Tours Departing Daily - Disney Blog

We've Moved!

2013-08-26T13:57:00.001-07:00

Hi there! If you're still here, chances are, you're missing out on our latest content! We've moved our site from Blogger to Squarespace. The url is the same as it was here - http://www.toursdepartingdaily.com, everything is just presented in a much cleaner package with a lot more versatility. We hope you'll head over there and continue following us! Don't forget to update your bookmark! Wow, we're yelling a lot! It must be because we're so excited!

New Site Going Live Tomorrow

2013-08-13T21:32:00.000-07:00

It's been a lot of work over the past several months refining our vision for the new Tours Departing Daily. With all of the things we have on our creative to-do list there was a lot to consider. We knew we wanted a much cleaner design but we also needed a lot more functionality. The web is constantly adapting. Having a site that's on the early adopter side of the coin seemed the logical choice. We've been looking at the bones of the new site for a while now and, honestly, we're so excited about it that it's been hard to view the present state of things. It feels good to grow.

We'll still be posting Disney pictures but now there will also be a dedicated platform for our non-Disney endeavors, photographic or otherwise. We'll finally be getting around to more film projects like our Disneyland Railroad film, time lapses and graphic design. It's been a long time coming and we really appreciate your patience when our schedules limited what we were able to do.

Next up in the pipeline will be the long awaited photo tutorial. We'll be coming out with a newsletter later this summer. We've got a store on the new site and will have swag and photos (non-Disney for now) for sale in the coming weeks. If you've thought about hiring us we have an easy contact form and will be showcasing a broader range of our work. We'll also have a couple of big announcements in the near future that we can't wait to share.

We're excited for this new chapter and hope you are too. Thank you for joining us in this adventure!

The Morning Bite

2013-08-09T18:00:00.000-07:00

Daily Photo Tour - The Morning Bite

Monstro always catches my attention. I can't help but to be drawn to that gigantic bite! On a really awesome morning I caught this shot while walking around an empty Fantasyland. It's interesting to capture different areas of Disneyland in a lighting that you've never shot before. This was one of those moments. If you've ever been early on a winter's morning, you'll be able to experience the amazing golden glow that seems to encompass the entire park. Fantasyland is a gem during this time. This lucky whale gets to soak it up every morning.

Photo by Kevin Crone

Local Haunts at ScareLA

2013-08-08T01:10:00.000-07:00

Tonight we've got something a little different to present, but before we get into that, let's have a quick update, shall we? It's been far too long!

We've been MIA the past week because of an important trip to NorCal that we mentioned over on our Facebook page. We hope to share the purpose for the trip soon (it went really, really well) but for now we must leave you in suspense. With all of the pictures from our journey, folks on our Instagram profile were asking if we're taking a break from Disney; the answer is certainly not. We are, however, planning on incorporating non-Disney photos and content to our site and social media outlets. There's a lot in this world to learn from and be inspired by. We hope you'll enjoy the varied content as we post it unlike the fifty some odd people who abandoned ship on Instagram. If you should feel so inclined, we've got a great deal to offer on life preservers, so make sure to stop by our online store before you go... Silliness aside, you can't please everybody, right?

The new website is almost ready and, fortunately for us, our image host, Smugmug, completely reworked their system. Everything will be bright and shiny and new! We can't wait to share. In addition to that, we're finally going to start putting out some new content. We've got some great creative ideas for film and time lapse projects and we're brainstorming the long awaited and highly sought after tutorial. It sounds so good when you put it like that, doesn't it? Well we promise it's not just hype. So buckle up and batten down your socks!

House of Restless Spirits

Now, for tonight's "different" post! Last October we were contacted by Rob Ostir, a brilliant special effects artist, to come out and shoot a couple of SoCal haunts. (These great folks will be at the first ScareLA convention this weekend. So if you were put off by the cost of D23, check their booths and presentations out at ScareLA and tell them we sent you!) Admittedly, we were a little hesitant at first, not being big into Halloween. The promise was that these haunts were Disney inspired and Disney caliber. We were not let down. We met Rob in Santa Monica just after sundown to visit Eric Maurin's "House of Restless Spirits". After a few brief introductions we were given a VIP tour around the house and behind the scenes. This haunt specializes in subtlety and the attention to detail is incredible. Below are a few scenes we captured. They are very dark to preserve the integrity of the setting and best viewed large by clicking -

Photo by Michaela Hansen

Photo by Matthew Hansen

Photo by Kevin Crone

Photo by Matthew Hansen

House at Haunted Hill

After finishing up at the eerie and subtle "House of Restless Spirits" we followed Rob up to Woodland Hills to visit Matt & Lori Ford's spectacular "House at Haunted Hill". Again, we received the VIP treatment from gracious hosts. We got a private viewing of the show and got to see the control center for the complex lighting setup. Below are a few of the scenes we captured -

Photo by Michaela Hansen

Photo by Matthew Hansen

Photo by Michaela Hansen

Photo by Matthew Hansen

(Your eyes don't deceive you. That's Neil Patrick Harris in that last shot.)

We were blown away by both haunts and by the talent and graciousness of Rob, Eric, Matt & Lori. A big thank you to them for letting us come have a field day shooting their brilliant work! We'll share some more scenes a little closer to Halloween. In the meantime, check them out this weekend at ScareLA and visit their websites -
Haunt1000 / Spectral Illusions - Rob Ostir
House of Restless Spirits - Eric Maurin
House at Haunted Hill - Matt & Lori Ford

A Morning Cup of Tea

2013-07-29T20:19:00.000-07:00

Daily Photo Tour - A Morning Cup of Tea

I have a tremendous amount of respect for people who can jump into a teacup intended to spin them into oblivion first thing in the morning. I've never been one for sudden movements that early; I like to ease myself into the day. So naturally, I sat this one out and used the opportunity to take a photo of Matthew and Kevin spinning like no one's business. They wanted to contribute some additional movement to my image so I'm pretty sure they spun faster than anyone else out there, laughing hysterically the whole time.

Photo by Michaela Hansen

The Boiler Room

2013-07-28T23:59:00.000-07:00

Daily Photo Tour - The Boiler Room

Picture, if you will, a hotel lobby. A hotel which, in fact, once reigned as the star of Hollywood. In the lobby is an elevator with a sign which reads, "Out of Service", and those days of stardom have long since faded. The hour is late. The only choice now is a service elevator, the entrance to which is located in the boiler room. But these passengers aren't headed to the upper floors. They're en route to... The Twilight Zone. (Of course, this is only properly read with your very best Rod Serling voice.)

Photo by Matthew Hansen

'Tis an Elegant Merry-Go-Round Horse

2013-07-25T21:00:00.000-07:00

Daily Photo Tour - 'Tis an Elegant Merry-Go-Round Horse

This beautiful carousel piece can be found in the Jolly Holiday Bakery as you make your way through the line deciding what sort of yummy thing to eat. Just about everything in there is a reference to the film. It's hard to imagine a better way to get around than on a merry-go-round horse with Mary Poppins. You might say that it's practically perfect in every way.

Photo by Michaela Hansen

Stars and Stripes and Steam

2013-07-24T20:44:00.000-07:00

Daily Photo Tour - Stars and Stripes and Steam

One of my favorite parts of riding the Mark Twain is standing on the top deck and watching the steam. It floats off into the sky and lingers as though it weren't ready to leave. Those steady sounding puffs thrust the vessel along the river and before you know it, it's time for you to leave and make way to your next adventure.

Photo by Matthew Hansen

Lighting Up the Emporium

2013-07-22T21:40:00.001-07:00

Daily Photo Tour - Lighting Up the Emporium

If you haven't gathered already, I'm a fan of the light fixtures throughout the Disneyland Resort. This chandelier especially caught my eye with the beautiful glass mosaic and woodwork framing it. It's definitely cause to look up once in a while when you're in the shops. Just watch out for the racks in the process; I learned this the hard way.

Photo by Michaela Hansen

You Don't Need a Magic Feather

2013-07-21T22:57:00.000-07:00

Daily Photo Tour - You Don't Need a Magic Feather

That's right, you don't. That was the lesson from Dumbo. The secret to achieving the things you thought were impossible is really no secret at all, it's faith. Fear, doubt and unbelief are only hinderances and distractions. Can you believe that Disneyland has been around for over 58 years? What a testament to the fulfillment of Walt's hope for his original "Magic Kingdom" to be a source of joy and inspiration to all the world. I can't help but wonder if he knew all along what it would become. I imagine that, in many ways, his foresight saw well beyond 58. It's pretty obvious he believed in what he was doing and that that was a source of confidence and boldness. He didn't need a magic feather and neither do you.

Photo by Matthew Hansen

Grizzly River Sunset

2013-07-18T22:21:00.000-07:00

Daily Photo Tour - Grizzly River Sunset

Splashing down cool rapids beneath a lush forest canopy on a warm summer day is about as good as it gets. Talk about refreshing. It's a vacation within a vacation, getting lost in the mini pseudo-Sierra wilderness. If you find yourself needing a respite, make this the spot!

Photo by Michaela Hansen

A Balloon Vendor on Main Street

2013-07-15T23:27:00.001-07:00

Daily Photo Tour - A Balloon Vendor on Main Street

One of the best parts of walking through the tunnel into a world unlike the one outside it is happening upon the street vendors selling their wares. The magic to be found for sale is easily lost on us as we grow older and have to figure out paying for it but as kids, we aren't concerned with that, our parents have got it covered. As far as we're concerned, those vendors might as well be selling gold. You can tell by the way kids carry balloons and the like, bouncing up and down, waving them in the air with such enthusiasm and freedom. The magic, of course, isn't in the object itself but in the imagination given it and the opportunity to bless a child with something that brings them joy.

Photo by Michaela Hansen

Details in the Dock

2013-07-11T21:46:00.002-07:00

Daily Photo Tour - Details in the Dock

Oh the stories these oft overlooked details could tell, whether it be their imagineered backstories or their real park ones. What river adventures did they take part in? Did they save a life? I'm sure things like this get replaced as needed and that's probably more frequently than we realize, but can you imagine how many guests this rope and this life preserver have seen and conversely, how few have taken notice of them? How many conversations they've given ear to? What special moments they played part to by some obscure degree of separation? How wonderful that must be for their craftsmen. Beauty is in the details. God is in the details. Taking a moment to enjoy the details is taking a moment to enjoy the present and making a decision to lead a rich life.

Photo by Michaela Hansen

Now it's Time to Say Goodnight

2013-07-10T23:25:00.001-07:00

Daily Photo Tour - Now it's Time to Say Goodnight

It had been a long, wonderful, rainy day. We'd come prepared with umbrellas and plastic bags for covering our cameras. It was an adventure.

Whether we like it or not, whether we acknowledge it or not, life is an adventure. I know that many of you reading this know that. It's part of the reason we love Disneyland. It's an ideal adventure; a day filled with opportunities, missions and decisions. You can expect the unexpected. You can do the impossible. Good always triumphs over evil. (I don't know about you, but for me, that is a prerequisite for a good adventure. What would Raiders of the Lost Ark be if the Nazis had beaten Indiana Jones? It may have still contained elements of adventure, but it would be a tragedy.) I think Walt, ever the optimist, intended for Disneyland to not just be an ideal adventure, but to inspire us to live our own ideal adventures. In everything he set his hands to, he aimed to entertain, but more importantly, to bring out the goodness in people. That's remarkable. So often, we look to the future, thinking that someday things will get better, things will be better. It's great to be hopeful for the future but let me ask you this - why not today? Why shouldn't "better" be right now? We have a tendency to procrastinate when it comes to taking charge over our lives and sometimes we get caught up with the failures of the past or, perhaps, the nostalgia of it, all of which prevents us from making the most of the present. Adventures don't happen in the past, though we can look back fondly on them and learn from them, nor do they happen in the future, though we can do our best to prepare for them. So quit talking and lay hold of that wonderful thing called "life". Adventure happens now.

Photo by Matthew Hansen

Ghirardelli Soda Fountain & Chocolate Shop

2013-07-08T22:34:00.001-07:00

Daily Photo Tour - Ghirardelli Soda Fountain & Chocolate Shop

Ghirardelli isn't exactly new anymore but it was certainly a welcome addition to DCA's Pacific Wharf. It's really no stretch at all to imagine that you're in San Francisco. Unless it's hot. Then you pretty much know that you're not. But that's all the more reason to go inside and get a free chocolate sample, err... I mean, ice cream!

Photo by Michaela Hansen

Walt & His Lilly Belle

2013-07-07T22:37:00.001-07:00

Daily Photo Tour - Walt & His Lilly Belle

This framed picture of Walt & Lillian Disney resides in the Lilly Belle presidential car. Even with all of the interesting things inside, I'm always drawn to this photo the most.

Photo by Matthew Hansen

Inventing the Future

2013-07-06T02:11:00.000-07:00

Daily Photo Tour - Inventing the Future

The interesting thing about this building is that many forget what it stands for. Even within seconds of stepping onto the never ending carousel the idea of the future is forgotten, and it seems that all guests want to do is be entertained. Well, they're in the right place, but there's more to Disneyland than just being entertained.

Innoventions is a place where imagination can directly be cultivated into invention. It's a place where the dreams of the future can be fashioned right before your eyes. I'm not talking about fancy gadgets or video games that seem to flourish in this place, but rather the seeds of ingenuity that inspire. The creation of one thing will always enact another to create something more resourceful, efficient, or just plain better. The concept of Innoventions has the capability to do this.

I've always felt that Disneyland has been a huge source of ideas, creation, and ingenuity. I've also felt that Tomorrowland should be the heart and soul of our future, and in a small way continually ask the difficult question, "What's next?"

An Inspiring TED Talk - Adora Svitak: What adults can learn from kids

One place that I've found that answers the question of, "What's next" is TED. I've been watching a few TED talks the past couple days, and felt that this picture and this talk seemed to line up quite nicely. This girl has got a bright future ahead of her. It's refreshing to hear such a young person speak such inspiring words.

Adora Svitak: What adults can learn from kids

Photo by Kevin Crone

The Light at the End of a Rainy Evening

2013-07-01T22:43:00.000-07:00

Daily Photo Tour - The Light at the End of a Rainy Evening

We haven't had many outings to Disneyland on rainy days but we always enjoy when we do. It sets a different tone in the park. The crowds are certainly a lot lighter and that, of course, is wonderful. Aside from the that, the attractions and theming take on a whole new disposition. Colors against a gray sky. Lights glistening on soaked pavement. Wiping a bench off to get a dry seat after a day of running around a park you have to mostly to yourself. Each of these things, and more, creates a unique experience and contribute to some great photo opportunities.

The website is getting closer and closer to completion. We're really loving it and can't wait to share this new platform with you.

Photo by Michaela Hansen

3 Things Coming to TDD This Summer

2013-06-24T22:22:00.000-07:00

Daily Photo Tour - 3 Things Coming to TDD This Summer

My post tonight is a little different. Between working on the website, our super top secret project and completely rearranging our lifestyle to fit a more balanced, healthy one, it has been difficult to find time to process photos. We hope you can forgive our negligence as of late and find some excitement in a few changes taking place at TDD very soon.

1. Website Redesign. Matthew mentioned this in a recent post so many of you may already be aware. We're in the process of completely changing our site. It will be much cleaner and more user friendly. Navigating the site will feel like you're floating through clouds as you click from one page to the next (trust me on this one).

2. Wait for it... HDR Tutorial! Difficult to believe, I know. This is something we've been asked to do for well over year and we never seemed to find the time; our sincere apologies to those of you who have waited so patiently. It will be an in-depth look into HDR, our individual styles and take on the technique including videos of us discussing what we've learned through this process and some pitfalls to watch out for.

3. Shop. We'll be offering products and services for the first time in TDD history. We've received numerous requests for TDD swag, purchasing photos (these will be limited to landscape photography for the meantime) and the ability to hire us for events. These are all things that have been placed on the back burner, so we're excited to be able to offer them now.

These are just a few things brewing over here right now. There's plenty more to come and we hope you are all as excited as we are.

And for tonight's photo, something a little different: The day we met John Lasseter. Such an inspiration to us in so many ways and it was so nice to meet him.

Photo by Michaela Hansen

An Evening at Snow White's Grotto

2013-06-20T22:47:00.001-07:00

Daily Photo Tour - An Evening at Snow White's Grotto

There's an ebb and flow to maintaining a blog that you don't really consider as you embark on your first post. There's immense excitement or inspiration that seems to launch you head first into whatever it is that you're passionate enough to blog about. This is enough to sustain you for some time, even years, but after a while it wanes and as the excitement lessens, you find yourself searching for some source of inspiration to drive you forward. I think there's this misleading idea that if you're doing what you love you're constantly inspired (what a life that would be). What you don't hear about very often is what happens when you're struggling to find inspiration. After a few years of little to no sleep and complete disregard for what I was ingesting (practically living off of coffee for the first two years), I learned my lesson. I was burned out, riding on the fumes of the inspiration I once had. I wish someone would've told me sooner that it isn't enough to depend solely on inspiration; you actually have to balance your priorities and take care of yourself in the process. When you depend too much on inspiration or emotion to drive you, you create a roller coaster for yourself. You never know if that brilliant idea or spark of excitement will show up to spur you and what if it doesn't? Rather than drudging through those times, trying to hand crank a well that feels like it's been dry for some time, I welcome it as a challenge to push myself through how I'm feeling emotionally, because that's really all it is, emotion. I sit and draw, edit a photo or brainstorm new ideas for film projects or the website re-design. When I do that, creativity meets me half way and stuff "magically" happens and gets accomplished and it feels amazing. It actually feels better to push through and accomplish something rather than allow how I'm feeling determine how much I get accomplished in a day or how well I do it. I still get inspired quite often, but I don't allow it to determine my level of creativity.

Photo by Michaela Hansen

Carthay Circle

2013-06-19T23:30:00.000-07:00

A New Site Coming Soon

I've been working on a shiny new website for a while now and can't wait to launch it. It should be very soon. If I had to describe it, I would say that it's the same... but different, mostly because I think I'm funny but also because being vague seems like a good tease. In reality, it's mostly different and will probably take a little getting used to. A couple of our big goals with the new platform are to share more of our creative works, including the many non-Disney things that inspire us, and to share more about ourselves and our process. A separate project that we can't share just yet has kept us from having the time to do so. We're also looking to offer products and services for sale in the near future and need a cleaner, more user-friendly space. So stay tuned!

Daily Photo Tour - Carthay Circle

As wonderful as Buena Vista Street is, it's become a hazard for me and Carthay Circle is my worst spot. I am prone to standing in front of the trolleys. I guess I just have no regard for the bricked safety zone. In fact, I would argue that all of the best angles on Buena Vista Street require standing in it.

Photo by Matthew Hansen

Mickey's Mailbox

2013-06-18T19:51:00.000-07:00

Daily Photo Tour - Mickey's Mailbox

You may have noticed that I have a thing for mailboxes. I didn't even know that Mickey had his own mailbox in Toontown. You'd be surprised how excited I was when I found this out. I think the most intriguing thing about the Disneyland mailboxes is that you can actually send a letter from inside the park to anyone in the world. The mail just gets routed to Anaheim Post Office. I've never done this before, but I think it would be a really fun way to communicate!

Photo by Kevin Crone

Arabian Days

2013-06-17T22:00:00.000-07:00

Daily Photo Tour - Arabian Days

Matthew and I have let ourselves slack on physical activity. This became apparent from the soreness that followed a recent trip to Joshua Tree National Park, though in our defense, we climbed rocks and stayed up all night watching the Milky Way. That and listening to coyotes. We decided this morning that today would be the end of postponing exercise and we went for a long walk, more of a trek really, up down hills around our home. It was a great way to slow down, really talk and reflect on things. As is typical, it's easy to get caught up with all the things on our "To Do" list, which brings us to tonight's post. The Canal Boats are such a great way to slow down and appreciate details. Everything surrounding your cruise is so ornate. It's not hard to imagine yourself in one of the picturesque settings, in this case, a hot day in an Arabian marketplace.

Photo by Michaela Hansen

The Jungles of the World

2013-06-14T18:40:00.003-07:00

Daily Photo Tour - The Jungles of the World

Have you taken a trip on It's a Small World lately? I don't get to ride too often, mostly because it seems to be a less popular ride for some. It might be the consistency of that familiar tune, or the slow gentle pace as you drift through the flume. You cannot discredit though the art design behind this ride, or the detailed scenes of each room. There is always a few new characters to find, a beautiful landscape you've never seen, or a new perspective from a different culture. That's kinda like our world now isn't it?

Photo by Kevin Crone

Evening Blooms

2013-06-13T22:48:00.000-07:00

Daily Photo Tour - Evening Blooms

Before choosing an image to post tonight, I did something I haven't done in some time. I decided to sift through all of my images from the last three years. I got about a quarter of the way through before I started to regret my decision. Who knew someone could take so many pictures. I found that most of them have already been used while the rest well, they're not even worth discussing. This is one I almost completely forgot about. It was taken almost two years ago now, but I still remember the evening I took it. Doing a balancing act with the railing because I had left my tripod behind yet again. This is not a mistake I make very often anymore. I've learned my lesson with the time I've spent in post making up for it. Nonetheless, it was fun trying to get this and I'm sure even more entertaining for Matthew to watch.

Photo by Michaela Hansen