The wait is over! It’s been a little over a month and I’ve finally had the time to gather my thoughts and organize my photos so that I can give everyone a proper update on my recent travels. (I bet you thought this day would never come… LOL). In late November I spent two weeks park-hopping and city-exploring across Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Japan and wanted to provide a few general thoughts as well as an overview of my itinerary to catch everyone up-to-speed. This will be a no-holds-back blog entry full of my honest thoughts and suggestions (no matter how unpopular they may be). My goal is to provide another point of view along with some helpful hints as you plan your own upcoming vacations!
One of my favorite things to do is to plan "the perfect day" for my friends and family when we go to Disneyland. Since I bought my annual pass in 2015, I've been going to Disneyland about two times a month. I've tested out all different theories and countless "itineraries". What I've discovered is that most of the common tips are true. If you want the quickest wait times for the most popular rides, be there at rope drop (when Disney Cast Members officially drop the rope at entrances to the parks). If you want to hit up popular rides mid-day make sure you get a Fastpass for that ride (or expect to wait an hour +). If you want to eat at the most popular sit-downs, make a reservation in advance. Most of these are pretty intuitive. What's not as intuitive are what those most "popular" rides/eats/shows are at that particular time.
I feel like we’ve hit the jackpot with the food at Disney California Adventure. The food is spectacular and I regularly crave more than one item there. Again, there is still SO much I haven’t gotten to eat but what I have eaten is to die for.
A lot of people on Instagram have recently been asking me “what kind of camera do you use when you go to Disney?”, so I thought I’d write a post about it. I’ve been on a 3-year photography “journey”, so-to-speak, and there's a bit of a backstory to how I ended up using the cameras I currently use. I’m 100% self-taught and a lot of what I’ve learned has been trial and error. There's a ton of information out there on the internet and you have to go with what works for you. Just because a photographer you really admire suggests something, doesn’t always mean it’s going to be the best fit for your needs. So with that said, I’m going to take you through what equipment I’m currently using and why.
If you just want the short version, I am now strictly a Sony user. I rotate between the Sony RX100 and the Sony a5100. If you want the longer version inclusive of my backstory, keep reading...
First of all, let me answer the most basic of questions: WHAT IS PIXAR FEST? I’ve been getting this question A LOT from my Disney and non-Disney friends alike. The short answer is: a celebration of all things Pixar. But really, that response is quite simplified. My goal with this post is to dive into that question in greater detail and give you my perspective on the event.
My favorite time of the year is BACK – the Festival of Holidays at Disney’s California Adventure. It’s like our own version of the Food & Wine Festival but with all the holiday cheer. It launched last weekend and while I still have a ways to go when it comes to all of the goodies to consume, I thought I’d share some of favorite items (so far) with you all for inspiration.
Disney California Adventure introduced a whole new Halloween layover this season that made DCA a must-see Disney park destination. I had the best time checking out all of the new photo opps and trying the special edition snacks and drinks. Below is a recap of my adventures through Disney California Adventures' HAUL-O-WEEN!
I remember the first time I found out about Dapper Day. It was 2 years ago and I was at the park on a random Sunday. I kept seeing people dressed up and couldn’t stop wondering about it. Since then, I’ve unknowingly found myself at Disneyland on Dapper Day twice and each time have been increasingly impressed by the creativity and just how GOOD everyone looks.
I have loved the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival these last two years. It’s such a wonderful time to try some of the most delicious culinary experiments! While last year’s offerings were generally underwhelming to me, this year’s were OFF THE CHARTS!
Ah, April 1st, the start of Disneyland’s most treasured scavenger hunt, the EGG-STRAVAGANZA. Last year was my first year participating and it was a ridiculous amount of fun. For those who haven’t done this yet, I thought I'd give you a little rundown of what to expect.