Our 3rd Annual Holiday Trip to DL in November - November 22nd - 25th, 2013 Post #3416

[PrincessInOz]

The decorations are great but I keep looking for the snow in your pictures. Thanks Disney....for putting up such fantastic decorations; and thanks Bret for taking the pictures and sharing them.

 

[ACDSNY]

I'm finally caught up with your TR, the pics are beautiful. Disney really went to town with their decorations.

 

[franandaj]

Great Pictures Bret! I wish I was going to be able to get out there while the decorations are up.

 

[mvf-m11c]

The decorations are great but I keep looking for the snow in your pictures. Thanks Disney....for putting up such fantastic decorations; and thanks Bret for taking the pictures and sharing them.

The decorations are amazing during the Holiday season and the Imagineers did a great job at CL & BVS during the Holiday season. There is snow around in MS during the fireworks. Glad that you are enjoying the pictures PiO.

I'm finally caught up with your TR, the pics are beautiful. Disney really went to town with their decorations.

Thank you Angela.

Great Pictures Bret! I wish I was going to be able to get out there while the decorations are up.

Thank you Alison. I am surprised that you and Fran haven't gone to the DLR during the Holiday season. I thought that you might consider going during the Candlelight Processional. Hope that you will be able to make a trip during the Holiday season.


The next post will be up shortly.

 

[mvf-m11c]

Day 1 – November 16, 2012 – Part 6​

I left off just leaving Cars Land after seeing most of the Holiday decorations at each different building at Disney California Adventure. It was amazing to see all the different decorations at CL and now I am heading on out of CL and over to Pacific Wharf over to Paradise Pier to see the Holiday decorations. There are a few decorations at PP during the Holiday season which is fun to see especially the PP Christmas tree.

I just left CL and now in Pacific Wharf looking for any Holiday decorations. The only Holiday decorations at Pacific Wharf are the Christmas light trails.

I went down Ghirardelli to look at the menu to see if they have any peppermint ice cream. They didn’t have it on the menu so I just moved on over back to PP.

When I got over to PP, I head on over to see the Christmas tree and get some pictures. It was a little busy around PP over to the other side of PP.

Over right by Treasures of Paradise was Duffy meet and greet area that has the holiday decorations up.

I got over to the PP Christmas tree and like the last few years it has been the same with all the colorful ornaments that had hidden Mickey ornaments.

Can you find the Hidden Mickey in the tree?

Over at the Mickey meet and greet area right by the PP Christmas tree had a few wreaths for the quest so I had to get some pictures of the wreaths.

It was around 5:30pm and I told my DA that I would meet her at the ESPN Zone for dinner so I head on over to DTD and meet her at the restaurant. For the people who read my previous updates, we were planning on eating at the ESPN Zone for dinner and watch some NBA games that night. So I jettison out of DCA and over to DTD. But I did get a few more pictures on the way out before I left the park.

Passed by Redwood Creek Challenge Trail with garlands at the entrance

I went through the GCH entrance instead of going through the regular entrance at BVS since it would be faster to get out of the park and over to DTD.

When I went through the GCH, I was hoping that there would be any Holiday decorations up just after Thanksgiving. In the past, the tree at the GCH is up after Thanksgiving. I knew that the tree wasn’t up during my visit, the thing that I was hoping for during my visit was that Santa was at the GCH during my visit. I looked for Santa while walking in the GCH and there was no trace of him as well as the Christmas tree in the lobby. The rumor from my friend was not true and I didn’t have high expectations that Santa would be at the GCH. So I walked out of the GCH and now in DTD.

The first Christmas decorations at DTD was the regular trees with the Christmas lights on them. I took a few pictures of them until I head on over to the ESPN Zone to meet up with my DA. Also there were CL character banners on the light poles to promote the new CL and the decorations.

I found a wreath at the Build a Bear store

The Lego store looks amazing with all those Disney characters made out of Legos

When I approached the ESPN Zone restaurant, I was a little early with about 10 minutes to go until my DA arrived. So I went around the area to look at the Christmas Village that was the newest addition to DTD during the Holiday season.

When I looked at the Christmas Village with the ice rink which is where the Christmas tree used to be at DTD. It was a little dull and not that too decorated where there were a few box stands selling Holiday merchandise. I thought that the Christmas Village at DTD would be well decorated and more magical. It was a huge let down in my opinion when I saw the Village. While I was in the area, I also went around too look for any Holiday decorations the Ice Rink.

Right next to the Ice Rink were small trees with Christmas lights on them which didn’t have any decorations

Trees right by the Ice Rink

A look at the stands around the ESPN Zone and the Rainforest Café

Another stand right by the Movie Theater

I looked down towards the Hotel which had some decorations which should be very interesting to see.

Another Christmas tree right by the Ice Rink

When I looked at the ice rink, there were a few people skating in the ice rink including some young girls skating around. All the people had to wear helmets as a safety caution if they fall on the ice rink.

That’s it for this post from DTD and I will have more pictures of the Christmas Village.

 

[mvf-m11c]

Day 1 – November 16, 2012 – Part 7​

I left off at Downtown Disney and about to head on over to the ESPN Zone to have dinner with my DA. We always eat at the ESPN Zone as our favorite restaurant at the DLR since we are big sports fans. We mostly watch the NBA when the season is going on in Fall to the Summertime. I just came from Disney California Adventure looking at all the Holiday decorations before I met up with my DA. But before I head on over to the ESPN Zone, I had a few minutes until I met up with my DA and went around the Christmas Village that was part of the Holiday season at DTD. This is one of the newest additions to DTD during the Holiday season which is not that all great as it was advertised. A lot of the decorations are not all that great and it was on the cheap side. I was disappointed at first when I saw the Christmas Village at DTD.

I just left off right by the ice rink at DTD and I was getting as much pictures as I can of the Holiday decorations before I head on over to the ESPN Zone which was right by the ice rink.

There were some pillars with Holiday decorations right as you enter or leave the Disneyland Hotel

I didn’t go towards the DLH since the Holiday decorations are not up yet until it gets close to Thanksgiving time. I would have like to see the decorations up during my visit but that was not until that time. So I head on back towards DTD and over to the ESPN Zone.

When I was walking down, there was some Holiday/Christmas Village signs right as you enter DTD

More Christmas trees for the Quest which was right by the signs

I head on in towards the ESPN Zone and about to get a table for the two of us but my DA had already gotten their early so she just beat me at making reservations.

We only had to wait awhile to get seated in the restaurant. I mostly don’t get any pictures inside the restaurant since I have been told by the staff that they don’t want any pictures taken inside the restaurant. I always don’t know why they apply that rule while other restaurants at the DLR allow picture taking while being seated.

The two of us had a full course meal at the ESPN Zone for one hour. We had appetizers and entrees during our dinnertime. I had boneless buffalo wings and a bacon cheeseburger while my DA had the BBQ pizza and turkey burger.

After we finished around 7pm, my DA didn’t feel like going in the park, so told me that she will head on back towards the room to rest while I used my time to head on over to DL for “Believe…In Holiday Magic” fireworks that night at 8:45pm. It was less than 2 hours to get a spot for the fireworks in which I take about 2 hours or more for my spot. It was cutting close to the time but I also wanted to get over there to watch Sleeping Beauty Winter Castle show which SB castle will light up with the Holiday decorations.

So the two of us left the restaurant and head on over to our next destinations. We walked together all the way towards the esplanade while I head on over to DL while she walked back towards BWAI.

We split up at the esplanade and I head on over to DL while my DA went back to the room. When I got to the park, it was around 7:30pm and the fireworks started at 8:45pm which I don’t have a lot of time and I expected that the curb side in front of SB castle will be taken. So I walked fast on over to the Hub to get my spot for the fireworks.

I always like to get some pictures while I was walking down MS. It was quite busy around Town Square as I head on over to the Hub.

When I got to the Hub, there were people waiting for the fireworks and I had to be behind some people. I was not happy with my view and hope that there won’t be any people in front of me during the fireworks since I was planning on taking pictures of the firework trails of “Believe…In Holiday Magic” fireworks. I brought my usual equipment which was the DSLR camera, the video camera just in case if I wanted to tape the show instead of taking pictures and my tripod which I use all the time for the nighttime shows.

When I was setting up, the last show of SB Winter Castle show started and it started to snow during the show. A lot of people think that it only snows after the fireworks. But it will snow during SBWC show which will happen around the Hub.

SB during SBWC show

While I was waiting for the fireworks to start at 8:45pm, I took some different pictures with my camera on the settings. Hope these pictures are nice with the different settings that I have tried before the fireworks. Thanks again PiO for all the tips on the firework trails. I will also show pictures of SB with the info of my camera that I have used with my 35mm lens.

I also read on my iPad while I was waiting for the fireworks. Most of the people filled the streets in front of SB Castle with about 30 minutes until it was time for the fireworks. There were some people that were trying to get in the area for the fireworks.

Exposure: 1/60, Aperture: f/1.8, ISO: 400

Exposure: 1/80, Aperture: f/1.8, ISO: 400

Exposure: 1/80, Aperture: f/1.8, ISO: 200

Exposure: 1/80, Aperture: f/1.8, ISO: 1600

Exposure: 1 sec ,Aperture: f/9, ISO: 200

Exposure: 10 sec Aperture: f/16, ISO 200

I just kept playing with the different setting on my camera until it was time for “Believe…In Holiday Magic” fireworks at 8:45pm. Believe is one of my favorite fireworks show at DL. It is an old fireworks show that started in 2000 and it has been playing for the Holiday season ever since then.

Mostly I videotape this show every time I see it, but this time I will be using my tripod for my DSLR to take pictures of the firework trails which is something that I wanted to do ever since the summertime at DL where I have took pictures of the firework trails. I wasn’t able to take pictures of the firework trails at WDW since I got there late and videotaped HalloWishes fireworks during MNSSHP.

When we were told by the CM's to stand up for the fireworks with about 10 minutes until it started, there were some people behind me in the benches were not that happy that the people in front of them had to stand for the fireworks. I already knew that you have to standup for the fireworks since it is for a safety reason so people would not step on anyone during the show unlike F! which has a sitting area.

This time I was able to take pictures of the fireworks trails and hope you enjoy these pictures. The only problem I had with taking pictures that night was that I was really close to the castle and my 35mm lens would not be able to get the whole picture of the fireworks.

Exposure: 5 sec, Aperture: f/16, ISO 200

Exposure: 3 sec, Aperture: f/16, ISO 200

Exposure: 3 sec, Aperture: f/16, ISO 200

Exposure: 3 sec, Aperture: f/16, ISO 200

Exposure: 3 sec, Aperture: f/16, ISO 200

Exposure: 3 sec, Aperture: f/16, ISO 200

Exposure: 3 sec, Aperture: f/16, ISO 200

Exposure: 3 sec, Aperture: f/16, ISO 200

That’s it for this post and I will have more pictures of “Believe… In Holiday Magic” fireworks.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Bret - Are you happy with those firework pictures? And was there any reason why you chose that particular ISO and aperture setting?

(I like the colours you got from the castle.)

 

[mvf-m11c]

Bret - Are you happy with those firework pictures? And was there any reason why you chose that particular ISO and aperture setting?

(I like the colours you got from the castle.)

I like the pictures of the firework trails. Some of them turned out well while some of them didn't turn out that well. Overall it was a good day to take those pictures. I chose the ISO and aperture settings from the a ibook program called "How to Photograph Fireworks" The Complete Guide to Capturing Fireworks Like A Pro and I followed the steps of how to take pictures of the fireworks. Those setting were basics and I wanted to try those settings that night. When I go back next month, I want to try different settings. So I might ask you for help on that.

Thank you PiO.

 

[mvf-m11c]

Day 1 – November 16, 2012 – Part 8​

I left off watching “Believe…In Holiday Magic” fireworks that Friday night. I always like to watch Believe fireworks during the Holiday season at DL and it has never disappointed me one bit when I see this firework show. I was using my DSLR camera to get the firework trail pictures instead of using my video camera for the fireworks.

Continue of the firework pictures from Believe…In Holiday Magic fireworks.

That’s it for this post and I will have more from Believe…In Holiday Magic fireworks

 

[PrincessInOz]

Excellent shots, Bret. I love the firework trails you got....and yes, it can be hit and miss unless you time the shutter with the start of the rocket going off. Some people claim they line up when they open the shutter with when they can hear the rocket 'boom'. I don't know that I've ever done that!

I just wondered what you thought of the castle in your firework trail shots. Do you like how it looks?

 

[mvf-m11c]

Excellent shots, Bret. I love the firework trails you got....and yes, it can be hit and miss unless you time the shutter with the start of the rocket going off. Some people claim they line up when they open the shutter with when they can hear the rocket 'boom'. I don't know that I've ever done that!

I just wondered what you thought of the castle in your firework trail shots. Do you like how it looks?

Thank you PiO. It is if you don't get the timing right on the shots. I could have done it a lot better but overall it was good. I have watched Believe a lot of times and I know each part of where the fireworks will launched during the show. It depends on the shutter speed of what settings I set it at. Most of them were set at 3 to 5 seconds and I am thinking of extending the time when I watch RDCT next month.

The castle in the firework trails shots turned out really well where the castle wasn't that blurry and that I was hoping for the most when I took pictures. But when I look at the firework trails, they were not as bright. I was going to ask you of what do you think of the brightness of the firework trails?

 

[mvf-m11c]

Day 1 – November 16, 2012 – Part 9​

I left off watching “Believe…In Holiday Magic” fireworks that Friday night. I always like to watch Believe fireworks during the Holiday season at DL and it has never disappointed me one bit when I see this firework show. I was using my DSLR camera to get the firework trail pictures instead of using my video camera for the fireworks. Believe was almost over so let’s get back to the pictures of the firework trails at DL.

I also forgot to say that when I was watching Believe…In Holiday Magic fireworks, I brought my Glow with the Show Ears during the fireworks since they do interact with the show which was really neat. Just like WoC where the Glow with the Show Ears interacts with the show from each different scene, the ears interacts with each part of the show with light blue, green and red colors for the Holiday season. They also did one for F! during the summertime and I was thinking of going to the show and see them work during the show. But there was no way I would make it for the first show since the fireworks will be done just before the 9pm show starts. I was thinking of seeing the 2nd show of F! at 10:15pm.

Continue of the firework pictures from Believe…In Holiday Magic fireworks.

Believe was over and it was time to move on over to the next destination at DL.

After the fireworks was over around 9pm, it was time for the 1st show of F! at the RoA. Mostly the fireworks at DL starts at 9:30pm after the 1st show of F!. Since it is fall/winter season, the fireworks start a little early since it is darker than the Spring/Summertime. So seeing F! at the 9pm time was no option. But I did want to use my time wisely that night by getting some nighttime pictures of the Holiday decorations at DL so I went around that night to take pictures.

I packed all my equipment, I head on over to IASW Plaza to get some pictures of the Holiday decorations. When I got to IASW Plaza, I had to get pictures of the IASW Wreaths which were very colorful. These wreaths were here last year and some of them were a little different while some of them are the same like last year.

As always at IASW the Holiday lights are up for IASWH which is the best time of the year to visit this attraction. Not only for the lights but I do enjoy the Santa hat on the smiling face that rock back and forth to a ticking sound. While I was around IASWH, I took a few pictures from different angles. I thought about riding IASWH while I was in the area, but the queue was close to 20 minute wait which was not that long that night. So I decided to go on IASWH later during that trip.

There are a lot of people heading on over to IASWH after the fireworks was over a while ago.

While I was looking at IASWH, one of the DLRR trains stopped in front of IASWH. With no passengers on the train, I knew that it was going back to the roundhouse in the backstage area where the trains and monorails are stored during the closing times.

That’s it for this post and I will have more from IASWH.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Thank you PiO. It is if you don't get the timing right on the shots. I could have done it a lot better but overall it was good. I have watched Believe a lot of times and I know each part of where the fireworks will launched during the show. It depends on the shutter speed of what settings I set it at. Most of them were set at 3 to 5 seconds and I am thinking of extending the time when I watch RDCT next month.

The castle in the firework trails shots turned out really well where the castle wasn't that blurry and that I was hoping for the most when I took pictures. But when I look at the firework trails, they were not as bright. I was going to ask you of what do you think of the brightness of the firework trails?

Bret - You do realise that I'm not claiming to be an expert, right? And yes...you do have some great shots from this night.

Personally, for me and what I like to see, I prefer to see the castle lit up a little more. But that's me...... I don't think that there is a right or wrong for this....just personal preference.

If you want to capture more light in your shots - and I haven't checked the exif data for the ones in the last post - and assuming if you had your settings on ISO200 and f/16 like you did for the pictures in the first posting, you might want to change it up a little for the next time.

You could either take the f-stop down to f/11 or towards f/8 or take the ISO to 400. Alternatively, stick with the existing settings but leave the shutter open for 5 or 6 seconds and see how it exposes.

Remember some of it might be lucky timing.

Did you have a filter on your lens?



So that last time I took fireworks at a Disney park was at Hong Kong earlier this year. I was shooting these with an ND-2 filter.


ISO 100, f/11, 10 secs

But check out the picture before....with exactly the same settings.

For me, I thought that the trails were a little over exposed in the second shot.


The one that I love best from this night is...despite the fact that I have that fruit bat of an i-pad in the way. Believe it or not, the exposure time is longer. It is a 13-second exposure shot.

The difference in the 3 pictures comes down to what the fireworks are doing and how bright they are. It makes a huge difference with the light hitting the sensor. And a degree of luck as to when I hit the button to take the shot. You can see this in your set.....the ones towards the end, the castle is brighter. I don't know if this is because you changed the settings or if there was just more light from the fireworks.



I also checked my second night shooting. The settings I had on the second night are closer to what you've used.

ISO 200, f/14, 8 secs

I didn't have enough time to check the castle metering on the second night and I'm not sure that I like the castle lighting; but I do prefer the firework trail colours from this night. I may start with ISO 400, f/14 next time and see what the castle looks like.


Remember - my preference is to have the castle a little brighter in my pictures. So, when I set up, I make sure that I meter off the castle and check that I like how the castle is looking. I then take down the settings a notch; usually by shifting the f-stop down one or two. The reason I do that is because I expect the firework lights to provide additional lighting. But I do check my pictures in-camera after one or two shots just to make sure that I'm happy with the how it looks and then adjust my settings from there. I am so envious that you have the opportunity to go to DLR as often as you to and practise shooting with different settings.

I would recommend that you look at your pictures and work out what you like; check the exif and then work out different settings from there.


Hope this helps!

 

[PrincessInOz]

I just realised we posted almost at the same time....

Love your latest update. The shots of IaSW are gorgeous. I just love the colour you got!

 

[mvf-m11c]

I know that you are no expert but you do provide a lot of great info on taking pictures with a DSLR camera.

I do appreciate the tips on picture taking with the fireworks and the dark rides. The next time when I take the pictures, I will use the 18-55mm lens and set the f-stop at f/8 or f/11 and the ISO at 400. I did leave the shutter speed only at 3 or 5 seconds the last time and I will leave it open a little longer.

I did use the ND filter for the firework shot last month with the 35mm lens.

Your pictures from your HKDL are very nice when I checked out your TR.

Thank you for the tips PiO.

 

[Sherry E]

Bret -

I just wanted to let you know I'm still here! Those IASWH nighttime photos are phenomenal - so crisp and clear. They're probably the best ones I've seen from this year's holiday season so far, from anyone's camera. And the fireworks shots that you've posted in previous installments are simply awesome.

Actually, there have been several photos you've posted in recent installments to this TR that have caught my eye, but I wanted to have time to be able to go through the TR and properly offer specific comments on them instead of just popping in and saying an occasional, "Great photos!"

So it may take me a while to actually find the time to go through and pick out the particular shots I really liked and comment on them, but I wanted to be sure you knew that your efforts are definitely not going unnoticed!

 

[PrincessInOz]

I know that you are no expert but you do provide a lot of great info on taking pictures with a DSLR camera.

I do appreciate the tips on picture taking with the fireworks and the dark rides. The next time when I take the pictures, I will use the 18-55mm lens and set the f-stop at f/8 or f/11 and the ISO at 400. I did leave the shutter speed only at 3 or 5 seconds the last time and I will leave it open a little longer.

I did use the ND filter for the firework shot last month with the 35mm lens.

Your pictures from your HKDL are very nice when I checked out your TR.

Thank you for the tips PiO.

Thanks Bret.


I would try:
ISO 400, f/14 or 16.
ISO 100, f/8 - 100.

Hopefully, with the shutter speed at about 4 - 10 seconds, you'll get some even better trails than what you're currently getting.

 

[Sherry E]

Bret -

Can you direct me to the exact Page # and Post # where this November 2012 TR begins? I had to start the new Christmas Superthread (only because the previous one was about to hit Page 250 - but I would have preferred to keep the existing thread going just until the DLR holiday season ends in 2 weeks), and I am in the process of re-organizing a lot of the information for Page 1.

I have a separate post on the first page of the new thread just for TR links and things like that. I need to add the link to this current TR you're working on.

 

[mvf-m11c]

Sherry,

I see that you have started the 3rd Christmas thread and I will be looking forward to the new one.

Here is the first post of [post=46851603]Our 2nd Annual Early Holiday Trip to DL in November - 11/16/12 to 11/18/12[/post]. The page number is 169 and post number 2528.

 

[mvf-m11c]

Here is my link from my 2011 trip to DL during the Holiday season [post=43299643]Our Annual Holiday Trip to DL 11/18/12 - 11/20/12[/post]