CMDTA's Photo Tips for the Average Joe Part Two

I actually had feedback on part one of Photo Tips for the Average Joe.  One thing that one of my friends asked me was if I could do an overview of the different default settings on the average camera.  I know I already covered a few.  I'll list those here as well a number of others.  Keep in mind these settings are off a Fujifilm Fine Pix camera.  Fuji tends to have more settings than the usual point and shoot.  I'm only going to cover the settings found under "scene" selection menu on most cameras.

Sport - The name of this setting is rather deceptive.  It doesn't really describe what it does.  "Action" would be a much better name.  If your subject is moving this is your setting.  For this setting to work you need a lot of light because the shutter speed is very high.  Most people think of using this mode just for people but you can do much more than that.  This is your setting for waterfalls (debatable), while on Kilimanjaro Safari, pictures taken from the Tomorrow Land Transit Authority, and other fast moving subjects.

Night - Some cameras have multiple night settings.  This is the general setting.  I like to call this setting "Dusk"  I think it's a much more fitting description.  For this setting to work you need some light and you need to keep still.  You normally do not need tripod with this setting but that really depends on the picture. This is a good setting for Spaceship Earth, Cinderella's Castle, or the other well lit items at night.

Night Tripod - As you'd imagine you need a tripod or nerves of steel to use this setting.  The shutter speed is very slow so any movement will result in bluing.  This is good for taking pictures of the moon, cityscapes, and things lit with only a street lamp.

Fireworks - This is for taking stylized pictures of fireworks.  I saw that because it uses a long exposure which results in streaking.  To get these results you need to use a tripod.  If you want more of a snapshot of fireworks you need to use a different mode.

Sunset - An interesting mode that you won't use very often.  It depends on the fact that you are pointing the camera directly at the sun.  Some cameras also use a filtering software to enhance the color saturation in the photo.

Snow - Believe it or not this setting is almost like the Sport setting because the shutter speed is very fast.  If it wasn't you'd get an over exposed photo. When shooting in snow there is far more light than almost any other situation.  You have your normal light and the light bouncing off the snow.  This mode also has a filter to reduce the white balance in the photo.

Beach - Very close to Snow.  I really don't know why you'd need both.

Flower - This setting was designed for up close photos with high color.  It uses software filtering and some manual settings to achieve this.

Text - This setting is really designed with contrast in mind.  It's meant to make the test really stand out so you can read it after.  You might think you'd never use this mode but it actually works well for taking photos of signs around Disney World.

Pro Focus - This mode gives a very sharp focus on the foreground (your subject) and a soft focus on the background.  You'd use this over Portrait when you want pictures of you loved ones but still show a little of what's in the background.  It really does give a cool result.  This is a mode you'd want to play around with.

Pro Low Light - This mode is good for any low light situation but you need to know what's going on to get the best results.  You don't need a tripod for this setting but it helps.  Your camera is actually taking multiple photos and merging them to enhance the photo.  What it does is take a normal, and under exposed, and an overexposed photo and then tries to fill in as much detail as possible.  You get some odd results.  What I mean by odd is unnatural.  It creates a photo that doesn't really exist but sometimes you get some really cool detail with this mode.

Natural Light - This mode tries to capture what you are seeing without filtering it.  Often this results in the photo having a yellowish tint.  It was really designed to take pictures of people without a flash.

Natural + Flash -  It's not the previous mode with a flash.  It's a mode that takes two back to back photos.  One with natural light and one with a flash.  This is a great setting for taking photos of characters indoors.  I'm not kidding.  USE THIS MODE.  Use it anytime you're taking photo of someone inside unless a flash would be distracting.

Portrait - This mode is designed for taking photos of people up close and when they will be the only subject of the photo.  You do not want to use this if you have any kind of background you want to capture.  This mode normally adjusts the aperture of your camera to blur out the background and only focus on the person.

Enhanced Portrait - This mode is the same as Portrait except it filters the photo to bring out the persons skin tone.  I'm not sure if it really improves your results it just makes them different.  You'd have to play with both to see which you like better.

Landscape - This is a great mode in most settings when your subject is more than 10 feet away.  This is a very dynamic mode.  Before I got my new camera this was the mode I used the most because I don't take many photos of people.

Image Size - This is not really a setting like the ones above.  It's actually a sub-setting that can be used with any of the above modes.  Image Size refers to the layout of your photo.  4X3 is the classic photo size that works well for most shots.  3X2 is the classic portrait size but you can get some fun results when using it on other pictures.  16X9 is the wide screen, landscape, or panoramic size.  You can get some awesome results with this if you practice a little.

CMDTA’s Worst Movies of All Time

Top Ten lists are common but who really takes time to give a nod to the worst? I DO!

1. From Justin to Kelly (2003) – Do I really need to say more? I lasted five minutes…FIVE MINUTES!

2. Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey (1991) – Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure was a fun movie that really gained a cult following. The sequel is proof as to why some movies should never have sequels. This movie is just awful.

3. Lady in the Water (2006) – Awful doesn’t quite describe this movie. The stench of this movie is just epic. It’s an awful story that just doesn’t work and makes me sad to even think about it.

4. American Pie (1999) – A lot of my peers love this movie. I HATE THIS MOVIE. It tries to use gross out humor but it ends up being more, gross out than humor. This movie also had an awful story. I actually think the story offends me on many levels. I really hate this movie.

5. 2012 (2010) – Special effects, no matter how good, can’t make up for a story that could have been written by a brain damaged monkey.

6. The Day After Tomorrow (2004) – Not even Emmy Rossum (one of my favorites) could save this moldly turd of a movie. I don’t even want to go into details. It’s just not good. However, it is a better movie than 2012.

7. Relic (1997) – In this history of converting a book to a movie this has to be the worst case I’ve ever seen. Relic is an amazing book with indepth characters. Many people also call this book the 1st Agent Pendergast book. They cut Agent Pendergast out of the movie. This movie is so bad I wouldn’t let my wife see it after she read the book.
8. Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End (2007) – How you go from one of the best movies ever made (Curse of the Black Pearl) to this movie astounds me. I hated this movie. The story is rotten. After the first film they really gave up on story and just tried to amaze people with special effects.
9 – Beyond the Poseidon Adventure (1979) – The Poseidon Adventure was creepy and fun. This movie was just stupid. They tried to capitalize on the success of the original and ended up with an awful movie that makes my brain hurt when I think about it.
10 – Alien Resurrection (1997) – This movie had it’s moments but in the end it just wasn’t good. The story was crummy and failed in so many ways. It’s a shame that the Alien movies got progressively worse and worse.

Photo of the Week - Illuminations

Taking pictures of fireworks can be easy.  There are a few things you to do to ensure your photos come out.  

This photo wasn't taken with a night or fireworks setting and a flash was not use.  There are a few ways to get this photo with most cameras.  First turn your flash off. Next put the camera in Landscape mode.  If your camera doesn't have a landscape mode putting it into daytime mode might work.  Next get as close to the fireworks as you can. Finally put the camera on a railing or other flat surface.

When you tell the camera to use a certain mode it defaults some of the settings.  Normally at night the camera will automatically try to use a mode that is too sensitive and your photos will come out blurry unless you are using a tripod.  Putting it into a daytime mode lets you capture photos like this.

Most cameras can capture this photo because the ISO is only 800. That means it's low light but not to an extreme degree. Once you get above that you really need a good camera and a tripod.

Next week I'll post a photo taken with the fireworks setting turned on so you can see the difference.

This photo was taken with this camera.  It's good in low light and a great overall camera:

CMDTA’s Top Ten Movies

A ton of different organizations and companies have done list of what they feel are the top ten films of all time. Most of them have the same thing in common. They ignore the common man and only really care about the critics. Those lists remind me a lot of Oscars. I never watch the Oscars because I know I won’t give a rats backside about the movies that win.
I decided to come up with a real top ten list. A list that will prove once and for all that I am nuts. Some of the movies on this list will dumb found you. You might also be surprised by the range of movies.


1. Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) – This movie is all about the story. You’ll be hard pressed to find a better written movie. This is a movie that you have to watch a few times just to figure out what happened but when realize the complexity of what happened if blows you away.


2. Alien (1979) – I saw Alien when I was a kid and it scared the pants off me. When I found out it was made before I was born I was shocked. No movie before Alien treated horror and sci-fi like this film did. This movie set a new standard that countless films since have tried to match.


3. Forest Gump (1994) – “Forest Gump” is one of those movies that will make you laugh and five minutes later make you cry. It’s one of those movies that just makes you smile in the end.


4. Monty Python and the Search for the Holy Grail (1975) – Its budget was so small they couldn’t afford credits at the end, people said it was an utterly silly movie, and then it gained a cult following that cemented Monty Python in legend status. Try and think of a movie that people quote more frequently. Find a movie with a higher cost to profit ratio. Find a movie with a more amazing development story. Despite the odds this movie made it.


5. Mary Poppins (1964) – You can’t go wrong with Mary Poppins. The style of this movie was great. It was exciting. It was funny. It was everything you’d want out of a family movie. In a word it is magical.


6. Dumb and Dumber (1994) – The name says it all. This movie is dumb. It might be the dumbest movie of all time. People say it’s disgusting and crude. There is one thing they are forgetting. It’s the most perfect display of toilet humor ever made.


7. Up (2009) – Why did I put “Up” in my top ten? It’s a good movie but what really sends this one over the edge is its ability to pull on your heart. No animated movie made me cry in my adult life until this one. The montage in the beginning is one of the best pieces of film making in any movie.


8. Miracle (2004) – This is one of those movies that no one has seen. It’s about the 1980 US Olympic Ice Hockey Team and how they won the gold. If you ever need a feel good movie go see this one. What this movie does well is merging actual footage with movie footage. It makes you feel like you are there.


9. Blazing Saddles (1974) – This movie offended everyone too stupid to see the forest through the trees. In reality this wasn’t a racist movie, it was a movie that proved how stupid racist people are. At first you don’t want to laugh but then the person next to you laughs and you lose it. Enjoy this movie because you could never make another one in the super sensitive world we live in.


10. It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963) – This is one of those movies that couldn’t be made today. Its scope was huge, every movie star on Earth at the time was in it, and it has one of the best endings you’ll ever see.


Honorable mention: Star Wars: A New Hope, The Fellowship of the Ring, Whip It, Rocky, The Sixth Sense, Golden Eye, The Birds, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Jurassic Park, Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl


Coming Soon – CMDTA’s Worst Movies of All Time

Here are the top three:

Disney Announces New Crowd Control Method

Large crowds are the bane of a theme park vacation. Over the years Disney has taken many steps to help control crowds. One of the most successful tricks was the addition of Fast Pass. Most people don’t see Fast Past as being a form of crowd control but that’s exactly what it is.

It’s been a long time since Fast Pass was rolled out but that doesn’t mean Disney has stopped working on the problems that large crowds create.

“The best method of crowd control is to fit more people into rides or attractions. Due to the state of the economy we’ve been unable to build a lot of new attractions. Instead we had to figure out a way to get more people onto existing attractions,” stated king of all things Disney, Mickey Mouse.

Mickey went on to explain that the Imagineers have come up with a method to fit 300% more people on ride. The plan is simple – shrink the people.

Starting in December of 2010 Disney will be rolling out dozens of Professor Wayne Szalinski’s shrinking machines.

All of the major rides will be retrofitted with the shrinking machines. This change is expected to reduce the wait for rides like Soarin and Space Mountain to walk on status.

“On some rides we had to make adjustments. For instance we lost a few test subjects on Muppets 3D. We forgot that it’s not a good idea to spray someone with a drop of water that’s 10 times bigger than they are,” explained Professor Szalinski in an interview.

The in depth testing also revealed that some rides cannot be fitted. Rides like Splash Mountain and Kali River Rapids would result in massive fatalities if the shrinking ray were used.

The updates are expected to greatly reduce the wait times in all of the Disney Parks.

You Won't Find Boobies Here...At Least Not the Ones You're Looking For

Many (term used loosely) of you might wonder why on Earth am I doing a post entitled "You Won't Find Boobies Here...At Least Not the Ones You're Looking For."  Let me explain.

Over a year ago I did a post called "The Return of Flash Mountain." It was a real post (I have to explain that on this blog) about how cut backs at Disney Land and Disney World could result in the return of people flashing and getting away it on Splash Mountain. 

That alone shouldn't be a reason for me to have to tell people that I run a mostly family friendly blog and you will NEVER find nudity here.  However, Blogger.com gives you many tools.  One of which is a report of keywords used to find your blog.  What is the number one keyword used to find my blog?

"Flash Mountain Video"

That makes me sad.  Out of all of videos, photos, and insane articles I've posted, most people have come here looking for boobies. 

Fine, if that's what people want to see I'll help you out.  Here you go.  These are the only boobies you'll ever find on my blog.

Photo of the Week - Grim Grinning Ghosts

The angle isn't great but this is one of the iconic parts of the Haunted Mansion.  Who hasn't passed this section and wondered how the Imagineers did this?  I was only able to capture this photo because the ride had stopped. 

If you want to capture a picture like this here is what you have to do:

1 - Wait for the ride to stop.

2 - Turn off your flash. (this is the most important tip)

3 - Do not use a zoom.  Using a  zoom makes it much harder to keep the shot steady.

4 - Lean the camera on a solid surface to add stability.

5 - Only attempt if you camera can do a high ISO.


This picture was captured with the following camera:

Failed Disney Slogans

Sometimes the things we never got to experience are the most entertaining things. As an example I’m exposing some of the failed slogans from around Disney World (this is a factious post).


“Get Crabs at Fulton’s!” – A slogan for Fulton’s Crab House that never saw the light of day.



“We Have Mice in the Kitchen!” – A short lived slogan for Chef Mickey’s



“Now With Free Barf Bags!” – Sign out front of Mission Space.



“You’ll Wish You Escaped!” – Ad for Stitch’s Great Escape. Was honored with a national award for truth in advertising.



“Yak With a Yeti” – Awful slogan for Yak and Yeti. It was slammed as it was deemed to be pro-bulimia.



“It’s Fun to Beat Your Kids” – Ad for Toy Story Midway Mania



“Dogs Love Our Food” – Slogan for Tony’s Town Square Restaurant.



“Play with Pooh” – Radio ad for Pooh’s Playful Spot. Was pulled because people couldn’t see the spelling and didn’t understand the context.



“Launch Your Lunch!” – Poorly thought out slogan for The Lunching Pad.



“Your Food Should be Brown” – Slogan for the Brown Derby.

CMDTA’s Photo Tips for the Average Joe

I am by no means a professional photographer. I do however enjoy photography. I never took a class or read a book. I learned how to take decent photos through websites, friends, and studying what other people do. There are some tips and tricks I’ve learned over the years that can really help the average person take better photos.

The point of this post is to inform people of some of the most common mistakes. In most cases these tips are very simple and easy to follow.

1 – Turn off your flash – Listen to me now and believe me later. Your flash has ruined more photos than you can count. I know your camera wants to use it. 99% of the time your camera was designed for taking up close pictures of people. If you are not doing that, TURN OFF THE FLASH. When you’re camera is in flash mode it’s trying to capture what is no more than ten feet in front of you. The flash will drown out anything beyond that. Don’t feel bad if you didn’t know this. Have you ever seen the Super Bowl or another major sporting event? It’s true a majority of people do not know this.

2 – Learn your camera – The average point and shoot camera is getting more and more complex as time goes on. Just knowing what your camera can do can open up a whole new range of photo possibilities. I’ll help a little. Most cameras that offer different modes have some in common. Portrait – This one is almost useless for your average user. How often are you taking photos of someone up close and don’t want the background? In some cases it will blur the background. Auto – If you turn off the flash you can use this almost anywhere. It automatically decides what mode to use. 90% the camera is going to be right as long as you turn the flash off. Landscape – This is good for anything more than 20 feet from you. I also find that this is one of the best modes for capturing fireworks without the use of a tripod. Fireworks – If you are using a tripod this is a great mode. If you do not have a tripod, never use this mode. I’ve never met anyone who could stay perfectly still long enough to use this mode.

3 – Research before you buy – I am not saying you have to spend hours going over reviews. I am saying that you at least need to do some research. Go online and just search “best digital cameras.” Avoid the sponsored sites. Don’t be intimidated when you go onto the sites. They normally list three to five categories. You want the entry level or point and shoot. Between two or three sites you’ll be able to determine a good camera that will fit your needs.

4 – Take two of every photo – Thanks to digital this doesn’t cost anything anymore. You might wonder why you would want to take two of every photo. The main reason for doing this is for quality assurance. People shake and move. Taking two photos greatly reduces the odds of you having at least one good photo.


5 – Push your trigger down half way – If you don’t know what I’m talking about don’t feel bad. It took me about a year to figure out that my trigger button had two phases. When you push down your trigger half way if tells your camera to focus but not take the photo. This way you can tell what is in focus and what’s not. When everything is the way you want it push down the rest of the way and you get your photo! Ever take a picture of your family to later find out the background looks great but your family is blurred? This will fix that problem.


6 – Be random – The best photos of people are taken when they are not posing. It’s also true that the worst photos are also taken when people are not posing. My point is: take a bunch of photos when people don’t know you’re taking photos. Be sly about it. You will get some great photos. It’s very hard to pose people. It’s even harder to frame someone who is posing so they look good. Why is that? It’s because posing isn’t natural for most people. They put on a forced face, stand awkwardly, and are not themselves. When you randomly take a photo you get that person in their natural state. That can be good or bad but it’s worth it.

7 – Know your cameras limitations – People tend to have high expectations and then when they don’t get results (for a number of reasons) they blame the camera and think it’s a piece of junk. You will not get the photos you’ve seen of Cinderella’s Castle at night, Spaceship Earth at night, amazing fire works photos, or great shots of the interior of the Mexico Pavilion. You won’t get those photos because your camera just can’t handle lighting like that. Even if your camera is ok in low light you’ll need a tri-pod to get ok photos. If you want those professional low light photos you’d have to spend about $1000 on a camera, buy a tri-pod, take a class on SLR photography, and then practice until your fingers bleed. If you know what your camera can do you can push its boundaries and have fun instead of getting upset.


8 – Your computer is your friend – Both Windows and Mac OSX have some stock editing software. I am not saying you have to learn it inside and out but you do need to use it. Both of these programs have an adjust button. All you need to do is open your photo and click that adjust button. Most of the time, your photo will benefit greatly from that.

9 – It’s not the camera, it’s you – Most of the time crappy photos are the result of someone who doesn’t know about composition or how to take photos. I’m telling you this for a reason. Running out and buying a more expensive camera is not going to get you better photos. It might improve your photos a little but if you really want better photos then read, ask questions, and practice. Knowing how to take a photo is more important that the camera you use.

 
If you are wondering: What do I use or recommend? I currently use an Fuji S200EXR.  However, you've never seen the photos I taken with that. Most of the photos on my blog were taken with a Fuji F100. Below are also the monopod I use and my camera bag.    

People Actually Like Deeks

Being a Disney fan and being over the age of 18 often brings strange looks, a number of questions, and a little teasing.  Some people are discouraged by this and try to keep their secret deek identities hidden.  I’m here to let everyone know that it’s a mistake to keep your deekness hidden.

If people know you’re a deek they might tease you a little but in reality they do not forget the fact that you know more about Disney than they ever will.  This normally proves itself within a few years.

If there is one thing you can bank on it’s that people change.  People get married, have kids, and go on vacation.  On a number of occasions I’ve been approached by co-workers, friends, and even friends of friends who are going to Disney World for the first time and have no idea where to start.  Some of the very people who made fun of me for being a deek came to me for help after they had kids and realized they are going to Disney World whether they like it or not.

The best thing about someone coming to you for help isn’t talking about Disney.  It’s not the fact the other person is eating a little humble pie either.  The best thing is knowing that you are helping someone avoid some of the biggest Disney mistakes.  It’s knowing that you are making someone’s vacation much better.  It’s knowing that in a few months the world will have another deek.

Want to expand your deek prowess? Try one of these:

New Features Now Available!

I finally got around to updating the layout of this blog.  The best parts are a new search feature at the top of the page and a list of the most popular posts at the bottom of the page. 

Another feature I like but some people think it's annoying is the Amazon Deals box on the right side of the page.  I like this because I check this every single day.  I wish I was kidding.  I'm a sucker for a good deal and often the gold box deals are the best you can find anywhere.

Another thing I'm doing is rolling out associated products.  When I post a video or photo, I'll list the camera I used.  I'll also include the newest Disney swag as I come across it.

Here is the first product - This has nothing to do with the new layout it's just one of my wifes favorite Disney movies.  That's saying a lot.  As many of you know my wife isn't a big Disney fan. 

Getting the Most Out of the Dining Plan

Before I get going on this subject I want to let everyone know one thing.  The dining plan can be a great value if you use it correctly and do a little research.  If you do not use it correctly, Disney makes oodles of money off of you.  Also in the article I will be comparing the regular dining plan to the deluxe dining plan. I will not be mentioning the quick service plan because I’ve never used it.

First things first - always make an ADR if you are going to use the dining plan.  This will help you to avoid eating at restaurants that provide little value when on the dining plan. This might sound odd but where you eat will make or break the dining plan.  If you can’t get into your first choice, always have a second choice ready.

Next thing you need to do if figure out the monetary value of your credits.  For example one day on the deluxe plan is about $75.  I think that’s over but it is close enough.  For that price you get three table service credits. That breaks down to about $25 a meal. Knowing this detail helps you to decide where to eat.

After you figure out the monetary value of your credits look at the menus for the places you want to eat.   Would you spend $25 a person there if you were not on the dining plan? If the answer is no, then don’t eat there.  If you look at the menu for the Plaza Restaurant in the Magic Kingdom you’d realize that it’s impossible to get a good value there if you are on the dining plan.  Doing this with each place you want to go helps you determine if you want to use your credits there or pay it out of pocket.

Signature Dining locations seem to strike fear into the hearts of people who are on the dining plan.  Don’t be afraid just do your research.  Two big things to remember when it comes to signature dining – one what do you get for your two table service credits and two – what are the reviews for this dining location?

Let’s compare two signature locations to see what a little research is vital.

Cinderella’s Table: The price is different for lunch and dinner.  At its most expensive the price is $60.  In both cases you get a photo package.  Now check the reviews.  For a place that’s so hard to get into, this place has really poor reviews.  It’s not what you’d want from a signature location.  If you go to dinner you basically break even on your credits but if you go to lunch you’d be better off paying out of pocket.

California Grill:  To be blunt the prices here are high, very high. My wife and I dropped nearly $200 the last time we went there.  Is that worth two table service credits?  That’s putting lightly. Now check the reviews.  They are overwhelming positive.  Bottom line the dining plan will save you a ton of money at the California Grill.

Another VERY helpful tip is to compare the lunch menus to the dinner menus.  In some cases they can be drastically different.  Possibly the biggest difference is at the Liberty Tree Tavern.  This is one of the rare places where lunch is more of a value than dinner.  In fact if I were on the dining plan, I’d avoid the dinner there like the plague.  The reason being – dinner is a fixed price family meal with no selection.  On the other hand Lunch has a full menu.

Know when you can use your credits.  You can start using your credits as soon as you check in.  Some people think your unused credits go away when you check out. You can use your credits even after you check out.  Your credits don’t expire until the next day. 

One final tip and this is the most important tip – Make a list of all the days you are in Disney.  Next fill in where you want to eat. After that compare it to the number of credits you have.  Have extra credits?  Go back and see where you can fit them.  Waste a credit or two and you go from getting value out of the dining plan to being fleeced by it.

Photo of the Week - Big Thunder Mountain Panoramic Shot

This photo is about 15 years old and was scanned so sorry about the quality. Just to show how old it is, it was taken with a Kodak Advantix camera. Believe it or not you can still find those on the used market.

One thing those cameras did great was their panoramic ability. I got some great photos over the years using that setting.

Disney Announces New Killer Marathon

Due to the success of the all the current marathons Disney announced a new kind of marathon last week.

The new marathon has a brutal course that only the physically and mentally strong stand any chance of finishing. In fact many are saying that course is impossible and that no human being can endure such punish ment.

“We’ve developed a marathon that we believe no one can finish,” stated Disney spokes-robot WALL-E.

The course consists of the following path and tasks:

1 - Run from the entrance of the Magic Kingdom to “It’s a Small World.”

2 - Ride “It’s a Small World.”

3 - Run to “Stitch’s Great Escape.”

4 - Ride “Stitch’s Great Escape.”

5 - Repeat steps two through four three times.

6 – Run to Epcot.

7 – Run to the Norway Pavilion.

8 – Enter the exit of “Maelstrom” and just watch the movie.

9 – Run to the “Imagination Pavilion.”

10 – Ride the awful imagination ride.

11 – Repeat steps seven through ten three times.

12 – Run to “Mission Space”

13 – Ride “Mission Space” six times in a row

14 – Stagger back to the Magic Kingdom

15 – Run to the “Tiki Room Under New Management”

16 – View the “Tiki Room Under New Management”

17 – Cross the finish line which is the exit of the ride

It’s currently unknown if the physical or mental aspect of the marathon will eliminate the most competitors. Being forced to ride the worst rides in Disney World is painful if you only have to do it once. Being forced to do it over and over while exhausting ones self will most likely prove fatal.

The Disney Vacation Rules of Etiquette

Don’t be “that” guest. You know the guest I’m talking about. The one who drives everyone else crazy and think they have the right to do it because they paid good money for their vacation.

Make sure you follow these rules and reminders:

1 – Thou shall not let thy kids go uncontrolled because they are on vacation.

2 – Thou shall not fart in the queue.

3 – Thou will not yell at the cast member because thou didn’t have the sense to make an ADR, understand the dining plan, or were refused alcohol in the Magic Kingdom.

4 – Thou shall wear proper clothing. Not clothing that leaves little to the imagination, is offensive, obscene, or dirty.

5 – Thou shall smoke in the smoking areas not any where thy feels like it.

6 – Thou shall remember that thy waiter is not a baby sitter.

7 – Thou shall not cut in line. This includes parade and fireworks viewing.

8 – Thou shall turn off thy viewfinder on dark rides.

9 – Thou shall remember that sound travels and not discuss topics of a person nature in a crowded location.

10 – Thou shall not give the person with the turkey leg a dirty look because thy does not eat meat.

11 – Thou shall chew with ones mouth CLOSED.

12 – Thou shall not speak while chewing.

13 – Thou shall not complain about large crowds when thy did not check TouringPlans.com or another similar resource.

14 – Thou shall not belch loudly in a dining location.

15 – Thou will not complain about sore feet when thy wore improper footwear.

16 – Thou will not remind thy child that thy paid a lot for the Disney vacation when said child is acting up.

17 – Thou shall remember that a wheelchair is not a battering ram.

18 – Thou shall not over indulge in alcoholic beverages and then toss thy cookies in front of everyone.

19 – Thou shall not complain if thy spent all day in the sun without sunscreen.

20 – Thou shall not be stupid.

I think 20 sums up all the others. When all else fails refer to number 20.

Photo of the Week - Fish Frenzy

Who said fish are stupid? They know when it's time to eat! If you want to catch this sight in person just head over to the Seas Pavilion.

The Dumbest Design in Disney World

Normally Disney is the best of the best when it comes to designing theme parks. They know how to queue, move, and direct people like no one else. However there is one ride that has a design flaw that drives me crazy.

The queue for Test Track has an awful design flaw in it that will one day cause violence. I know I normally exaggerate things but this time I am not exaggerating or trying to be funny.

After the pre-show the doors open on your right and you enter the final part of the queue. In this section you walk to the left. Here is where the flaw comes in. There are multiple pre-show rooms. When the final section of the queue backs up you end up in a scenario where one pre-show group dumps into a line instead of at the end of it. Of course they are not going to wait for the end of the line. Instead they cut everyone else who has already been waiting.

This is bad news. One of these days “Line Rage” is going to kick in and someone’s going to start swinging. I really hope before this happens the queue gets a small tweak. The easiest tweak is to just keep the doors shut until you know the group won’t dump into an existing line.

The more expensive fixes involve creating one large pre-show room or making two separate lines that take turns loading. Each preshow room would dump into a specific line.

In my opinion you will not see Disney do anything about this problem until someone gets hurt. Knowing how little patience people have I’d say that will happen sooner than later.

20 Signs You Might Be Obsessed

There is a fine line between being a fan and being dangerously obsessed with something. For example a fan buys their favorite band’s songs, maybe a t-shirt, and if you really like them you might go to a concert to see them live. The obsessed fan follows the band from city to city, stalks the band members, and has delusions of being in a relationship with one of the band members.

How do you know when you’ve gone from Disney fan to Disney obsessed? There are a few signs to look out for:

1 – You buy an annual pass but don’t live near Disney and won’t be visiting Disney to use it.

2 – You’ve spent most people’s annual income on pins.

3 – You bought one of the new princess inspired wedding gowns.

4 – You booked a wedding package at the Grand Floridian but don’t even have a boyfriend / girlfriend yet.

5 – You can name a majority of the furnishings in Mickey’s House at the former Toon Town Fair but can’t name ten in your own home.

6 – You’ve had your picture taken with more than thirty Disney characters.

7 – You have multiple Disney related tattoos.

8 – You wore your mouse ears in the shower.

9 – You listen to more than 10 Disney podcasts each week.

10 – You own every Disney movie in multiple formats.

11 – You’ve watched nothing but Disney related entertainment for more than 24 straight hours.

12 – You get violent and normally end up under arrest when a ride is closed or redesigned.

13 – You once tried to rip a characters costume off and yelled “You’re not doing it right!”

14 – You are physically attracted to a non-human Disney character.

15 – You think Lou Mongello is an amateur.

16 – You logged more hours in the parks than Len Testa last year.

17 – You’ve lost a job because of Disney.

18 – You won’t eat ice cream unless its chocolate covered, on a stick, and in the form of mouse ears.

19 – You have your own Dole Whip machine.

20 – You were put under suicide watch after the Adventures Club closed.