Trip Report When can we do this again? A Fractal family Odyssey. *COMPLETED*

Definition of odyssey:

• : a long journey full of adventures
  
  
• : a series of experiences that give knowledge or understanding to someone

Not too long ago I had a lot of doubt this trip would ever happen. The financial cost of higher education, the fact my wife Val wanted to go anywhere BUT Disney, the crazy and conflicting schedules of the kids, made the odds of keeping our 2-year WDW trip tradition a large long-shot. But maybe things do happen for a reason...

A great deal came our way and before we knew it we were on our way back to the World. Not without a major sacrifice however as my eldest daughter Alexandra had to miss the trip due to her schooling ( she graduates this Friday as an Registered Nurse!). She is a bit of a kindred spirit to me with a personality closer to mine than the other two, so I knew I would miss her dearly on the trip.

Here she is at Christmas with my Mom (Yia-Yia).

Speaking of Yia-yia; she will join us again at WDW! We had a great time with her on our 2013 trip at the Poly. We would meet up with her, my Sister Marina (here with me)...

and my two nieces; Courtney...

and Mia...

at the Yacht Club on the second leg of our journey. The first part of our trip took us to my in-law's (Al & Sue) who moved to Florida (Tampa - St. Pete area) last year. They would also join us at WDW!

Here they are from a 50th anniversary party we had for them last Winter...

It was early evening Thursday July 20th when we began our Odyssey. My good friend Wally picked us up to take us to the Baltimore (BWI) airport.

Excitement was building for our trip but the real Disney excitement would come later.

Sterg and Toni occupied the back seat. They were almost late for the pickup as they decided a last second Starbucks run was in order. Sterg ended up paying for that about an hour later as his bladder protested strongly.

Val was next to me and could barely contain her enthusiasm.

Not only was she not fully in favor of another Disney trip, she was (rightfully) concerned with the potential problems, complications, and stress of merging these 3 parts of the family together in the already chaotic environment of managing reservations, room assignments, getting to the parks, fastpasses and dinner plans. I had much of the same worries, which were also amplified by the fact Yia-Yia and Al would be using electric scooters during our time at the World. But hey, it's Disney, what could go wrong?

 

[becca_]

Your Pandora at night photos....

Really amazing job.. You should be hired by Disney!

 

[LieutLaww]

Damn @fractal those pics tho, any pics I take while away in Oct wont be of the calibre (only have my Samsung Phone) but i will sure take plenty

 

[riverside]

Amazing--your photos & your narration!! I can't wait for more!!

 

[MinnieM123]

O.k. o.k. I know you're sick of hearing this, BUT -- YOUR PHOTOS ARE FREAKING AMAZING!!!!

 

[DryerLintFan]

Disney needs to hire you. For real. Nothing in their promotional material has made Pandora as attractive as your photos have.

 

[Tuvalu]

The night of torrential AK rains? We in the MK area got nothing.....not even a drop!

 

[PineapplePrincess]

Can it be said too many times? Your photos are absolutely gorgeous! Thank you for sharing them with us along with your settings, techniques, etc.

 

[sheriffwoody]

Love your Pandora pictures! I don't have the patience for that kind of photography, but it's so much fun to see what all you can capture! You did an amazing job, especially considering you just used trash cans and posts to steady your camera! I wouldn't want to carry a tripod around either, but looks like you didn't really need it anyway

 

[joshsprincess921]

Your night time Pandora photos.....WOWZA! Those are incredible!

 

[PacNWTigger]

Your night time pictures of Pandora are absolutely AMAZING and beautiful! Maybe they need to add more trashcans to allow for more photo opportunities.

 

[Matt and Kelly]

Truly fantastic photos of Pandora. So vivid. I really need to figure out how to capture images like that on our camera. I don't think my iPhone is going to yield such amazing results haha!

 

[worldfanatic]

Ohhh.....Mia, Mia.
Knocking on random hotel room doors after Midnight?
I can only imagine how ed those people must've been. Lol

 

[senor_jorge]

I'd have been happy to help her find her family, and maybe check on them at 2 AM to make sure nobody else was lost.

 

[fractal]

I'd have been happy to help her find her family, and maybe check on them at 2 AM to make sure nobody else was lost.

I like the way you think!

 

[Songbird76]

Exiting River Journey I remembered the daytime view from the bridge. I placed my camera on the railing to take a long exposure shot of the waterfall from one of the floating mountains. What I didn't realize is that I still had on the darn Auto ISO. So this shot was taken at ISO 800 instead of 100; f/8 and 3.2 second exposure. I remember thinking that 3.2seconds seemed too "fast" for the amount of light available but the other gears in the ol' brain didn't make the rest of the connection.

Around this point Val and Sue decided to go back to YC. Marina, Sterg, Toni, Courtney and Mia made the brave decision to wait 120 minutes standby for FoP! I decided to use this time to take photos in Pandora.

More of the glow in the dark "pods". I found a trashcan to use for another 3.2 second exposure. This at ISO 2000 (which actually looks really good for ISO that high).

ISO 5000, same shutter speed and aperture. It should have occurred to me by now that the camera was on Auto ISO, but I was distracted by finding trashcans that offered good photo compositions.

This may be my favorite shot of the night. ISO 1600.

Right after this shot it started to rain. A good steady rain. Those that have read my other reports know that I have a habit of buying and bringing ponchos to our trip, only to forget them in the room when needed. Well, the habit remains. Ponchos were in the room. I put my camera in my camera bag and made a fast run to the Mercantile Gift shop just outside Avatar entrance and purchased a poncho. The last thing I wanted was to be stranded in AK and I didn't feel my camera was secure enough from the rain despite the camera bag. I put on the poncho, placed the camera bag in a Disney merchandise bag and held it like a football under my poncho. As I looked outside, the steady rain turned into a downpour. Then a blinding flash of lightning followed very closely by a booming thunder clap.

"Wow." I thought. I checked in with the other two splintered groups. Val & Sue were almost at the bus stop but soaking wet. Marina said they were still in the FoP line and also soaked but decided to wait it out!

"You are crazy!" I said. I made my way to the exit in the gift shop that was nearest to the park exit and waited for a lull in the rain - then took off. I joined the crowd of people leaving just as the rain started to intensify again. My glasses were fogging up making hard to see where I was going. My grip on the bag containing my camera bag was like a vise. I made it to the bathroom right before the park exit and parked myself under cover as the rain was now a full torrential downpour.

"Next break in the rain I'm making a run for the bus stops." I said to myself while wiping my glasses. I checked in again with Marina and the FoP crew. They were steadfast; sending back images as if to taunt me.

I can't stand being in wet clothing. I know most people don't enjoy it, but it really bothers me and i have a low tolerance for it. Even with the poncho on I was having issues as the bottom of my shorts were wet and my sperrys were soaked. No way I would have survived in that standby line.

About 15 minutes later the rain stopped, but people were still leaving the park.

"Hmmm" I thought in my contrarian natured brain. "Maybe I should go back to Pandora." envisioning a now 20 minutes wait for FoP after the mass exodus.

And I did just that. I made it all the way back to the FoP entrance and found...

Still a 120 minute wait! Are you kidding me? The CM said very few people got out of line, and a bunch of people had the same idea as I had. So much for being "contrarian".

Well, I thought, at least I can go back to taking photos. As I set up for my first shot; "Hey? why is this camera set at ISO 1600?" The horror and realization of my AUTO ISO mistake hit me hard but I endured.

Setting the ISO now at 100 I took some shots. Anybody want to figure out how long my exposure had to be? At ISO 1600 my exposure was 3 seconds. A drop to ISO 100 cut my light in half 4 times...

Finally, a long exposure shot at ISO 100!

The correct answer to my photographic quiz is 48 seconds. (3 X 2 = 6 X 2 = 12 X 2 = 24 X 2 = 48). Since I didn't want to deal with a 48 second exposure, I widened my f/stop until my EVF showed a good exposure at 25 seconds (f/6.3) or I could have bumped the ISO to 200.

I was a bit annoyed at the Imagineers during my night time photo voyage in Pandora. Using trash cans as a tripod can limit you to the shots you can take depending on were they are positioned. However, all the paths were bordered by a fence and posts. The top of posts were big enough for my camera, but...the top of the posts were also uneven to make them more "authentic". Most of them were useless, but I found a couple I could use.

For a second I wished I had my tripod, until I thought about having to carry that and my camera and bag under a poncho in the rain.

Final shot -

Then the rain started again. Followed by a series of very intimidating lighting and thunder! Once again I packed up and headed for the gift shop. This time there was no steady increase. We went from drizzles to full on rain forest deluge in about 10 seconds. I only made it to the entrance of Tiffens and took cover there. After a very slight pause I moved back to the gift shop and waited outside undercover with some others.

By this point the pathways were flooding - this was taken during a let up.

I finally "maned up" and exited the park in a steady rain. I made it to the bus stop area, then took a freezing cold bus alone back to the YC.

As I got off the elevator and started walking to my room, I took off my squishy shoes and treated my tired feet to the soft plush YC hallway carpeting. "This feels great." I thought. It would become a bit of a "thing".

Val was in the room with Sue having some wine when I entered. About 45 minutes later the FoP squad returned to base with the excitement and thrill that comes with a major accomplishment. "It was even better the 2nd time!" was the repeated mantra.

It was now around 12:30 in the morning. 15 minutes later we had a knock on the door. It was Mia. She wanted to give us a snack before bed. She told us she forgot where our room was and knocked on 3 doors before ours and she got yelled at.

"What did they say to you?" I asked.

"They said - where's your Mother? Go to bed little girl! - they were kinda mean."

"I guess they were." I replied.

Up next - We hit Hollywood Studios for some thrills, then later try a new restaurant in Epcot while Sterg goes youtube video crazy.

Ok...this may be a stupid question, since I know nothing about photography settings. But, the picture you said may be your favorite from the evening...with the blue and purple glowing everything...did the auto ISO setting change the way it looked or does it really look like that? Are the colors truly that bright? Because that is MESMERIZING.

 

[Songbird76]

Disney needs to hire you. For real. Nothing in their promotional material has made Pandora as attractive as your photos have.

AGREED!! I wasn't impressed at all until I saw THESE pictures...now I see what the fuss is all about.

 

[coachwnh]

I'd have been happy to help her find her family, and maybe check on them at 2 AM to make sure nobody else was lost.

This made me laugh!!! Too funny

 

[Bob]

Exiting River Journey I remembered the daytime view from the bridge. I placed my camera on the railing to take a long exposure shot of the waterfall from one of the floating mountains. What I didn't realize is that I still had on the darn Auto ISO. So this shot was taken at ISO 800 instead of 100; f/8 and 3.2 second exposure. I remember thinking that 3.2seconds seemed too "fast" for the amount of light available but the other gears in the ol' brain didn't make the rest of the connection.

Around this point Val and Sue decided to go back to YC. Marina, Sterg, Toni, Courtney and Mia made the brave decision to wait 120 minutes standby for FoP! I decided to use this time to take photos in Pandora.

More of the glow in the dark "pods". I found a trashcan to use for another 3.2 second exposure. This at ISO 2000 (which actually looks really good for ISO that high).

ISO 5000, same shutter speed and aperture. It should have occurred to me by now that the camera was on Auto ISO, but I was distracted by finding trashcans that offered good photo compositions.

This may be my favorite shot of the night. ISO 1600.

Right after this shot it started to rain. A good steady rain. Those that have read my other reports know that I have a habit of buying and bringing ponchos to our trip, only to forget them in the room when needed. Well, the habit remains. Ponchos were in the room. I put my camera in my camera bag and made a fast run to the Mercantile Gift shop just outside Avatar entrance and purchased a poncho. The last thing I wanted was to be stranded in AK and I didn't feel my camera was secure enough from the rain despite the camera bag. I put on the poncho, placed the camera bag in a Disney merchandise bag and held it like a football under my poncho. As I looked outside, the steady rain turned into a downpour. Then a blinding flash of lightning followed very closely by a booming thunder clap.

"Wow." I thought. I checked in with the other two splintered groups. Val & Sue were almost at the bus stop but soaking wet. Marina said they were still in the FoP line and also soaked but decided to wait it out!

"You are crazy!" I said. I made my way to the exit in the gift shop that was nearest to the park exit and waited for a lull in the rain - then took off. I joined the crowd of people leaving just as the rain started to intensify again. My glasses were fogging up making hard to see where I was going. My grip on the bag containing my camera bag was like a vise. I made it to the bathroom right before the park exit and parked myself under cover as the rain was now a full torrential downpour.

"Next break in the rain I'm making a run for the bus stops." I said to myself while wiping my glasses. I checked in again with Marina and the FoP crew. They were steadfast; sending back images as if to taunt me.

I can't stand being in wet clothing. I know most people don't enjoy it, but it really bothers me and i have a low tolerance for it. Even with the poncho on I was having issues as the bottom of my shorts were wet and my sperrys were soaked. No way I would have survived in that standby line.

About 15 minutes later the rain stopped, but people were still leaving the park.

"Hmmm" I thought in my contrarian natured brain. "Maybe I should go back to Pandora." envisioning a now 20 minutes wait for FoP after the mass exodus.

And I did just that. I made it all the way back to the FoP entrance and found...

Still a 120 minute wait! Are you kidding me? The CM said very few people got out of line, and a bunch of people had the same idea as I had. So much for being "contrarian".

Well, I thought, at least I can go back to taking photos. As I set up for my first shot; "Hey? why is this camera set at ISO 1600?" The horror and realization of my AUTO ISO mistake hit me hard but I endured.

Setting the ISO now at 100 I took some shots. Anybody want to figure out how long my exposure had to be? At ISO 1600 my exposure was 3 seconds. A drop to ISO 100 cut my light in half 4 times...

Finally, a long exposure shot at ISO 100!

The correct answer to my photographic quiz is 48 seconds. (3 X 2 = 6 X 2 = 12 X 2 = 24 X 2 = 48). Since I didn't want to deal with a 48 second exposure, I widened my f/stop until my EVF showed a good exposure at 25 seconds (f/6.3) or I could have bumped the ISO to 200.

I was a bit annoyed at the Imagineers during my night time photo voyage in Pandora. Using trash cans as a tripod can limit you to the shots you can take depending on were they are positioned. However, all the paths were bordered by a fence and posts. The top of posts were big enough for my camera, but...the top of the posts were also uneven to make them more "authentic". Most of them were useless, but I found a couple I could use.

For a second I wished I had my tripod, until I thought about having to carry that and my camera and bag under a poncho in the rain.

Final shot -

Then the rain started again. Followed by a series of very intimidating lighting and thunder! Once again I packed up and headed for the gift shop. This time there was no steady increase. We went from drizzles to full on rain forest deluge in about 10 seconds. I only made it to the entrance of Tiffens and took cover there. After a very slight pause I moved back to the gift shop and waited outside undercover with some others.

By this point the pathways were flooding - this was taken during a let up.

I finally "maned up" and exited the park in a steady rain. I made it to the bus stop area, then took a freezing cold bus alone back to the YC.

As I got off the elevator and started walking to my room, I took off my squishy shoes and treated my tired feet to the soft plush YC hallway carpeting. "This feels great." I thought. It would become a bit of a "thing".

Val was in the room with Sue having some wine when I entered. About 45 minutes later the FoP squad returned to base with the excitement and thrill that comes with a major accomplishment. "It was even better the 2nd time!" was the repeated mantra.

It was now around 12:30 in the morning. 15 minutes later we had a knock on the door. It was Mia. She wanted to give us a snack before bed. She told us she forgot where our room was and knocked on 3 doors before ours and she got yelled at.

"What did they say to you?" I asked.

"They said - where's your Mother? Go to bed little girl! - they were kinda mean."

"I guess they were." I replied.

Up next - We hit Hollywood Studios for some thrills, then later try a new restaurant in Epcot while Sterg goes youtube video crazy.

All that I can say about these photos is....

 

[MinnieM123]

I'd have been happy to help her find her family, and maybe check on them at 2 AM to make sure nobody else was lost.

I almost spit out my coffee when I read this! Too funny!

 

[fractal]

The morning after the deluge promised to be a nice one based on the view from our room. Storm-along-Bay looked great again and beckoned for me to spend some time in its waters.

But first we had FPs to tend to at Hollywood Studios. The morning crew consisted of myself, Sterg, Toni and Courtney.

Looking back at the Yacht Club. Love the blue skies!

The shipwreck "jib" slide.

and our neighbors on the Boardwalk.

I was ready.

A man and his Kingdom.

No meal plan this trip, these were stocked in the frig.

At 15, it was much harder to get her to smile than at 11. Especially when in the company of her older brother and cousin.

DHS has fallen down my rankings of Disney Parks. I always loved the old Hollywood look but it certainly is a Park in transition. By 2020 I have a feeling it may be back near the top. Nevertheless, I was excited to be walking up Hollywood Blvd.

In both Black & White...

and Technicolor!

As we reached the "corner" the "kids" were drawn to Starbucks like Turbo was to the Mentos/Diet Coke beacon. I was left alone to wait. Out of principal I will not spend $5 for a coffee ($11 for a beer though...).

Next thing I knew I was in a Star Wars movie. Music from The Force Awakens, specifically the First Order theme was blasting from the hidden speakers followed by orders being barked out by Captain Phasma. I was impressed. The stormtrooper march had begun and I situated myself to get a great shot of them. That was until some lady cut in front of me holding up her d*mn I-pad right in my sight line. I was either going to kick her in the back of her knees or quickly shift my position. I chose the later, which resulted in an out of focus shot.

I managed one good one. The family on the bench doesn't seem too impressed by this show of force. I'm guessing they're spies.

The kids emerged with their $7 mixture of caffeine, sugar and ice-cubes, but too late to see the show.

"Sterg, you missed it! The Stormtrooper came out marching, led by Captain Phasma and..." I stopped when I realized I sounded like a 9 year old boy.

"Anyway, let me get a photo of you three." back to Dad mode.

The Street Performers were out in force (no pun intended) today which made me smile.

Always a great sight!

Let's Go!

But first we jumped at the 5 minute Standby wait time for RRRC.