Our Drama-Filled May 2010 Bay Lake & Beach Club Trip Report(OMG-ITS MY FINAL UPDATE!)

[TigerLaw]

I've never heard of the Wishes dessert party. What can you tell me about it? Good for kids or more for adults?

Thanks again!

I'm kinda torn on this one - maybe the masses will chime in w. their thoughts. Let's say fireworks are at 10pm. From 9 to 10, you can (1) eat all the desserts you want; (2) get your picture taken by a photopass person (3) watch Spectro from afar and (4) watch the fireworks from a great spot - my concern here is lets say your kids are done eating all they can by 9:15 - will they get bored waiting for the fireworks to go off 45 minutes later?!?

 

[TigerLaw]

I'm loving your trip report, and all the great photos!

I forgot to tell you, my Epcot at night photos using your "rails and trashcans trick" is coming up - I love them so much, I'm giving them their own separate section in the report!

 

[blestmom]

I forgot to tell you, my Epcot at night photos using your "rails and trashcans trick" is coming up - I love them so much, I'm giving them their own separate section in the report!

Yay! I can't wait to see!!

 

[TigerLaw]

Friday, May 21st (cont.)

Dinner that night was at the cape may clambake. They had redid some of the food choices since we had last been there (for the better) including the inclusion of crab lags (we had eaten there the year before we they had crab legs out for a two week trial run) and a second dessert station. From there, we were supposed to go to DTD together to pic up our xmas ornaments, but I ended up just going by myself while Melissa waited in the room. Once I got back, we headed over to Epcot for illuminations. First though, we went to the pastry shop in France so I could get an eclair, which I supplemented of cousrse w. a French beer called Kronenbourg. The eclair was a dissappointment however, b/c it had chocolate filing instead of (what I thought at least was the standard) bavarian cream filing. (Melissa got a apple turnover also). From there, we headed over and watched the fireworks, finding a spot on the IG bridge. I tried to take pictures, but it was difficult b/c the smoke from the fireworks was blowing in our direction. Here’s a couple:





One the show was over, Melissa headed back to the beach club while I stayed to take pictures during Epcot’s EMH night. I first walked around the world showcase, stopping for a beer and brat in Germany. I went over to ride Maelstrom but it had a 20 minute wait, so I decided I would catch it later. Our friend Donald Duck was in Mexico and had no one to see him, so I rode the Gran Fiesta Tour. I then headed over to Test Track, thinking it would be no big deal doing ths single rider line, but it took like 30 minutes just to get close to one of the cars, and then the ride went down as well! I honestly have no idea why I stayed that long for the ride. I next took pictures around Future World before heading back over into the World Showcase for some empty park pictures. I also rode Maelstrom with no wait and no one in my boat - God I forgot what a stupid ride that was! Eventally, the park closed at midnight and I finished my picture taking around 12:10 before heading back home to the Beach Club.

Here are some of my Epcot EMH night pics:



I never knew you could see the Yacht Club from Epcot before I took this





I have no reason why, I just really like these nighttime topiary shots!





Why would they do this to poor Donald?!?







COMING UP -MY BEST EPCOT NIGHTTIME PICTURES EVER!

 

[disneyeveryyear]

I would aim a bit higher than my trip reports!



I screwed up my prior response - the camera is that good - everything was done on auto or whatever is the opposite of manual controls - the day pics were on the basic auto setting and the night pics the intelligent auto setting.

Ohhh! That is good news. I may just have to order this camera soon.

 

[TigerLaw]

Friday, May 21st (cont.)

These are some of the slow shutter pics I took at Epcot during its EMH night. As I didn't have a tripod, I had to improvise, so if anyone saw a guy focusing his camera on top of a trashb can that night, it was probably me! Anyway, here are the pics:
























COMING UP: MUPPETS, STAR WARS WEEKENDS AND JUST WENT YOU FORGOT WHAT THIS REPORT WAS CALLED, MORE DRAMA!

 

[RadioFanatic]

ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! You didn't happen to take one of France with the Eiffel Tower showing did you? If so, I would love to see it (and possibly steal it too if that's okay!)

 

[TigerLaw]

ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! You didn't happen to take one of France with the Eiffel Tower showing did you? If so, I would love to see it (and possibly steal it too if that's okay!)

RF, I went back and looked and I did have a couple shots in france, but none of them turned out all that great - sorry!

 

[RadioFanatic]

RF, I went back and looked and I did have a couple shots in france, but none of them turned out all that great - sorry!

thanks so much for looking!

 

[blestmom]

Those turned out FANTASTIC!!!! Okay, I'm so wanting to go back to Disney now. Thanks for sharing all your pictures...I'm so glad your new camera worked out well for you.

 

[Chellymouse]

Love your night time pics at Epcot! Absolutely amazing!!

 

[LouisianaDisneyFan]

Sooo, how did you get all of the people to leave the park just in time for your photos? It looks like you had the park entirely to yourself! Simply beautiful shots!

 

[TigerLaw]

Those turned out FANTASTIC!!!! Okay, I'm so wanting to go back to Disney now. Thanks for sharing all your pictures...I'm so glad your new camera worked out well for you.

Love your night time pics at Epcot! Absolutely amazing!!

thanks and thanks!

Sooo, how did you get all of the people to leave the park just in time for your photos? It looks like you had the park entirely to yourself! Simply beautiful shots!

LDF, its funnyt you say that bc I cou;dn't get over it myself. If I remember right, I rode Maelstrom around 11:35 so taking pics from then to when I left via the IG at around 12:10 I hardly saw anyone, and those I did see, were workers trying to gert stuff closed down for the night!

 

[KyCruisinSusan]

TigerLaw your pics are fantastic. I just finished up a photography class in May and you have a great eye.

You are giving DH tons and tons of ideas for our upcoming first visit home in Dec. He's been practicing with our canon xsi and he's hounding me to agree to letting him rent a fancy shmancy lens.

Do you think an tamron 18-250 is too big for taking shots like you've been getting? It's like having 15x zoom on a point and shoot.

Is everything in the World Showcase open during EMH?

 

[TigerLaw]

TigerLaw your pics are fantastic. I just finished up a photography class in May and you have a great eye.

You are giving DH tons and tons of ideas for our upcoming first visit home in Dec. He's been practicing with our canon xsi and he's hounding me to agree to letting him rent a fancy shmancy lens.

Do you think an tamron 18-250 is too big for taking shots like you've been getting? It's like having 15x zoom on a point and shoot.

Is everything in the World Showcase open during EMH?

Thanks for the kind words, but sometimes I feel like I don't have a photo eye at all!

Honestly, I have no idea abotu DSLR equipment - I am sure if you asked people on the photography boar, they could help. My zoom is 18X I believe but I don't know what that equals in terms of DSLR lens.

On the "photo idea" comment, lots of my stuff is a lift from others as well.I would recommend checking out WDWfigment's flickr page and then look at his flickr friends and disney photo groups pages for more ideas - trust me, whatever I have pulled off is no comparison to Tom and and his friends!

Finally, you can walk around WS during EMH, but only the two boats rides and the american adventure are "open".

 

[blestmom]

Thanks for the kind words, but sometimes I feel like I don't have a photo eye at all!

You do have a good eye for photography.

I would recommend checking out WDWfigment's flickr page...

I second this recommendation....his photos are amazing inspiration.

 

[TigerLaw]

Saturday, May 22nd

Parks Visited: MGM and Epcot
Dining: Bistro de Paris (dinner)

Saturday was our “split day”. I went to MGM for the day for Star Wars Weekends and Melissa got to hang out by the pool. While I am working on my HUGE amount of SWW pictures, I thought I would try to hold the masses over with a couple sets of pictures I took that day - the first being all Muppets related and the second from One Man’s Dream - take a look:

Here Comes the Muppets!







Does Animal REALLY look like this?!?



I love the Statler and Waldorf shirt!




Why is Fozzie always in the trash?!?



Hang in there Gonzo!



And now some One Man's Dream Pics:









COMING UP - MORE STAR WARS WEEKENDS REPORT AND PICTURES!

 

[2BoysMom]

I was wondering if I could ask a question at this part of your TR? Your recent and upcoming photos made me think of it.

Could someone tell me the connection The Muppets and Star Wars has with Disney? I have never understood why either of them are part of HS? Or the fanaticism that seems to occur over Star Wars weekend. There is only that one ride, right? What exactly do they do on "Star Wars weekend" that garners it it's own weekend?

Thank you. I hope that is not too much off topic.

 

[TigerLaw]

I was wondering if I could ask a question at this part of your TR? Your recent and upcoming photos made me think of it.

Could someone tell me the connection The Muppets and Star Wars has with Disney? I have never understood why either of them are part of HS? Or the fanaticism that seems to occur over Star Wars weekend. There is only that one ride, right? What exactly do they do on "Star Wars weekend" that garners it it's own weekend?

Thank you. I hope that is not too much off topic.

here my two cents - I am not a disney historian, but from the beginning days, outside companies sponsored rides and attractions at d'land, so maybe this is a just a natural outgrowth from that (of course disney now owns the muppets but didn't when muppetvision was first opened I don't think).

As for SWW, if you saw the crowds that were at MGM during its first weekend, they must be doing something right b/c if was far and away the most crowded I had ever seen the park!

 

[DenLo]

Thanks TigerLaw for all the great photos. Your night photos are really, really good. I LOL when you said you used a trash can for a tripod. I doubt if I could get half that good of a shot even with appropriate equipment.