Disney - Spaceship Earth

Spaceship Earth

Let’s start with the most iconic structure at Epcot, Spaceship Earth.  Ever since I was a kid long before my first trip to Walt Disney World, I knew Epcot by the giant golf ball!  Okay, okay, calm down everyone!  I know it’s not a golf ball, but at 4 years old, I didn’t.  Anyway, the point is there is nothing more iconic at Epcot than Spaceship Earth.  It’s number one on the must-photograph list and there are so many different ways to photograph it.  During the day it really pops against a nice blue sky with Florida’s signature puffy white clouds.  At night it looks amazingly lit against a deep, dark black sky.  By the way, how do they light it so evenly at night?!  You can use Spaceship Earth as the main subject, or you can incorporate it into the background of a nice Epcot landscape photo.  The possibilities are endless.

Landscapes

No other Disney park has such picturesque landscapes, in my opinion.  Especially the area between Future World and World Showcase with the network of paths and walkways over the water, the green landscape of grass and trees, pavilions in the distance, and the blue sky above with white puffy clouds or a nice sunset. It doesn’t get any better than that!  Well, actually it does.  Because that area during the Flower and Garden fesitival is even more beautiful with vibrant flower beds that scream of color.

Monorails

Now, if you’re familiar with my work and listen to ISO 5571 podcast, you might be wondering why I didn’t put this at the top of this list.  Yes, the monorails are one of my favorite things to photograph on Disney property.  But I don’t just like to photograph the monorail.  I love incorporating the monorail with the beautiful landscapes at Epcot and since some of the most beautiful areas of the park have a concrete monorail beam going right through any frame you take, I feel there must be a monorail on that beam to complete the photos.  Notice how my examples of Epcot landscapes include monorails.

World Showcase

World Showcase is a great place to take photos.  You have twelve unique areas of the park themed after different countries and whether you like capturing wide lanscapes of each pavilion or enjoy going tight to capture details, hours of fun can be had photographing the World Showcase.  Get there early when World Showcase opens and you can enjoy a good hour or so photographing the pavilions before the crowds fill in.

IllumiNations

IllumiNations is a great fireworks show, unlike any other at a Disney park.  Photographing the show is a challenge, but that’s what’s so great about it.  You can choose pretty much any location around World Showcase lagoon for the more traditional shot or you can venture away from the lagoon into future world for some more creative shots involving some of the Future World icons like the Fountain of Nations or the reverse waterfall at the Journey into Imagination Pavilion.

Like I said, I could spend days at Epcot with my camera.  And no matter how many times I go, the 5 reasons serve as my motivation for photographing the park.  I can’t wait to go back in a couple weeks for Epcot’s 30th Anniversary!