Allison got this wonderful shot of a cast member making glass objects at a shop along Main Street, U.S.A. at the Magic Kingdom on Oct. 16, 2015. I was going through our photo archive of shots we’ve taken at Walt Disney World and liked it so much I thought I’d resurrect it as today’s blog entry.
What’s that spot of color out on the lake? It’s a blast from the past as The Boathouse restaurant at Disney Springs offers rides in a vintage Amphicar. I got this shot of an Amphicar and its captain and passengers on Aug. 18, 2016, after we had lunch at The Boathouse during our stay at Walt Disney World.
HAPPY NEW YEAR! Whew! 2017 has arrived … and not a moment too soon. The new year needs to be celebrated with fireworks and I’m posting some past photos of fireworks that Allison got in 2015. She got this one at the fireworks show on Oct. 16, 2015, during Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World.
HAPPY … almost New Year! Today is New Year’s Eve 2016 and we’ll be moving into 2017 tomorrow. I’m posting some past photos of fireworks that Allison got in 2015. She got this one at the fireworks show on Oct. 16, 2015, during Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World.
With the new year of 2017 arriving in a few days, I’m posting some past photos of fireworks that Allison got in 2015. She got this one at the fireworks show on Oct. 16, 2015, during Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World.
OK, 2017 is just about at our doorstep. I’m posting some past photos of fireworks that Allison got in 2015. She got this one at the fireworks show on Oct. 16, 2015, during Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World.
Merry Christmas! Here in 2016, you won’t find this sight any longer at Walt Disney World. It’s the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights and it no longer is featured on the Streets of America area of Disney’s Hollywood Studios. It has given way to the expansion of the park for more room for Star Wars and other attractions. Too bad, the seasonal display was simply marvelous. I got this shot Nov. 1, 2015, on the first night of the lights’ final season at the park.
Here’s another wonderful scene you won’t find any longer at Walt Disney World. It was part of the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Last holiday season saw the end of the light spectacular at the park and Allison got this shot on Dec. 15, 2015.
You won’t find this “Hidden Mickey” any longer at Walt Disney World. Look close, it’s a Mickey Mouse basketball going through a hoop – lighted wonderfully in the now-closed Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Last holiday season saw the end of the light spectacular at the park and Allison got this shot on Dec. 15, 2015.
Here’s another shot showing the auto-focus laser appearing in a photo. I took this one on May 8, 2016, at the Haunted Mansion in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. Here is the “floating” head on the ride and you can see the squiggle of red light at the bottom of the frame.
After Cinderella Castle in the Magic Kingdom, I’d say the most photographed single structure at Walt Disney World is Spaceship Earth at EPCOT. As you enter the park, this photo shows the sight that greets you and everyone stops for a family photo. Why not? The view is wonderful. We call it the EPCOT ball. Here’s a shot I got Nov. 6, 2016, during a weekend visit for Allison running in Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon.
The area in front of Cinderella Castle at the Magic Kingdom is called the “hub.” No wonder. There’s the castle and spokes go off to each of the “lands” for guests to enjoy the park. And, at the center of the hub is the Partners statue of the icons of the realm: Walt and Mickey. Always a crowd here! I got this shot Aug. 17, 2016, during the first day of a three-day visit to Walt Disney World.
Everyone who truly knows Walt Disney World knows about the Hidden Mickey concept. It’s the insertion of the Mickey Mouse image into rides and parts of Walt Disney World. Here’s a not-so-Hidden Mickey! Still, I’m sure a few guests didn’t notice on the “Living with the Land” ride at EPCOT when I got this shot on Aug. 19, 2016.
Here’s a shot of the finish line of the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon that was held Nov. 6, 2016. It was the penultimate race of a weekend of races at Walt Disney World. Our daughter Allison ran in the race and it was a tremendous experience, too, for spectators (the RunDisney website is really outstanding and you could find your runner’s ongoing position on the racecourse in live time – it went through Animal Kingdom and EPCOT).
We’re back at Walt Disney World for Allison to run the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon. Here’s a shot she got at the Magic Kingdom on the night before the race (Nov. 5, 2016). She’s great with fireworks and nighttime photos with my or her Nikon DSLR. Cinderella Castle had an ever more fairy tale look about it.
Allison has taken some really nice photos of the various fireworks displays during our and her visits to Walt Disney World. Here’s one she got the night of May 7, 2016, of the fireworks at the Magic Kingdom. Of course the fireworks go off over the Cinderella Castle and we were at Walt Disney World for an overnight trip when she got the shot.
Many of the runners in the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon that was held Nov. 6, 2016, ran the course in costume. Here’s a shot I got of one runner. It was the penultimate race of a weekend of races at Walt Disney World. Our daughter Allison ran in the race and it was a tremendous experience. The course went through Animal Kingdom and EPCOT.
The costumes were numerous and some eclectic in the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon that was held Nov. 6, 2016. Here’s one runner in a very … uh, distinctive outfit. It was the penultimate race of a weekend of races at Walt Disney World. Our daughter Allison ran in the race and it was a tremendous experience. The course went through Animal Kingdom and EPCOT.
This Mickey Mouse topiary is holding a shish-kebob as it greets guests to the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival on Oct. 1, 2016, at EPCOT. The topiary was at the entrance to World Showcase and we were on a day trip to enjoy the festival at Walt Disney World.
Look close. This is a Lego dragon at the lake outside The Lego Store at Disney Springs. We are back at Walt Disney World for Allison to run the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon today (Nov. 6, 2016). In any case, I got this shot Nov. 5, 2016, as we headed to lunch at the The Boathouse restaurant. The Lego design of the dragon gives the photo the distinct look.
Here’s another shot of a cast member working the greenhouse at The Land at EPCOT at Walt Disney World. I got the shot during the ride Living with the Land on April 10, 2016.
We first fell in love with the jumping water streams outside Journey into Imagination when Stephen was young and we still check it out. On Oct. 1, 2016, I was walking to World Showcase at EPCOT when I looked over and saw a guest jumping up and trying to hit a water stream as it went over his head. In this photo, he missed. I posted the “he got it” photo also on this blog (click on it to see it full size) shows him missing one. We were at Walt Disney World for a day trip to enjoy the current Epcot International Food & Wine Festival.
We first fell in love with the jumping water streams outside Journey into Imagination when Stephen was young and we still check it out. On Oct. 1, 2016, I was walking to World Showcase at EPCOT when I looked over and saw a guest jumping up and trying to hit a water stream as it went over his head. In this one of two photos, it shows he got it! We were at Walt Disney World for a day trip to enjoy the current Epcot International Food & Wine Festival.
Well, here’s yet another photo of a monorail train. I got it as we were leaving EPCOT on Oct. 1, 2016. We were there for the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival on a day trip. I always get a shot of the monorail system when we’re at Walt Disney World.
No, the frame of this photo isn’t tilted – the boat on the ride is tilted because of the weight at the front. This is a shot while we were on the Living with the Land ride at The Land pavilion at EPCOT on Oct. 1, 2016. This one is my favorite “little” ride at Walt Disney World.
In case you didn’t realize it, the sand in the greenhouse at The Land pavilion at EPCOT is special. Plus, there’s a Cast Member’s foot in a protective bootie in the background. Here are two signs that let you know this fact. I got the shot on Oct. 1, 2016, during our ride on my favorite “little” ride at Walt Disney World.
I got this shot as we left the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival on Oct. 1, 2016, at EPCOT. These signs announce some of the food with an avant-garde touch to the festival at Walt Disney World and can be found at the entrance to the park.
Here’s only the third photo on this blog that I’ve posted from the Country Bear Jamboree. Allison got the shot of “Big Al” on Aug. 17, 2016. That was only the second showing we’ve seen of the Country Bear Jamboree in 20 years. It’s just not one of the shows that we see when we go to the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. We were there for a multi-day visit when she got this shot.
Well, frankly, this is a terrible photo. I grabbed a quick shot on Oct. 1, 2016, only because I had not seen a mosquito station before at Walt Disney World. We were headed to the exit at EPCOT when we noticed this Mosquito Prevention station (Zika still an issue for Disney, obviously). It offered guests some Sawyer picaridin repellent (picaridin is an alternative to DEET). I edited the cast member out of the photo simply because I didn’t want to feature her at a mosquito station. We were on a day visit to the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival.
We always find a way to bring something positive out of an adventure at Walt Disney World and I guess I can only say that we were underwhelmed by the nighttime experience of the Kilimanjaro Safaris ride at Animal Kingdom. It’s really neat throughout in the daylight (my favorite is when the park first opens), but, sad to say, there’s not much to see at night (although we did watch a lion take an impressive dump up on a rock). One positive, though, is the neat colors from the slow shutter speed of my Nikon. I got this photo on Aug. 18, 2016.
Here’s another basic photo of Splash Mountain at the Magic Kingdom: It shows riders just before their boat splashes down from the ride down the mountain. I took this shot at Walt Disney World on Aug. 17, 2016, because we were there when the sun was excellent for illumination of the big drop on the ride.
When clouds are just right, as they were here on Oct. 1, 2016, it makes just about every photo beautiful. Here’s Spaceship Earth at EPCOT in the background with wonderful clouds above. We were on a day trip to Walt Disney World for the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival when I got the shot.
Allison has developed into a very solid photographer (no pun intended). Here’s a wonderful shot she got Aug. 17, 2016. She is showing the wonderful visual of the grain of the wooden fence posts near Splash Mountain with the accoutrement of having a blurred vision of Cinderella Castle in the background. We were at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World when she got the shot.
I love the monorail at Walt Disney World, so, when I found one stopped near Journey into Imagination at EPCOT on Oct. 1, 2016, I took advantage and took a couple of photos. Here’s a somewhat close-up of the monorail train stopped as it headed to the EPCOT station. You can see the sign from a refreshment kiosk below the train.
As I’ve noted a bunch of times on this blog, I love photographing the monorail at Walt Disney World. Here’s the one I saw stopped near Journey into Imagination at EPCOT on Oct. 1, 2016. Here’s another view of it. The monorail train was headed to the EPCOT station when it stopped.
The Land at EPCOT has my favorite “non-big” ride at Walt Disney World. It is Living with the Land. I got this shot of two cast members working in a pond at the facility that features everything from hydroponics to fish farming. I got it on Aug. 19, 2016.
Here comes the bride! We were headed to a transportation boat at Disney Springs when I got this photo on Aug. 18, 2016. The bride was leading a wedding party up the ramp to somewhere at Disney Springs. Good luck to you! We were at Walt Disney World for a multi-day visit when we cruised Disney Springs.
Here’s another blurred shot because of a slow shutter speed on my Nikon while we were on the nighttime version of the Kilimanjaro Safaris ride at Animal Kingdom. The nighttime experience wasn’t much and I got this shot on Aug. 18, 2016, while we were at Walt Disney World.
The waterway that allows boats to meander through Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside makes for nice photos using trees and a bridge as frames. I got this shot of a transportation vessel headed to the resort’s dock on Aug. 18, 2016, during our multi-day stay at the resort at Walt Disney World.
Here’s my Mickey waffles and sausage breakfast at Grand Floridian Cafe on Aug. 17, 2016. We were at the beginning of a multi-day visit to Walt Disney World.
Here’s a photo of a skywriter at work over Walt Disney World on Aug. 19, 2016. I got the shot (and several others) while waiting at the bus stop at EPCOT to go back to our room at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside. Note the heavy smoke in the center — the pilot was making the horizontal line for the “E” in “Jesus.”
I was ahead of the folks at the Orlando Sentinel. They wrote a story that was published Sept. 12, 2016, about the changing of Fulton’s Crab House restaurant at Disney Springs to Paddlefish. Well, I shot this photo on Aug. 18, 2016, and saw that the Paddlefish is coming. We were at Walt Disney World for a multi-day visit when I took this shot on the transportation boat from Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside to the recently re-branded Disney Springs.
I just love photographing Spaceship Earth at EPCOT. It is the most photographed structure at EPCOT and most likely second most in all of Walt Disney World after Cinderella Castle at the Magic Kingdom. You can see it from just about everywhere at EPCOT and here’s one view of it that I got on Aug. 19, 2016.
In the wake of the tragedy of the death of a toddler in an alligator attack, Walt Disney World curtailed some activities near waters where alligators can be found. However, we could see as we rode the Resort Monorail to the Magic Kingdom after a late breakfast at Grand Floridian Cafe that fishing was being done on the Seven Seas Lagoon. In the background is Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, where the tragedy occurred, and if you look close you’ll see two people fishing while another pilots the boat. I got this shot Aug. 17, 2016, during the first day of a three-day visit to Walt Disney World.
Here’s a jumble of color because of a slow shutter speed on my Nikon while we were on the nighttime version of the Kilimanjaro Safaris ride at Animal Kingdom. The nighttime experience wasn’t much and I got this shot on Aug. 18, 2016, while we were at Walt Disney World.
I hate to have a second-in-a-row negative comment on my blog about Walt Disney World, but I’ll do it today. Yesterday, I noted how we were underwhelmed by a nighttime ride on Kilimanjaro Safaris (click here to see it) at Animal Kingdom. Now, here’s a shot of a horse-drawn carriage along the waterway at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside. It is a beautiful carriage and the afternoon of Aug. 18, 2016, was a nice day for the ride, but I’m not a big fan of horse-drawn anythings today.
Here’s a nice shot of the waterway through Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside. It’s quite serene and the new signs warning of alligators and snakes doesn’t detract at all. I shot this photo on Aug. 18, 2016, while we were at Walt Disney World for a multi-day visit.
As they do each day at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the storm troopers were out “investigating” guests (I guess they were looking for those ’droids) on Aug. 17, 2016. We were at Walt Disney World for a multi-day visit when I got this shot.
Here’s a shot of Allison taking a photo of daytime fireworks at the end of a show in front of Cinderella Castle at the Magic Kingdom. I got this shot at Walt Disney World on Aug. 17, 2016.
If you don’t know (and happened to care), that big balloon you see hovering above Disney Springs is called Characters in Flight. It is a ride that is billed as “the world’s largest tethered helium balloon.” I was aboard the transportation vessel riding to Disney Springs from Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside when I got this shot on Aug. 18, 2016, during our multi-day visit to Walt Disney World.
You often see cranes at the Magic Kingdom, but here’s a shot I got Aug. 18, 2016, as we entered Animal Kingdom at dusk for a nighttime ride on Kilimanjaro Safaris. It shows a crane silhouetted against the darkening sky. The crane is being used for construction on The World of AVATAR that is set to debut at Walt Disney World in 2017.
Not all cars, vehicles and boats have passengers on the rides at Walt Disney World. Here’s a shot of an empty boat that just completed the run on the Splash Mountain adventure at the Magic Kingdom. I took this shot on Aug. 17, 2016.
Here’s a basic photo of Splash Mountain at the Magic Kingdom. I took this shot at Walt Disney World on Aug. 17, 2016, because we were there when the sun was excellent for illumination of the big drop on the ride.
We’re back at Walt Disney World for a few days of a late-summer trip. Here’s what it’s all about at Disney: kids having fun. This youngster has a great view of the stage show in front of Cinderella Castle at the Magic Kingdom. This time we’re staying at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside and I got this shot on Aug. 17, 2016.
With a look to a blast from the past, The Boathouse restaurant at Disney Springs offers rides in a vintage Amphicar on the lake that fronts the shopping/dining Disney area. I got this shot of an Amphicar and its captain and passengers on Aug. 18, 2016, after we had lunch at The Boathouse during our stay at Walt Disney World.
I got this nice nighttime shot of Crossroads of the World at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on Aug. 17, 2016, as Debbie and left the part to head back to the room at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside during our recent stay at Walt Disney World.
I got this shot with my iPhone on Aug. 19, 2016, as we went into dinner at Tony’s Town Square Restaurant. The sun was setting behind an eruption of clouds that threatened (but didn’t deliver) rain. It was our last dinner at Walt Disney World and pretty much ended our three-night visit. We enjoy the restaurant at the Magic Kingdom and have eaten there during most of our extended-stay trips. For the record, we stayed at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside.
Into every summer visit to Walt Disney World, some rain must fall. Here’s an afternoon thunderstorm headed for Disney Springs on Aug. 18, 2016, after we had lunch at The Boathouse (shown in this photo). The thunderstorm dumped an impressive amount of rain in a few minutes … followed by a sunny sky not too many minutes later.
Here’s one of the new alligator warning signs at Walt Disney World. It notes snakes, too, but everyone knows it’s because of the tragedy earlier this year in which a toddler was killed in an alligator attack at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. Waterways span the large Disney property in Central Florida and wildlife is found in all. I got this photo of the sign along a waterway splitting part of Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside on Aug. 17, 2016.
The darkness of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at the Magic Kingdom allows for some neat blurred photos through a camera’s slow shutter speed. Here’s a swirl of color from the part of the ride where the pirates are looting the town. I got this shot at Walt Disney World on Aug. 17, 2016.
You’ll have to look close (or enlarge this image to its full size posted on this blog), but the sun’s setting rays on Jan. 17, 2016, are lighting up Mickey Mouse at the entrance to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The light meter reading of Allison’s Nikon darkened the street below, but showed the back of Mickey as she took the shot back toward the entrance. Allison was at Walt Disney World on a day (evening?) trip when she got the shot.
I got this shot of a neat sand sculpture at EPCOT on April 10, 2016, while we were on a day trip to Walt Disney World. The sculpture was in the World Showcase.
Here is the Partners statue in front of Cinderella Castle at the Magic Kingdom. It’s obvious it was an absolutely cloudless sky on a cool Feb. 7, 2016, when we were there for a weekend visit to Walt Disney World. Of course the Partners statue is of Walt Disney and his iconic creation, Mickey Mouse.
Here’s a different photo we got of “Tick-Tock” the crocodile character in “Peter Pan.” I got it April 10, 2016, when we were at the United Kingdom Pavilion during the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival. Another shot of “Tick-Tock” by Allison was used without permission by the New York Daily News . It somehow managed to use Allison’s photo in their Disney story about the issue of the removal of the character in the wake of the alligator attack that claimed the life of a child at Walt Disney World earlier this year.
Allison got some nice shots of the parade at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World on Jan. 17, 2016. Here’s one of a cast member during the parade performance.
The box mean’s we’re back at Walt Disney World. Beginning this morning (Aug. 17, 2016), we’re at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside for several days before Allison heads back to University of Florida. I’ll begin posting new “Today’s Disney photos” tomorrow!
This view near the flagpole in the roundabout of Main Street U.S.A. at the Magic Kingdom gave me a photo with two United States flags as I looked from the street back to the Walt Disney World Railroad – Main Street U.S.A. station. I got this shot Aug. 17, 2016, during the first day of a three-day visit to Walt Disney World. For the record, we stayed at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside.
Here’s another blurred photo because of the darkness of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at the Magic Kingdom. You’ll recognize the skeleton but the blurred background and vapor make for the ghostly appearance – what the ride is seeking to do. I got this shot at Walt Disney World on Aug. 17, 2016.
I previously got a photo of a set of pay phones (you do know what those are, don’t you?) at Disney’s Beach Club Resort. I’d say that Walt Disney World is phasing them out completely as seen by the former location of pay phones shown here. There’s a house phone (remember those?) out of the frame. I got this shot Aug. 17, 2016, at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside during the first day of out three-day stay.
I have to say I wasn’t at all impressed with the new Frozen Ever After ride at EPCOT. It is colorful (as you can see from this blurry shot I got – the low light causes the blur), but there’s not much there. I guess you have to be a fan to enjoy it. I liked the ride that it replaced much better, as Maelstrom at the Norway Pavilion was much, much better. I got this shot Aug. 19, 2016, while we were on a multi-day stay at Walt Disney World.
I’ve posted a photo of empty seats on a Walt Disney World bus before and so I got this shot on Aug. 19, 2016, as I rode from Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside to EPCOT and will post it now. For those familiar with the whole Disney experience, a pretty-empty bus in the middle of any day is a rare occasion.
It might just feature Walt Disney World apparel, but I really like the look of the Keystone Clothiers building at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. I got this shot of it on Aug. 17, 2016, while we were on a multi-day visit.
Here’s the Main Street Station of the Walt Disney World Railroad at the Magic Kingdom on a beautiful day with a blue sky and puffy white clouds over Walt Disney World on Aug. 17, 2016. We were there for a multi-day visit. Below the WDWRR station is the entrance to the park.
The sun peeking out from behind a cloud caused my iPhone camera to get this shot defined by contrast that caused some clouds to be nicely highlighted. We were walking from the Magic Kingdom bus transportation area into the park on Aug. 19, 2016, when I got the shot. We were headed to dinner at Tony’s Town Square Restaurant and were on a multi-day visit to Walt Disney World.
I’ve done this shot before and like to post that I do like the look of the pyramid that dominates the Mexico Pavilion in the World Showcase at EPCOT. I took the photo on Aug. 19, 2016, during our visit to the park at Walt Disney World.
This might be better suited to my Disney photos category, but here’s our son’s car at home in Naples, Fla., with his Annual Passholder magnet on the back. All of our family members have passes.
Here’s a familiar sight to thousands each day at Walt Disney World: Getting off the Resort Monorail and heading to the Magic Kingdom. Allison got this shot on Aug. 17, 2016, and you can see the iconic Contemporary Resort in the background.
Here’s another shot from inside the greenhouse component of The Land at EPCOT. The Living with the Land is my favorite “little” ride at Walt Disney World. I got this shot on Aug. 19, 2016.
Look close and you’ll see the bubbles from this little girl’s bubble machine. I got the shot as we came out of The Land at EPCOT on Aug. 19, 2016, at Walt Disney World.
I didn’t manage to get a truly wonderful shot of the footbridge at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside. This one’s OK, but I know I can do better. The bridge is neat with its wood and structure, but I didn’t manage to capture its character. I got the shot Aug. 19, 2016, on our last full day visit in August at Walt Disney World.
One thing done very well at Walt Disney World is keeping the appearance neat – especially since virtually everything you see is designed to be seen and have an architectural purpose. Here’s the boat landing dock area for Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside. We stayed there this past summer during a multi-day visit. I got this shot on Aug. 18, 2016, as our transportation boat began a trip to Disney Springs.
I have to admit I didn’t know what “spatterdock” was when I took this photo during the Living with the Land ride at The Land pavilion at EPCOT on Oct. 1, 2016. It is one of the edible plants being grown there. I recognized the plant (a water lily), but didn’t know the name or that it is edible. Living with the Land is my favorite “little” ride at Walt Disney World.
I’m continuing my posting of edible plants that we saw during our Living with the Land ride at The Land pavilion at EPCOT on Oct. 1, 2016. Here is a blue agave plant (in case you don’t notice it on the sign in the photo). Living with the Land is my favorite “little” ride at Walt Disney World.
Here’s a cast member waving to riders on the Living with the Land ride at The Land pavilion at EPCOT on Oct. 1, 2016. Living with the Land is my favorite “little” ride at Walt Disney World.
Continuing my series of photos from the Living with the Land ride at The Land pavilion at EPCOT on Oct. 1, 2016, here’s a shot of “vertical farming.” The Land showcases high-tech ways to grow edible plants as well as aquaculture. It is my favorite “little” ride at Walt Disney World.
Here’s the latest in my ongoing posting of photos of growing things we saw during our Living with the Land ride at The Land pavilion at EPCOT on Oct. 1, 2016. This is a Nigerian drum gourd and I like the photo because sunlight coming into the greenhouse is illuminating the sign and making a nice shadow. Living with the Land is my favorite “little” ride at Walt Disney World.
Here’s cotton growing alongside the stream for the Living with the Land ride at The Land pavilion at EPCOT. I got this shot on Oct. 1, 2016. Living with the Land is my favorite “little” ride at Walt Disney World.
Continuing with my series of photos of the center hub at EPCOT, here’s one I got Oct. 1, 2016, during our day trip to Walt Disney World.
We were at the current Epcot International Food & Wine Festival on Oct. 1, 2016, and I got this shot of a sign at The Land during the Living with the Land ride at EPCOT. Plants grown in The Land’s greenhouse environment are being used in food for the festival at Walt Disney World. Here’s one sign showing that chives and beets are used in the pickled beet salad from Farm Fresh.
You simply cannot avoid taking a photo of Spaceship Earth when you are at EPCOT. I got this one as we were leaving a day trip to the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival at Walt Disney World on Oct. 1, 2016.
The wonderful color belies the fact that this tank is under renovation. I got the colorful shot while we were on the Living with the Land ride at The Land pavilion at EPCOT on Oct. 1, 2016. This one is my favorite “little” ride at Walt Disney World.
Walt Disney World transportation can have some fun with the messages on buses (and let me tell you, few people have humor when it comes to transportation time at WDW). Look close and you’ll find a sign on this bus about a magic carpet. I got the shot Aug. 19, 2016, as I left EPCOT and headed back to our resort room.
I believe this Purple Martin house is on one of the golf courses at Walt Disney World and I got the shot Aug. 18, 2016, as we were riding the transportation vessel from Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside on our way to Disney Springs.
In the wake of the tragedy of the death of a toddler in an alligator attack, Walt Disney World curtailed some activities near waters where alligators can be found. Here’s another shot I got as we rode the Resort Monorail to the Magic Kingdom after a late breakfast at Grand Floridian Cafe that fishing was being done on the Seven Seas Lagoon. In the background is Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, where the tragedy occurred. I got this shot Aug. 17, 2016, during the first day of a three-day visit to Walt Disney World.
You’ll have to look close, but you can see the full moon above … the entrance to Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside. It isn’t a great shot that I got Aug. 17, 2016, but I like it. We were on a multi-day trip to Walt Disney World when I got the shot.
Here’s another shot I got of the big balloon you see hovering above Disney Springs. It is called Characters in Flight and is a ride that is billed as “the world’s largest tethered helium balloon.” I was aboard the transportation vessel riding to Disney Springs from Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside when I got this shot on Aug. 18, 2016, during our multi-day visit to Walt Disney World.
Wow. Everywhere you look you see the influence of the threat of litigation. WARNING! Don’t climb here at Rainforest Cafe at Disney Springs. You know that Walt Disney World must listen to its lawyers. Sigh. I got this shot on Aug. 18, 2016.
It would have been a better photo if I was on the other side of the boat for this ride at The Land at EPCOT. The Living with the Land ride is my favorite “little” ride at Walt Disney World. I got this shot on Aug. 19, 2016.
The greenhouse at The Land at EPCOT is meticulously maintained, as you can see with this area of pandan (a plant that is used in cooking in south and southeast Asia for flavoring). I got the shot while on the Living with the Land ride. It is my favorite “little” ride at Walt Disney World. I got this shot on Oct. 1, 2016.
The greenhouse at The Land at EPCOT is pretty cool. Here’s a look at display that combines pisciculture (fish farming) and growing plants. Nutrients from the plants are used in raising the fish below. I got the shot while on the Living with the Land ride. It is my favorite “little” ride at Walt Disney World. I got this shot on Oct. 1, 2016.
Here’s the sign for the Biotechnology Lab at The Land at EPCOT. I got the shot while on the Living with the Land ride at Walt Disney World. I got this shot on Oct. 1, 2016.
OK, it’s just a garbage can at the passageway between Starbucks and The Land at EPCOT. Still, I like the look of the thing. I got this shot on Oct. 1, 2016, while we were at for a day trip to the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival.
Ah, Spaceship Earth’s sphere is visible from just about everywhere at EPCOT. I got this shot of it outside Ellen’s Energy Adventure at the Universe of Energy Pavilion. We were at Walt Disney World on April 10, 2016, when I took the photo.
A small, little-used pavilion houses interesting displays during the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival. Here’s a look at the ceiling of the pavilion, which is near Ellen’s Energy Adventure at the Universe of Energy Pavilion at EPCOT. We were on a day trip when I got this shot on April 10, 2016.
OK, I’m not marking this as a photo from Walt Disney World (OK, maybe I am), but here’s a beautiful sunset as we headed back to Walt Disney World for dinner on Nov. 5, 2016. It was the sunset on the last evening of daylight saving time in 2016 … and it was a neat one!
Here’s another shot I’ll use from the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon that was held Nov. 6, 2016. While waiting for our daughter Allison to run past, I got this neat photo of a big contrail over the race. We were at Walt Disney World on the weekend for the race.
With thousands running, the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon wasn’t finished any time soon after the winner crossed the line on Nov. 6, 2016. Allison ran a great race and we encountered this scene of runners still on the course as we drove back to our hotel. It was the penultimate race of a weekend of races at Walt Disney World. The course went through Animal Kingdom and EPCOT.
You can find yourself with your feet up waiting for the fire to bloom from the Rainforest Café at Disney Springs Marketplace. Allison’s propping up her feet here while it looks like we’re watching an empty stage at Disney Springs. You can see the restaurant’s volcano in the background across the lake. We were at Walt Disney World for the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon when I got this shot Nov. 5, 2016 (the race was the next day).
OK, so this isn’t an interesting photo from what it is – an escalator at the Lime Garage going into Disney Springs. However, I like the visual of curves and the lighting contrast. We were at Walt Disney World for the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon when I got this shot Nov. 5, 2016 (the race was the next day).
Here’s a new photo of the Paddlefish restaurant at Disney Springs. I got an earlier photo in August and just got this one Nov. 5, 2016, during a weekend trip to Walt Disney World. My first photo was taken from a transportation boat. This one was from land.
I didn’t spend any time on getting a great photo of the fire belching from the volcano that marks the Rainforest Café at Disney Springs Marketplace, so this is all you get today. We were at Walt Disney World for the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon when I got this shot at Disney Springs on Nov. 5, 2016 (the race was the next day).
What’s a trip to Walt Disney World without a photo of a monorail train? Now, is it coming or going? Don’t be fooled by the crop of the photo since the trains have the same cars at the front and back, so a photo can appear either way. In this case, the train was going INTO the station and the “front” car you see is actually the back. We were on hand for the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon when I got this shot at EPCOT on Nov. 6, 2016, after the race.
Here’s another edible plant at the greenhouse at The Land at EPCOT: Amaranth. I don’t know much about the plant but I did photograph it while we were on a trip to Walt Disney World. We were on my favorite “little” ride (“Living with the Land”) on Aug. 19, 2016, when I got the shot.
Here’s just one example of innovative growing techniques on display at The Land at EPCOT. I got this shot while we were on a trip to Walt Disney World on the “Living with the Land” ride on Aug. 19, 2016.
Wonder what your black pepper looks like before being stocked on a supermarket shelf? Here’s the black pepper plant. I got this shot at EPCOT while we were on a trip to Walt Disney World on the “Living with the Land” ride on Aug. 19, 2016.
The monorail has always been a futuristic symbol at Walt Disney World but as you can see here it has become ubiquitous. You can see here at this shot I got after the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon at EPCOT on Nov. 6, 2016, that most people don’t take notice of one.
It was a serene trip aboard the transportation vessel riding to Disney Springs from Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside when I got this shot on Aug. 18, 2016, during our multi-day visit to Walt Disney World.
Here’s a shot I got of the huge fountain at the hub of EPCOT (you walk around it on your way to the World Showcase. I got the shot when we were at Walt Disney World on Oct. 1, 2016. I’ve taken many photos of this fountain and the hub area, and the fountain was the second photo I posted on this blog. In that early photo, note the minimalist cutline with no links.
I just love posting photos of a monorail train. I’ve posted photos of this train as we were leaving EPCOT on Oct. 1, 2016, and here’s another one. We were there for the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival on a day trip. I always get a shot of the monorail system when we’re at Walt Disney World.
Plants from The Land you can see during the Living with the Land ride at EPCOT were used to show ingredients in food from the just-ended Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. I got this photo on Oct. 1, 2016, of the sign announcing the “roots” of the ingredients of some of the food.
The promise of growing your own food in an urban environment was promoted at Walt Disney World during last spring’s EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival. We were at EPCOT for the festival on a day trip on April 10, 2016, when I got this shot of the “Urban Farm Eats” display.
Here’s a shot of the monorail appearing to move through trees at EPCOT. We were at Walt Disney World for a day trip to enjoy the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival on Aug. 19, 2016, when I got this shot.
We’re arriving at the end of the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train ride and this is a photo stylized by light and movement. I got this shot while we were at the Magic Kingdom for a weekend visit to Walt Disney World on May 7, 2016.
You can catch a view of cars on the Tomorrowland Speedway at the Magic Kingdom from a variety of angles … and here’s one as we rode the Walt Disney World Railroad (those in the know call it “WDWRR”). We were at Walt Disney World for an overnight visit when I got this one May 8, 2016.
Meeting characters is almost as big at Walt Disney World as the rides. Here a child poses for photos by his family near Frontierland in the Magic Kingdom with “Toy Story” characters. I got this shot Aug. 17, 2016, during the first day of a three-day visit to Walt Disney World. For the record, we stayed at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside.
Today (Dec. 3, 2016) is the SEC football championship being played in Atlanta and my believed University of Florida Gators are in it against Alabama. So, in honor of today, here’s a photo I took earlier this year. It was a great day in The Swamp at the University of Florida on Sept. 10, 2016, when I got this shot at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Steve Spurrier-Florida Field. UF beat the University of Kentucky in football 45-7 for its 30th consecutive victory over the Wildcats and before the game we honored the UF back-to-back national champion basketball team from 2006-2007. So, GO GATORS!
A large Tinkertoy statue is outside the Earl of Sandwich restaurant at Disney Springs. I got this static shot while we were at Walt Disney World for the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon on Nov. 5, 2016 (the race was the next day).
A wading bird stopped as if to pose for guests beside this Lego dragon at the lake outside The Lego Store at Disney Springs. We were back at Walt Disney World for Allison to run the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon when I got the shot on Nov. 5, 2016. In any case, the race was the next day and I got the photo as we headed to lunch at the The Boathouse restaurant. The Lego design of the dragon gives the dragon a distinctive look.
Well, this band was headed to a break near The Plaza Restaurant on Feb. 8, 2016, when I got this shot. One band member was looking at Main Street, U.S.A. as the rest kept eyes front. We were on a multi-day visit to Walt Disney World and were in the Magic Kingdom part of Feb. 8.
I’ve posted a bunch of photos from the Living with the Land ride on this blog. Well, today’s another posting: Here is a look at Miracle Fruit … the bushes, I mean. I don’t see any fruit. I like the greenhouse part of the tour at the The Land. We were on a day trip to Walt Disney World when I got this shot at EPCOT on Oct. 1, 2016.
This isn’t really a good photo, but since the low light at Journey into Imagination at EPCOT causes a blur with the slow shutter speed, it looks neat. I got the photo on May 7, 2016, while we were on a multi-day visit to Walt Disney World.
Into every summer visit to Walt Disney World, some rain must fall. The highlight of this storm photo is that it makes an apt condition for the Rainforest Cafe at Disney Springs. I got the shot on Aug. 18, 2016, after we had lunch at The Boathouse. The thunderstorm dumped an impressive amount of rain in a few minutes … followed by a sunny sky not too many minutes later.
Here’s another shot I got of a summer storm moving in over Walt Disney World. Here are clouds over Disney Springs just before a storm broke on Aug. 18, 2016, after we had lunch at The Boathouse. The thunderstorm dumped an impressive amount of rain in a few minutes … followed by a sunny sky not too many minutes later.
The ceiling of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa main lobby area is totally photogenic. I got this shot Aug. 17, 2016, as we had breakfast at the resort during a multi-day visit to Walt Disney World.
Ever wonder where the lines of demarcation come from for watching the fireworks or a parade at the Magic Kingdom? Well, it’s all by hand. Here are two cast members putting down tape on May 7, 2016, at the “Hub” area near Cinderella Castle. We were on a multi-day trip to Walt Disney World when I got the shot.
Here’s another shot I got of the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train on one of its runs. I got this shot while we were at the Magic Kingdom for a weekend visit to Walt Disney World on May 8, 2016.
What’s that I spy through the trees? It’s a large Tinkertoy statue is outside the Earl of Sandwich restaurant at Disney Springs. I got this shot while we were at Walt Disney World for the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon on Nov. 5, 2016 (the race was the next day).
I know this photo doesn’t scream Walt Disney World, but white herons are quite ubiquitous at the parks, resorts and just about all areas of Disney World. I got this shot Nov. 5, 2016, at the lake at Disney Springs. We were visiting for the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon when I got this shot.
Open space at the Magic Kingdom is becoming a premium, so I’m not sure why they haven’t done something with this expanse of green near the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover. I got this very boring shot as we rode the Walt Disney World Railroad (those in the know call it “WDWRR”). We were at Walt Disney World for an overnight visit when I got this one May 8, 2016.
Here’s another photo of a bird that I photographed Feb. 6, 2016, at the boat landing area of the Yacht Club and Beach Club resorts (we were at the Beach Club) while waiting for transportation to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. We were doing a long weekend at Walt Disney World when I got the shot.
Allison got this shot of the JAMMitors at EPCOT on Feb. 5, 2016, while we were at Walt Disney World for a multi-day stay. The JAMMitors are trash-can drummers who entertain at Future World East (turn left towards Mission: SPACE and Test Track after you enter the park past Spaceship Earth.
Well, the new year of 2017 is on its way in a few days, so I’m posting some past photos of fireworks that Allison got in 2015. She got this one at the fireworks show on Oct. 16, 2015, during Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World.
