"I Don't Wanna Go Home" Lots of Pics **Updated 10/17, Day 2 - Part 6 - Page 5

Last year, I had a point and shoot, but now I have a Rebel XT. I hope my picture quality will improve on our next trip! I can tell an obvious difference at home, but I am looking forward to using it at WDW!
 
I love reading yout trip report I think the more pictures the better. Your pictures of the castle are some of the best I have seen posted.:thumbsup2
 
I think some of my castle pics are very good and I attribute a lot it to having a circular polarizing filter on my lens. The polarizing filter really makes the sky pop, which in the case of the castle enhances the roofing.

MickeyMomto2: You WILL notice the difference. If you're not shooting in RAW I highly recomend it. It takes some time to post process the pics, but in the long run its worth it.
 
Your photos capture the true meaning of Disney Magic. The expressions on your girls' faces when they meet the characters is absolutely beautiful! Its so hard to believe that your youngest had a fear of characters at one time!
 

wow! we were there on the same day... in fact, we were at MK on the same day. I have to say that I don't remember seeing you guys...but you may have noticed us...since we did have a pretty obvious power wheelchair with us. :) Anyway...can't wait to hear the rest of your report! I am subscribing! :)
 
So let me start by saying there is really nothing that can compare to the feeling you get sitting back on a warm, late September afternoon, watching your two daughters laugh and play with such a beautiful and unique backdrop

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The Grand Marshall's and the Main Street Philharmonic kicked of the parade, followed by a promotional float for Sleeping Beauty.

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There was a big enough gap in time between the Sleeping Beauty float and the actual parade the the cast members let the kids back on the street for some Red Light - Green Light and some Simon Says.

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The girls retuned to our spot as the parade was approaching the hub.

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The next segment of this TR will be more of a photo journal with little or no comentary. You folks want pictures... I can give you pictures. So without further ado let the parade begin.

Parade
 
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I would have never expected to see the mops from Fantasia. Very cool.

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I'd really like someone to explain to me how this assembly of characters was formed.
I can't figure out how Stitch, Brier Fox, Brier Bear, Nikko, Fryer Tuck, Robin Hood, Baloo, and Rafiki fit together.


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After the parade we decided we needed a snack.

To Be Continued...

Day 2: Magic Kingdom - Part 4
 
I finally got caught up reading and looking at all the pics - your daughters are so adorable! They are exactly what Disney is all about - how precious :love: You must be so proud!!

As far as the random characters, who knows?!! Just throw extras in who showed up at work today??
 
After the parade we were ready for a snack, and since we had credits to burn we all were going to get something. Our first stop was the Main Street Ice Cream Parlor. Ariel got a waffle cone of Vanilla and Dora a waffle cone of Chocolate. 2 more snack credits down 2 to go. Next we headed over to the Main Street Bakery were we used a CS credit to get an Ice Cream Cookie sandwich, a cinnamon bun, a crumb cake and a diet coke for DW. We had another CS credit and were not sure how, if at all, we would use it.

Pumped with energy of an ice cream induced sugar high, we depart toward... well any were but the exit. We end up, after several pleas by the girls, stopping to watch the 4:30 showing of Dream Along with Mickey. The girls really loved this show.

Obviously I took pics during this show, here are some of the best.

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Dora wanted to go "Hug em" and decided that she needed to tell Cinderella something. This was really no suprise as she had been so befuddled with Cinderella this morning. We decided that we needed to hit the princess meet and greet in Toontown before the end of the day. The show wraped at 4:50, so we only had a couple of hours before park closing at 7:00 and more importantly for our 7:35 ADR at WCC.

To Be Continued...
Day2: Magic Kingdom -Storytime with Belle, Princesses (Part 5)
 
Loving your TR and your pics. I kept thinking they looked like a professional took them. I have been wanting a SLR and the XSI is a Consumer
Reports best pick, so guess your pics have completely made up my mind which one to purchase.

Oh, per your previous question, you can never, never have too many pics in your TR!
 
The Canon Xsi is a great camera. It is one of the many products I will promote and recommend over the course of this TR. The flexibility that comes with a dSLR is great.

Warning! TR Tangent Ahead!
Be Prepared for Excessive Geek Speak


I shoot with 2 different lenses. I only used the 17-55mm (kit lens) at meals and character meet and greets. The long end of this lens is not long enough out in the park, for example. Most of my other pictures are taken with a Canon 28-135 EF, f3.5-5.6 IS USM lens that cost around $400 on-line. Now I LOVE this lens. Even though its a bit heavier than the kit lens, it is an awesome walk around lens. I also use a good circular polarizing filter which was around $80.

My experience is that when you get a new gadget, you end up needing more new gadgets for your new gadget. I've spent as much on the extras (lenses, memory cards, bags, filters, etc.) as I did for the camera body and kit lens.

Some retailers will sell a kit that includes an EF/S 75-300mm lens, which I would advise anyone to avoid.

The one thing I learned I needed in my bag, which I did not have on this trip was a good external flash. The internal flash on the Xsi and most camera was just not strong enough in some situations and often took too long to recycle; causing me to miss shots while waiting on the flash. I think I would have used my 28-135mm lens more often if I would have had a external flash as well. Changing lenses on the fly is easier and safer than changing filters. With the circular polarizing filter on the 28-135mm I find its even tougher for internal flash to compensate in low light.
 
Did you have to use flash in the character meals? I have a 50mm lens that works well in low light, but it doesn't zoom, making it more difficult to use in tight spaces like the meals. I know some meals are brighter than others (Crystal Palace during the day is pretty light, whereas Donald's Breakfast at the old Dinoland location was not). What was your experience?
 
I had to use my flash at all the character meals execpt our Breakfast at Crystal Palace. I figured that at CRT and PSB I would need the flash, I was suprised that I needed it at Chef Mickey's Dinner.

My 28-135mm was just not wide enough for some of the table shots at the characters meals. You can find fixed 10mm lenses but they are not cheep. You can also find the Canon EF/S 17-55 IS (kit) lense as a separate for less than $150. I never had a problem being wide enough at 17mm.


Get ready for what will be one of my favorate parts of this TR... comming up tomorrow.

I had planned on getting it done tonight but ended up watching the Presidential Debate and now my brain hurts too bad to get into it now. Off to bed.:faint:
 
Love your TR!! Your daughters are adorable and you can just tell they are loving everything you are seeing and doing!!! Keep the pictures coming, they are some of the best I have seen!!:thumbsup2
 
After Dream Along with Mickey ended, we exited the hub headed through Fantasyland toward Toontown to meet the princesses. Our plan was to stop along the way at the Restrooms behind the Enchanted Grove. DW had found these earlier in the day and they be came a common stopping place for us. I really liked the fact that they had kid size sinks. As we passed the Fairytale Garden the Tremain's were out, but unfortunately the line was closed. Despite the fact that neither of our girls are fans of villains, they wanted to meet the "Step Sisters". We made a promise that we would find them later in the trip. I was afraid that was a promise that would be tough to keep.

We noticed that the 5:15 Storytime will Belle was only a few minutes away. I grabbed a seat while DW took the girls to the potty. The girls wanted to sit front and center, my seat was neither, so they ended up moving. We all really loved this show and since this were the girls first princess meeting since breakfast this morning they were very excited to hug Belle.

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Once we left Belle we headed for Toontown, for the Toontown Hall of Fame Princess meeting and what would turn into one of the most memorable moments of the trip. Dora wanted to see Cinderella. This morning she was to awestruck and befuddled to really engage with Cindy. (Not to mention that CRT really pushes you through the Photo Op). Dora had been saying for several hours that she needed to tell Cinderella something. Now she was itching to see her, to hug her, to talk to her. This was all very interesting to DW and me as before the trip Dora's favorite princess was Fairytale Dora. Although she knew the Disney Princesses, she had not had the patients or interest to watch any of the princess movies in order to develop a favorite. Boy had that changed; and Cinderella was her favorite. After a short time in line, her time had come. (Ariel was pretty excited too.)

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Cinderella talking about Dora's Shirt

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My favorite picture/memory of the trip. This is biggest smile I have ever seen on Dora, she was not posing for the camera, she just turned to DW a busted out this smile.

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One more note: This was probably the best Cinderella of the trip. She was not awkward looking most of the other and she just had "it" while interacting with our girls. Her affection seem so authentic. True Magic.

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Ariel kept asking how Belle was able to beat us over her from her storytime, "She even had time to change her dress." We told her that Belle must have taken a secret passageway and that Belle also must be a fast runner.

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Ariel had some great interaction with this Aurora. They talked about her shirt, her finger nail color, which happened to match Aurora's Dress, if her mommy painted her finger nails, and if her mommy was "a Queen too." It was all very cute.

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By the time we finished with the princesses it was 6:10 and we need to make it back to the front of the park to catch a boat over to Wilderness Lodge for our 7:30 ADR at Whispering Canyon. We had plenty of time, or so we thought. You see Disney is smart. As we exited the from the princesses in to the Hall of Fame Tent store, both girls wanted to buy something, their souvenir of the day. Dora almost immediately found and selected a Minnie in her Dream's outfit or "Cinderella Clothes" (hey, she can think whatever she wants). Ariel was a bit scattered, picking item after item, but never settling on anything. She had wanted to do the My Little Pony box, but we just did not have time to do it right, plus I figured that Once Upon a Toy would have a better selection. We promises that we would do the Ponies just not now, and that if she would listen that We would get her a little something extra for being cooperative. She obliged and we were off toward the exit. It was now after 6:30 and I was afraid we were now cutting it too close.

To Be Continued...
Day 2: Dinner at WCC - Part 6
 
Great, great TR!!! I am loving it. My DD is 3 and we are taking her in March. I hope she has reactions like your DD! That was true magic. Mine too is afraid of the characters, so we talk a lot about how big the characters will be. She already meet Jasmine in NYC, so I hope that helps! And your photos are amazing. I have camera envy....although my husband promised me a new camera in January, so this might be it. But you have a good eye as well...a camera doesn't do it all. Looking forward to reading more...
 












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