An Instagrammable and Dole Whippy 4th of July Trip Report!**UPDATED 3/4

[Caretames1]

Your pictures are AWESOME!! Pictures of the Castle during Wishes are my favorite in all if Disney. I'd be proud if those were mine.

 

[rustyanchor]

yeah great fireworks pics! the 2nd one is my favorite i think. it is really a shame about that guy's head. but honestly i don't think i would have even noticed if you hadn't mentioned it!

 

[Txshadow]

Your firework pictures are beautiful! My crowd hating husband has finally agreed to see the fireworks from inside MK for the first time during our September trip and I am so looking forward to it. We usually see them from one of the resorts around the lagoon.

 

[Pixel Dust]

Your fireworks photos turned out great! Don't sell yourself short.

The hardest part of taking fireworks photos is securing a good spot among the crowd.

 

[UGAFan0829]

I just gotta say that I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED your fireworks pictures! They are beyond awesome, and you are far from a first-timer! I would love to be able to take pics like that! Amazing!

 

[elphie101]

I LOVE trying to get castle photos while on the PeopleMover - yours came out pretty good!

Guess I'm not missing too much at Casey's - I know some people adore it but I've never liked hot dogs so I couldn't care less

HOLY RAIN BATMAN! Though on the bright side (or dark side) a cloudy sky does make for some fantastic castle photos!

Your firework photos are fantastic! Almost like a postcard!

Can't wait till your next update!

 

[DisneyKid4Life]

Yup, I know the exact spot you were in for Wishes though I've never been there myself. I actually did have that spot right at the walkway line in Disneyland though. It's so nice not to be right behind someone. Well, despite big head

Rachel, you should be proud of those fireworks photos. Seriously, they were spectacular!! Thank you for sharing!

 

[MEK]

So you found a great spot afterall and your fireworks pictures turned out perfect. Nice work!

 

[cfw213]

Rachel, your pictures are amazing!!! What settings did you use?? I would love to get pics to use but I'm too lazy to tote around a tripod. I'll just admire yours

ETA: What kind of camera bag do you use in the park??

 

[marDgreen88]

Love the fireworks pictures! It must have been so cool to see the show for the 4th!

 

[rachel09985]

Just got caught up, randomly one of my good friends got a job at a bank in down town and started work Monday also! Maybe they are co-workers. LTT is one of my favorite lunch spots even when it's hot out! Heads up not sure if you have discovered it yet but there is a dole whip stand at the MN state fair, and last year they just had cups or cones of pineapple, orange,or swirl but this year it says they have floats also. Love the fireworks pictures the last one is my favorite!

That is weird! I bet they had training together if she/he works at TCF. I did get dole whip last year at the fair. I think we are going this Saturday to the fair so I will probably get some! I think I got a float last year too! It wasn't as good as MK but it was still ok!

Great firework pictures!

Thank you!!

Fantastic fireworks pictures! What settings did you use? Did you use a remote? My tripod is coming with me this trip. I'll be happy to get ONE good fireworks picture.

I don't know why settings I used off the top of my head but I know I used ISO 100, f 9-f12 and I let the shutter speed think for itself! It was the first time I ever used my tripod in the parks!

Your pictures are AWESOME!! Pictures of the Castle during Wishes are my favorite in all if Disney. I'd be proud if those were mine.

Thank you! I love Wishes pictures too. Definitely my favorite night time show.

yeah great fireworks pics! the 2nd one is my favorite i think. it is really a shame about that guy's head. but honestly i don't think i would have even noticed if you hadn't mentioned it!

Haha I know I was like so mad about that guy's head. That is what a lot of people said, that they didn't even notice it until someone mentioned it. So maybe I shouldn't worry too much! Thank you for the compliment.

Your firework pictures are beautiful! My crowd hating husband has finally agreed to see the fireworks from inside MK for the first time during our September trip and I am so looking forward to it. We usually see them from one of the resorts around the lagoon.

Aw thanks!! You should stake out seats on the train station. If you find seats crowds won't be too bad! Fireworks in MK are magical!

Your fireworks photos turned out great! Don't sell yourself short.

The hardest part of taking fireworks photos is securing a good spot among the crowd.

Thanks! Yeah I definitely need that diffuser thing to lower the light but right now photography supplies aren't in my budget! I really want a new camera next. And I need that remote shutter!!

I just gotta say that I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED your fireworks pictures! They are beyond awesome, and you are far from a first-timer! I would love to be able to take pics like that! Amazing!

Thank you!! I hope I can continue to keep getting better throughout the years. I love to practice photography in disney.

I LOVE trying to get castle photos while on the PeopleMover - yours came out pretty good!

Guess I'm not missing too much at Casey's - I know some people adore it but I've never liked hot dogs so I couldn't care less

HOLY RAIN BATMAN! Though on the bright side (or dark side) a cloudy sky does make for some fantastic castle photos!

Your firework photos are fantastic! Almost like a postcard!

Can't wait till your next update!

No I don't like Casey's!! I do want to try the corn dog nuggets though!!!Yes, there was a LOT of rain!! The clowds were sweet though!! It is kind of fun to be in MK with a huge storm.

Yup, I know the exact spot you were in for Wishes though I've never been there myself. I actually did have that spot right at the walkway line in Disneyland though. It's so nice not to be right behind someone. Well, despite big head

Rachel, you should be proud of those fireworks photos. Seriously, they were spectacular!! Thank you for sharing!

That spots nice! I never knew they kept a walkway open like in the middle of Main Street. There were people that passed by but they didn't show up on my pics too bad. Thanks for the compliment! I am proud of them

So you found a great spot afterall and your fireworks pictures turned out perfect. Nice work!

Thanks! I was so pleased with the spot.

Rachel, your pictures are amazing!!! What settings did you use?? I would love to get pics to use but I'm too lazy to tote around a tripod. I'll just admire yours

ETA: What kind of camera bag do you use in the park??

Aw thank you! I used ISO 100 and I did the AV mod where it chooses the shutter speed. I kept it at f 9-12 and just let the shutter think for itself. I actually don't bring a camera specific bag in! I know this isn't good but I use my vera bradley backpack. I only have 3 lenses so they don't take up much space.

Love the fireworks pictures! It must have been so cool to see the show for the 4th!

Thanks! it was cool! We were packed in like sardines but I loved it so much!!!

 

[saintstickets]

Really, really, REALLY great fireworks pics!! I hope mine in October turn out half as good. What's your secret (beside location)? Great TR... normally a lurker but had to come out of lurkdom with those pics!

 

[rachel09985]

Really, really, REALLY great fireworks pics!! I hope mine in October turn out half as good. What's your secret (beside location)? Great TR... normally a lurker but had to come out of lurkdom with those pics!

Aw thank you so much!!!! No secret really! Just the tripod helped and then a lot of random luck! And I have practiced before, still a lot more to practice but I am getting there. Thanks for coming out of lurkdom!

 

[rachel09985]

Happy 4th of July day!! Today was our Hollywood Studios day and I was so excited about being in Disney on a holiday! I have never been in Disney on an actual holiday.

HS was open at 8am today for AM EMH so my goal was to get there right at 8am. However, I was running slightly behind.

Horrible foggy photo of me while waiting for the bus



We got to HS at 8:20am. I feel like our bus dropped us off really far away. It wasn't even an actual bus stop.







Of course the first thing we did was to go to TSM to ride and then get fastpasses.

However, the wait was already at 50 minutes. I didn't really believe it because there was like no one in line but I didn't want to risk it. Instead, we just got fastpasses.

Our norm at HS is to go to STarring Rolls for breakfast so that is what we did!

We looked around but I couldn't find anything I really wanted.

Here were the holiday cupcakes. I wasn't really sold on trying one because they have an apple filling and I am not a huge apple fan.



Since we weren't getting anything at Starring Rolls I started begging Corey to go on Tower of Terror. See- he is very afraid of drops and he hates the feeling of his stomach dropping. He never wanted to do this but this time I was begging him and telling him that it really isn't that bad. So off we went. I was hoping I could get him on.





Luckily- he went on with me!!!! I was so excited as I normally have to do this by myself since he always is afraid. We were excited!! Well, I was, he was pretty nervous.







He was getting nervous and it was funny.





Tried to take a picture of us...didn't really come out though.



Before he knew it, it was over. He didn't think it was bad at all!!! The only thing that was bad was that his arm was digging into a bar on the side because he was right next to the wall and he had a bad indent that hurt him. So he didn't care for the cramped quarters. But he didn't think the drop was bad at all.

One of my other must do's was the Animation Studio. I have always wanted to try this so we did! Corey likes to draw and is good at it so I knew he would enjoy it.

Before the animation studio I stopped to trade a vinylmation.

It was Corey's first time witnessing a trade so we decided to pick 9 as one of our numbers. The one I got was the mariachi from the current park series!! I was happy about that because he was actually new.





We got to the animation studio at 9:08 and the first drawing of the day was at 9:30. I was ok with that! I was perfectly content to just sit there and wait.





Then we got to go in! We tried to do this before but weren't guaranteed a desk so we decided to pass. I was excited that we had a desk and they were perfect!!!





Since we were the first people of the day we had a choice to draw three characters. The options were Sorcerer Mickey, Tigger, and someone else. Of course we chose Sorcerer Mickey. I am so glad we got to draw Mickey for our first drawing class!!

Corey is such a perfectionist that he was behind the entire time. I was on time but my drawing was bad. The little kid next to Corey was getting so angry because he couldn't draw good. He was getting so frustrated and grunting and Corey thought it was funny.

This Mickey was hard because he wasn't straight on so it was hard to draw his profile and hard with that big ol hat.

When we were done with the class Corey was still finishing up so the instructor came to see how we were coming along. He took one look at Corey's and was pleased and then he came over to mine and started fixing it! He started drawing over my drawing what I should have done differently. I mean it isn't a huge deal but it was a little annoying because I was proud of my messed up drawing, I didn't want a professional to come in and fix it!

Oh well!

I wanted to stay for the next class because they were drawing Rapunzel! I was so sad.

When we got out of our class Sorcerer Mickey was out and I wanted SOO badly to have Corey and me take a picture of him with our drawings but Corey didn't want to. Once again, i was sad! I started to stand in line with him but it was just too long, so I passed.

Here are our drawings.

 

[Miss Potts]

Sorcerer Mickey is so cute!!! Great job to both of you!!

I'm glad you got Corey on TOT... That ride is too good to miss! Will he go again?!

 

[MrsDrewsky]

Your fireworks pics are awesome.

Ugh, I can feel the humidity from just looking at your pictures. I really salute you guys going in July with the humidity and the crowds.

I love the Mariachi vinylmation!

Great job drawing sorcerer mickey.

 

[blabbermouth]

Aww, I like both of your Sorcerer Mickeys!

Too bad you didn't find anything you liked at Starring Rolls and that wait for TSMM, wowza!

Glad Corey like TOT, it's SUCH a great ride. Maybe his arm hurt because he was holding on too tight

 

[Caretames1]

Your drawings are awesome!! We did that Mickey, and our looked like angry trolls.

 

[elphie101]

Fantastic drawings!!! I can never get my DBF to come to the class with me - well he'll come, but he won't draw! He says he's no good at it

Glad Gorey liked ToT! I hope you got him on it again!

 

[wiigirl]

Awesome pics!