PRINCESS Palooza 2011! 9/9 Update: Departure Day

[kwitcherkicken99]

Ok, I need more tripod help please

I can not find the tripod you have for the life of me with the ball head. I only see the Velbon Ultra Luxi ii with the Tilt/Pan Head. From what I read the ball head will be better for me because it is less bulky and easier to use. Do you think it matters what type of head is on there?

I also see the Ultra Luxi iii now. Is that the newest model? Should I get that one? Thanks! I am trying to look on Amazon but can't find it there.

Is there anyway you can send me a link with the tripod you have where I can purchase it or just let me know?

Thanks so much for your help! My birthday is next week and I need to let my dad know what I want. I thought of an amazon gift card but if I can't find it on amazon I will just ask for a plain visa gift card.

Ball heads give you more flexibility. Tilt/pan heads restrict your movement to 2 ways. Ball heads give 180* of motion.

 

[kwitcherkicken99]

PS - Another super excited friend that you got ressies!

I'm really torn if we'll make ADRs there or just grab CS in the afternoon one day.

 

[jenseib]

No I haven't. I don't have program, and didn't know I needed one. Silly me.
I'll have to look into it more, I'm not quite under standing it all yet.

I did just spend some special one one time with my camera...... And a cleaning kit! LOL

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

I bet your camera came with software to do RAw...I have tired it a few times and super confusing to me. I used lightroom and the canon software...neither were user friendly for me. Or the user is a dumby?

 

[Caretames1]

I bet your camera came with software to do RAw...I have tired it a few times and super confusing to me. I used lightroom and the canon software...neither were user friendly for me. Or the user is a dumby?

I'm going with me as the dumb user....

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[mom2rtk]

OK, I was looking through our photos from 2008 when we stopped one night at Disney on our way home from the beach. We had dinner at 1900 Park Fare then went to the Pirate and Princess party. I saw this photo I took with Cindy at dinner:


IMG_6445 by mom2rtk, on Flickr

Now keep in mind that was 2008 so 3 1/2 years before this trip. But she reminded me of this Cindy:


1900cindycu by mom2rtk, on Flickr

Anyone think she might be the same one? Or maybe it's just the dark eyebrows on both that are throwing me........

 

[mom2rtk]

No I haven't. I don't have program, and didn't know I needed one. Silly me.
I'll have to look into it more, I'm not quite under standing it all yet.

I did just spend some special one one time with my camera...... And a cleaning kit! LOL

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

Look at you getting all fancy posting from your iphone! Now here's what I want you to see...... I wouldn't know how to do that..... but I somehow figured out how to process a RAW photo! LOL! My point is not that I am some expert...... only that if I can figure it out, I bet you can too. I'm a complete techno-NERD!

Really all you need is the right program. Have you ever tried the Lightroom free trial? All you do is import the photo into lightroom, then move some sliders around to adjust as little or as much as you want, then export it as a JPEG.

Ball heads give you more flexibility. Tilt/pan heads restrict your movement to 2 ways. Ball heads give 180* of motion.

The ballhead makes it vastly easier to make fine adjustments, like.... I don't know.... making the shot level!

PS - Another super excited friend that you got ressies!

I'm really torn if we'll make ADRs there or just grab CS in the afternoon one day.

Awww...... thanks! I really can't wait to experience this. Lots of people were going on about whether they liked the food enough to even try for an ADR. And I was like......... you get FOOD?????????????? LOL. They could probably be serving dog chow and I'd be suckered into paying to go there!

I bet your camera came with software to do RAw...I have tired it a few times and super confusing to me. I used lightroom and the canon software...neither were user friendly for me. Or the user is a dumby?

I didn't even think of that. I never install the new software that comes with my camera. And I'm just saying...... if I can figure out Lightroom, it can't be bad. Really. Double really. I'm really surprised you had trouble with it Jen. You seem to do good job of figuring stuff out.

I'm going with me as the dumb user....

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

And I ask...... how can you be DUMB...... when you're posting from a SMART phone????????

I'll be here all week folks...........

 

[shan23877]

I have pics of the first Cindy from our 2011 trip. I'll look for them, but I'm certain it's her.

 

[shan23877]

Found it! Here she is from August 2011

 

[mom2rtk]

Well, that's definitely her. I'm still not sure about our 2008 Cindy though.

And might I add........ your little Ariel is GORGEOUS!

 

[shan23877]

Well, that's definitely her. I'm still not sure about our 2008 Cindy though.

And might I add........ your little Ariel is GORGEOUS!

I'm not sure about the '08 one either.

And thanks so much. That's very sweet.

 

[jenseib]

OK, I was looking through our photos from 2008 when we stopped one night at Disney on our way home from the beach. We had dinner at 1900 Park Fare then went to the Pirate and Princess party. I saw this photo I took with Cindy at dinner:


IMG_6445 by mom2rtk, on Flickr

Now keep in mind that was 2008 so 3 1/2 years before this trip. But she reminded me of this Cindy:


1900cindycu by mom2rtk, on Flickr

Anyone think she might be the same one? Or maybe it's just the dark eyebrows on both that are throwing me........

I'm not sure...they do look a lot alike...but I am sure i have seen cindy number 1 for sure in other TRs...I don't know if we have seen her or not though. LOL

 

[KCmike]

Similar but after looking at them a few times I think not. The chin looks different to me. Plastic surgery maybe?

 

[Caretames1]

Look at you getting all fancy posting from your iphone! Now here's what I want you to see...... I wouldn't know how to do that..... but I somehow figured out how to process a RAW photo! LOL! My point is not that I am some expert...... only that if I can figure it out, I bet you can too. I'm a complete techno-NERD!

Really all you need is the right program. Have you ever tried the Lightroom free trial? All you do is import the photo into lightroom, then move some sliders around to adjust as little or as much as you want, then export it as a JPEG.



Awww...... thanks! I really can't wait to experience this. Lots of people were going on about whether they liked the food enough to even try for an ADR. And I was like......... you get FOOD?????????????? LOL. They could probably be serving dog chow and I'd be suckered into paying to go there!

I didn't even think of that. I never install the new software that comes with my camera. And I'm just saying...... if I can figure out Lightroom, it can't be bad. Really. Double really. I'm really surprised you had trouble with it Jen. You seem to do good job of figuring stuff out.

And I ask...... how can you be DUMB...... when you're posting from a SMART phone????????

I'll be here all week folks...........

I can't take too much credit for learning how to post from thing, I've had major training from children....... LOL

This smartphone is great at making me feel dumb. I can check the weather now, so it's getting better.

Really my Sammy took pity on me and showed me how to figure some of this out, and my 15 yr old nephew rolled his eyes the whole time he showed me how to navigate through some of the apps.

I have decided that I will check into Lightroom. When I get some time after school and things settle down.

I never installed my stuff either, I will need my nephew to come over to make sure I do it right......the 8 yr old. LOL

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[mom2rtk]

I'm not sure about the '08 one either.

And thanks so much. That's very sweet.

I'm not sure...they do look a lot alike...but I am sure i have seen cindy number 1 for sure in other TRs...I don't know if we have seen her or not though. LOL

Similar but after looking at them a few times I think not. The chin looks different to me. Plastic surgery maybe?

The more I look, the more I'm thinking that's not her. I think it's just the dark eyebrows throwing me off.

I can't take too much credit for learning how to post from thing, I've had major training from children....... LOL

This smartphone is great at making me feel dumb. I can check the weather now, so it's getting better.

Really my Sammy took pity on me and showed me how to figure some of this out, and my 15 yr old nephew rolled his eyes the whole time he showed me how to navigate through some of the apps.

I have decided that I will check into Lightroom. When I get some time after school and things settle down.

I never installed my stuff either, I will need my nephew to come over to make sure I do it right......the 8 yr old. LOL

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

Send your kids my way will you? Timmy has the same phone as me and sometimes shows me how to do things. But he's not as phone centered as many kids. Robbie doesn't care one bit about his phone and I have to make him carry it to school just as a safety issue. Now Katie would totally be into figuring this stuff out and would show me how. If she had her own phone. She uses Drew's a lot, but it's a different model. I might have to consider getting her one like mine...... just so I can figure out how to use it finally!

 

[nannye]

I say it's the same Cinderella. Just looking at individual features they look the same to me. The angle of t pictures is different too and tat would throw you off.

 

[mom2rtk]

I say it's the same Cinderella. Just looking at individual features they look the same to me. The angle of t pictures is different too and tat would throw you off.

Hmmmm...... might have to did out some other shots.

 

[mom2rtk]

Saturday 12/17: Magic Kingdom


Could this possibly be our last full park day? I have to say.... it helped IMMENSELY that we had friends along as a distraction. If it had just been Katie and me, I probably would have started to get sad. But who can be sad when you have a long awaited special day ahead of you?

After our late night, we decided to let the girls sleep for a bit. Around 8:15, Kim and I headed out to the food court for a bite to eat. I had the POP waffle. It was awesome to sit with my Disney loving friend discussing the day we had in the Magic Kingdom already, while looking forward to the one ahead of us. Through the years Kim and I have had countless lunches where we sat and discussed Disney schemes and plans. But this was so cool to actually be sitting AT Disney discussing it......


IMG_9066 by mom2rtk, on Flickr



We started trying to wake them up around 8:45. They were pretty tired, so we used our secret weapon: an offer to swim for a bit before leaving. They jumped at the chance (well, sort of!). Kim took them out to the pool while I tried to organize our things. After 9 nights in that room, I needed to get organized. I knew we'd be late getting back that night and we had to check out early in the morning if I wanted any decent amount of time at Animal Kingdom.


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A creative self-portrait along the way.....


IMG_9089 by mom2rtk, on Flickr


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We arrived at the Magic Kingdom around 11:15. As we rounded the corner heading for the entrance, we got our first taste of what the day would look like. Lines were long everywhere. I'm sure part of that was the time of day. I'm not used to entering the parks that late in the morning. But mostly it was just about the crowds. Later in the day a CM shed some light on the situation. She told us the prior day had about 30K attendance..... and that they were preparing for 60K on this day. YIKES! I knew some schools got out for break the day before, and I knew this was one of only 3 days this week with night entertainment. But I hadn't realized this was the last day of the year local AP holders could use them.


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Our plan was for Kim to keep the girls and get the wheelchair while I ran ahead to get fastpasses for Space. I was going to meet them at the Teacups but changed plans when I saw Chip and Dale with a relatively short line. I called Kim and had the girls find me in line.


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After Chip and Dale we headed back up to the Teacups. In all our days in the Magic Kingdom this trip, we STILL had not done the Teacups. And I actually LIKE the ride! We found a CM to see how to handle McKenna in her wheelchair. They let us in the exit on the next ride. I was banished from their teacup so they could ride together but got a few photos from afar.


IMG_9129 by mom2rtk, on Flickr


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When we came off the ride, we found the white rabbit greeting guests nearby and got in line. Luck was on our side when they cut the line right in front of us announcing that the White Rabbit was heading off to find his friend Alice and they would be back soon. It was a great meeting, with Alice delivering the best line of the trip. She saw McKenna's boot and promptly asked "My goodness, what happened? Did you fall down a rabbit hole?" After an adorable big group hug, we were on our way.


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But before leaving........ the best group hug ever!


IMG_9166 by mom2rtk, on Flickr

 

[mom2rtk]

12/17 Continued:


Our ADR at Crystal Palace was at 12:45. It was close to that time already so time to scoot across the park. Thankfully the Move It, Shake It parade was only in the hub and we were able to get across and get checked in on time. Kim and McKenna had never been at the Crystal Palace so it was fun to be part of their first visit. The food was good, but I really prefer breakfast. Pooh's Puffed Toast is far better than anything on the lunch buffet!


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A couple months before the trip, one of the resident character experts on the DISboards was kind enough to PM me to let me know there might be some special Christmas character meets at the monorail resorts during our trip. He mentioned Victorian Mickey & Minnie, which is the one I was most interested in. I immediately pictured the girls in their red Belle gowns in such a photo and was really hoping it would work out. When the Grand Floridian Concierge CM confirmed on Thursday night that Mickey and Minnie wouldn't be there until Sunday night, I gave up on the resort characters. So I was surprised when he texted Kim's phone mid-day (I had given him Kim's number for last minute updates) saying Scrooge/Daisy would be at the Contemporary that night and tropical Mickey/Minnie would be at the Polynesian. Time for a change in plans! We had completely missed Scrooge McDuck in 08 and I had regretted that when they took him out of the parks after that. So the plan was for us to leave the MK in time to ride the monorail around to meet them, then return for the MSEP.

As we discussed our new plans, we headed for Frontierland. Time for another run through the wash & spin cycles! By then we realized that we were in the parks with LOTS more people than the day before. To be honest, it was hard to maneuver through the crowds with McKenna's wheelchair, but it did help shorten the standby wait at bit at Splash, and a lot at BTMRR. We were able to do both rides in just over half an hour. I don't remember the standby wait times but they were at least an hour each.


IMG_9241 by mom2rtk, on Flickr


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The hair's not as funky on Splash today...... but I love this shot of the 2 girls:


IMG_9254 by mom2rtk, on Flickr


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I was still snapping away on the big drop, but like the shots with the shower shutter speed from the day before better.


IMG_9266 by mom2rtk, on Flickr


IMG_9268 by mom2rtk, on Flickr

 

[mom2rtk]

12/17 Continued:


Kim still wanted to do Haunted Mansion so we headed over to Liberty Square next. The wait was close to an hour, so we decided to pass. I wanted to ride again, but had to be happy with our one trip through a week prior. It certainly was a far different wait time than it had been that day. So we headed on into Fantasyland. The girls wanted to do Small World. It has a handicap entrance, but even that line was very long and very slow moving. We didn't finish up there until about 4:20.


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Time was quickly getting away from us but I still wanted to have the girls ride Dumbo together. Thankfully we got on fairly quickly:



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[mom2rtk]

12/17 Continued:

Nothing like the castle in the late afternoon sunlight.......


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We really could not have planned it any better. We left the MK around 5:30 and were meeting Scrooge and Daisy about 10 minutes later!


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While we were there, I texted Gary, the DIS member who had told us about the meet. Turns out they were right there in the area so we got to say hi and thank him profusely for letting me know about it.

We circled around next to the Polynesian. Pluto and Goofy were out so we met them, and waited for Mickey/Minnie to return.



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We finished and left the Polynesian. The line to get on the monorail was crazy long, but we were re-entering the MK at 7:20. The MSEP started at 9, and I knew it would be busy. We quickly found a spot right near the train station, one of the last curb-side spots left. We spread out a blanket and set up our spot.