The Las Vegas Strip - December 2011 (in HD)

Fun with the iPhone 4S suction-cup mounted to the windshield.

About 40 seconds to ride from the South Las Vegas Strip to the North and back.
Recorded: December 21-25, 2011.

Another Las Vegas Xmas

Just got home from another Xmas in Las Vegas.  This photo was taken just before 1 p.m. PST today, December 25, 2011.  More photos and video soon.

10 Minutes: A Drive in Chicago (HD video in only 60 seconds)

With the iPhone 4S suction-mounted to the rear, driver's side passenger window,

this is a drive from the Kennedy Expressway's Damen on-ramp to Ohio & Clark Street.

It's just a little experiment for some video I plan to shoot in the coming weeks.

Stay tuned!

The Familiar Place is Germany at Epcot

Original Photo Date: January 3, 2009

A Familiar Place...

Every time I see this commercial (usually on fast-forward), I think, "Hey, I've been there." I finally figured out tonight that yes, indeed, I've been THERE many times (though the sign over the door does not say "Werther's Original"). Do you know what and where this really is?

Remembering 9/11 Ten Years Later

A photo I took of New York in the mid-1990s and a photo of the U.S. Flag from 2009.

Remembering 9/11

Today, we salute emergency workers everywhere.
Here are some of Chicago's finest in action.

On 9/11/2001, I was in Southern California on a business trip,
and I ended up at Disneyland on 9/12 and 9/13.

My photos of Epcot and the U.S. Capitol, retouched for 9/11.





Freedom!

US Air Force Thunderbirds Perform at Chicago Air & Water Show 2011

From my rooftop in West Lakeview, some highlights from today.
Watch on YouTube in HD.

For anyone out there wondering whether I was going to attend or post from Disney's D23 Expo this year, the answer is: No, I decided not to attend.

A Nighttime Ride in Chicago - August 13, 2011

Watch the video on YouTube.

August 13, 2011.  A nighttime ride in Chicago from Damen and Clybourn, to Downtown.  The video is at 3000% of actual speed (with wait times at red lights further trimmed).

Further experimenting with a technique for mounting the ATC2K camera to the passenger-side headrest.

Music: (A modified version of) Melodie Victoria, Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons "Attribution 3.0"
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/"

Is this Jim Korkis?

I've digitized more of my video from my trip to The Disney Institute at Walt Disney World in November 1996.

I think our guide for the Disney Architecture class was none other than Disney historian Jim Korkis.  This is a freeze frame in front of the Team Disney Building.

Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii - 1998

Finally edited my Hi8 Video from March 23-27, 1998.

Primarily a business trip, but I took my camcorder along.

Watch on YouTube.

Highlights: Diamond Head viewed from the airport, my hotel, Waikiki Beach and the air. Waikiki Beach sunset, surfers and a bit of the Royal Hawaiian and Sheraton Waikiki (where the Brady Bunch stayed on their show and where I stayed in 1978). Pearl Harbor and the Arizona Memorial. The King Kamehameha statue and the gates of the Iolani Palace.

As Seen on The Weather Channel & Weather.com

I was interviewed for a couple of minutes this morning on The Weather Channel.

I shot the video below and posted it to YouTube and they contacted me for permission to air and interview me. 

Of course, during most of my brief interview, they aired the wrong video...

...but at least they spelled my name right!

Disneyland Times Guide & Map for April 26-28, 1996

 

Chicago Storms - June 30 & July 1, 2011

Not specifically travel related, but some wild lightning came through Chicagoland on June 30 followed by some of the strangest clouds on July 1.

Here's some HD video (if you select the 720p HD option).

Vero Beach Key Card - 2002

View photos and video from this trip here.

Disneyland Paris Tickets 1999 & 2009

1 Day Pass 1999

2 Park - 3 Day Pass 2009

View Photos and Videos from these trips here.

Chicago DisneyQuest Ticket

From the one (and only) time I visited the Chicago "Indoor Interactive Theme Park" between its opening, June 16, 1999, and its last day of operation, September 3, 2001.

View photos of DisneyQuest Chicago & ESPNZone Chicago here.

1984 Disneyland Passport

My second visit to Disneyland was during the summer of 1984. I don't believe that I have photos from this visit, but I do have my "Disneyland Passport" -- Disneyland's A through E Tickets were retired in 1982 and replaced with the single admission "Passport" which was "Good for one admission to Disneyland and unlimited use of attractions (except arcades)."

Today, it costs $15 just to park a car a Disneyland.
A one day, one park ticket is $76.

Source of price information: http://disneyland.disney.go.com/tickets

My Disneyland Photos & Videos can be viewed here.

Universal Studios Hollywood - 1976 Souvenir

A brief break from posting from my old Disney souvenirs, here are some images from a Universal Studios souvenir from my first visit in 1976 -- on the same trip when I first visited Disneyland, of course.

Summer/Fall 1973 Walt Disney World Information Guide

From my family's archives. I've found this guide from my second visit to Walt Disney World: fall of 1973.

Remember When WDW Parking Was Only $3.00?

December 28, 1989

1989 Shopping Bags

Since Walt Disney World is rolling out retro-looking shopping bags and since I just found three actual old bags from around New Year's Eve 1989-90, I thought they were worth showing off here.  I especially enjoyed the fact that the Studios' artwork includes guys with machine guns.

Walt Disney World - 1972

My first visit to Walt Disney World was in October 1972.  (I originally believed this film was from April 1973, as a second visit to Walt Disney World, but upon review of photos of my 1972 visit, I now believe the film is actually six months earlier.) My father shot one roll of 8 mm film -- that's about 3 minutes of film -- of our visit (though I've cut out the family shots except for me interacting with a blinking Goofy).

In this silent digitized video (with music by YouTube's AudioSwap) of that film, you'll see:

Topiaries in front of the Contemporary Resort on the Seven Seas Lagoon.

A sign for the "World Cruise" on the Seven Seas Lagoon & Bay Lake.

An outdoor band stage with Bambi's friends Flower and Thumper dancing.

The 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Submarines

Brief views of Frontierland, Liberty Square and Adventureland from near where Splash Mountain now sits, including a view of The Haunted Mansion which is no longer possible from the original Walt Disney World Railroad station in Frontierland. Of course, there was no Big Thunder Mountain either.

The river was drained during this visit, so there is no steamboat in the Magic Kingdom, but the burning cabin was ablaze, some of the scenes along the river are in place near the railroad tracks, the skyway's 90º turn is completely unobstructed and operating and the speedway has no Space Mountain next door.

World Cruise sign at Magic Kingdom - 1972

Digitizing old home movies, I came across this sign from just outside the turn styles of The Magic Kingdom, October 1972.

4-28-2011 - I've re-revaluated the date of this image.
I originally believed it to be from April 1973, but now, based on other family photos, believe this was six months earlier, October 1972.

All I know about the cruise I read at this blog entry about it at Passport2Dreams.

Found my 4-Day WDW Passport from 1989-90

Three 2011 Walt Disney World Photos

Looking back at The Main Street Electrical Parade
January 2, 2011

A cast member inserts Mr. Potato Head's dropped ear
January 5, 2011

Downtown Disney Merchandise
January 7, 2011

Happy New Year at Epcot

From the Japan Pavilion at World Showcase starting December 31, 2010 and ending with Magic Kingdom fireworks in the distance on January 1, 2011.