Something for the Sun

As I make my way around the World Showcase, I am usually struck by the colorful parasols that are on display in the China Pavilion.  To me the bright colors seem so refreshing against a bright sun. 

From the Liberty Square Bridge

I daresay that no one with a camera has resisted to the temptation to take at least one photograph of Cinderella Castle.  Truth be told, there are many of us who have hundreds of photographs of the castle in either print or digital versions.  That is okay.  It is the way Walt would want it. 

The challenge for those who go to the parks often, or anyone with an eye to make good photographs, is to find interesting ways to photography something that has been thousands of times.  Good photographers know that every good photograph should tell a story.  It is what we were taught.  However, not being a good photographer (yet), I struggle to grasp that.  After all, Cinderella Castle is one of the most photographed objects in the world.  Are there any new ways to capture it.  

So, in vain, I search, and sometimes I may find that one shot.  But when that doesn't happen, I am drawn to certain angles that I simply enjoy shooting.  This is one of those angles.  It is one of the quintessential photographs that all photographers must have.  I have more than a few like this.

An Orchid in the Oasis

Admittedly, Disney's Animal Kingdom is my least favorite of the four parks.  Not that there is anything wrong with it, I simply don't like it nearly as much as I do the Magic Kingdom and Epcot.  These were the parks that I fell in love with at an earlier age and I suppose my nostalgia for them will always keep them at the top of my list.

Still, there are some areas of the Animal Kingdom that are inspiring.  It is the one park that continues to grow, in that the foliage is not always kept in check and nature is allowed to flourish.  One area where this is evident is in the Oasis.  So many rush through the Oasis to get to the more exciting areas of the park.  That is a shame.  It is one of the more peaceful spots in all the parks.  If one will simply take the time to walk slowly through the Oasis, or better still, find a quiet out-of-the-way place to sit, you'll find your cares washing away as though you were standing under one of the nearby waterfalls.

It is what it an oasis is; "something that provides a refuge, relief, or pleasant contract."

At the corner of Hollywood and Sunset

If you have followed this blog for a short time, or a long time, you realize that I love to take photographs in the parks.  This is also true for after the sun has gone down. I still have much to learn with low light photography and believe that practice makes perfect.  So most trips to the parks includes some time to unpack the tripod, get out the remote shutter control, and have some nighttime fun.

One of my favorite parks to explore in the evening is Disney's Hollywood Studios.  I love the art deco design of Hollywood Blvd. and Sunset Blvd.  And the neon adds a design element that I appreciate just as much.  Here is nighttime look at Disney & Co. from the corner of Hollywood and Sunset.

If Ever...

… you and I get separated while in Epcot, this is where you shall find me. I'll either be on the bridge looking into France or on a bench, absorbing the atmosphere. Perhaps I'll be in Le Petite Rue, sitting at a cafe table with a glass of wine and a baguette, looking up at a window, dreaming.  After all, it is what I do best.  Dreaming. 

Take the Last Train to...

There are many behind the scenes tours of Walt Disney World that I would like to take. My trouble is that I seldom wish to give up precious time in the parks (onstage) to go behind the scenes (backstage). Over the course of my many trips to the parks, I have only managed two tours. The first was the Keys to the Kingdom Tour. Great tour and highly recommended. 

My second tour was this past November when two very dear friends and I woke up before dawn to make our way to the Magic Kingdom for the Magic Behind Our Stream Trains Tour. Again, a great tour and highly recommended. 

For me, no trip to Walt Disney World is complete without a grand circle tour of Walt Disney's Magic Kingdom. But I never fully appreciated the story and mechanics behind the trains. This tour fueled my understanding and appreciation of these marvelous engines. 

Our tour ended in the lobby of Main Street Station, having rode aboard the Walter E. Disney to get there. This is where our photo for today was taken.

Note:  During our tour we learned that the steam engines are in danger of being replaced by diesel engines that will have the appearance of steam engines. Trains were a core part of Walt Disney's life and the steam engines are reminder of that. They are part of the nostalgia that some of us love about the parks in general and Main Street in particular. If you care about preserving a part of Walt's heritage and the beauty of these engines, consider signing the petition at Save Disney Steam. And, next time you're in Walt Disney World, wake up early and go take the tour. You too will have a whole new appreciation for steam.

At An Oasis

One of the most soothing places I know of in all of Walt Disney World can be found in Disney's Animal Kingdom. They call it the Oasis.