Mele Kalikimaka WDW Adventure 2015 - COMPLETED

Thank you KenJ...very kind of you! Tons of my photos would make you wonder about my composition skills (mainly do I have any). I am more of a picture guy, which is a good thing, as it spares folks the pain of reading my notes...LOL! You are correct, the D810 is a 36MP camera, so I've been hoarding memory cards like nobody's business!

Do you shoot often? What kind of camera do you have?

I have to tell you a story about my Cabana Bay picture taking adventure! I had set my alarm at 2:30 am so I could shoot the lobby and the surrounding areas without any people (there were still folks checking in at that time if you look at some of the lobby pics). Within 10 minutes of setting up my tripod, I notice two security guards approaching me from the corner of my eye. I smile as they get near, knowing I'm going to get grilled about my gear. Sure enough, they ask me if I'm a guest of the hotel. I confirm that I am, but they want to know my name and room number, as well as wanting to see my room key card. I politely answer their questions and show them the requisite proof. Security then asks me the reason for taking pictures. I assure them that it's strictly a hobby with no professional ties. The two gentlemen were very courteous and professional during the entire conversation, but their demeanor relaxed once they knew I was up to no good. They told me they have to check because a lot of people that aren't guests come into the hotel taking pictures (I can understand why). One of the guards then proceeded to ask me about my camera and commented that he needed to buy a DSLR. They said have a great evening and headed off on their rounds. I was pretty much unfazed by the incident after being scolded by security at the park the other night. Universal definitely is not as camera friendly as Disney.

Since spending quite a chunk of change on new camera gear for our trip, I had decided early on that I was going to limit my park merchandise purchases. My photos would be my souvenirs, so to speak. Of course, I did pick up a few items from Cabana Bay (including a beach towel which is not shown). Can you see my unnecessary cup collection growing? We already had two high priced Butter Beer cups in the room, but I just had to add two Cabana mugs to the pile...

Universal's Cabana Bay Resort Assortment Goodies by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

After resting for a bit in the room, we headed back to the parks in the late afternoon for our final night at the park. We checked out a bit more of Hogsmeade and I did the walk through tour of the castle. Sue told me I would not be happy in the motion simulator ride, so I passed on it. Another rookie photographer mistake, I shot the interior with a smaller aperture, wanting to make sure everything was in focus. This caused my ISO to skyrocket, resulting in grainy, unusable images. I posted a couple here, but they're pretty bad. I would repeat this same mistake in several more dark places (such as Be Our Guest Restaurant) much to my dismay. It was a costly lesson, one I'm sure to remember when I head to Disneyland in July.

Snowman @ Universal Studios Hogsmeade by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Hogwart's Bus Driver by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Shrunken Head at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Hogswart Castle @ Universal Studios Orlando 01 by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Hogswart Castle @ Universal Studios Orlando 02 by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey Ride Queue @ Universal Studios 04 by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey Ride Queue @ Universal Studios 02 by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey Ride Queue @ Universal Studios 03 by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

I wanted to check out The Lost Continent section of the park as I had fond memories from our last visit in 2004. I remember the Sinbad Stunt show as being pretty lackluster, so we passed on it this time around. I was happy to see the place still here as I'd assume this was where Hogwarts Castle had been built. Little seems to be happening here, synergy-wise, but being a long time Ray Harryhausen fan (Golden Voyage of Sinbad, Jason and the Argonauts, Clash of the Titans), the theming really appeals to me. Colleen had heard that Mythos Restaurant was really good, so we tried to have lunch there. They were booked solid, but we managed to get reservations for dinner. We all agreed to meet back here at seven which meant a couple of hours to take photos and check out more of the area.

Eight Voyage of Sinbad Entrance @ Universal's Islands of Adventure by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Cart Pushing Sue @ Eight Voyage of Sinbad by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

FireEaters Grill Sign @ Universal's Islands of Adventure by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Sue & the Griffin at The Lost Continent @ Universal's Islands of Adventure by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Pathway to Universal's Mythos Restaurant 03 by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Once the sun had set, I pulled out my tripod for some long exposure shots. IOA was not too crowded, so I was able to lug my gear around without any problems. I was wondering if security would approach me again, but I was left alone to do my thing.
Universal's Islands of Adventure Tower by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

The Dr. Seuss area really shines at night. I'm sure the Christmas decorations added an extra zing of color and magic. Not sure how popular this area is with children? I grew up with the good doctor's books, but wonder how relevant Seuss is with today's social media generation.

Cats, Hats,and Things @ Universal's Islands of Adventure by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Window Display @ Cats, Hats,and Things @ Universal's Islands of Adventure 01 by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Moose Juice, Goose Juice @ Universal's Islands of Adventure by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish Ride @ Universal's Islands of Adventure by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

The Lost Continent becomes even more mysterious and magical at night. I can imagine Sinbad and his crew landing here and feeling right at home. There were times during the trip that I wanted to chuck the tripod and leave it back at the hotel. But when you see how dramatic lighting and color can alter and shape the landscape, I'm grateful I had the opportunity to do long exposures to capture these images.

Eight Voyage of Sinbad Night Landscape @ Universal's Islands of Adventure 04 by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Eighth Voyage of Sinbad Night Landscape @ Universal's Islands of Adventure 01 by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Eight Voyage of Sinbad Night Landscape @ Universal's Islands of Adventure 02 by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Pathway to Universal's Mythos Restaurant by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Thanks Barbara...I'm glad you're enjoying this puzzling plethora of pictures and paragraphs!

Yes...wax bottles...99% wax and 1% juice...life couldn't get any better...

Mahalo,
Len

Hey Allie...maybe I'll get you out to Universal Studios yet.. ! If you do, my commission would be nada, zip, zilcho!

Very true, not many iconic characters in the Dr. Seuss world, sad to say. Again, licenses and character recognition are two areas Universal just cannot compete with Disney (Harry Potter withstanding) on...

It was nearing our dinner time, so Sue and I walked to Mythos Restaurant to meet up with Colleen, Kelly, Erin, and Jesse. Again, meals were one of the rare times all six of us would get together. So not only was it feeding time, but also a good chance to catch up on everyone's activities. Mythos, like the Lost Continent area, is an incredible piece of theming with amazing detail and atmosphere. It was a little hard getting decent photos inside because of the low light, but the trade off is worth it to feel like you're eating in some underground mythical cavern. I was famished by the time I sat down to read the menu. One dish that immediately caught my eye was the Pad Thai Noodles. Now let me just say, being from Hawaii, there is no shortage of authentic ethnic cuisines. Thai restaurants are as common here as your local McDonald's. Against my better judgement, I decided to give the noodles a try, already half expecting a disappointing affair. Good thing the waitress loaded our tables with hot baked bread and butter, so I could fill myself up with that if worse comes to worse. Our dinners arrived and thought my meal looked pretty tasty. Of course the light is poor and looks can be deceiving, so I scooped up a portion and gave it a try. Oh man, the food was beyond ono (Hawaiian for delicious)!!! It maybe the best Pad Thai noodles I've ever eaten. After finishing my meal, I told our waitress the exact same thing. She said that the chefs were extremely proud of the dish, and I told her they had every right to be. We hadn't even made it to WDW yet, but it was going to be hard to top tonight's dinner. I wish I had taken a picture of my meal, but it was so good that I finished before even thinking about snapping a photo.

Mythos Restaurant Detail @ Islands of Adventure 01 by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Mythos Restaurant @ Universal's Island of Adventure 02 by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Mythos Restaurant @ Universal's Island of Adventure 03 by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Mythos Restaurant @ Universal's Island of Adventure 01 by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

After a satisfying meal, we walked around Hogsmeade and rode the Hogwart Express from IOA back to Universal. Everyone decided to visit Diagon's Alley for one last time. For me, it was another chance to shoot and look out for anti-photo security guards... ! As we slowly move our way to the front exits, I took whatever shots I could of the buildings and Christmas decorations. I really wished I had another day here, but WDW was beckoning. Here is the last batch of night photos to wrap up our Universal Studios adventure (Hogsmeade & Diagon Alley pics got mixed up together..sorry)...

Riding the Hogwart's Express by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

King's Cross @ The Wizarding World of Harry Potter by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Owl Post Office @ Hogsmeade Universal Studios by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Universal Studios Harry Potter Hogsmeade 02 by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Diagon Alley at Night @ Universal Studios 01 by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Diagon Alley Nightime @ Universal Studios Orlando by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Universal Studios Harry Potter Hogsmeade 04 by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Universal Studios Harry Potter Hogsmeade 03 by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Universal Studios Harry Potter Hogsmeade 02 by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Universal Studios R & H Macy & Co by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Universal Studios Hotel Empire by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Universal Studios Louie's Bar & Grill by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Lombard's Landing @ Universal Studios Orlando 02 by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Thank you everyone for putting up with the Universal portion of our trip! I realize this is a forum dedicated to WDW, and that people are here to read about Disney. Thank you for hanging in there if you're still here. For those that moved on, wise decision...LOL!

Without further adieu, my trip report for WDW begins with the next post!

Mahalo jhugo! I don't think you would be disappointed at Universal, especially if you're a Harry Potter fan (or a fan in general of fantastic theming and attention to detail)!

Disney trip portion begins now!

After 2 days at Universal, our transportation picked us up on Sunday morning, November 29th to take us to Walt Disney World. Our friends (whom I know I've yet to formally introduce) were dropped off at Disney's Pop Century, while Sue and I headed to Disney's Art of Animation. This was the 1st of 5 different hotels I had booked for our trip. This was definitely a picture taking trip for me and I admire the detail and theming of the Disney resorts. Since getting to Orlando is far and few in-between, I went a bit crazy trying to experience as much of the different hotels as possible. In hind sight, this ended up proving quite exhausting...LOL! I don't think I would ever stay at 1 hotel if I ever make it back to WDW, but I think 2 hotels would be my cap (maybe 3). I booked a standard "Little Mermaid" room and found it very nice. The little touches throughout the room always catches my eye...or rather the camera's eye.

Sue and I dropped off our luggage and toured the hotel for a bit. Our plan for today was NOT to visit the parks, but rather to do a hotel tour. I wanted to photograph the various lobbies with their respective Christmas decorations as well as experience the overall ambience/atmosphere. I'm pretty sure I will never be able to stay at all the resorts, so this was a good way to get a small taste...

Disney's Art of Animation Lobby 01 by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Disney's Art of Animation Lobby 02 by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Disney's Art of Animation Lobby 05 by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Disney's Art of Animation Lobby 03 by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Disney's Art of Animation Lobby 04 by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Disney's Art of Animation Bedroom 01 by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Disney's Art of Animation Bedroom 03 by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Disney's Art of Animation Bedroom 02 by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

The first stop on our Hotel Tour was the Polynesian Village Resort. I remember a co-worker of mine would always stay there for the entire trip, every trip! I use to think what a waste...we live in Hawaii, why not experience something different cultural or theming wise? After visiting this resort, I now understand why she chose this place. I've been to Aulani several times, and while I enjoy the resort, it does not come close to the Polynesian. It could be completely bias, but there's something about a theme park hotel that makes it extra special. I loved the overall touches and those great tiki statues placed among the hotel. The lobby was magnificent with a cool juxtaposition of colors. I would definitely stay here for a few nights...

Disney's Polynesian Village Resort Lobby 01 by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Disney's Polynesian Village Resort Lobby 02 by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Disney's Polynesian Village Resort Lobby 03 by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Disney's Polynesian Village Resort Lobby 04 by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Bou-Tiki Store Entrance @ Disney's Polynesian Village Resort by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Bou-Tiki Window Display @ Disney's Polynesian Village Resort by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Disney's Polynesian Village Resort Lobby 04 by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Disney's Polynesian Village Resort Lobby 03 by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

The Christmas tree in the lobby was also a sight to see. I took quite a bit of photos at BouTiki (love that word play) where those immense tiki statues were...kinda scary. Hawaii has its share of ghost stories and urban legends. One of the more famous ones involves the old Pali Highway. It's believed this road was built on ancient burial grounds and the kahuna spirits there are strong. I've heard tales of people driving down that highway late at night and their cars suddenly stalling out. Drivers would throw out fresh pork over the railing as an appeasement and find their vehicles mysteriously starting up again. Don't know who would have fresh pork in their cars at that time of the night, but I did keep a can of Pork 'N Beans in my trunk just in case. You would also see a line of torches coming out of the mountain tops around midnight. These were thought to be dead warriors marching towards some unseen battle. The state eventually closed down the old Pali road and built a new highway bypassing the haunted area...

Disney's Polynesian Village Resort Lobby 03 by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

BouTiki @ Disney's Polynesian Village Resort 02 by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

BouTiki @ Disney's Polynesian Village Resort 05 by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

BouTiki @ Disney's Polynesian Village Resort 04 by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

BouTiki @ Disney's Polynesian Village Resort 07 by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

BouTiki @ Disney's Polynesian Village Resort 03 by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

BouTiki @ Disney's Polynesian Village Resort 06 by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

The detailing throughout the hotel is first rate as always. From a Polynesian Mary Blair tapestry to cute window displays featuring Huey, Louie, and Dewey!

Disney's Polynesian Village Resort Lobby 05 by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Disney's Polynesian Village Resort Window Display 01 by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Disney's Polynesian Village Resort Window Display 02 by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Pineapple Lanai @ Disney's Polynesian Village Resort by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Lilo & Stitch Surf's Up @ Disney's Polynesian Resort by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Lobby Art @ Disney's Polynesian Village Resort by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Moana Mercantile @ Disney's Polynesian Village Resort 02 by Juneau Biscuits, on Flickr

Haha I've been to Universal actually, I'm just not in love with it. We went every Florida trip when I was a kid and then DH and I have been over to Universal on two adult trips to see both sides of Harry Potter. As a big Wizarding World of Harry Potter fan we enjoyed both parks but don't feel the need to go back, and we were really underwhelmed with almost everything else at Universal. Rip Ride Rockit was a pretty awesome ride, though! I really enjoyed seeing it through your lens because that's not how I remember seeing it at all! Of course I'm loving the WDW portion even more, so far. Amazing photos!