HK Disneyland: Capturing its Fireworks and Sleeping Beauty Castle (With Tips)

Part of the Disney culture is having a scheduled fireworks display all night. And usually, fireworks is related to the centerpiece of every Disney resort and that is, the castle. That's where long exposure* comes in when we talk about capturing Disneyland's awe-inspiring pyroclastic live show via your crystal eye. Read on... 

* Long exposure - a photography lingo that is also called time-exposure, or slow-shutter photography which involves using a long-duration shutter speed to sharply capture the stationary elements of images while blurring, smearing, or obscuring the moving elements. The photo above would be impossible to capture if not for the long exposure technique. The lines are actually fireworks light trails which seems to be web overlapping or "tails" intertwining but for the naked eye, these are flames produced by the fireworks. Thanks to long exposure It has been captured via a light-sensitive sensor while the camera's shutter  is opened for a longer time.

In Hong Kong Disneyland, they one that was built is the Sleeping Beauty castle  inspired by the late-19th century Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, Germany. Neuschwantsein is 19th-century Romanesque Revival Palace commissioned by Ludwig II of Bavaria who is sometimes called the Mad King Ludwig or der Märchenkönig ("the Fairy Tale King”). Disney’s version is in feminine in form with some cartoonish touch.

Search Hotels for your Hong Kong Stay:

Via Booking.com

Hong Kong Hotel Lists (click)

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Hong Kong Hotel Lists (click) 

If you want to experience a Magical Disney accommodation, check this hotel just beside HK Disneyland:

Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel (Via Agoda.com)

Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel (Via Booking.com)

However, in January 2018, in a bid to transform Sleeping Beauty castle into something more marvelous, they closed it for renovation so as not to be left behind by other Disneyland castles which are much much more taller and extravagance.  For the record, the Enchanted Storybook Castle in Shanghai Disneyland Park replaced Cinderella's Castle in any Disney park in terms of height.

With this, the nightly fireworks display was also stopped until it remerges again with the new taller castle design in an indefinite date in the year 2019. Good thing, I was able to shoot fireworks display during the 5th Anniversary of HK Disney resort in 2011. The show consists of Tinkerbell storyline complete with sprinkles of fairy dusts possible to the magical light show effects mixed with the fireworks display, a story telling tale and symphony music and sound effects.

We will see what's the new transformations be like in 2019. I'm kind of excited to revisit it once again in the future and compare my fireworks photography I shot before to the upcoming ones specially the Sleeping Beauty Castle will certainly be much more extravagant once done. 

How to find the Castle: Being the centerpiece of any Disneyland resort, the castle is not that hard to find as it stands at the heart of Disney. One is drawn to it, firsthand. But once the surrounding is full of people who are anticipating the fireworks,  it will not be easy for you to find a photography spot. And your photos will end up with unnecessary heads or images of people distracting the frame. 

If you want to take photos sans the crowd 

Here are my tips:

1. Check out the schedule of the fireworks beforehand. The brochure has them.

2. Study the area for any restrictions hours before the fireworks display. One must search for a comfortable place where nobody will take your place. The front area is one perfect spot but a guard or two will come and take control of the crowds and places. Be sure, the guard will tell some people to move backwards or adjust a little farther.

3. Find the center of the castle. Vantage point of your photography will be good. 

4. Bring a tripod so you don't have to hold your camera all the time. To avoid shaky shots and ghostly effects..

5. Don't take too much water or  any liquid before the scheduled fireworks display and light show. The thick crowd could be a hindrance for you to reach a WC (rest room) on time. It will be uncomfortable to you.

6. Answer the call of nature first earlier as the crowd will thicken.

7. Be ready for an umbrella or raincoat specially if it's a rainy season.

8. Bring snacks and tissues but don't throw it away.

9. Bring extra Batteries. 

10. Master long exposure technique for fireworks at night. Know your aperture or manual modes. Let the natural beauty of lights play on your sensor together with your skills.


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