The walls of my home have countless family pictures. Many of them are from Walt Disney World vacations. For whatever reason, that’s the place where I’m most inclined to take pictures. If you’re like me, you’re always on the lookout for the perfect spot to capture an unforgettable moment in time. Well, I have a few suggestions for you! Here are a dozen of the best Walt Disney World photo ops.
In front of Cinderella Castle
Image: DisneyYes, this picture is the most obvious one, but it’s also among the best. When you pose in front of Cinderella Castle, you stand where literally millions of other theme park tourists have stood before you. And the pictures that you take are timeless ones that will make you just as happy decades from now.
Grand Floridian and Polynesian beaches
Image: DisneyTwo of the three monorail resorts have beachfront property. Sure, it’s artificial, but who cares? Here, you can stroll hand in hand with a loved one, enjoying a romantic interlude during your Disney vacation. These two beaches are wonderful spots to watch the nightly Happily Ever After fireworks exhibition. With some clever planning, you can capture the fireworks in the background as you pose with your date. These are some of the most sentimental pictures available at Walt Disney World.
In front of Tower of Terror
Image: DisneyThe Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is one of the coolest buildings on Walt Disney World’s campus. The theming is intentionally derelict inside but foreboding from a distance. You can somehow sense the malevolence of the place, which makes pictures gothic in tone. You’ll seem so small compared to the building behind you. Also, your fate will seem in peril if you’re lucky enough to have dark clouds in the sky when you take the photograph.
Dug and Russell at Animal Kingdom
Image: DisneyThe various character meetings provide wonderful photo ops. Disney knows this and has added user-friendliness to the process in recent years. Historically, guests had to read the daily schedules and hope for the best with character meetings. Today, all you need to do is pull up the My Disney Experience app to see available photo ops at a given time.
Dug and Russell from Up are one of the best choices. You get your picture taken with a cast member in an adorable scout costume that makes Russell look even puffier than in the film. You also get to take a picture with a cute dog at the same time. Virtually every Disney fan loves the characters from Up, especially Dug. This Animal Kingdom character meeting is pure magic.
Donald Duck at the Mexico Pavilion
Image: DisneyThere’s a joke in The Simpsons about the introduction of a new line of Malibu Stacy dolls. Lisa points out that there’s no value in these dolls since the only thing that’s different is that Malibu Stacy has a new hat. Devoted doll collector Waylon Smithers shouts, “She has a new hat!” A mob scene occurs as consumers swarms the just-opened boxes to get the new dolls.
I always think of that when I evaluate the various photo ops at Walt Disney World. Many of them are similar, with the primary difference of a modified outfit for a cast member. The change is trivial to most people, but to Disney obsessives, the “new hat” is everything.
That’s particularly true at the Mexico Pavilion, where Donald Duck wears his Three Caballeros outfit as he greets guests. This ensemble is spectacular. Donald has a poncho and a sombrero that are beyond adorable. It’s one of the cutest outfits at Walt Disney World, making for unforgettable pictures with the iconic Disney character.
BB-8 at Hollywood Studios
Image: DisneyStar Wars robots have delighted children (and grown-ups) for more than 40 years. Technological innovations have enabled Disney to create a believable audio-animatronic of the breakout star of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. BB-8 is no longer the newest droid on the block (that honor belongs to BB-9E), but he still gets my vote for most adorable. Sorry, R2D2. You had a nice 30-year run.
Anyway, the BB-8 character meeting at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is the height of technological innovation right now. BB-8 is incredibly responsive, beeping and whirring in reply to actual human dialogue. The photo ops here will make you feel as if you’ve entered a galaxy far, far away. The best part is that it only scratches the surface of what’s to come with the impending arrival of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in 2019!
Chef Mickey’s
Image: DisneySeveral restaurants at Walt Disney World also have character meetings. You’ll pay more for these photo ops, but you get your money’s worth in the exchange. While everyone has a favorite, I’m of the opinion that the best one is at Chef Mickey’s. It’s a matter of quality AND quantity. Several primary Disney characters are available for personal interactions and photos here, but the best one happens the instant that you check-in for your meal. A cast member will escort you to a special backdrop where you’ll take a series of family photos with an official Disney photographer. These pictures are ALWAYS better, and the one at Chef Mickey’s screams “PUT ME IN A FRAME!!!” We have multiple shots of this nature on our walls.
‘Ohana breakfast with Lilo & Stitch
Image: DisneySeveral other restaurants have great photo ops. My family’s favorite is the ‘Ohana breakfast due to the presence of three of our favorite Disney characters. Lilo & Stitch host the event while Mickey Mouse roams around in a Hawaiian shirt. The sad news for Lilo fans is that she doesn’t get a Disney photographer to follow her around, but Stitch does. The pictures featuring him are professional, and they also include the backdrop of Bay Lake and Magic Kingdom. Make sure that you are facing the right way when you take pictures here. It’ll make a huge difference in the quality of the images. The alternative is…a wall. Trust me. Bay Lake in the background is better.
Cinderella’s Royal Table
Image: DisneyThe most prestigious restaurant at Walt Disney World is the one located inside Cinderella Castle. Your photo ops here are inimitable. You can take pictures as you approach the castle for comparison. Then, once you’re inside the restaurant, you can get a combination of professional photographs and cellphone ones of your family. You’ll pose with a slew of Disney Princesses, starting with Cinderella, the hostess for the meal. Again, you can angle for a special background enhancement of your pictures. You’re sitting above New Fantasyland, and some images will line up perfectly with Prince Charming Regal Carrousel.
Minnie’s Seasonal Dine at Hollywood & Vine
Image: DisneyI’ve never been a huge fan of this restaurant’s food, but we eat here a lot anyway. Historically, we went to enjoy a May event called Jedi Mickey’s Star Wars Dine, which had wonderful character greetings. Disney has this event on sabbatical at the moment, but the same facility hosts a daily character event that’s somehow even better.
Minnie’s Seasonal Dine is a novel restaurant experience at Walt Disney World. The hostess of the event, Minnie Mouse, changes the atmosphere each season. She also changes her clothes to match and demands that her friends (Mickey, Goofy, Donald, and Daisy) do the same. The result is a character meeting that changes every three months. You can eat here multiple times each year, and the pictures will look different each time. My favorite is autumn. Minnie celebrates Halloween during the fall, and all her friends dress up in their trick-or-treat outfits. And as adorable as Donald Duck looks at the Mexico Pavilion, I actually prefer him as a Halloween Astronaut at Minnie’s Seasonal Dine.
In front of Spaceship Earth
Image: DisneyThis is the other classic shot. When you enter Epcot, you’ll oftentimes notice a Disney photographer standing by, waiting to take a picture of you. You’ll stand with your back turned to the giant golf ball that is Spaceship Earth. The setting serves a purpose. When you take this picture, there’s no question about where you are. No other structure in the world resembles Spaceship Earth. It’s inexorably linked with Epcot, placing a tourist stamp on your photograph. The Spaceship Earth image is wholly inimitable.
Tree of Life at Animal Kingdom
Image: DisneyEveryone has a favorite spot for photo ops at Walt Disney World. This one is mine. Disney’s Animal Kingdom specifically opened on Earth Day as a reflection of the park’s core values. The Tree of Life is the ultimate symbol of these values. It’s a 145-foot tree sculpture that has 325 different animal images carved into the trees. You’ll never feel smaller than you stand in the shadow of this sculpture. Even so, it somehow imbues surrounding guests with a sense of serenity and happiness. Your pictures will reflect this calmness, and the majesty of the tree will impress you every time you look at the photo on the wall.
