Magic Kingdom Castle Crane

[taterheads]

Does anyone know if the crane for removing lights from the castle is down yet and if it isn't any ideas when it'll be moved? Going in 2 weeks and don't want that thing in pics. If it's still there any suggestions (not including photoshop) to keep its hideousness out of pics? Thanks!

 

[rimomma66]

Last I heard it was there until March because they're refurbing the castle at the same time.

 

[Belle61513]

Every stinkin' time I'm there.
I swear.

 

[taterheads]

Ugh! I didn't realize they were doing refurbishments. I thought it was just normal taking down lights stuff. I don't have photo shop so how do I get a pic of family in front of the castle without the huge hideous pain in the butt? Anyone?

 

[themcive4]

Ugh! I didn't realize they were doing refurbishments. I thought it was just normal taking down lights stuff. I don't have photo shop so how do I get a pic of family in front of the castle without the huge hideous pain in the butt? Anyone?

I guess we just have to get creative with our angles when we take the photos. I will be there the last week of Feb and I was really disappointed when I heard about the crane

 

[TeamSy]

We were there last week and it was there then too. I guess I should consider myself pretty lucky as this is the first time I've actually seen it in person. I'll admit, I used to think "who care, people are making a big deal out of nothing," but wow - it really is hideous!

So we went to MK 3 times during our trip last week, and I will say this.
1) At first I thought about photoshopping it out, but the more I thought about it, I decided against doing that. This is when our trip was this year, and the crane happened to be up. It reflects our trip so I'm not going to change it. Plus, I don't know about you, but with the amount of pictures I take, that would be a lot of work.
2) Taking pictures from different angles will definitely allow for some crane-less shots, especially the closer you get. Looking from main street, there's was a great spot for us on the right side on the path next to the castle ramp. The rose garden/boat landing area at times was decent too.
3) At night, I don't know if it was dark or they just completely took it down (it was windy, so maybe there was a risk with the high winds), but we got some great, crane-less shots then, as the ugly yellow crane was nowhere to be seen.
4) Keep an eye on it during the day. They were working on it, so the crane moved. At one point, it was sort of behind the castle and wasn't visible at all. You sort of have to be quick because five minutes later it was back.

Good luck

 

[MermaidMommy]

The reported hours that they will be doing work using the crane is 11:00pm-7pm, so the crane should be down every night from 7-11 ( before and after Wishes). It might go down randomly at other times during the day as well. I'm hoping it will still be light enough at 7 to get a good photo in without the crane one night.

 

[peripixie]

Last I heard it was there until March because they're refurbing the castle at the same time.

When it March? Surely it will be down by Spring Break season...we're there starting 3/7.

 

[MermaidMommy]

Nope. The end of March, unfortunately. We're there that same week, too, and quite disappointed at all of the closures, crane, Monorail, etc. going on in Peak season.

 

[ariel326]

meh, I didn't really think it was that bad. We got good shots at night with all 3 of us thanks to memory maker and you can't see it at all. I also got a few shots of all of during the day. I can photoshop them out, its not that hard.

And if I really want a super good picture of the castle, well, that is what google images are for. LOL.

 

[taterheads]

We were there last week and it was there then too. I guess I should consider myself pretty lucky as this is the first time I've actually seen it in person. I'll admit, I used to think "who care, people are making a big deal out of nothing," but wow - it really is hideous! So we went to MK 3 times during our trip last week, and I will say this. 1) At first I thought about photoshopping it out, but the more I thought about it, I decided against doing that. This is when our trip was this year, and the crane happened to be up. It reflects our trip so I'm not going to change it. Plus, I don't know about you, but with the amount of pictures I take, that would be a lot of work. 2) Taking pictures from different angles will definitely allow for some crane-less shots, especially the closer you get. Looking from main street, there's was a great spot for us on the right side on the path next to the castle ramp. The rose garden/boat landing area at times was decent too. 3) At night, I don't know if it was dark or they just completely took it down (it was windy, so maybe there was a risk with the high winds), but we got some great, crane-less shots then, as the ugly yellow crane was nowhere to be seen. 4) Keep an eye on it during the day. They were working on it, so the crane moved. At one point, it was sort of behind the castle and wasn't visible at all. You sort of have to be quick because five minutes later it was back. Good luck

Thanks! Good info! I'll be keeping my eyes open for a time to get a good shot without the crane. I'm not worried about pics in a scrapbook but it'd be nice to have a bigger pic sans crane that I can frame.

 

[taterheads]

The reported hours that they will be doing work using the crane is 11:00pm-7pm, so the crane should be down every night from 7-11 ( before and after Wishes). It might go down randomly at other times during the day as well. I'm hoping it will still be light enough at 7 to get a good photo in without the crane one night.

Is that 11am to 7pm or 11pm to 7am the next morning. Sorry, I'm confused. I ask because we have a CP reservation before park open one morning an thought maybe the won't have started working yet and the crane might be down. That's probable hoping for too much but that'd be great. I just really want one crane less frameable picture if the family in front of the castle. Guess we'll see if the magic favors me and it works out. For the night pictures do you just use your flash? I guess since the castle is lit it still shows up well. I've never tried to take in the dark group shots- or not had much luck of them being frame worthy.

 

[MermaidMommy]

Is that 11am to 7pm or 11pm to 7am the next morning. Sorry, I'm confused. I ask because we have a CP reservation before park open one morning an thought maybe the won't have started working yet and the crane might be down. That's probable hoping for too much but that'd be great. I just really want one crane less frameable picture if the family in front of the castle. Guess we'll see if the magic favors me and it works out. For the night pictures do you just use your flash? I guess since the castle is lit it still shows up well. I've never tried to take in the dark group shots- or not had much luck of them being frame worthy.

It's 11:00pm-7:00pm, so it'll go up shortly after Wishes at night and will be up until a little bit before Wishes the next day. I'm hoping to catch it down sometime during the day, as my iPhone doesn't take the best night pictures, and that's all I'm using these days.

 

[mesaboy2]

Is that 11am to 7pm or 11pm to 7am the next morning. Sorry, I'm confused. I ask because we have a CP reservation before park open one morning an thought maybe the won't have started working yet and the crane might be down. That's probable hoping for too much but that'd be great. I just really want one crane less frameable picture if the family in front of the castle. Guess we'll see if the magic favors me and it works out. For the night pictures do you just use your flash? I guess since the castle is lit it still shows up well. I've never tried to take in the dark group shots- or not had much luck of them being frame worthy.

I think that's a typo--usually it does it's thing during daylight hours, and honestly I wouldn't be surprised to see it up earlier than 11:00a on any day.

 

[ariel326]

I think that's a typo--usually it does it's thing during daylight hours, and honestly I wouldn't be surprised to see it up earlier than 11:00a on any day.

It was up when we were at the MK at 9ish am.
It was up the following day when we rode the monorail to Epcot also at 9ish am.

And truthfully I think it was up when they did the wishes, it was just dark and you couldn't see it.

 

[mesaboy2]

It was up when we were at the MK at 9ish am. It was up the following day when we rode the monorail to Epcot also at 9ish am.

And truthfully I think it was up when they did the wishes, it was just dark and you couldn't see it.

Hmm, okay. I don't remember it being used much in past years at night for taking down lights, but maybe with the other refurb effort going on they are going nights too. Thanks!

 

[MermaidMommy]

I think that's a typo--usually it does it's thing during daylight hours, and honestly I wouldn't be surprised to see it up earlier than 11:00a on any day.

I hope it's a typo! However, there was a thread last week (sorry-don't know how to link to it on my phone) that discussed the times, and it was reported there that the Wdwmagic forum administrator confirmed the times as 11pm-7pm. Maybe it will end up being a mistake after all!

 

[taterheads]

Don't want to be a Debbie Downer but YUCK!

 

[smraynor]

The castle is obviously "the" photo that everyone wants for their Magic Kingdom memory. I'd be curious how the official photographers work around the crane.

At the same time I have to give credit to Disney because I've always thought that it is so strange to have an oversized castle sitting at the end of a turn of the century US small town street. But somehow it visually works. Kudos to the imagineers.

 

[Dasha Hermosilla]

The castle is obviously "the" photo that everyone wants for their Magic Kingdom memory. I'd be curious how the official photographers work around the crane. At the same time I have to give credit to Disney because I've always thought that it is so strange to have an oversized castle sitting at the end of a turn of the century US small town street. But somehow it visually works. Kudos to the imagineers.

The crane is in the PP photos- just the way it is. Someone mentioned you can get a good shot at night w/o the crane to the right of the castle on the bridge to tomorrow land near where they have Mickey and Minnie topiary. At night there was a PP person there.