Best Resort for Photos?

[Sizzle]

We are having our ceremony at the Swan. We originally were going to use the Boardwalk for our First Glance photos, but our entire family will be staying there so I want a new location (one where people aren't likely to walk by or see us together before the wedding)

We are staying at the Contemporary, but I haven't been to the property in person so I'm not how the surroundings are for photos.

In a perfect world, the spot would have something Disney visible (MGM, Spaceship Earth, Castle etc)

Any hidden gems or other suggestions??

 

[DarkPhant0m]

I would love to hear suggestions as well! I'm going through the same thought process right now as to where to have our photos done. Here's what I was thinking since we're having a Swan wedding as well:

We're probably going to stay at OKW (tentative) and I'm hoping for a nice spot somewhere around there to do our first look. Then we're planning on going to CBR and the Poly for pictures there as well. I want a tropical look and from some of the stock photos I've seen around those two resorts it seems to be what I want. Although, I've never been to any of these resorts, so I would love to hear suggestions, and I'm always willing to consider new ideas!

Hope my plan gives you a few more ideas to consider! As if there weren't enough already

~AnnaLe

 

[tric8783]

I think the Contemoporary is very "Disney" to take pictures! You can definitely get Space Mountain in the back! Are you staying in BLT or the CR? If you're in BLT, I highly recommend doing your first look at the Top of the World - it's the top deck of the tower, there is a lounge up there as well (but access is only for DVC members. If youre renting points to stay in BLT you might be able to still get up there, not sure how that works. There is a huge open space and youll defintiely get to have the MK in the background. If you take pictures at BW or BC, you'll get a partial view of the ball in the background, OR you could do a first look still at BW but on the waterway to HS side, behind the villas, that way guests wouldn't see you back there, and you could have Tower of Terror in your pics. Photobucket is blocked at work but I can upload pics if I can find them to FB

 

[tric8783]

I would love to hear suggestions as well! I'm going through the same thought process right now as to where to have our photos done. Here's what I was thinking since we're having a Swan wedding as well:

We're probably going to stay at OKW (tentative) and I'm hoping for a nice spot somewhere around there to do our first look. Then we're planning on going to CBR and the Poly for pictures there as well. I want a tropical look and from some of the stock photos I've seen around those two resorts it seems to be what I want. Although, I've never been to any of these resorts, so I would love to hear suggestions, and I'm always willing to consider new ideas!

Hope my plan gives you a few more ideas to consider! As if there weren't enough already

~AnnaLe

Are you getting married at S/D too? OKW is relatively close to CBR, but if youre looking to drive from OKW to the Poly and back to S/D before your ceremony, you're going to need like hours. They're definitely 15-20 minutes driving there plus time to get situated and take pictures and then get back. Up to you obviously! I think the grounds at OKW are really gorgeous and you'd get some really nice shots with the golf courses and all the flowers! If by tropical you mean lots of palms and etc, I think that's most of the resorts since you're in FL!

 

[DarkPhant0m]

Are you getting married at S/D too? OKW is relatively close to CBR, but if youre looking to drive from OKW to the Poly and back to S/D before your ceremony, you're going to need like hours. They're definitely 15-20 minutes driving there plus time to get situated and take pictures and then get back. Up to you obviously! I think the grounds at OKW are really gorgeous and you'd get some really nice shots with the golf courses and all the flowers! If by tropical you mean lots of palms and etc, I think that's most of the resorts since you're in FL!

Not to hijack the OP's thread, but yes I'm a Swan bride as well. We are going to have about 2 - 2.5 hours before the ceremony that I have planned out for us to just take pictures, no family, no kids, just us. Family/kids pictures will be afterwards at the Boardwalk. But thanks for letting me know about getting from OKW to the Poly! I guess it was just looking closer on the map And you're right about all of the resorts being tropical. I just liked the way the stock photos of CBR looked and I thought maybe if we could sneak in time for the Poly then we could get Monorail pics too. I was also thinking about changing resorts to AKV (I'm trying to rent points, but to no avail yet. Still seems high to me ) so that might change things.

Thanks for the suggestions with the Contemporary, too! I guess I didn't think about having any "Disney" in the background, since we are getting married there, it would be nice Guess it's back to the drawing board for me!

 

[Jilian]

Grand Floridian or the Polynesian! You can get monorail shots at both I'm a huge fan of the GF so that is where we are having our pictures done. I just love the chandellier and the big windows.

 

[Sizzle]

If you take pictures at BW or BC, you'll get a partial view of the ball in the background, OR you could do a first look still at BW but on the waterway to HS side, behind the villas, that way guests wouldn't see you back there, and you could have Tower of Terror in your pics. Photobucket is blocked at work but I can upload pics if I can find them to FB

Oh yes, please send me some pics on FB! Thanks Tricia! I feel so helpless sometimes when I'm trying to make all these decisions but I haven't seen any of these resorts in person (was a value resort girl lol)

The whole family is staying at the Boardwalk but we're not using DVC points so I guess the lounge is out. Too bad, it sounds great!!

I wish I could see some pictures from a bride or even family pictures at Contemporary, I can only find stock photos online and it's so hard to tell.

 

[MrsDrewsky]

Oh yes, please send me some pics on FB! Thanks Tricia! I feel so helpless sometimes when I'm trying to make all these decisions but I haven't seen any of these resorts in person (was a value resort girl lol)

The whole family is staying at the Boardwalk but we're not using DVC points so I guess the lounge is out. Too bad, it sounds great!!

I wish I could see some pictures from a bride or even family pictures at Contemporary, I can only find stock photos online and it's so hard to tell.

Our photographer is Randy, and he highly recommended the Poly for photos with the castle in the background.

 

[tinkerbell 766]

I think the Contemoporary is very "Disney" to take pictures! You can definitely get Space Mountain in the back! Are you staying in BLT or the CR? If you're in BLT, I highly recommend doing your first look at the Top of the World - it's the top deck of the tower, there is a lounge up there as well (but access is only for DVC members. If youre renting points to stay in BLT you might be able to still get up there, not sure how that works. There is a huge open space and youll defintiely get to have the MK in the background. If you take pictures at BW or BC, you'll get a partial view of the ball in the background, OR you could do a first look still at BW but on the waterway to HS side, behind the villas, that way guests wouldn't see you back there, and you could have Tower of Terror in your pics. Photobucket is blocked at work but I can upload pics if I can find them to FB

Just wanted to chime in as we had photos taken at BLT, GF and the Poly (also at the BW and at the Swan). All are lovely locations with very different photo opportunities. Just remember that Top of the World Lounge is not (as yet) open during the day - although with a bit of fore planning you may be able to access the balcony. We considered this, but although the balcony affords lovely views over the MK, it is made of quite ugly (IMHO) concrete, which does not really make for pretty pictures!!! We ended up contenting ourselves with a trip to the TOTWL for fireworks during the evening of our VR. On Randy's suggesation, we did our 'first look' photos outside at BLT (where we were staying), by the beautiful fountain. Contemporary and BLT is (as the name suggests) very modern and chic.

The GF provides Victorian splendor and a beautiful beach

The Poly provides, of course, more beach but in a more informal, tropical setting. We did our lovely relaxed TTD session here

IMHO you cannot go wrong with any of these gorgeous locations - it just depends what sort of look you are going for!!

Good luck with your decisions!!