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Universal Orlando Resort: Where to Stay & Play for a Few Days

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My recent stay at Universal Orlando Resort was so much fun and I’m going to share and highlight my favorite moments with you. First and foremost, I stayed at the Cabana Bay Beach Resort on the property which allowed me early access (one hour) to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™. It was my first time experiencing Diagon Alley™. I took advantage of the complimentary shuttle service to Universal Studios Florida and was able to … [Read More...]

Life & Style

Navigating Disney World During a Pandemic

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I recently had an opportunity to visit Walt Disney World as part of my Goofy Getaways FAM Training. It was exciting and I was a bit anxious because even though some restrictions are being lifted, guidelines are more relaxed, and travel is starting to … [Read More...]

Strike a pose at Pose Selfie Studio

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I recently had an opportunity to visit the NEW Pose Selfie Studio in Raleigh, NC with my daughter and it was so much fun. The great thing about this studio is that you have all the tools you need to capture your perfect photos alone or you can go … [Read More...]

Taste the Flavors of St. Thomas USVI

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I am excited to be collaborating with my fellow foodie lover Hannah Victoria on this listing of places to eat in St. Thomas USVI whether you are visiting or local to the island. We are giving you our personal opinions based on our dining experiences … [Read More...]

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Travel

Navigating Disney World During a Pandemic

By

I recently had an opportunity to visit Walt Disney World as part of my Goofy Getaways FAM Training. It was exciting and I was a bit anxious because even though some restrictions are being lifted, guidelines are more relaxed, and travel is starting to … [Read More...]

Taste the Flavors of St. Thomas USVI

By

I am excited to be collaborating with my fellow foodie lover Hannah Victoria on this listing of places to eat in St. Thomas USVI whether you are visiting or local to the island. We are giving you our personal opinions based on our dining experiences … [Read More...]

Food

Rosé All Day at Seasons 52

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I recently had the opportunity to experience the Seasons 52 Summer Menu paired perfectly with Rose cocktails. The menu changes with the season and I can really appreciate that. My reservation was for 7:00pm and it … [Read More...]

Magic Kingdom photo favourites that skip the iconic castle

After dozens of trips to Walt Disney World, I've developed a soft spot for the corners of Magic Kingdom that don't have Cinderella Castle looming in every frame. Most guests plant themselves on Main Street with the spires behind them, but some of my favourite shots come from spots where the castle is entirely absent. These are the places where the park's smaller details get to breathe, and where my camera roll actually feels different from everyone else's.

For anyone flying in from Sydney, Melbourne, or Brisbane, the long haul across the Pacific makes every minute in the park feel precious. After sixteen hours in the air and a chunk of jet lag, you want photos that feel like the trip rather than the same castle angle every influencer has already posted. Saving up for a US holiday like this is a serious commitment for most Aussie families, so it makes sense to make every frame count. These are the locations I keep gravitating back to, trip after trip.

Tomorrowland's clean lines and neon

Tomorrowland always photographs well because the architecture leans into geometric shapes and bold colour blocks. The PeopleMover queue offers a long, clean sightline past the Astro Orbitor and the carousel roof, and the silver siding of Space Mountain catches the Florida sun in a way that looks straight out of a sci-fi paperback. I usually kneel low and shoot upwards from the bridge near the entrance to grab the whole canopy at once.

The neon signage around the area is another gift. The lettering above the gift shops and the small details on the trash can lids are easy to miss when you're rushing toward Buzz Lightyear, but they make excellent close-up subjects. If you're shooting on a phone, tap the screen on the brightest neon element to lock focus, then lower exposure slightly so the colours don't blow out. It's how I get those punchy, retro-futuristic frames without editing much afterwards.

Frontierland's riverboat and wilderness feel

Frontierland feels like a different park entirely once you cross under the railway bridge. The Liberty Belle riverboat framed by the wooden supports of the bridge is one of my favourite shots because the boat looks like it's floating out of an old Western film. The trick is to position yourself on the Tom Sawyer Island side when the boat docks, then snap as the steam drifts across the smokestack. Mornings tend to be quiet, which is ideal because the crowds around Pecos Bill's clog up the angles by lunchtime.

Behind Tiana's Bayou Adventure, there's a quieter stretch of boardwalk with hanging moss and lantern lighting. It comes alive at golden hour, when the lanterns switch on and the cypress trees throw long shadows across the water. If you bring a small tripod or steady your phone against the railing, the slow shutter speed will pick up the lantern glow in a way handheld shots can't match.

Main Street USA, facing the wrong way

Most people shoot down Main Street toward the castle, which is fair enough. But turn around and shoot back toward the train station, and you get the full sweep of the American flag, the topiary, and the warm reds and creams of the buildings. From the front of the Hub gardens, the symmetry is genuinely lovely, especially in the first hour after park open when the street is mostly empty.

The little side streets off Main Street are also worth a wander. The alleyway near the Emporium often has a delivery cart or a stack of crates that look hand-painted and aged. A fellow Aussie traveller I met in line for the teacups told me she'd spent an entire morning photographing just the lampposts along these side streets, and fair dinkum, I think she was onto something.

Adventureland's tropical textures

Adventureland is where I head when I want dense, layered greenery and props that look weathered in a charming way. The Swiss Family Treehouse is a simple walkthrough, but the views from the upper platforms over the jungle canopy are genuinely postcard-worthy. The leaves catch the afternoon light differently than anywhere else in the park, and the wooden railings add a rustic frame to whatever you shoot beyond them.

Across from the treehouse, the carving details on the buildings near Jungle Cruise are easy to walk past but reward anyone who slows down. The tiki faces, the rope lashings, and the faded wooden signage all carry a handcrafted feel that gets lost in queue photos. I usually shoot these in RAW format if I've brought my proper camera, since the shadows under the thatched awnings need a bit of recovery in post.

Liberty Square's old-world details

Liberty Square feels like a small step into colonial Williamsburg, and the architecture gives you brick textures, gas-style lampposts, and wooden shutters as far as the eye can see. The Hall of Presidents building has columns that frame nicely against the sky, and the bridge near the Liberty Belle dock offers an unusual angle back across the water toward Frontierland. It's a spot that feels like a different decade, which makes it a nice break from the brighter colours elsewhere in the park.

The windows of the Memento Mori shop on a quiet afternoon will reward anyone who likes moody frames. I find the building's reflections, especially right after a Florida thunderstorm rolls through and the puddles appear, produce some of my favourite shots from any given trip. Pack a small cloth to wipe your lens, because the humidity in Orlando can fog things up fast, even when the air-con inside the shop feels arctic by comparison.

Galaxy's Edge's otherworldly backdrops

Black Spire Outpost is built for photography in a way that almost feels unfair to the rest of the park. The spires themselves, the ochre and rust tones of the rockwork, and the curved doorways all conspire to make every visitor look like they're in a Star Wars film. The alleyways between the marketplace stalls have just enough shade to keep faces from being washed out, which is rare in Florida's midday glare.

The trick I learned after a few visits is to skip the main thoroughfare and find the small courtyards tucked behind the milk stand or near the droid workshop. These quieter nooks give you cleaner backgrounds and let you capture the texture of the walls without a hundred other guests wandering through the frame. On my last trip, I waited about five minutes near the garage where one of the parked speeders sits, and the patient shot of it with the afternoon sun hitting the metal was worth every second.

Small details in the Hub gardens

The Hub itself, the central plaza where Mickey's floral topiary lives for much of the year, often gets dismissed because people are focused on the castle behind it. But the flower beds, the curved paths, and the partner statues arranged through the seasons deserve their own moment. Seasonal overlays like the autumn pumpkin displays or the winter wreaths transform the area completely, and the photos change each visit.

I like shooting the partner statues at a low angle so the floral beds fill the lower half of the frame. The flowers add colour without distracting from the character, and a slightly overcast day makes the colours pop without the harsh shadows you get from a clear Florida sky. Even an arvo stroll through here, when most guests have left for afternoon naps or pool time, can turn up something worth keeping.

Camera tips for shooting these corners