I would probably have replaced some of my photos with updated photos of more current Disney trips, but I found a wonderful family photo taken about 35 years ago and I realized that I would like to display some older photos along with newer ones. So I am shaking things up. Out with the old and in with the new. But also, out with the new and in with the old.

How about you? Do your photos need to be shaken up? Finding different photos is a fun way to spend an afternoon. After you have gathered a bunch why not ask your family to pick their favorites? You may end up displaying photos you never thought you would. Happiness squared.

Goofy Tip: The next time you are at the Disney parks buy a picture frame as a souvenir. When you get home write the date of the trip on the bottom of the frame along with who was with you. If you want you can put a picture of the trip in the frame but if you end up putting a non-Disney photo in you’ll always remember the trip when you see the frame.

I think photos make amazing gifts. They are personal and can often be useful if they are turned into coasters or bookends. I always love it when people give me photos even if they are just in a frame because it is often a photo I don’t have and I know I will enjoy looking at it often.

So if you want to give photos as gifts the time to start working on the gift is now. Are you going to be doing things with your friends and family before December? Make plans to take pictures of each person or each group of people. Don’t just assume you’ll remember. I have often had such a good time with my family that I forgot to take photos. I always kick myself afterwards.

Also, if you are planning to turn your photos into a gift know how many photos you will need. If your collage frame holds six pictures plan to take ten or twelve so that you have lots to choose from. I once got some lovely glass coasters that each had a slot to slide a photo in. There were four coasters and four members of the family I was giving them to. I planned to get multiple shots of each person so I would have the perfect photo for each coaster.

It is also important to know if you need upclose photos or large group photos for your gift plans. Plus if you are going to be at a Disney park you will want to know each person’s favorite ride or character so you can take photos that include their interests.

If you plan ahead you’ll have the photos you need to make the gifts you want to give. Finishing your Christmas gifts early is fun and stress free. I think everyone’s Christmas should be that way. Happiness squared.

Goofy Tip: In the process of taking photos for gifts don’t forget to have pictures taken of yourself. People will want to have you in their pictures, too. Pass your camera around, have Cast Members take your picture, or use PhotoPass +. However you do it, you’ll be glad you did.

Image from www.spoonful.com

Have you heard? Spring is here. Boy, it has taken its own sweet time arriving and in some places it is still more of a wish than a reality. So what is a kid to do on rainy, snowy, or windy days when going outside is a miserable idea? Thanks to spoonful.com the answer is…play a game!

In this article there are 14 different games to choose from and they all feature fun Disney characters. Some of them work best with a group. Anyone want to pin the tail on Bullseye? Others are perfect for one or two people. Mickey Mouse chess or checkers perhaps? My two favorites are Mater’s Highway Bingo and the Disneyland Scavenger Hunt. Any day is a perfect day to visit a Disney park and a scavenger hunt can make a magical day that much more special.

So don’t sit around hoping the sun comes out soon, have fun indoors with games you make yourself. I find that a game is more fun when I make it first and then play it. Happiness squared.

Goofy Tip: Want even more fun when you are in the parks or back home? Download the new Disney Memories HD app and turn plain photos into Disney photos. There are lots of Disney decorations you can use on your photos like stickers and frames, and you can get a photo of the day. This app allows you to customize your photos the same way the Photopass photographers do. Awesome.

YES!!!

Okay, maybe I should explain more. PhotoPass+ is available at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. I have used it at Disneyland so that is what I’ll be talking about. The program at Walt Disney World is similar, but the price is higher so you’ll have to decide if it is worth it there. I can tell you it is definitely worth it if you are visiting the Disneyland Resort.

What is PhotoPass+ and why am I so impressed with this program? If you’ve read A Goofy Idea for a while then you know that PhotoPass is a free program where Disney Photographers scattered around the parks will take your picture with their camera or yours. You don’t pay anything unless you buy the pictures online after your trip. With PhotoPass+ you pay ahead of time and receive a lanyard and a code. While you are at the parks the Disney photographers will take your pictures and scan the card on your lanyard. When you get home you enter your code into the Photopass website and you receive all the photos taken of you in the parks for no additional charge.

That is an overview of the program; below I list five reasons why this program is definitely something you should sign up for before your next trip to Disneyland.

5 reasons to join the Photopass+ program:

1) You get more photos from the photographer. When you approach a Disney photographer hand them your Photopass+ lanyard before you start so they know you are part of the program. When you do they will take lots of pictures of you. Our photographers would take pictures of us standing still and then have us gesture in different ways. They would take 6 to 10 pictures of us at a time. The cool part was we received them all when we got home so we could pick out the best to use.

2) You get stock photos.  When you get home you can order all of your Photopass+ pictures and receive them as a download or in the mail on a CD. Along with your photos you get a selection of stock photos of Mickey and the gang at various locations throughout the parks. Since Cars Land had just opened we also received pictures of Lightning McQueen and Tow Mater. These photos were very useful when I created our photo album.

3) You get all the ride photos. Along with the photos that the Disney Photographers take you receive all the photos shot of you on the attractions. These photos are around $15 each to buy separately, but they are free with the Photoplus+ program. Along with the great savings you also have the convenience of having the photos sent to your online account instead of carrying the photos around the park.

4) You save a ton of money. Without the program you would pay around $99 for a disc of your Photopass photos, and extra for any ride photos you receive. If you bought all the photos it could come to over $150. I admit that I usually didn’t buy any of the Photoplus photos and rarely bought a ride photo. I missed out on some great pictures, but could never justify the cost. If you sign up more than 14 days before your vacation you can order the Photoplus+ package for $69.99. That is an amazing deal. I only learned about the program three days before I left so I bought the program in the park and paid $99.95. That is still a good deal when you realize that I got over 50 photos of my group taken by Disney Photographers, all the ride photos, and all the stock photos. This is a bargain not to be missed.

5) You get to have everyone in the photos. This might be the best reason to sign up for the program. It’s wonderful that you save so much money, but the ability to have photos that include everyone in your group is priceless. I have too many vacation pictures that look like Dad didn’t travel with us because he was taking all the photos. With the Photopass+ program I have great memories of our whole group having a happy time at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure.

I hope I have convinced you that this program is a must-have. To learn more about the program and to sign up click here for Disneyland and here for Walt Disney World. Like I said, it is more expensive for Walt Disney World, but I think I would sign up for it there, also. First, because there are more ride photos to receive, and second, because I use the Disney Photographers a lot more with Photopass+ than I ever did without it. Happiness squared.

Goofy Tip: When you get home from your Disney vacation you may be absorbed with catching up at work and home, but don’t forget to order your Photopass CD. You only get 30 days to download your photos and it would be a shame to lose them. Put your lanyard somewhere visible to remind yourself to go to the Disney Photopass website as soon as possible.

Judy got one picture with Mickey

Last September I visited the Disneyland Resort with my best friend, Rhonda, my parents, my Aunt Patti, and my runDisney partner, Judy. Most of us had cameras because we all like to scrapbook. Judy’s camera had been acting up for a couple days and her pictures tended to be dark. On our last day in the parks, while waiting for World of Color to start, she decided to try and fix the problem. As she tried to discover the solution, the camera deleted all her photos without the standard warning. Every picture was lost.

Now, as I said, most of us had cameras so she would have pictures to put in her scrapbook, but this mishap was regrettable on two levels.  One, we’ll never know what pictures she took and she might have had some great ones. And two, the only picture of Judy with Mickey Mouse was on her camera. It was remarkable that we even saw Mickey Mouse and losing that picture was a great disappointment.

All this is water under the bridge, but I share this story with you in the hope that it never happens with your photos. You may think that your camera will never malfunction, but other things could happen to it, such as it getting stolen, lost, broken, or soaked on Splash Mountain. Here are four ways to save your photos so that a camera malfunction does not erase all of your treasured pictures.

4 ways to keep your photos safe while at the Disney parks:

1) Transfer your photos each night. If you have an iPad or other tablet you can transfer the photos in your camera to your device with an SD card adapter. This is a great way to instantly share pictures and back up your camera. If you took photos with your smart phone you can save them in a variety of apps, or create an album on Facebook. One other option is to email the pictures to yourself. Whichever format you choose, by backing up your photos each night you can only lose a day’s worth of photos should your camera malfunction.

2) Use a different SD card each day. Perhaps you are like me and don’t have a tablet or a smart phone. You can easily protect your photos by using a new SD card each day. SD cards are fairly inexpensive nowadays and if you keep them in a small baggie then you won’t lose them. Just make sure you label them so you know which one was used on which day.

3) Have everyone take the same pictures. I usually follow this rule, but apparently this time I didn’t. If you have multiple people with cameras have them all take pictures of the really special shots, like visiting Mickey Mouse. Then the loss of one camera will not be as tragic.

4) Use Photopass photographers whenever possible. Photopass photographers are awesome and can often be found at picturesque places in the park and at character meet and greets. They are more than willing to take pictures with your camera, but be sure to have them take your picture with theirs, also. It is free unless you buy the picture and you’ll have a copy of the photo safe at the Photopass website if something should happen to your camera.

Nothing spoils a vacation like losing much loved photos of your trip. With these four tips you can avoid the stress and disappointment and focus more on spending time with your family and friends. Happiness squared.

Goofy Tip: If you are at the parks and you need camera supplies or a place to charge your camera then head the camera shop at each park. The shop will be listed on the map brochure. Most of the parks have a place where you can buy what you need and even get your camera charged. This is also where you can buy albums and picture frames so you’ll have a great place to store and display your memories.

This may seem weird to some of you, but I rarely carry my cell phone. Those of you whose cell phone is surgically attached to your body may not understand how this is possible. The main reason is that I do not get cell service in my house so the phone sits on its charger a lot. Because I don’t carry it all the time I often forget it when I leave the house. I have learned, however, to never leave it behind on a Disney vacation.

I know people who need a break from their phones. They check and send messages constantly and don’t know how to stop. If you are using your cell phone when you should be spending time with your family at the Disney parks then leaving your cell phone in your room may be the only solution. But cell phones can make your Disney vacation go much smoother if you control your phone and it doesn’t control you.

5 reasons to carry your cell phone in the parks:

1) Stay in touch with your group. If you group is made of adults and/or teenagers there is going to come a point where people are going to do their own thing. Even if you stay together as a group you might loose them in some of the gigantic stores at Downtown Disney. What better way to find someone than by calling them? You can quickly figure out where your group is and where and when you should meet. Having a cell phone saves you a lot of shoe leather and time spent trying to find your group.

2) Make Advanced Dining Reservations. (ADR). If you are in the parks and you can’t get a seat when you walk into a restaurant try making a reservation on your phone. There may be an opening that evening even though there was not walk-in room. Just call 407-WDW-DINE from your cell phone and see what is available.

3) Use the great Disney apps to plan your next step. In a recent post I introduced you to Otto, the phone system at Disneyland that allows you to know line times throughout the park. Walt Disney World has an app that does the same thing (if you have a smart phone). The Disney Parks Mobile Magic app can provide lots of helpful information and it is free. Whether you call Otto or check the app having a cell phone helps you navigate the park with ease.

4) Keep important documentation with you. There are lots of important reservation  numbers and scheduling information needed for any trip. Instead of carrying a lot of paper you can keep it all in your phone (if you have a smart phone). Whether you organize your information in an app like Trip It or you just take pictures of your e-mail confirmations to use later you’ll never be without your much-needed information.

5) Share your memories. I visited Walt Disney World with two dear friends who both had Apple products – one had an ipad and the other had an iphone. They took great pictures with their devices and were able to share them with each other and family back home. I have a non-smart phone so I had to wait to get their photos on a disc once everyone got home. Using your cell phone’s camera, if it has one, is a great way to share pictures while you are thinking about it. Plus, as one who receives photos from friends during their trips I love the feeling that I am right there with them sharing in the fun.

Cell phones can be a great tool or a horrible annoyance. As long as you don’t let it run your life having a cell phone can help make a good trip great. Happiness squared.

Goofy Tip: Before you enter the parks make sure everyone has everyone else’s cell phone number. You never know who you’ll want to reach at any given time. Even if several people are together it is nice to be able to call any of them. On my last trip several of us had a hard time reaching our phones before they stopped ringing. It was handy being able to call others in the group when that happened.

There are three types of photographers: people who never take pictures, people who point and shoot, and people who take their time to get the best photos possible.  I have friends who never take any pictures and I have other friends who take twenty minutes to set up a picture. Me, I’m a point and shoot sort of person. But just because I don’t take the time to set up a picture doesn’t mean I don’t want great photos.

The best thing that ever happened to the quality of my photos was the digital camera. Since I am not concerned about wasting film I take a ton a pictures. I may delete 75% of them, but most of the time I can get at least one perfect shot.

This posts probably won’t help the uninterested and the experts, but for the rest of us I have five tips to help you get the perfect Disney picture.

5 tips to get the perfect Disney picture:

1) Take A LOT of pictures. As I said above, using a digital camera has allowed me to take more pictures, but I don’t just take pictures of a lot of different things. Sometimes I take lots of pictures of the same thing. By changing the features on my camera I can get different styles of the same object or scene. Some will be better than others, but that’s okay. I’ll just delete the ones I don’t like. I especially do this on Kilimanjaro Safaris. When I see an animal I take a lot of pictures in a row. With the bouncing vehicle and moving animals the more pictures I take the more likely it is that one of the pictures will be perfect.

2) Take pictures with people in them. When your friends and family  look through your photo albums they focus on the pictures of people. You may be at Walt Disney World, but the people you are with provide the best memories. So take lots of pictures with your group in it. Mix it up. Take pictures of individuals and groups, large and small. Take posed pictures and spontaneous pictures. Get in front of your group and take pictures of them walking and laughing. Active photos are my favorite.

3) Take pictures without people in them. I know I just said that pictures of people are what people look at, but consider your photo album for a moment. Whether it is traditional or digital you will probably have a cover page and blank places that need to be filled. Scenery or object pictures can be perfect for these spots. Add journaling and a scenery photo can tell the story of your Disney vacation.

4) Take pictures of nothing. I don’t mean to take pictures of the pavement (unless you want to). I mean take pictures when nothing is happening. Take pictures when you are waiting for the bus, or standing in line, or taking a break from the day. These are times when people are slowing down and they can be easily captured on film. Don’t ask people to pose in these pictures. Just take photos without making a big deal about it. The more relaxed people are the better the picture.

5) Use PhotoPass photographers. This is the one tip that both photographers and non-photographers can use. PhotoPass photographers are stationed around all the parks. They will take your picture with their camera (a great idea for the non-photographers) or with your own camera. Either way this is great way to get your whole group in the photo. When you get home you can look at your PhotoPass pictures on the Internet. This is one of the best ideas that Disney has ever come up with.

I hope these tips help you get that perfect Disney picture. The best part about photos is that the perfect photo may not be the one that has the best lighting or the best focus. It may just be perfect because it brings back great memories. Happiness squared.

Goofy Tip: If you plan to use PhotoPass in the parks you can pre-order your package. This service is called PhotoPass+ and if you plan on using PhotoPass a lot it can be a great savings. To learn more about this new program click on the park you are planning to visit, Disneyland Resort or Walt Disney World.

5 fun facts about Lights, Motors, Action!

1) This attraction actually debuted at the Walt Disney Studio Parks in Paris, France. It arrived on this side of the Atlantic in 2005.

2) This show is about more than just fast cars. It takes you behind the scenes of an action movie and shows you how great car chase scenes are made.

3) It takes a lot of vehicles to make this exciting show happen. There are three cars acting as the hero car (they are red), five pursuit vehicles (all black), four motorcycles, and two jet skis. Along with all the vehicles you see there are more backstage in case a vehicle needs to be replaced.

4) Without talented drivers the stunts would be disastrous. The drivers train for ten weeks on a practice course backstage before we see them onstage.

5) Safety is most important so the drivers wear protective suits. These suits are not cool and neither is the Florida weather, so the drivers are kept comfortable with water that is pumped through the suits.

This show is one of my must-see attractions at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. To learn more about this attraction and others read The Imagineering Field Guide to Disney’s Hollywood Studios (buying it through this link supports A Goofy Idea). The Imagineering Field Guide series is my favorite way to learn about the parks.

Goofy Tip: Lights, Motors, Action! only plays one to three times a day so when you are at the park be sure to check the daily schedule of events. For the best seats plan to arrive early. Buy a snack and take a break. Before the show starts there are fun trivia questions on the jumbo screen.

Another Goofy Tip: This is a photography tip. Do you know the delay time on your camera? With my camera there is a slight pause between the time I press the button to the moment that the photo is taken. The cars are moving so fast that if I push the button just as the cars make a jump I miss the picture. To correct for this I press the button before they do the stunt. Then my camera takes the picture at just the right moment. It may take some practice, but keep trying and you you’ll get that wow shot.

People like to look at faces.

Disney Fine Art Video & Photography does the photography for the weddings performed at Walt Disney World, but they also do portraits for families, and senior portraits for students. I think this would be a magical memory of your trip. If you are celebrating an anniversary, birthday, or some other special event then a professional portrait taken in the parks would be the perfect gift. But even if you are just visiting for fun, it is probably one of the few times that your group is all together. Why not get a professional portrait of your family? The background will be unique and the finished product will be treasured for years to come.

Go to their website to see photo examples and prices. Along with detailed information about the packages there is advice on taking great portraits at the parks. I learned several tips that I will be using the next time I take some pictures. The photos in the galleries are lovely and I can think of several special people for whom this would be perfect. Can you? It would be a lovely gift for kids or grand-kids to give their parents or grandparents. No matter how much or little your family loves Disney this gift can be adapted to any taste. Happiness Squared.

Check out these posts about photography in the parks:

World Showcase Wonders – France

Explore The Disney Parks, Morning, Noon, and Night

Wear a Different Shirt Each Day

Get In the Picture!

Do you have any tips for taking great pictures? Add them to the comments.

Goofy Tip: The website had once piece of advice that I don’t want to forget. People like to look at faces in pictures. It is fine to get the wide shot with lots of background, but be sure to get lots of close-ups of the people in your group. Those will be the pictures you will want to look at the most.

What I noticed as I was out and about day and night was how different the parks looked at various times. We stayed at the Port Orleans Resort - French Quarter and the sunrise coming up on the Sassagoula River transported us to a different place and time.

There had been a cold spell before we arrived, but the days got warmer throughout our stay. During the first few days the sky was clear and our pictures were crisp. I love taking pictures of the castle with a clear blue sky in the background.

Later in the trip that changed. Even though it was once again shorts weather there were some wispy gray clouds that diffused the sunlight in the parks. We felt that we had entered a golden world filled with magic.

We would never miss the fireworks at the Magic Kingdom, but seeing the castle at night was a real treat. You do not want to miss out on this enchanting sight. I wished I was a princess and that I lived in that castle. That would truly be happiness squared.

So, if you’re an early bird stay out late one evening, and if your day never starts before noon set your alarm for an early morning stroll. Happiness is experiencing new things and happiness squared is experiencing the familiar in a new way.

Goofy Tip: Take lots of pictures. Take more than you think you need. Take pictures of people. Take pictures of signs. Take pictures of scenery. Take pictures of clouds. Take good pictures. Take bad pictures. You can always delete them later. No one gets home and says, “I took too many pictures.”