Last week I spent a few days at the Walt Disney World
complex in Orlando.
Art-cationing actually.
I've had more than a few people ask me why I spend time
at Disney World just to make art.
Well, let me show you.
This is going to be a photo-heavy post.
All shot with my cell phone.
No apologies at all.
About 3-4 times a year, I like to get away.
All by myself. And just make art.
I love Disney World, the Disney atmosphere,
and because I am a Florida resident I get killer
hotel rates at on-property resort hotels.
So it doesn't cost a fortune to get away and have a productive, fun, relaxed quiet time by myself.
I typically begin by going to Downtown Disney
and get my shopping fix out of the way right at the start.
They are doing a lot of construction work there now,
and everyone is funneled in by the legendary House of Blues.
From there you can also see the hot air balloon ride -
which always make for great photos.
I even found a lovely copper lady posing for photos.
With or without people, depending on what you want.
I've never gone behind the House of Blues before,
so I didn't know these cool metal statues were back there.
Or the screaming, crazy face thing hanging on the wall. Hahahaha!
I think the black metal fellow looks like a metal Darth Vader.
From there I go to the hotel.
Now, I know it's still snowing in parts of the country,
but someone has to enjoy all this sunshine and happiness.
You're welcome.
The hotel I stayed at this time is called the Pop Century Resort.
The different buildings are designed around a decade.
I was in the Sixties building, my room was on the third floor.
Right where his left elbow is pointing.
I lined up the shot for you.
If you were to ride the elevator up and get off on the third floor,
this is what you'd be lined up with.
Baloo.
A three-story high Baloo.
And across the pool from my room is this cool sight.
I don't recall which decade this is from,
but it was always a favorite with my kids.
Here is the stairwell to my building.
The Disney company spends a lot of time getting everything just right.
A lot of planning goes into the planning and decor.
I really like this area over in the seventies' section.
Who doesn't remember Mickey Mouse phones
and foosball gameboards.
But did you ever see foosball players about 15 feet tall?
And they have the full complement of both teams,
I just didn't get them all in this shot
because I couldn't stand far enough away.
Between the 60's and 70's was this big statue of a surfboard holding Goofy,
standing next to this awesome ride!
Surrounding the resort is a running path.
I did notice that most people just walked.
Of course it was in the low 90's most of the time I was there.
Behind the Pop Century is Hour Glass Lake.
Across the way is the Art of Animation Resort.
As bad as it looked here, the storm never came.
And this was a nice sunset.
Actually shot from the pool, facing the Hour Glass Lake area.
The Generation Gap Bridge (hahahaha!)
takes you from the Pop Century to the Art of Animation.
And the bridge is wonderful!
Really nice, artistic lines for a photographer to appreciate.
Welcome to Radiator Springs,
the big feature at the Art of Animation.
These photos were all taken at night time.
This is the Wheel Well Motel.
(In case you don't already know, I am talking about the Disney movie Cars.)
And that would be none other than Lightning McQueen.
That would be Fillmore advertising his Organic Fuel.
These are full size autos.
Really authentic looking.
This is my favorite!
Sheriff. Who else could it be.
Well, somewhere I have a great photo of me behind this car, pointing a pepsi bottle over the hood like a radar gun, but I can't find it.
I guess you had to be there.
Of course. The best place to stay in Radiator Springs.
Probably the only place, too.
Across the way was the Finding Nemo exhibit.
This was the only photo that turned out.
So.
For those of you who wondered why I would go to
Walt Disney World and stay for several days
doing nothing but art -
what do you think now?
Affordable resort hotel because I'm a Florida resident.
Cool stuff to look at when I get tired and need to stretch.
Store, food court, pool - all right there at the resort.
And air-conditioning.
Hahahaha!
Seriously, I can draw or paint all I want.
When I'm tired I can go out and walk around.
No dishes, no laundry, no cats or dogs to pick up after,
and all the drawing and painting I want to do.
Yeah, I totally love it.
So much in fact that I might go back in a couple weeks.
I knew I should have bought this Tinkerbell print
while I was there.
But hey, I'm an artist. Surely I could make that myself?
No. Not a chance.
So back to Downtown Disney I will go and
hope they still have one of these prints.
Happy arting, everyone!
