WDW on a Budget During the Holidays: My Photographic Journey

[kcb1dizbksfan]

I took a last minute budget trip to WDW from 12/20-23 and stayed in a hotel in LBV off of Palm Pkwy to use my hotel reward points versus my usual on-property resort stays. I also had an airline travel voucher to offset my flight costs, but given the time of year I was traveling my out-of-pocket expense for the airline was still high. I did not rent a car because the price was through the roof and the car rental companies apparently jack up the rental rates during this holiday season (surprise/surprise).

So w/o the use of Disney Transportation, I used the infrequent bus service from the hotel in LBV in the morning to the theme parks and then ended my day always in DTD using Disney Transportation and cabbed it back to the hotel from DTD to reduce taxi expenses.

Every part of my journey to WDW was captured in the images below and the majority of my photos stored within my Smugmug web-site and the URL’s I have included.

Each time I visit WDW I try and raise the bar on the quality of not only my photographic exposure settings, but in particular my image composition, with a specific emphasis on the latter. Even though I have been photographing images for 4 decades, I still learn on each photo shoot . . . this is what makes it an interesting avocation for me.

On my day at the MK, I spent the entire morning just visiting and photographing the New FantasyLand and this location alone was worth the cost of my visit. At some later time, I will probably write a brief review of the pros and cons of my trip, but for now I just wanted to share with everyone all these images that made this a very special trip.

DR NYKCB (Ken)


FantasyLand - The Magic Kingdom - DisneyWorld 2012 (Christmas Holiday)

http://drnykcb.smugmug.com/Vacation...stmas/27267884_PpDcjz#!i=2291309017&k=HMr6qqH


The Magic Kingdom - DisneyWorld 2012 (Christmas Holiday)

http://drnykcb.smugmug.com/Photogra...World/27268197_2JB79J#!i=2291342156&k=KCZxPzP


EPCOT - DisneyWorld 2012 (Christmas Holiday)

http://drnykcb.smugmug.com/Other/EPCOT-DisneyWorld-2012/27269053_K6557L#!i=2291399452&k=Bgz8m8b


Hollywood Studios - DisneyWorld 2012 (Christmas Holiday)

http://drnykcb.smugmug.com/Other/Ho...World/27268901_RLVtwr#!i=2291395648&k=sQsBCcb


Select Disney Resorts Christmas Decorations and Surroundings

http://drnykcb.smugmug.com/Other/Disney-Resorts-Christmas/27280776_CN7P3q#!i=2292494896&k=VGnTCX7


Yehaa Bob - (Port Orleans Riverside)

http://drnykcb.smugmug.com/Photogra...leans/27268806_5fG5Wq#!i=2291382025&k=7KttJWR


Eliot Dyson (Port Orleans - French Quarter)

http://drnykcb.smugmug.com/Other/Eliot-Dyson-Port-Orleans/27281739_mHm47R#!i=2292571075&k=Qw8S4wv

 

[Kimberle]

Beautiful pictures! Thanks for sharing.

 

[GAN]

Great shots!

 

[*NikkiBell*]

Amazing photos!!!

 

[WorldWacky]

Beautiful! They look like postcards.

 

[kcb1dizbksfan]

At some later time, I will probably write a brief review of the pros and cons of my trip, but for now I just wanted to share with everyone all these images that made this a very special trip.

DR NYKCB (Ken)

_____

Thanks everyone for your thoughtful comments . . . I am not always thrilled with my work, but I really liked the photographic results of this trip . . . it means alot to me to capture the best images and memories of this special place. Hopefully it makes people happy when they view these images and helps them remember special moments and events in their lives.

As promised . . . a brief recap of my trips Highlights and Lowlights:

Highlights:

1) Fantasyland
2) Carved Turkey Sandwich for lunch served warm on a Baguette with Dijon Mayo and Pommes Frites at the "Be our Guest" restaurant. I thought initially the size of the sandwich was too big at first and within 5 minutes (tops) I wolfed the entire sandwich down like it was my last meal on earth . . . it was that good!
3) Moderate crowds and pleasant guests
4) Bright sunshine and no rain
4) Mears Transportation (Reliable and courteous drivers)

Lowlights:

1) 30 - 50 degree temps
2) The French Onion soup served at the "Be our Guest" restaurant was not good. Very disappointing after a superb turkey sandwich . . . the soup was bland, watery and totally non-discript in taste . . . it was a cold day at the MK and I was really looking forward to a great soup. However, my overall experience at The "Be Our Guest" restaurant was excellent and I would go back there in a heatbeat . . . but next time for dinner.
3) Certain taxi drivers at DTD who "attempted" to overcharge me to get back to my hotel off of Palm Pkwy in LBV . . . be wary of drivers who don't use their meters and want to charge you a fixed price as if there was a flat rate per geographic zone.
4) Staying off Disney property and using my reward points. This is the first time in two decades I have stayed off property because of doing this trip on a tight budget and I really missed the total Disney experience of staying at a resort.

DR NYKCB (Ken)

 

[mikelan6]

Awesome photos. Thanks for sharing.

 

[kehouse]

Thank You for sharing those wonderful pictures. Really makes me want to go during the holidays!

 

[sayhello]

Very nice photos, particularly the Fantasyland ones!

Sayhello

 

[Cherinva]

Nice Pictures !!! Thanks for sharing.

 

[dansyr2514]

gorgeous pics! Hope you don't mind I'm using one as my desktop wallpaper.

 

[Gantu]

Thank you so much for the pictures,,,, I feel like I was just there!

 

[Michele]

Awesome pictures!!! Thanks for sharing. Have you checked out the Photography Board? The weekly photo contests are fun.

 

[kcb1dizbksfan]

Awesome pictures!!! Thanks for sharing. Have you checked out the Photography Board? The weekly photo contests are fun.

Thxs . . . I peruse and post on occasion there but not often.

I guess I am just a creature of habit in posting on the podcast site.

I will check out this weekly photo contest you speak of on the Photog board . . .

DR NYKCB (Ken)

 

[dana1003]

all i can say is WOW!

 

[kcb1dizbksfan]

Yehaa Bob is my favorite entertainer at WDW . . . I saw him two nites on 12/20-21 and took some good photos of him in action . . . he was kind enough to include a link to all the photos I took of him over the two nites.

http://www.yehaabob.com/All_the_Latest___.html

I have a photo gallery set-up at the Northport, NY public library during the month of January for those locals who wish to take a trip to my fair town. Both the Fantasyland and the MK photos I included in a framed 13 x 19 enlargement . . . it really looks awesome in the print . . . the colors and image just pop out of the frame. I have 31 13 x 19 framed enlargements and 11 framed 8 x 10 images of domestic and international trips I have taken within the gallery.

DR NYKCB (Ken)

 

[jrgutknecht]

These are amazing photos. You have a real photographer's eye. What a great talent. Thanks for sharing.