Disneyland photography blog
One of my favorite Christmas elements at Disneyland is one of the first you encounter as you enter — the garland adorning the Main Street Depot. I enjoy it so much, I insisted on including it in one of the shots in our Disneyland Christmas time lapse.
For me, one of the most magical moments at Disneyland is walking into the Park and seeing a train over the tunnel. It gets me every time. And nearly every time, I stop to take a picture. Not so much for the sake of sharing or even keeping it but for the sake of doing it. It’s a tradition I’ve made and I suppose it’s the way I let loose some of the excitement and childlike anticipation for everything that happens once I go through that tunnel.
The vehicles of Main Street represent a constant that even the elements cannot hinder. Come rain or shine, these vehicles merrily make their way up and down Disneyland’s turn of the (last) century hometown, transporting happy guests to the realms of adventure, fantasy and tomorrow.
Many people don’t know where to find that perfect haircut. But you needn’t look further than the vignettes overhead as you shop the Emporium on Main Street. There’s no cause to cover up another bad hair day with a hat from the Mad Hatter across Town Square ever again.
There’s a passage in the Bible that says “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” It’s a thought that I’ve meditated on for over a decade now and I finally feel like I’m beginning to understand its truth. The setting of this shot may or may not look familiar to you, it was One More Disney Day. The park was closed at this, the twenty-fourth hour. I waited intently and very patiently to take this, something I’d planned for a long time. The park was packed… like sardine status packed, for the entire night. There was definitely some weeping as people were passed out on benches and, oh heck, the middle of Main Street. It was another scene entirely as morning came.
Morning has always held a special place for me. The quiet and the sunrise are so peaceful, so filled with promise. Weeping may endure for a night but it cannot rob us of the joy that comes with the morning if we don’t allow it to. Life isn’t easy but we have to leave the past behind so that we can seize the potential of a glorious future. If we’re not careful to remind ourselves of all that is good and beautiful, the bad contaminates our thoughts and hope is lost to cynicism. So if you’re having a bad day, just remember that tomorrow is a new day and that joy comes in the morning.
You matter and you’re loved,
Matt
I don’t visit the Main Street Photo Supply much. I’m usually too preoccupied taking my own photos. In the not so distant past, when film could still readily be found, I recall stopping in more. With film’s disappearance, all there really is in here are frames and kiosks to view and purchase your Photo Pass photos. Or so I thought… On closer inspection, I was surprised by some of the things I found. I absolutely love the vintage cameras, equipment and photos. They alone are worth a visit. On this particular morning, I saw the Photo Supply in a way I never had before. Light poured through the doors and windows from Main Street bringing a surreal textural depth to the wood inside. With the gloss on the floor, it seemed as if, upon stepping out, you might fall into this sea of beautiful woodgrain. It was pretty incredible.
