Live Trip Updates From Disney w/ Photos!

[LBelle]

Right now, it is still not open. It has just been placed back in the park, which I was so happy about! However, I dont know the hours of the boat. I assume that you can ride it after dark but, I do remember them closing it many times before dark. I know I haven't helped you at all but, I guess I'll just have to wait and see what the running schedule will be after it reopens, but, I do know that most often it closes before the park closes.

Thanks for the reply!! I do appreciate the info. and can't believe you're actually taking the time do do ANY of this during your trip!!!

I also wanted to tell you that I checked out ALL of your photos from your site. Simply AMAZING!!!! I can't wait to get there and go photo crazy!! For me, it's half the enjoyment of being in WDW!!!!!

Thanks again for the up to the minute trip report!!!

 

[civileng68]

PS: Just two notes I forgot to mention:

A) You can see in the castle photo that the lower level garnishments on the castle have been removed (I think it looks better already!).

B) A couple near me at a parade had hired a Disney CM to spend the day with them and tell them all about WDW. I overhead them talking while waiting for a parade, and the CM told them that WDW has more lightning rods than any place in the world. Many times they are obvious but many times they are hidden. My wife and I began looking and it's as fun as looking for Hidden Mickeys. Look at Main St USA and see the tops of the buildings with the flag poles and you see lighting rods! Also, many buildings have lighting rods (about 6 inches tall) about every 4 feet. They are all over the place. I'd bet that WDW has over 100,000 lightning rods on the property.

C) The same CM was telling the couple that unlike the other buildings on Main St. the Exposition Hall is built to full scale on the upper floors so it could be taller, in need to keep guests from seeing the Contemporary Resort from Main St. USA. I knew this but had forgotten it.

Also, the second floor of the Exposition Hall contains offices which are used to head the Restaurants within WDW.

 

[civileng68]

Taken this afternoon:

 

[LBelle]

PS: Just two notes I forgot to mention:

A) You can see in the castle photo that the lower level garnishments on the castle have been removed (I think it looks better already!).

B) A couple near me at a parade had hired a Disney CM to spend the day with them and tell them all about WDW. I overhead them talking while waiting for a parade, and the CM told them that WDW has more lightning rods than any place in the world. Many times they are obvious but many times they are hidden. My wife and I began looking and it's as fun as looking for Hidden Mickeys. Look at Main St USA and see the tops of the buildings with the flag poles and you see lighting rods! Also, many buildings have lighting rods (about 6 inches tall) about every 4 feet. They are all over the place. I'd bet that WDW has over 100,000 lightning rods on the property.

C) The same CM was telling the couple that unlike the other buildings on Main St. the Exposition Hall is built to full scale on the upper floors so it could be taller, in need to keep guests from seeing the Contemporary Resort from Main St. USA. I knew this but had forgotten it.

Also, the second floor of the Exposition Hall contains offices which are used to head the Restaurants within WDW.

WOW!!! Great info!!! Thanks!!

 

[nluvwithmickey]

I want to thank you for doing such a fantastic job! I am absolutely in awe of these pictures. You have great talent and an obvious love of Disney. It doesn't just take a good camera to take good pictures beleive me!


So glad to know that you will keep on posting your live ''picture'' reports whenever you go back to WDW, it is a true joy to read and look at.

WOW!

 

[prowlerregal335m]

civileng68,great photos.I'm going to wdw in october.I hope to get some photos that are as good as the ones you take.I have a couple of questions for you.Are you shotting raw or jpeg? Could you post some of the camera settings under your photos.I have a canon 20d and would like to have a base guide line to go by.Thank you for all the time you spent posting your vacation reports and photos.

 

[prowlerregal335m]

civilen68,I also wanted to ask you about your flash.I don't know if your d200 has a flash or you use a external flash.Thanks again

 

[disneyfan61]

I am enjoying this post so much. Thanks for all you time while on vacation.
I'm usually so exhausted from touring all day that I go back to the room &
pass out!! I wish you're vacation wasn't ending!! We'll just have to
wait for the next one!! Thanks again for such a wonderful post. Have a safe
ride home.

 

[bcsmom]

This is the best report I have ever read. Keep up the awesome report & pictures

 

[civileng68]

civileng68,great photos.I'm going to wdw in october.I hope to get some photos that are as good as the ones you take.I have a couple of questions for you.Are you shotting raw or jpeg? Could you post some of the camera settings under your photos.I have a canon 20d and would like to have a base guide line to go by.Thank you for all the time you spent posting your vacation reports and photos.

I shoot ONLY in RAW. If you want to print your photos or view them in a large format, you should shoot in RAW. However, most photosharing programs do not accept RAW photos, so for sharing, I have to copy them as Jpeg (keeping my RAWs in another folder).

If you shoot in Jpeg, when you make the photo very large, you'll notice that the quality is greatly diminished. Another reason to shoot raw is that, if you want to crop your photo you can do so without losing quality.

Also, RAW stores much more data than a JPEG. Granted you get MANY less photos, but the quality is great.

 

[civileng68]

civilen68,I also wanted to ask you about your flash.I don't know if your d200 has a flash or you use a external flash.Thanks again

My camera does have a flash but, I also use an external flash. The external flash I use can shoot up to 50', which is great when trying to get things further off.

The thing I do that surprises most people (not those who shoot alot) is that I use my flash during the day time. It removes dark shadows. For example: Look at the photo of the car on main street usa. By using the flash, I was able to remove any shadows and not only see the things in the distance but have a nice close shot with very little darkness.

I did however, have a cheaper flash for this trip (the external one) and I broke it (not that it mattered since I hated it to begin with) so now I guess it's time to shell out for a Nikon Speedflash.

 

[civileng68]

Well, here shortly, we are off to Disney/MGM Studios. I hope to get many more great photos today! I'll give a final report and a final word after the I get home. We are going home tonight after the park closes and it will be late when we get home so I'll probably post the report and photos tomorrow.

 

[ainmama2001]

These pictures are GORGEOUS! It's literally like I'm standing there!

 

[luvpoohbear]

Wow!!! Thanks so much for the outstanding trip report! Great pics too!!

I really enjoyed reading this!! Take care and have a safe trip home!

 

[makinorlando]

As usual awesome photos & trip report!

DD and I were in MK again yesterday for awhile, but never even looked at the castle... too funny. We entered and went up to the train station, watched a little parade -but I was focused on what was close by, then we rode to the train too and from Toontown and left!!!!

Now we know how observant I am sometimes not! We will surely check it out tomorrow morning!

Interesting lighting rod facts - they are all over down here... my DDs school has them every few feet as well. S

 

[AdventureGuru]

I dont think I've ever looked at a photo and had my stomach droop like I was actually on the ride!!! Your work really makes these rides come to life!
These are great!
Thank you

 

[Tink-n-Belle]

Thank you so much for the pictures. They are AWESOME!!!

You need to sell some to Disney to post in their pictorial books they sell or better yet publish your own!!!!

GREAT JOB!!!

 

[Timon]

Great photos! Thanks for taking the time to post while you are on vacation

 

[Lorelai]

This is so incredibly cool! What a great idea...I only wish that I had found this thread sooner, so that I could have made some requests!!

Thank you for bringing the magic to all of us who sit at home and dream of our "other" home.

By the way, you actually did take a photo of what one request would have been...The Liberty Belle. We are looking forward to riding on it this spring. In 2005 we missed it because we waited until evening. Then in 2006, it was closed! Can't wait for spring!!

Thanks again!! Your photos & reports are fantastic!

 

[prowlerregal335m]

civileng68,can you recomnend any books or web sites to learn how to do raw files?I have what came with my camera but I don't understand it.Thanks,keep posting your photos they are awesome.