Mini Portrait Session With Cinderella Castle Backdrop Review
The program for today was to do a 6am Magic Kingdom Portrait Session earlier the park opened and then run back to the park for rope-drop and spend the twenty-four hours there.
Just to give you lot a little background, the Magic Kingdom Portrait Session is a HUGE deal for Disney brides because it'due south the but manner you can get pictures in your wedding dress in the park, and at the time it was just bachelor to people who got married at Disney. Information technology's not PhotoPass photography during park hours – you go picked up by a fellow member of Disney's professional photography department and driven inside the park earlier it opens for a photo shoot, normally at either 5am or 6am. Merely i couple is allowed in the park at a time. And the cost is Ane Chiliad DOLLARS (this will exist very of import in a moment). Two weeks later on the shoot they post all your photos online for yous to encounter and they mail you one four×6 impress of each pic. Then y'all get an anthology with 12 pictures in information technology. And that'due south all yous get. If you want more pictures, prices range from $xiii for a iv×vi print to $30 for an 8×10 to $85 for 16×twenty.
I got upwards at virtually 4am to do my hair and makeup for the Magic Kingdom photo shoot. Originally I was going to have Patricia Lejeune come up back for this, but the more than MK pix I saw, the more I realized that they are shot from so far away you can barely see anyone'south makeup (if I'd only known then just HOW far away, I might have slept in a little subsequently…). The tricky role was styling my hair – I ended up with a depression-hire version of Patricia's fabulous updo featuring more bobby pins than hair.
Information technology was fun to get dorsum in our wedding dress, and we got some congratulations as nosotros walked to the forepart of the Beach Society to see our Disney photographer at 6am. Equally we piled into his van and set off for the Magic Kingdom, I sensed that he was slightly threatened by the fact that we'd used a non-Disney lensman for our wedding. He wasn't aggressive about information technology the way some Disney photogs reportedly are, only I wished I'd let Patrick in on how delicate the state of affairs was. As he yammered on and on about how great the Roots are, I was trying every facial and hand signal I could call back of to get him to cool information technology, all of which were lost in the pre-dawn blackness. When our van pulled up to the hub in front end of Cinderella Castle, I finally had a chance to whisper nether my jiff, "Ixnay on the ootsRay!" when our lensman got out.
First upwards were the stock poses in front of the castle. WAAAAY in forepart of the castle…
Who dat?
Nosotros got to throw in a few of our ain, though. You should have seen the photographer'south eyes bug out when I said I wanted to re-create Luke & Leia's pose on the Star Wars affiche. He sputtered, "You're going to prevarication on the footing?!" I was totally over worrying about my dress – the thing is polyester! You can throw information technology in the washing motorcar! So Patrick raised his arms above his head, clasping my bouquet every bit a calorie-free saber, while I lay on my side and wrapped myself effectually his leg.
Unfortunately the paths up to the castle and through information technology were blocked off, and then we didn't go to practice any of the close-upward castle shots I like or this neat one looking through the castle and back down Primary Street, U.South.A. that I've seen a lot. This was pretty disappointing – it's non like we're ever going to do this photo shoot again. Then our next stop was Main Street, U.S.A. Nosotros got i or two good ones hither, but again we were hampered by the awkward poses our photographer suggested. For some reason at that place are a bazillion shots of the ceiling of the movie theater with a tiny me in the background stiffly holding up the edifice with i arm…
"So… how practise you guys concur this matter upwards when I'm not around…?"
In that location are as well numerous banal shots of Patrick in front of the "puppets" sign above one of the Main Street shops because, you lot know, he'south a puppeteer. Eh? Eh? Anyone…? Virtually the just action in these pictures is the truck driving through the back of some of them.
Off to Frontierland! This picture was the one nosotros knew nosotros had to accept (and I think it'due south OK to mail service here because the lovely bride has it in her signature on the DIS). I love the way the sunday is just beginning to rise and the castle is glowing behind them. About the but affair glowing in our picture is a lamp that was either added to the span before we got there or Photoshopped out of the picture we liked….
Thank goodness for Photoshop – Disney eventually removed our lamp digitally, though I still think you lot need a magnifying glass to know who nosotros are!
Next we walked around the side of the castle to accept some shots of me on a bench looming over Patrick. Grrr… Nosotros idea he was gonna crop the states from waist up, or something, but instead we got a flick of me continuing on a bench…???
"Encounter, when I Photoshop out the bench, it'll look like you're levitating!"
Off nosotros went to take shots of u.s. blocking the Cinderella fountain…
"I'chiliad gonna need y'all guys to move a niggling to the left – I tin can nevertheless see the fountain."
And then we got a few shots in forepart of the mosaics in the blocked-off passageway through the castle (complete with workers walking through the back!). I'm not sure why you would e'er pose a alpine helpmate in the foreground with a short groom in the background….
New Incredible Shrinking Groom ™! Then compact, you tin can behave him on your bouquet! (Random stranger sold separately)
… and we posed for some pictures with an get out sign, er, I mean a accommodate of armor in the lobby of Cinderella'south Majestic Table.
Now I accept to say that the experience of taking pictures in the Magic Kingdom before it opened was bang-up. Nosotros were a little nervous about how they were going to turn out fifty-fifty so, but we more often than not merely tried to enjoy that special opportunity in the park. I'm merely not so sure the experience lonely was worth the money for us, and the resulting photos certainly weren't. This isn't just a difference in gustatory modality or style – these photos looked like they were taken by someone without even basic photographic preparation: shots of usa in front of the castle were framed to include lamps, trash cans, and expanses of sky and pavement, with a tiny bridal couple and tiny castle somewhere in the middle. In many shots the camera was slightly tilted so that the castle listed to the right or left behind u.s.; blurry and closed-middle shots that never should have been included were; at that place were people walking through the backs of shots; glowing exit signs were not framed out of shots; and an extremely clumsy Photoshop task had left one picture with blackness lines and a burnout in the middle of it. Bad show!
When we were done with the Magic Kingdom photograph shoot, our lensman drove u.s. back to our resort, regaling the states with tales of doing photography for multiple weddings of this one guy who keeps getting remarried at Walt Disney World – like, seven times! He dropped u.s. at the Embankment Society, where we quickly changed and then ran back out to the Magic Kingdom in time for rope drop!
The merely problem was…. I sleepwalked through the rest of the twenty-four hour period. I'd thought that giving us a day off betwixt the wedding and our MK shoot would be plenty time to recuperate for the 6am shoot. Plus, I usually have no problem getting upwardly early. But I guess the whirlwind of the previous few days finally caught up with me, because I could barely keep my optics open on my first existent trip to the Magic Kingdom in 15 years. I can't even imagine taking our MK pix the solar day of our wedding like some couples do!
Fifty-fifty though I picked the absolute SLOWEST way to get to the MK (rental car to TTC, boat from TTC to MK), we nevertheless got in that location well before the little pre-show celebration at the train station, which nosotros couldn't see because we were lined up in forepart of one of the tunnels. As soon as the rope dropped, we did the Disney Speed Walk all the way to Space Mountain, eager to effort the "archetype" version since we love Disneyland's so much. Nosotros ran through the queue (I wish I could think which side, because apparently they are different experiences…?) and got to be some of the first people on it.
No offense, diehards, but information technology was LAME! No music? Rattly, hasty cars? Instead of screaming, nosotros could exist heard maxim things like, "Oh." and "Huh?" as our machine bumped along. When we got off the ride, Patrick and I looked at each other and said, "Disneyland 1, Magic Kingdom Goose egg!" Completely flouting whatever logical touring plans, nosotros side by side rode Fizz Lightyear (much better theming than our Disneyland version) and the Astro Orbiter. We're used to the Disneyland i, which is on the ground instead of on top of the Peoplemover track, and it fabricated us kinda queasy. On the elevator ride up we got in line with a couple as well wearing helpmate and groom ears and asked when they'd been married. They said they'd simply go engaged at the Magic Kingdom a few nights before. Awwww…!
"Hi, Mom!"
"She's nuzzling my flesh with her nose!"
Off to Fantasyland! What a trip – it looks so much different than Disneyland'south Fantasyland, and I couldn't find Anything! I've never had to use a park map then much… We'd heard rave reviews of Mickey's PhilharMagic, but I could barely keep my eyes open. (Too, I'm not terribly interested in films and shows fifty-fifty on a perky day.) Patrick said he thought we may have been sitting as well close, and then we'll have to effort it again in September. Nosotros too rode Small Globe and Winnie the Pooh, which is WAY improve than ours.
Off to Frontierland! Nosotros were bowled over by its lush scenery and loved the river-front path. Score another one for Magic Kingdom! (Nosotros weren't actually keeping score past this point – trying to business relationship for all the variables made my encephalon injure.) Too, tourists that we were, we couldn't get over all the exotic-to-us birds just hanging out all over the parks, similar this guy.
The Pigeon of the East
We were really impressed by the queue at Big Thunder Mountain, and afterwards nosotros got off the ride, we went back into the queue to brand a wish at the fountain. My new hubby brought a tear to my eye when he said, "Gee, I don't know what to wish for anymore…!"
At lunch time we headed for Columbia Harbor House. I am a large nutrient snob and never eat much counter service (all of which will change when we go for the free Disney Dining Plan in a few months!) only I had heard skilful things about CHH. For i thing, I loved the temper! Nosotros sabbatum upstairs in the room that bridges the walking path and watched people. I'm lamentable, I forgot to take a moving picture of our repast—you'll have to utilise your… imaginaTIONNNNNNNN! Information technology was fish strips, mollusk chowder, BLT salad, and ane piece of paid chocolate block and one piece of FREE chocolate cake fer gettin' married. Burp!
Afterward luncheon we rolled around Adventureland….
1 thing we were really excited about was seeing Swiss Family Tree House. Tarzan's Tree House but isn't as cool. Patrick would live in the Swiss Family unit Tree Business firm if he could.
Zzzz….whoa! Where am I? Who's this guy?! Sure… "cheese"… whatever…
We loved the what they'd done with the outside of the Tiki Room. What they'd done on the interior, not so much…
I'd done my homework, and then I was prepared for the mess that is "The Tiki Room… Nether New Management." Patrick, on the other paw, was appalled. When they got to the part where Iago quips, "Who turned out the lights?" I thought Patrick was going to get up and walk out (that phrase has always been our secret shorthand for any stale, tired joke).
Next nosotros rode Pirates, which had another wonderfully themed queue for us to blaze through – no crowds! We thought they did a manner improve job of incorporating the new Jack Sparrow treasure room scene than at Disneyland, where they basically stuck a box at the end of the last room by the waterfall – lame! Other than that, the ride was kinda disappointing. When we came out, we snapped a few pictures, including this accidentally great i of Helm Hook under the Pirates sign.
Back to Liberty Square! I got a fiddling unscheduled nap in during the Hall o' Presidents, and then nosotros striking Haunted Mansion. Information technology really knocked our socks off! The new show scenes that we don't have at Disneyland were corking, and I loved how the whole affair felt more than immersive – the high ceilings, big rooms, super-dark sets… (mind you, the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland is my all-fourth dimension favorite ride, so this is a large stretch to admit!)
Patrick was very excited to come across Country Bears, his all-time fave ride, since Disneyland has replaced it with that inexpensive-o version of the Winnie the Pooh ride. I was very excited to get in another nap.
Among my other "napportunities" were Carousel of Progress and the Peoplemover (I have a feeling it is called something dissimilar these days… Tomorrowland Transit Authority? Boooooring!!).
I was deplorable about this because they were also rides nosotros no longer accept at Disneyland that I remember fondly. And several years ago they were only operating CoP seasonally at WDW, scaring us into thinking it would be airtight for expert!
And then hither was my chance to finally see them again and….
Oh boy, was that an unflattering shot. Let'south all clear our minds of that prototype by looking at this for a moment instead:
So I was very lamentable to be too tired to appreciate Carousel of Progress and the Peoplemo- er, uh, the TTA. Patrick tried to get a pic for me of Progress City, a.yard.a. the Epcot That Could Accept Been. Nosotros similar to spend hours talking near what it would take been similar to live in the city Walt wanted…
…it would have been really blurry!
I managed to keep my eyes open for the Jungle Cruise, and so we checked out the rather underwhelming ToonTown. Finally I couldn't take it any longer and fell asleep on a bench in an alley off Main Street similar a Magical Disney Hobo™. Eventually a member of the Dream Squad who was off-duty (dang!) came by to make sure I wasn't dead and ended upwards talking to Patrick for half an hour. It turned out he knew our MK Shoot photographer, and he even started telling u.s. the aforementioned story about the guy who keeps having Disney weddings with new brides.
Eventually Patrick asked if I thought nosotros could walk around a scrap before dinner, and nosotros took some pictures around the castle.
Looks like this guy studied under our MK Shoot photographer!
Finally it was time for our dinner reservation at Cinderella's Royal Tabular array, which I was actually looking forward to. Nosotros checked in outside, said hullo to our knight buddy in the foyer, and waited a few minutes to be called upstairs. Oh, and nosotros got a deer-in-the-headlights-style photo taken with Cinderella, plus a plastic wand and sword. I wish I coulda had a sword too….
We mentioned our honeymoon on our reservation, and we got the best table in the house, right nether the window over Fantasyland.
The view
The prime rib wasn't as bad every bit I'd heard, and we got the free toasting flutes for our honeymoon.
…It but *looks* icky!
We also got a shoutout from the Fairy Godmother for being the only newlyweds in the place that night, and a large rodent (Suzy? Perla?) insisted on having her picture taken with us.
Ow! I'm sorry, Suzy/Perla, I'll learn your name – just stop squeezing me!
OK, so nobody on the DIS dining boards could understand why I was trying then hard to get a reservation at CRT during the fireworks, instead of working the reservation around a castle-front viewing of Wishes. Well when the music started and nosotros were sitting in the window looking right out at the fireworks, Patrick went nuts! (But not so nuts that he couldn't accept these pictures…) He kept saying, "Wow! What a nifty idea! Thank you lot and then much for arranging this. I can't believe how close the fireworks are!"
It really was astonishing and even, dare I say information technology, magical!
The park was airtight when we got out, so we took the monorail to the tram to the rental motorcar to the Beach Club to the shower to the bed. Good dark!
Solar day seven: First Full Day at Epcot
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Source: https://disneytravelbabble.com/trip-reports/wedding/day-6/