This week, we are taking a light-hearted look at some of those classic fashion mistakes that get made in Walt Disney World. If you wonder why I have singled out Orlando as the principal offender, it’s because WDW is where the worst fashion faux pas can be found. You know it’s true!

Booty Shorts

You know, the ones barely visible under a t-shirt or paired up under a midriff and with the other cheeks hanging out? Either way, this isn’t a good look for Disney.

The last thing we want to discuss with our children is the questions that arise from wearing clothing that looks more like underwear. Yes, honey, it does look like that young lady forgot to put her pants on this morning, but no, we shouldn’t go and buy her some.

Stiletto Heels

We all saw Modern Family‘s episode when Gloria confidently marches into Disneyland Park in stilettos and exits wearing Minnie Mouse slippers. This wasn’t just to make good TV either. I have actually seen people lining up outside in the morning wearing the most ridiculous footwear imaginable.

Funnily enough, I never see them leaving in it. Perhaps they’ve swapped them out for something else in the nearest shop, or maybe given up and end up back at their resort two hours later. Either way, my Sketchers might not be super pretty, but they keep me on my feet.

Pajamas

If you haven’t seen this yet, think yourselves lucky. On two occasions, I have spied a fellow adult sporting their favorite pj’s when visiting the parks.

Admittedly, one was a onesie in Disneyland, not Walt Disney World; and no, it wasn’t a cute onesie or character-themed, just an old, dirty one with what I can only hope were pizza stains on it.

Missing Belts

This one is most commonly seen on men, with their shorts slung so far down their hips that even the slightest movement forward can give everyone a lovely view of their great divide. I know this might make me old, but Mate, pull up your pants and put on a belt; no one needs to see that!

Even in the ’90s, there was enough respect to keep your underwear pulled up underneath, these days it seems to more of a commando look they are going for.

Apparel with Swear Words

Even though it is against the dress code for Disney parks, sometimes you will see the odd shirt with swear words on it. I can only imagine they are hidden under a sweatshirt or something similar on entry. Some might be subtle, others are more daring in their visibility, but it always makes me wonder what sort of person does that? Do you feel cool wearing the F-word across your chest in a theme park filled with kids? Or, are you just a tool? It’s the latter.

I can swear like a sailor in the company of friends and when there are no children around, but there is a time and a place, and that place is not Walt Disney World. Luckily, Disney takes this seriously, so these instances often only last a few minutes before a cast member asks them to turn it inside out, if nothing else. But still, it takes a certain type of person, you know?

Bikini Tops

Another one that is supposed to be against the dress code but isn’t always enforced. I hate bras just as much as the next person, but who wants to be thrown around on a rollercoaster and worrying about the coverage of their chest when that attraction photo gets taken? Umm, no, thank you. How hard is it to strap them in and put a shirt on?

All-in-all, I am not that fused about what other people wear. You-do-you, and all that. However, there are a few things that cross the line, even for the most carefree of you out there.

What has crossed over into the fashion dark side while you’ve been in the parks? Let me know the biggest fashion mistakes you’ve seen below. Remember that unflattering or poorly coordinated outfits aren’t what we are looking for, more the completely inappropriate ensembles you can’t believe made it out of the house, let alone into the parks.

**Feature Image: Photo by Wade Austin Ellis on Unsplash

We’re here with a series of quick posts, “Disney in a Minute,” bite-sized nuggets of information that can better help you understand a Disney term or planning topic. Enjoy!

Topiary is the art of clipping trees or plants into odd or ornamental shapes. Topiary is certainly not unique to Walt Disney World, but they’re enough of a fixture at the parks and resorts that many guests associate topiary with Disney. My own most vivid memory of my first trip to Disney World as a child is of seeing character topiaries for the first time. Ten-year-old me could barely process that plants could be sculpted.

You can find topiaries at Disney World year-round, but their peak use is at the annual Flower & Garden Festival at Epcot. This year’s festivities begin on March 3. If you’re interested in seeing a variety of topiaries, that’s a great time to visit. The plants change every year, so even if you’ve been in the past, you’re likely to encounter something new with each Festival.

Here’s a tour of some we’ve seen over the years. Let us know if you have a favorite.

The post Disney in a Minute: What are Topiaries? appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

Here at the DFB we love a good food photo — and we know you do, too.

Mickey Pretzel

We clearly never listened to our moms telling us to stop playing with our food! You eat with your eyes first, so we’ve always strived to give you the best pictures of foods around Disney World. Want to get in on the action? Follow along as we share 6 tips to snapping better food photography in Disney World!

We’ve been taking pictures of our food since WAY before it was cool! Now we’re sharing our hot tips with YOU!

Chili and Cheese Tots

Long before everyone with a smartphone and an Instagram account was posting food pics for the world to admire, weirdos like us were hovering our cameras over our plates, adjusting angles, and getting the shots juuuuust right. We got LOTS of stares from confused guests and some even wondered aloud if we were ever going actually EAT that food. (Spoiler alert — yup, we ate it. It was delicious.)

Kakamora Float

These days we’re not nearly as much of a spectacle. Everyone and their Aunt Susan is taking food photos of their Disney eats, and so are we! But because we had to develop a completely NEW kind of food photography before it even existed, we had to figure out the rules for ourselves. There were many messy arms covered in drippy ice cream and cupcakes falling on the floor unexpectedly. It’s a hard life, but we gotta do what we gotta do!

Cheshire Cat Tail

Whether the conditions are in your favor for a PERFECT food photo (bright lighting and beautifully plated eats), or not so in your favor (rainy/cloudy day, shadows, or RAPIDLY melting food), we can help! Trust us…we’ve been there! Here are SIX of the most important rules that we’ve learned over the last 15 years while re-inventing the concept of theme park food photography. 

Location, Location, Location

It’s not just true in real estate! Food photos are at their best when their location is idyllic and provides some context for the treat, too. Park icons like Cinderella Castle and the Tree of Life are ready-made backdrops, but if the restaurant isn’t near these go-to spots, you’ll need to get creative.

Peter Pan Float

Find some foliage or flowers as a backdrop to pose your food, or include the restaurant’s sign. Wherever your location, though, be sure to avoid having any moving figures (humans, hungry ducks, etc.) in the background as they’ll make getting a clear shot much trickier.

2021 Cupcake

Most phones now have the nifty ability to shift focus, meaning your background can be nice and blurry while your food is nice and crisp (more on that in a bit!). This is a great option to draw focus to your food, especially if you don’t want to have everyone staring at the background instead!

Helloooo, Pretty Defocused Castle!

And finally, scope out your background BEFORE you grab your snack. If you don’t, you may find yourself wandering around while your ice cream melts or your plastic cheese gets a funky skin! People want to see a frosty cup of Dole Whip (in our experience) not a sticky bowl of Dole Whip soup.

Find your light!

This rule is a must-follow because lighting is EV-E-RY-THING when you’re trying to capture the details of your favorite snack. If you’re planning a table service photo session, request a table by the window during the day (otherwise, get ready to do some hefty post-processing later on!). For quick service, select a window seat yourself, which is slightly easier during off meal times! If you’re desperate for some decent lighting, take your food outside.

Pulled Pork Mac and Cheese

If you do find yourself in a dark restaurant (we’re looking at you, Le Cellier and Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant!), request a table under a brighter light source. If this request can’t be accommodated, play with angles to find the best lighting you possibly can! Again, when in doubt, thank goodness for post-processing. You’d be amazed how a couple of seconds adjusting a photo after the fact can save it!

The Hollywood Brown Derby

As for those outside shots, indirect bounce light is your BFF foreva. We don’t mean gray, cloudy, yucky looking days (those work too in a pinch). We mean hunt for a covered area with the sun bouncing around on the walls. Think of the light bouncing around in a corner of a patio like a mini studio for your photos — it kills hard shadows and makes food look fabulous! And if you’re grabbing an outside shot in direct light, keep the sun at your back (but watch for shadows!). Hard shadows cutting across your snack are usually distracting to the eye.

Get a move on!

Central Florida is not the ideal place for food photos of things that MELT. We have BEEN THERE. Seriously, picture chocolate running down our arms, frosting sliding off a cupcake…you name it, it has probably happened to us! Chocolate, buttercream, ice cream — these all make a run for it as soon as you leave the AC!! You’ll have to move quickly to grab a good shot before things start to slide downhill, ESPECIALLY in the heat (which is like…95% of the year at Disney World ). (Another reason to scope out your backdrop BEFORE you buy!)

Snapping That Pic FAST Before She Melts!

Another tip: have napkins and utensils ready to go if you want a good cross-section shot. But move fast because the integrity of food items degrades the longer you wait for your photos. Every second counts! Oh yea…pack wipes too. It’s sure to still be a hot mess (literally!). Wipes are your other BFF foreva.

Put that big camera away!

Okay, this one isn’t a hard and fast rule under all circumstances, but know that a smartphone is often your best equipment. When time is of the essence, it just makes more sense to snap a shot with your phone rather than trying to juggle a heavy camera while posing the food, especially if YOU are holding the food item! You often don’t have time to fiddle with F-stops and apertures when your Dole Whip is dribbling down your arm!

Passion Fruit Mousse with Dragon Fruit Jam

As we mentioned before, many phones now even simulate depth of field, meaning the stuff behind your object can be out of focus, letting your food really shine.

Gideon’s Bakehouse Grand Opening

We still love our big ‘ole DSLR camera though. If you’ve got a plated dish and can find a great place to set it down, pull out that formal camera, and click away! (Just remember to grab a smartphone pic, too — for the ‘gram, of course!) DSLRs are especially good for low light situations where your phone (try as it might) just won’t cut the mustard — just don’t forget a teensy portable tripod!

Extra, extra!

You’ve got great lighting, your pretzel isn’t going to melt, the conditions are perfect. Except that it’s SO bright you can’t check your screen on your phone clearly to see if you nailed it. Take extras, playing with the focus if you have time, to be sure you get what you need. More is certainly better than less here — you don’t want to find out the one photo you took was blurry after the food is gone!

Reese’s Nitro

Rotate, snap. Turn the food, snap. Turn your camera, snap. You get it. Once you retreat from the sun, you can pick and choose the shots you love and trash the rest of them. No harm — just a great food photo! You might be surprised even in dim conditions, and especially if you’re playing with depth of field, that all the photos you thought were perfect are actually blurry once you look at them closely. Take more than you think you need! You’ll thank yourself later.

Be a picky eater!

While Disney World chefs strive for uniformity in decorated treats like cupcakes and candy apples, sometimes there’s one in the case that just looks better than the rest.

Pineapple Cupcake

Of course, if they’re all a little lopsided, remember: a leaning cupcake at Disney is still better than a perfect cupcake anywhere else! We’ve had our share of not-so-cute foods. You do the best you can with what you have.

Going Batty Cupcake

BUT, if there’s a prettier snack BB hiding in the back of the case, don’t be shy asking the Cast Member to get the one you want! Cast Members will usually happily oblige, and you’ll have the perfectly-frosted cupcake of your social media dreams!

Bonus Round!

Who knew taking awesome food photos was so complicated? We couldn’t leave you hanging at six rules, so remember these two optional rules, too. First, if your hands are going to be in the shot, be sure they’re in good shape. Take care of your nails, and think about what color nail polish (if any!) will work for your shots. Accessories like rings, scrunchies, and watches are fun to wear but can distract from a photo.

Matchy Nails for the WIN!

And finally, if you can rope some friends or family into your food photo fun, have them help you set up the shot. They can hold the food, aim a little extra light if it’s needed, and, of course, help you eat it after you’re done! (What? Who can just snap a photo without taking a bite or ten? Not us!) We hope these tips help you out for your next Disney food photoshoot!

Check out the GORGEOUS eats from EPCOT’s Festival of the Arts!

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Which is your favorite food photo tip? Let us know in the comments!

The post 6 Rules for Taking GREAT Food Photos at Disney World first appeared on the disney food blog.

Two new Pandora charms are available at Walt Disney World today. Olu, everyone’s favorite Hawaiian sea turtle (and friend of Duffy), and Mickey Mouse riding the Dumbo attraction join the Pandora family. ‘Olu Mel Aulani Pandora Charm — $65.00 The front of this charm has ‘Olu the sea turtle, a Disney friend of Duffy the Bear. The back of the charm has the logo for Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa. This charm is exclusively available at the Boutiki shop […]

The post PHOTOS: New ‘Olu Mel Aulani and Colorful Mickey and Dumbo Ride Pandora Charms Arrive at Walt Disney World appeared first on WDW News Today.