Galapagos Photo Tips, What Works & What Doesn’t

Posted on October 23, 2011 by M. Timothy O'Keefe

Although our blogs are written in present tense, our trip was Oct.7-16. We’re posting afterwards because there simply was no time to write during the cruise. These tips are based on the conditions we encountered.

Most of the naturalist-guides on Lindblad’s National Geographic Endeavour are also expert photographers. Two photography sessions are held on board, one on techniques early in the trip and one on how to share your photos with friends at the end. On the land excursions, you may be asked the first day if you have any camera questions but after that it is up to you.

Although I have been selling my photographs internationally for several decades, I know the local photo pros know more than I can possibly anticipate for the landings and what lenses I should have ready. If you’re serious about your photos, let the guides know. On our trip, naturalist Jason Heilman was outstanding but I only did one landing with him. Jason also was in charge of the two evening photo sessions and always was willing to answer questions.

By chance, Galapagos-born Aura Banda Cruz was my guide most of the time toward the end of the trip. I happened to ask her about the lighting conditions for an upcoming landing. She advised me not only that but what lenses to carry for that landing but on later landings without my asking.

The Endeavour guides will give you as much help as you want, but they won’t push their knowledge on you. You have to ask.

If naturalist Walter Perez happens to be your guide, Linda advises following him for the good shots. He always has his camera ready and after many years of guiding knows precisely where to go. Linda’s upcoming photos in later blogs will prove Walter’s knowledge.

Galapagos Photo Tips—Finally!

You can always count on finding El Capitan in Yosemite or a fishing village in Maine. The Galapagos guarantees only one thing: lava rock, and loads of it. Yet even some of those landscapes are amazingly photogenic. The animals, however, are on their own schedule based on time of the year and time of day. There are no guarantees of how many animals you will encounter or what they will be doing unless you do prior research on their nesting or mating season and travel accordingly.

Setting off for another land excursion and more animal encounters from Lindblad’s National Geographic Endeavour

Animals, of course, are what every photographer usually concentrates on. Their amazing tolerance and universal acceptance of our presence is why it’s so easy to capture such good photographs of them. Although Galapagos wildlife allow us to approach them closely, respecting their personal space is essential. When we cross a boundary, they react by leaving or changing their behavior, such as ending their feeding and staring at us. That’s one reason why the National Park Service doesn’t allow visitors to get too close or to touch any of the creatures.

Expect the Lindblad naturalists on the Endeavour to emphasize this over and over again. They take respect for the animals seriously. It’s too bad the staffs of other tour groups haven’t. In late August of this year, the Galapagos National Park Service closed visitor access to the two giant tortoise corrals in the Tortoise Center on Santa Cruz where visitors were able previously to walk among the tortoises. This was done because of littering and repeated violations of the two meter rule (6.5 feet) in approaching the tortoises. The National Park Service criticized the conduct of both naturalist guides and tourists. Say
good-bye to one of the prime locations for Galapagos tortoise pictures on a face-to-face basis.

How To Photograph In the Galapagos
These tips should work for stills or videos

Types of animal photos to take:
Establishing shot of the animal’s environment
Portraits, including both the complete animal and face close-ups
Behavior
Action/motion
Interaction with other animals and visitors
Humor—some animals do some very funny things

Choose a subject:
Find the best looking animal–or one that represents the point you are trying to make with your photo, such as an animal in distress.

Observe the animal’s behavior.
Many animals repeat their actions, which allows you to anticipate what may happen. Patience is the key. If the animal moves its head frequently, test your camera’s speed and take as many sequence photos as rapidly as you can. Use the fastest speed the light conditions allows. You may end up throwing most of the images away but you should have several good shots.

Use a natural background.
Show that the photos really were taken in the Galapagos and not in a zoo. Definitely take the tight portrait shots but also show the animal’s background from all angles. That usually means getting on the ground, at eye level with the animal. If you take all your photos by looking down on animals, the photos can appear condescending because the camera is tilted down on all the subjects. Still, in some circumstances, looking down is the only position to take. To be on the safe side, take the look-down angle first so you at least have a photo of your subject in case it moves away once you’re at it’s level.

The eyes have it!
Before pressing the shutter for an animal portrait, make sure the you can see the animal’s eye. If the eye isn’t bright and brilliant, wait until your subject changes its position. If it start shaking its head and isn’t likely to calm down, shoot that burst of images and hope for the best.

Fill flash would remove the shadowing from this Galapagos hawk’s eye
but flash is not permitted when photographing animals.

No flashing allowed
Using a flash is the most reliable way to make sure the close-up portraits are colorful and that the eye is sparkling. A flash is forbidden in the Galapagos. The animals react to it badly, often running away. If you have a point-and-shoot camera where the flash won’t turn off, get another camera for your trip. If your camera’s flash won’t turn off, you may not be allowed to use it. Not because the naturalist guides tell you not to: the other photographers will stop you because you’re messing up their photos. On one excursion, a woman’s flash went off and so did the land iguana she photographed–quickly–leaving everyone else with a blur of the iguana’s backside. Words of instruction were exchanged.

The need for speed
The most dramatic photos tend to happen in the blink of an eye, faster than you can imagine. If you don’t respond rapidly, you’ll miss the action entirely. That means staying mobile, instantly alert, with the ability instantly to point your camera anywhere.

With a telephoto lens, you will need to shoot the fast action at least at 1/500 second, preferably 1/1000 second. A 300mm lens is about as large as most people can handle without the aid of a tripod. Above 300mm, camera shake will blur the image, putting everything out of focus, despite the ever increasing advances in digital lenses and cameras. Don’t depend on any anti-shake, stabilizing device. I use a Nikon 80-400mm lens and try to shoot everything at least at 1/1000 second because it’s a heavy lens. Even if all my photos are in focus, the subject tends to change its location because it’s difficult to keep the lens stationary without a tripod/unipod, which is impractical. I’m happier if I can shoot at 1/2000 second, which often happens at 400 ISO even with the usual light cloudy overcast.

This is why you always need to be prepared. These dolphin suddenly appeared beside our Zodiac and were this close for only a brief period.

Tripod vs. Unipod
The National Park Service regulates where and when all the Galapagos cruise ships go. Depending on the other activities planned for the visit to a particular visitor site, the pace of the walk usually is too brisk for a tripod. Even the Endeavour videographer had to rush to catch up with us because he frequently relied on a tripod. A unipod works better as long as it and your camera have a matching quick release plate. However, a unipod can get in the way for ground level shooting. Most of the photographers who took tripods stopped using them after the first couple of walks. I didn’t bother to take my unipod off the ship.

The camera equipment
I carry two Nikon 7000 digital SLR cameras capable of shooting seven frames a second. That usually captures the fastest action if I have the ISO high enough. With two cameras, I rarely change lenses. With a digital camera, changing lenses invites dust into your photos unless your camera is able to clean the sensor. In addition to a good telephoto lens, a wide angle lens is also excellent for landscapes and plant/flower close-ups; I use a 12-24mm zoom lens.

My favorite lens is a Nikon 18-200mm zoom because of its amazing versatility. It works well for the majority of wildlife subjects unless you want eyeball close-ups. I also carry a fisheye lens that I never had time to use on most landings. However, it was the only lens that could fully capture the huge pit craters (Los Gemelos) in the Santa Cruz highlands. For telephoto images, my workhorse lens is a Nikon 80-400mm zoom.

The essential backpack
All island visits are with Zodiacs (pangas). Most landings are called “wet landings” where you have to scramble out of the boat and step into shallow water. You need both hands to do that safely, and that means putting your camera(s) in a backpack where they won’t get wet. You can waterproof your backpack by placing your cameras in a thick plastic bag and then placing them inside the pack.

The garua effect on photography
We encountered the cloud layers many times during the first part of our cruise. Despite the clouds, the amount of light was surprisingly bright, allowing the use of my 400mm lens most of the time. The cloud cover meant that although nothing was as bright as it might be, the clouds did prevent any harsh contrast or animal eye shadows. In these conditions, put your digital camera’s white balance on cloudy. If you don’t know how to do that, you’ll learn during one of the first after dinner photo sessions on board the Endeavour. Or ask your naturalist. Airplane_Landing_ Baltra (1 of 1) Our plane landing at Baltra; this is typical “garua: weather. Yuck

Photographing during the rainy season
Nothing can withstand rain except a waterproof camera. One guide advised me that Olympus water-resistant cameras had failed during the rainy season. Olympus sells waterproof housings for such cameras. So, if you own an Olympus, be aware. There is a big difference between water-resistance and waterproof. Olympus, Nikon and others sell waterproof cameras, some of them point-and shoots.

Lindblad Endeavour Galapagos Cruise Links

How Charles Darwin Saved The Galapagos Islands

Posted on October 22, 2011 by M. Timothy O'Keefe

Galapagos NASA satellite image
Charles Darwin’s Fame Saves the Galapagos

The naturalist-guides on the Lindblad’s National Geographic Endeavour will go into Charles Darwin in far more detail than I can here, though none of them—in fact, no one anywhere that I can find—has appreciated the legacy of Charles Darwin in this same manner. Yet it seems so strikingly obvious. Charles Darwin’s fame saved the Galapagos Islands.

With the 1859 publication of The Origin of Species and its revolutionary concept of evolution through natural selection, Charles Darwin made the Galapagos archipelago world famous. And in doing so, this fame eventually helped save the islands from further exploitation and devastation of the landscape by introduced animals, particularly goats. The first protective legislation for the Galapagos was enacted by the government of Ecuador in 1930 and supplemented in 1936. However, there was no real enforcement or protection until the islands were declared a national park in 1959, on the centenary of Darwin’s publication of his still controversial book.

Without such world focus on them by Darwin, there’s a good chance none of us would be interested in visiting the Galapagos because none of its wildlife would remain. As it is, some endemic species have disappeared and the tortoise populations drastically reduced by wholesale plundering of the island by its earliest visitors.

Discovered in 1535 by the Spanish who had no interest in claiming them, the Galapagos first became a haven for pirates in the late 1500’s who preyed on the huge tortoises for their meat over the next 200 years. Realizing the tortoises would stay alive for a year or more without food or water, pirates also sailed away with thousands of the animals which were unable to right themselves once they had been turned on their backs.

Whalers made up the next wave of visitors, lured by the unimaginable number of sperm whales that were said to pass the islands in a line from dawn to dusk. By the time Darwin’s visited the Galapagos in 1835 as part of a 5-year around the world mapping expedition, the number of tortoises were already being depleted. He reports in his book Voyage of the Beagle that for the 300 residents on Floreana Island “the staple article of animal food is supplied by the tortoises. Their numbers have of course been greatly reduced in this island, but the people yet count on two days’ hunting giving them food for the rest of the week. It is said that formerly single vessels have taken away as many as seven hundred, and that the ship’s company of a frigate some years since brought down in one day two hundred tortoises to the beach.”

Fur seals were also killed off in great numbers because of their thick, luxurious fur. By the beginning of the 20th century, fur seals were almost extinct. Birds were shot in great numbers for their feathery decorations. In addition, introduced animals–goats, pigs, feral cats and dogs, rats, burros and cattle– severely impacted the natural environment. Particularly devastating were the goats which consumed and destroyed the vegetation the tortoises relied upon to survive. Just a tiny colony of only four goats on one island multiplied to a population of over 100,000 in just a few decades.

Whaling ended by the 1860s but ships continued to stop to take on meat and water. By 1900, the tortoise populations of Floreana, Santa Fe and Rabida had vanished.

The world’s scientific community became interested in the Galapagos, though that wasn’t necessarily a good thing. Scientists started collecting the animals–not to ensure their survival–but to put them in formaldehyde or stuff them for display. The California Academy of Scientists in 1905-1906 took 70,000 biological specimens, more than any Galapagos expedition in history; some might call that wholesale carnage. In addition, living animals began leaving the islands in significant numbers to be added to zoos and sold to private collectors. It turned out that all this cultured interest–just like the wandering goat herds and feral cats–did nothing but bring more harm to the islands.

In a strange way, it was Charles Darwin’s enduring fame that helped stop the destruction. The year 1935 marked the 100th anniversary of Darwin’s visit to the Galapagos, and the Ecuadorian government celebrated it by turning parts of some islands into wildlife preserves. Finally there was official acknowledgment that the Galapagos indeed were something special, worth preserving, but nothing was done to cull the out-of-control goats and other introduced animals. Nothing really changed, except on paper.

Although the Galapagos were made a national park in 1959, it wasn’t until 1968 that the park service itself began. Of more immediate importance was the 1959 founding of Charles Darwin Foundation for the Galapagos Islands, incorporated in Belgium. It started work in the islands in 1960 and opened the Charles Darwin Research Station in 1964. At last, something was being done to reverse the decades of damage. The research station began collecting tortoise eggs and hatching them at their facility. Only when the turtles were large enough to have a realistic chance to survive were they returned to island where they were collected.

Fortunately, this rescue program started in time to save the species of tortoise on Espanola, which had just 11 females and 2 males remaining. Tortoise populations on other islands also were increased. Once it got going, the National Park Service started eradicating goats from the islands, a program that still continues today.

Why Charles Darwin was so influential

Darwin visited the Galapagos briefly in September, 1835, visiting only 4 islands during his 5 week stay. He did not, as many movies and books have indicated, have a “Eureka!” moment here and spring forth with his theory of evolution. Nor at the time was Darwin all that impressed by the differences in the 13 species of finches which have come to be known as “Darwin’s finches.” His theory developed slowly over a period of time, with the Galapagos providing fundamental elements for his argument supporting the ongoing process of natural selection.

Like most of the people of his time, Darwin initially accepted the belief that an animal species was something fixed and unalterable, made perfect at Creation with no need for change. But in the isolated volcanic mounds that make up the Galapagos there are a remarkable number of species that not only differed from those on the South American mainland, they also differ from island to island. Each island, in fact, often has its own peculiar type of tortoises, plants and birds.

Darwin reasoned that animals brought to the islands from South America by the winds, on driftwood or other means adapted to the special conditions on each island, and evolved into new species. The most striking example of this adaptation was in the 13 different species of finches which varied from island to island, All the finches have a beak of a peculiar form and use this beak in a special manner for getting food: one kind of finch pecks on trees, as woodpeckers do, while another has developed the beak of a parrot.

Charles Darwin from L-R: about the the time he was on his “Beagle” voyage; several years before publication of his landmark book; a year before his death in 1882. Images from Wikipedia.

It was through such evolution that the Galapagos became home to so many one‑of‑a‑kind animals. All of the reptiles, except for 2 marine tortoises, are endemic. Most famous is the Galápagos giant tortoise, which has 11 subspecies on different islands, all of them endangered. Also endemic are the land iguanas, marine iguana, 3 snake species, numerous lizards and geckos. Birds include 57 species, of which 26 are endemic and the others migratory visitors. Endemic birds are the 13 species of Darwin’s finches, dark-rumped petrel, Galápagos flightless cormorant, Galápagos penguin, lava gull, Floreana mockingbird, Galápagos hawk, lava heron, nocturnal swallow-tailed gull, Galápagos rail, thick-billed flycatcher, Galápagos martin and Galápagos dove. The native mammals number only 6: Galápagos fur seal, Galápagos sea lion, two species of rice rat, bat and hoary bat.

However, it is more than the uniqueness of the animals that is so striking. It is their fearlessness of humans. They often regard us with curiosity but most often they ignore human presence. A major reason for this is the lack of land predators with the exception of the Galapagos hawk. Amazingly, even underwater, the sea lions, penguins and fish act the same way despite the fact there are quite a few predators around, including hammerhead sharks.

This overwhelming sense of compatibility and harmony has even non‑religious people making Biblical references almost constantly the first few days of their visit. Nowhere else on earth is it possible to walk amidst nesting birds, legions of iguanas and herds of sea lions and fur seals and not have the animals flee almost from the first sight of you. The Galapagos are no lush Garden of Eden, but deep inside you know this is the way the world must have been when God first created it.

Without Charles Darwin to bring world attention–and appreciation–to this rare ecosystem, it might all have been irretrievably destroyed.

Lindblad Endeavour Galapagos Cruise Links

Lindblad Galapagos Adventure Cruise On The Horizon

Posted on October 21, 2011 by M. Timothy O'Keefe

Lindblad Expedition’s “National Geographic Endeavour”

Normally it’s impossible on the same day to snorkel with such cold water animals as penguins and fur seals and at the same time encounter typically warm water reef fish like Moorish idols and the red-colored squirrelfish and soldierfish. Cold and warm water marine animals usually are found thousands of miles (and thousands of dollars) apart … except in the fabled Galapagos Islands.

Even more intriguing are the Galapagos’ fascinating land animals, particularly the giant tortoises, marine and land iguanas and the blue-footed boobies. Overall, at least one‑third of the land species inhabiting the Galapagos Islands are found nowhere else in the world.

Linda and I are about to see them all, up close, on a 7-day cruise aboard Lindblad’s National Geographic Endeavour. This cruise fulfills a photographic wish we’ve shared for some time. Although I was fortunate enough to cross off the Galapagos from my bucket list a number of years ago, I’ve wanted for a long time to return and replace my deteriorating film slides with digital images. And, to be honest, I’ve forgotten so much about the trip that a second time for me should feel more like a first visit.

More than most cruise destinations, the Galapagos require some background information before departure. Not only to help you plan in advance on what precisely to bring (you won’t have time or the opportunity for anything but souvenir shopping) but to make sure you’ve chosen a time of year that you can be happy with.
Sea lion pups playing only yards from the shoreline.

The Galapagos, harsh volcanic islands located on the equator 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador, were named the “Mysterious Isles” by the first Spanish explorers. The archipelago is far more than “mysterious;” they are like nowhere else on earth. Many of the land animals‑‑like the 3‑foot long, dinosaur‑like iguanas and huge land tortoises‑‑were so isolated from the South American mainland that they and others developed in ways distinctly apart from their nearby cousins.

The Galapagos climate is largely determined by Pacific Ocean currents that cut through the archipelago, made up of 13 main islands along with numerous islets and rocks. The colder, dominating Humboldt Current (also called the Peru Current) streams in from Antarctica, following north toward the equator from the southern tip of Chile to northern Peru. The Humboldt current, which upwells deep water to the surface, is responsible for making the water as chilly as 63 F during the June-December months. The cold, nutrient-rich water also supports one of the world’s most productive fisheries, primarily pelagics, jack mackerel, anchovies and sardines.

The cold Humboldt stream keeps the air temperatures surprisingly moderate year-round, from 69F (21C) to 84F (30C). It also helps create the annual rainy season (January through May). The rains, however, are brief and the sun shines most of the time. Sounds ideal, except the rain brings out the mosquitoes and flies, which can be fierce. In addition, the rains also make the water murkier for snorkeling and may also produce a sea mist.

During the remainder of the year, the skies are often overcast until midmorning, sometimes all day, under the influence of what is called the garua. You’ll actually see more sunlight during the rainy period, but that is the least strange element in this land overlooked by time.

This cold water upwelling of the Humboldt Current periodically is disrupted by an El Nino event, which brings a rush of warm, nutrient-poor tropical water, sometimes pushing the water temperatures as high as 86F. The Galapagos is strongly influenced by the El Niño events that occur every 2-7 years with either a warm (El Niño) or a cool (La Niña). Strong El Niño events cause higher than normal sea surface and air temperatures in the January-May hot season along with an increase in rainfall; these months also make up the rainy season. Biological productivity increases on land during such periods but high water temperatures cause a 50% mortality among the seal and marine iguana populations, which survive on the plants, fish and invertebrates found in shallow water. The La Niña events cause lower than normal sea surface and air temperatures and reduce the rainfall amount in the normally wet, hot season of January through May. Reduced rainfall can also lead to drought, severe food shortages and mortality among the land animals.

As an example, Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz Island records that the median rainfall there is 7.62 inches (196 mm) in the rainy season and only 3.2 inches (81mm)in the cool season (June through December). In an extreme El Nino event, the rainfall has increased to 109 inches (2769 mm); during a La Nina extreme, it has fallen to just 2.4 inches.

Galapagos Seasonal Weather

Months	Low Temp	High Temp	Season	Water Temp
Jan – May	65 – 70°F	85 – 90°F	wet	75 – 82°F
June – Dec	65 – 70°F	85 – 90°F	dry	62- 68°F

Our October cruise is during the cloudy garua season and a time of cold water; we’re relying on the digital cameras to compensate for the cloudy weather. Hopefully, they will do the job since it is no longer possible to use flash on the animals. About the cold water, though, we’re not so sure. As Floridians, Linda and I try to avoid it. We expect to tough it out, though, even investing in a couple of the new Nikon Coolpix AW100 point-and-shoot digitals capable of going down to 33 feet. That’s deeper than we expect to snorkel.

Lindblad Endeavour Galapagos Cruise Links

Disney World Dining – If You Don’t Cancel, You Still Pay

Posted on October 21, 2011 by M. Timothy O'Keefe

Too many visitors to Walt Disney World in Orlando can’t dine at a favorite restaurant because all the spaces are taken. Reservation no-shows are one of the causes, so Disney World is imposing a fee on anyone who fails to cancel a reservation 24 hours in advance.

Beginning Oct. 26, Disney will charge $10 for the total number of people on a reservation not cancelled 24 hours ahead of time. For a party of 5, that’s $50. With a credit card required to make the reservation, Disney can be sure of obtaining the no-show fee.

The 19 signature restaurants included in this new policy are:

• 1900 Park Fare
• Akershus Royal Banquet Hall
• Artist Point
• California Grill
• Cape May Café
• Chef Mickey’s
• Cítricos
• The Crystal Palace
• Flying Fish Café
• The Garden Grill
• Hollywood & Vine
• Jiko – The Cooking Place
• Le Cellier Steakhouse
• Narcoossee’s
• ‘Ohana
• Tusker House Restaurant
• The Hollywood Brown Derby
• Victoria & Albert’s – $25 per person
• Yachtsman Steakhouse

The following restaurants require a full pre-payment. If you don’t cancel a reservation there 24 hours is advance, you forfeit the entire amount you’ve paid at:

• Cinderella’s Royal Table
• Disney’s Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show
• Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue
• Mickey’s Backyard BBQ

Canceling a reservation is easy. Just call 407-WDW-CNCL (939-2625) or sign in at Disneyworld.com/reservations

_________

This is a regular update for buyers of the app Orlando Essential Travel Guide and anyone who discovers this site.

Until next next week (or later),

Tim

LEGOLAND Florida Oct. 15 Opening Just Around Corner

Posted on October 4, 2011 by M. Timothy O'Keefe

Major new theme park aimed at kids 2-12

LEGOLAND Florida photo

The new 150-acre LEGOLAND Florida theme park in Winter Have, FL, is on schedule to open Oct. 15. Catering to kids from 2 to 12, LEGOLAND features more than 50 rides – from roller coasters to race cars – as well as family focused shows and attractions. This is the 5th and largest of the world’s Legolands. The only other U.S.-based LEGOLAND is located in California.

LEGOLAND Florida is located on the site of Cypress Gardens, which opened in the 1930s and whose stunt water ski shows, Southern Belles and beautifully manicured gardens made it an international attraction for decades. The ski shows and gardens remain in some form but the Southern belles are now represented by Lego figures.

A distinctive part of the Florida attraction is its 4 “pink-knuckle” rides, junior roller coasters with the right blend of speed that should thrill the entire family, not just those with cast-iron stomachs. These include The Dragon Coaster in the Kingdoms zone with a humorous behind-the-scenes view of life within the enchanted LEGOLAND Castle. The indoor/outdoor steel coaster encounter a massive fire-breathing dragon along the way. Coastersaurus in the Land of Adventure features a wooden coaster that curves and dips in and around a life-sized Lego brick dinosaur, .

Other attractions include Duplo Village for 3- to 5-year-olds with themed play zones. Duplo Playtown lets toddlers operate a pint-sized town; at Duplo Barn they can climb, slide and crawl among a variety of Lego farm animals. Imagination Zone is a hands-on section of the park that emphasizes exploring and creation.

At Pirate’s Cove on Lake Eloise, Lego “mini-fig” pirates star in a live-action, water-stunt spectacular families will love. This area also is the site of the Botanical Gardens, one of the attractions that made Cypress Gardens such a popular destination for many decades.

See map for all the park attraction areas.

Realizing its out-of-the-way location could be a problem for some potential visitors, LEGOLAND will run a daily shuttle from Orlando Premium Outlets on Vineland Ave. Leaving at 9am and returning after the park closes, the 45-minute shuttle trip has a special opening price of $5, round trip, per person. The shuttle is equipped with seatbelts for youngsters. To reserve a seat, click here.

For families that want to spend the night, LEGOLAND has a series of “Bed and Brick” preferred hotels , although some are not all that close to the property.

Ticket prices are considerably less than at the other major theme parks. Hours vary by season and day of week.

Based on the popularity of LEGOLANDs in California and Germany and elsewhere as well as the advance ticket sales, LEGOLAND Florida will be a blockbuster. This new attraction should be motivation enough to attract a lot of families with young kids to visit Orlando once more, or for the first time.

This is a weekly info update to the Orlando Essential Travel Guide for buyers of the app and anyone who discovers this site.

Until next Monday (or later),

Tim

Exploring Harry Potter’s Wizarding World

Posted on October 2, 2011 by M. Timothy O'Keefe

If there really had been a fire-breathing dragon at this part of the Forbidden Journey, do you think we’d really be looking away from it? Or appear so calm? Universal Orlando Resort Photo.

In Part 3 of our visit to Universal Orlando Resort, which has special vacation packages with Royal Caribbean Cruises, we share our experiences and offer some pointers for cutting line wait times. Part 2 was quite a while ago—Sept. 11; Part 1 appeared Sept. 5th. Blame Hurricane Irene cleanup in Virginia.

Although it’s a Friday morning and the beginning of a weekend, we’re able to check-into the Loews Portofino Bay Hotel early and move luggage to our room before noon. Unpacking, however, will wait until later. We’re finally off to the Islands of Adventure, taking one of the free water taxis that continually run from Portofino Bay to the landing serving both Universal theme parks and City Walk. Our water taxi travels through a lushly landscaped canal, bypasses the Hard Rock Hotel (each hotel has its own designated shuttles) and goes directly to the theme park dock, a ride of about 10 minutes. Another way to reach the theme parks is to take the sidewalk bordering the waterway. That would be a nice stroll in cooler weather, but with the water taxis starting as early as 6:30 am in summer and running until 2 am when City Walk closes, it’s an avenue we don’t bother to explore.

Both the Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Orlando have the landmark rides and shows that have made them so famous: Incredible Hulk Roller Coaster, Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, Harry Potter’s Forbidden Journey and more. Ironically, it’s an unadvertised experience the twins particularly enjoy because it’s a test of their strength and ingenuity. It’s a rock climbing wall near the Jurassic Park River Adventure. Blending in well with the jungle landscape, the rock wall is an extra $5 per person charge but well worth it. Much smaller than the ones on board many RCCL cruise ships, this wall is shaped like a tall cube; it also doesn’t sway from side to side.

Twins Emily and Andrew, equally competitive, are eager to start their climb. Andrew ascends to the top first to ring the bell at the summit. It is kind of an unfair contest since it’s obviously easier for Andrew to ascend on the left side than it is on the right. Emily trades places with Andrew and quickly reaches the summit while Andrew struggles to climb more than three-quarters of the way up. Since both can rightly consider themselves winners, they’re quite happy when we depart for the small but still impressive Harry Potter’s Wizarding World squeezed into a corner of the Islands of Adventure. Count on this expanding soon; it has to, based on Universal’s contract with J.K. Rowling to add 2 more rides from the Deathly Hallows films.

Anyone who started their Harry Potter fandom by reading the books will feel twice the awe they experienced as the film spectacles kept unfolding with one new wonder after another the first time they view the reproduction of J.K . Rowling’s famous books. I still sense a tingle in my spine every time I cross the bridge leading into the Wizarding World with Hogwarts Castle on my left and the permanently snow-covered roofs of Hogsmeade Village in front. Hearing the emblematic film music near the Hogwarts Express makes me feel 10 years old. From the looks and comments from Linda and the kids, it’s obvious they’re reliving Rowling’s magical surroundings as we experience the enchantment of Dervish and Banges, Honeydukes and Hogwarts Castle’s popular gift shop called the Filch’s Emporium of Confiscated Goods, named for Argus Filch, the caretaker of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Harry has made J.K. Rowling the richest woman in Britain and one of the wealthiest authors in history. I say well done, Jo Rowling, and thank you so much for enriching so many lives—and bringing some magic into them. People who can’t believe in magic don’t fully appreciate life’s many wonders, or look forward to the next possibility.

On this afternoon, the Wizarding World lines are long and the Forbidden Journey is not covered by Universal’s Express ride pass. Which is the only reason why the next morning we are up at 5:30 am in order to get ready for the first water taxi departure at 6:30 am for the 7 am opening of Harry Potter’s Wizarding World in the Islands of Adventure. We have an hour to ride the rides before the regular park hours and the 20 minutes it usually takes after that for crowds to start forming in the Wizarding World. (The 1-hour early admission is another on-site hotel stay bonus; opening hours change by season)

Others were ahead of us when we arrive at Hogwarts. We place our cameras and other loose items in the free lockers just inside the entrance (on the right). We join the quick-moving line that abruptly stalls. The complicated Forbidden Journey ride is known to have its tantrums; this must be one of them. After about 5 minutes, the line starts again. We tour the castle and arrive at the ride without delay. The ride stops when we’re about three-fourths through and the lights come on, revealing a surprisingly mundane view of a room that looks like a second-rate haunted house.

That behind-the-scenes view is brief and the technical difficulty is quickly forgotten as the five of us are hastily escorted to the front of the line for a second ride, this time with no hiccups. Afterwards, eating breakfast at the Three Broomsticks, our conversation ranged from what was the coolest part of the ride to whether did-you-notice-this-or-that?

By mid-afternoon, with temperatures in the mid-90s and the humidity closer to 100%, we’re dragging from the early morning wake-up time and return to our hotel . Some of us take a quick nap, others opt for poolside fun. Without being able to take this break, the rest of the day would have been pretty miserable. When we return to the park in the early evening, Austin stays behind because his allergies are bothering him. The twins want to see the Wizarding World when it’s at its most magical, after sunset, and have one more butter beer.

Much to my surprise, the line into Ollivander’s wand shop is only about a 20 minute wait, not the usual 90 minutes or 2 hours. Now spoiled by the instant access provided almost everywhere by the Express ride passes, Emily and Andrew are reluctant at such a “long” wait; talk about oblivious to theme park ways. We convince them to stay and a short time later we are crowded into Ollivander’s tiny shop where wand boxes cover the room from almost floor to ceiling.

Then we experience one of Universal’s best live presentations—also the type of shows the Wizarding World desperately needs more of. Mr. Ollivander, who with his beard and magical robes looks nothing like actor John Hurt, explains how “the wand chooses the wizard” and selects a boy of about 7 to demonstrate in a clever way with things going magically wrong with each wand choice except the final one. The twins are spellbound.

Our exit is through the wand shop (surprise!) where we choose our wands. Then we return to Hogsmeade’s main plaza for another round of butter beer. Standing beside a brightly lit window of Honeydukes sweet shop with his wand raised in his right hand and a butter beer in his left and grinning from ear to ear, Andrew suddenly announces: “This is one of the best days of my life!”

Perfect! That, after all, is what this trip was all about. And it delivered.

Hint: To slash the typical 90-minute ride time at the Forbidden Journey, take the single-rider located on the right just past the Hogwarts locker area. You miss most the castle tour and arrive near the front of the line quite quickly. Although the ride has 4 people to a bench, you’re cut off from everyone once the ride takes flight. This is very much an individual experience; share it with someone else after the ride ends. For more advice on the Wizarding World, see my Orlando Essential Travel Guide iTunes app.

Avatar Theme Land Coming to Disney World

Posted on September 27, 2011 by M. Timothy O'Keefe

To Be An Eco or Adventure Land?

James Cameron’s Avatar film saga will become a new land added to Disney World’s Animal Kingdom theme park; construction is scheduled to start in 2013. According to the Disney press release, With its emphasis on living in harmony with nature, Animal Kingdom is a natural fit for the AVATAR stories.

Obviously, I need to endure the first Avatar movie a second time to appreciate the harmony with nature as the main message of the first Avatar film. Seemed to me the Terminator series director’s Avatar with its helicopters and warfare was simply a poorly disguised rehash of old Vietnam war movies. Never did get why this was so popular since it was so predictable and the 3-D, well, it doesn’t match Terminator 2: 3-D, which still impresses audiences at nearby Universal Orlando Studios. Saw that classic again for the first time in years this summer and it’s still just as exciting as when it opened 15 years ago, in 1996.

Suspect the Avatar theme land at Disney World certainly will equal and with latest advances technically surpass Terminator 2: 3-D. As with the Terminator films, Cameron plans a trilogy for Avatar on the planet Pandora. Of course, Cameron is the master of disaster films and Pandora isn’t exactly a name that promises tranquility or—thank all movie gods–the likelihood of Ewok teddy bears or other silly creatures appearing in Avatar 3, as in the original Star Wars 3 (now #6).

Cameron says, “I’m chomping at the bit to start work with Disney’s legendary Imagineers to bring our AVATAR universe to life. Our goal is to go beyond current boundaries of technical innovation and experiential storytelling, and give park goers the chance to see hear, and touch the world of AVATAR with an unprecedented sense of reality.”

Other Avatar’s could follow the opening of Disney World’s, depending on its success. It should be exciting and dynamic, but the idea of this theme land being based mostly on living in harmony with nature—don’t believe it.

Is that something you would want to pay to see?

No specific time yet for Avatar’s Disney World opening.

Until next Monday (or later),

Tim

This is a weekly info update to the Orlando Essential Travel Guide for buyers of the app and anyone who discovers this site.

Orlando Essential Travel App Update Will Appear Tuesday

Posted on September 26, 2011 by M. Timothy O'Keefe

Sorry for the delay but the app update will be postponed until Tuesday. Too many other things going on to do a decent job.

Until Tuesday,

Tim

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary-Halloween-Party

Posted on September 19, 2011 by M. Timothy O'Keefe

Just the name “Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party” perfectly distinguishes it from the better known adult gross-out Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios. The Disney Halloween event with nothing very threatening is perfectly suited for young children. It’s actually a giant trick-or-treat party with children encouraged to dress in a costume and accumulate as much candy as they can while wandering through the Magic Kingdom theme park, occasionally encountering Disney characters and villains in their own special Halloween costumes.

Held on select nightsfrom now until Oct. 31, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is a separate ticket event held from 7pm-midnight, which makes this unsuitable for very young kids since they are likely to fall asleep by 9pm.

The admission gradually increases on dates closer to Halloween. The most expensive tickets are $62.95 + tax for adults and $57.95 + tax for kids 3-9. Discounts are offered for most nights when tickets are purchased in advance online. (Only in theme parks do children become adults at age 10, which probably is the upper age range before kids outgrow this.)

Some of the special attractions at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party include:

Mickey’s “Boo-to-You” Halloween Parade with Disney Characters and the stars of the Haunted Mansion attraction.
The Happy HalloWishes fireworks show where the Disney Villains go trick-or-treating in the sky.

Disney does this right. I’ve attended several times and it’s been just as much fun for adults as children. I mean, well, let’s face it–we never outgrow that Disney magic. And this celebration is loaded with it.

This is a weekly info update to the Orlando Essential Travel Guide for buyers of the app and anyone who discovers this site.

Until next Monday,

Tim

16th Epcot International Food & Wine Festival Starts Sept. 30

Posted on September 12, 2011 by M. Timothy O'Keefe

The 16th Epcot International Food & Wine Festival at Walt Disney World Resort runs from Sept. 30-Nov. 13, The 45-day festival serves up international cuisine, culture and entertainment from 6 continents using more than 25 international marketplaces –including new tasting marketplaces from Hawaii, Caribbean Islands and Portugal – all with tapas-sized portions paired with beer, wine and inventive new cocktails

More than 270 chefs including Disney chefs and culinary stars from across the country will conduct culinary demonstrations and host dinners and tasting events. Celebrity chef appearances include Jeff Henderson, Cat Cora, Alan Wong, Gale Gand, Suvir Saran, Jamie Deen, Rock Harper, Celina Tio, Robert Irvine, Andrew Zimmern, Buddy Valastro, Warren Brown, Art Smith, Keegan Gerhard and more.

It’s possible to spend a day of exploring the World Showcase Promenade. The tapas-sized portions of regional specialties run $3 to $8 each, with suggested pairings of wines, cocktails and beers. Instead of paying for each market sampling, you can buy a festival-themed mini-Disney Gift Card you wear on a wristband and load and reload at several park locations.

Live daily entertainment includes music, acrobats and improvisation performances along the promenade. Kicking off the festival from Sept. 30-Oct. 2 are former members of ELO and Gin Blossoms. Appearing for the first time on the Eat to the Beat! stage are The Pointer Sisters. Ending the festival Nov. 11-13 are fan favorites Taylor Dayne and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy.

Disney is advertising that The World Showcase will feature a return of “Captain EO,” a musical 3-D production starring Michael Jackson. That seems a better Halloween addition for Universal’s horror-fest and not Epcot’s International Food & Wine Festival. Watching this video when it first came out was scary years ago before knowing the talented singer had a strange fascination with young children. Now that we do, to advertise it as a possible appetizer or dessert for Epcot’s world-class dining experience?
Gag!

What’s Included with Epcot Admission:

Taste seminars and Authors Without Borders programs with special book signings at the Festival Center, Eat to the Beat! concerts, cultural adventures, Marketplace Discovery Passport and all attractions and park entertainment are included.

Special Programming by Reservation:

Senses grand tasting events and other special culinary and beverage programs require reservations and separate event admission. You can call now 407/WDW-FEST (939-3378) for information and to make reservations for special events and programs. For details about everything, visit www.disneyworld.com/foodandwine.

This is a weekly info update to the Orlando Essential Travel Guide for buyers of the app and anyone who discovers this site.

Travels With Tim O'Keefe

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