. I saw a message pop up in one of my streams that Disney has released the dates for the 2022 International Flower & Garden Festival. As much as I am still conflicted regarding Disney, I do love going down for that festival. All this had me searching my images from my trip last year.
This is from the morning of my last day at the resort. The sun was barely breaking the tops of the trees so you can see the orange skies starting to move in from the right. I love the small reflections in the water on the boardwalk. Overall, it was a quiet, peaceful morning before the madness of traveling back home. I need to schedule this year’s trip…
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