Disneyland photography blog
The Elias & Co. department store is truly phenomenal. The theming is so smooth that you hardly notice what’s going on; it just feels right. On a late evening at DCA I spotted what I considered a sort of visual echo of the store’s name and that’s what I tried to capture with this image. The three Elias & Company signs lined up at varying distances. I love details like that.
Every story begins with a dream. Walt Disney set out to realize his with a big break in Tinseltown. It was not without hardship or heartache, but Walt was not the kind for quitting. If he had a vision for something, he would dog it ’til it was done. His story backs up a motto he seemed to live by, “All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.” Courage was not something Walt ever appeared to lack and I imagine it’s because he had the understanding that if you don’t take big risks, you’ll never know what you’re capable of, or maybe even what you’re meant for. Risk stares us in the face with “what ifs?” but it also frees us from “what could have been?”. For me Walt’s story is a reminder that no matter how you’re feeling, if you keep on fighting, believing and risking, you can have your very own story worth telling.
Disney California Adventure has come a long way since its remodel and improvements began. With a few weeks under its belt, DCA 2.0 is only getting better and I can’t seem to get enough of it. The thing that stands out to me most is the obvious and strong connection to Walt Disney that the park was practically void of. You can barely even get into DCA before you notice it. The park feels free and happy with an air of opportunity and possibility. California Adventure is telling an audacious new story, one that’s fitting of the Disney name.
This beauty of a chandelier can be found hanging out over head in the jewelry department of Elias & Co. It’s almost disorienting as you look up and find yourself captivated by the depths of its detail and craftsmanship.
