Bright Lights, Brick City! The month of October marks the 1st Anniversary of LEGOLAND Florida
and the family friendly Halloween festivities of Brick-or-Treat. Beautiful Fall weather this weekend contrasts with last year's rainy LEGOLAND Florida sneak preview weekend in 2011.
Miniland USA is transformed into a Halloween Brick-or-Treat spooktacular. Ghostly goblins and scary LEGO creatures of the night haunt the LEGO grounds of Miniland USA. My young ones gobbled up all the free trick or treat candies of the Brick-or-Treat Trail and I clicked pictures a many of illuminated LEGO cities in Miniland USA. When it comes to sugared freebies, corporate endorsements are a blessing.
Look who's big enough to ride with the family? My 19 month old baby daughter can finally join us in theme park rides. No more stroller duty for her! Look who's too cheap to buy the souvenir photo of this glorious event? My 18 megapixel Canon EOS Rebel T4i saved me at least twenty bucks!
Nothing says togetherness better than social connectivity under the old Banyan Tree in Cypress Gardens at LEGOLAND Florida. The Apple iPhone is the glue that bonds long time family friends of Getawaymoments.
At first glance, progress moving nowhere! Second glance, LEGOLAND Florida closes at 9pm on weekends in October. Miniland USA is illuminated like NYC's Time Square and the Las Vegas Strip but all in LEGO.
Even the Tampa Bay skyline makes a night debut! Old City Hall, Tampa Theater and even the "beer" can building glimmers in the fake Hillsborough river moonlight. Miniland USA at night is quite remarkable...
A year has gone by but Youtube makes video memories last forever. Just a quick montage of the rainy preview weekend at LEGOLAND Florida last year. Get a towel, you will definitely need it...
Take one part baby stroller and one part GoPro Hero 2 to LEGOLAND Florida. You have yourself the ultimate mobile infant dolly to glide the crowded streets of Miniland USA. When the cinematic greats of Getawaymoments and ChadSorianoPhotoBlog converge, you also have vehicular verite at its best!
Happy orange LEGO pumpkin Halloween from the Soriano family! May all your trick or treat bags be filled with less candy corn and more chocolate with a heavy emphasis on Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.
Who could say no to this adorable baby? I see chocolate and iPhone 6 in her future. You can see more cuteness in my LEGOLAND Florida First Anniversary and Brick-orTreat Gallery 2012 shot with the Canon EOS Rebel T4i/650D.
Stay updated with the latest gear by Becoming a Fan on my Facebook Fan Page and following me on Twitter!.
Over 5 days and counting to the official grand opening of the newest aquatic addition to LEGOLAND Florida theme park in Winter Haven, Florida. May 26th, 2012 marks the date for the LEGOLAND Water Park debut filled with slides, wave pool, lazy river and interactive water playgrounds catered to toddlers to 12 year old kids.
Like I said before, membership has its privileges. LEGOLAND Premium Annual Pass members had a sneak preview of LEGOLAND Water Park on the very first day open to the public. You know what that means? My family in full LEGO force converged on the renovated "Splash Island", the former Cypress Garden water park of year's past. With a brand new makeover and the official LEGO branding, the new LEGOLAND Water Park was all ours for endless fun.
The Joker Soaker was ground zero for my kids. It is an enormous interactive water playground filled with slides off all sizes, water sprayers, waterfalls and water obstacle courses. For parents with elementary school kids, it is a virtual baby sitter. Rejoice! You can relax in the plethora of lounge chairs to soak up some sun or take a well deserved nap. Take comfort that an army of Life Guards are constantly patrolling the watery playground.
Our next stop was the LEGOLAND Water Park lazy river. Called the Build-A-Raft River, you can just lazily float in your Bricktacular inflatable all day. Foam bricks are provided with your raft as you wind around the 3 foot deep river with glee. I pushed my kid's rafts with a Titanic send off for that couple minutes of peace and quiet. Make that two round trips of peace and quiet!
Hitting the surf was as close as the LEGO Wave Pool. No massive and crashing waves here to speak of. Just gentle and rolling waves at the shore for the babies and bigger waves for the able swimmers at the deeper end. Surf's up for Central Florida!
"Don't Worry, Be Happy" like my almost 15 month old daughter with DUPLO friends! Parents of toddlers don't worry as well, LEGOLAND Water Park has you covered. The DUPLO Splash Safari has your 2 year old kids entertained while the older siblings hit the bigger kid slides on the other side of the park. My youngest daughter missed out on the fun because of her afternoon nap. There is always next time!
When your older kids are not attached to their Apple mobile devices, they can take a spin on the Splash Out and Twin Chasers. Big kid rides are big fun. They are even more fun when there is no waiting in line for the constant repeats!
Make a bigger splash with a visit to LEGOLAND Water Park. The summer heat is almost upon us and your family can cool off after a long day at LEGOLAND Florida. There are also bathing suits for purchase, lockers for your stuff and towels to dry off. Hungry? You can dine at the Beach-n-Brick Grill in the water park.
"Mr Hasselhoff, your new cast of BAYWATCH is ready". Your kids are safe with the LIFE GUARD crew of LEGOLAND Water Park. My oldest daughter even noticed there are more LIFE GUARDS than guests on opening preview day. I can take comfort in that!
She had me at the first few moments of her newborn life. Now at 10 months old, my baby daughter looks into my camera lens with such natural poise and beauty. This "poise" does not last for long because she quickly crawls off to the next saliva adventure fast and furious.
If life is like a box of chocolates, then raising a family is like juggling flaming torches. Taking a step back and looking at the big picture of life's multi-tasking can be fulfilling and entertaining. Fixating on the problems and not enjoying the "moment" can get you burned.
My oldest daughter, Madeline, recently took interest in animating her LEGO Friends playset. I did not expect "Toy Story 3" during this production but I jumped at the chance at my daughter's interest in photography. With a quick instruction with my old Canon Powershot TX1, my daughter instantly picked up the "time lapse video" concept. With every snapshot, Madeline posed every figure for at least an hour and a half. I spent the next 2 hours sequencing the video with Quicktime 7 Pro and editing with iMovie'11.
Apple iPad and iPhone users click here to play for mobile devices.
My mini clone, otherwise known as my son, grew impatient and chose to tackle his large collection of LEGO's by himself. The NASA Space Shuttle at LEGOLAND Florida was not part of his conquests. LEGO Technic, LEGO City and the new LEGO Dino playsets are more his liking. Although,despite the price, the large scale LEGO Star Wars Millenium Falcon tempts my son's fancy. Milestones can be very expensive.
Happy one year anniversary to my loving wife's business at her new location and building. With a new and supportive staff for 2012, my wife is looking forward to more landmark events in her practice.
Class is in session. There are more magical milestones to come for my pint sized wonder. I am ready with my Apple devices, Canon HD DSLR gear and my humble parental know-how to juggle life's multi-tasking with unbridled patience. This time with no flaming torches.
Bigger than life itself. No fabled heroes on this New Year's Day but only humbled eyes capturing a chronicle of events called my family. Year 2011 has passed and the dauntless task of 2012 seems as bright as the New Year's Eve firework's display at LEGOLAND Florida.
Cousins forever. Just like Dick Clark's Times Square Ball Drop for New Year's Eve, the countdown is ticking for priceless childhood moments. School winter break converged masses upon central Florida with several theme parks closing its doors due to over capacity. We braved the traffic and crowds and hit LEGOLAND Florida with a vengeful bite of Granny Apple Fries with delightful whip cream.
Enamored by bombs bursting in air like my wife, my almost 10 month old daughter shares the same fondness for elaborate firework displays. Armed with store bought 500 gram gunpowder cakes, my brother in law illuminates the neighborhood with theme park quality fireworks. The little ones duck and cover while the adults and the local County Sheriff gaze with mouths agape.
A thousand points of light shine bright upon the best Christmas of my lifetime. "The best Christmas" may sound cliche to my kid's gift filled eyes but it is an epic truth to me.
My oldest niece meets the youngest of the Soriano family only for the second time this year. Despite this gap, my baby daughter stares deep into her oldest cousin's eyes with a lifetime of familiarity...Epic.
You can view more photos in my New Year's Eve for 2012 Gallery shot with the Canon EOS Rebel T3i paired with the Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS lens.
We're back! The rain soaked preview day of LEGOLAND Florida did not discourage my family but actually lured us for more on this past grand opening weekend. As official annual pass member holders, the one hour drive to the new theme park is the only obstacle for our LEGOLAND Florida experience.
An amazing sunny day with cool temperatures gave my kids ample time to enjoy the new rides such as the "AquaZone" in LEGO TECHNIC. Another priceless expression captured with my Canon EOS 1D Mark IV paired with the Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS lens.
Ready for lunch? T minus one second for auto start sequence of STS-Granny's Apple Fries into my son's mouth topped with cinnamon and sweet cream. The epic skyline of LEGO New York City and large scale replicas such as the Kennedy Space Center gave my family a hungry appetite. MINILAND with its vast LEGO cities will definitely eat up your camera memory card and battery.
Very odd. Both hands on the wheel, eyes on the road and non existent swerving. The new Apple iPhone 4S must be in the safe hands of my Facebook App wife. Posting life's status one picture and video at a time. Mahal Kita! Kathleen!
Ford Motor Company's sponsored DRIVING SCHOOL spearheaded by the life size 380,000 red LEGO brick Ford Explorer replica gave my son and daughter a real behind the wheel experience. Of course, a very long wait followed by a brief but fun LEGO car ride illustrated patience and frustration.
Ships Ahoy! If LEGO cars are not your fancy, how about LEGO boats? Piloting your very own personal watercraft through the wary seas of BOATING SCHOOL will make you a worthy Captain.
The only shark bait being consumed will be your wallet. My kids chum the water with constant "I want this and I want that" until your Mountain Dew soda induced psyche wears off and compliance sets in. Just like at Mickey D's, it is service with a smile.
My COASTERSAURUS experience in LAND OF ADVENTURE will have to wait until my next visit. I wanted to extinguish my kid's overwhelming desire for their LEGO rides and attractions first before I get on this bad boy roller coaster. There is always a next time with an annual membership.
My almost 8 month old daughter Serena just wanted to put every LEGO brick in her mouth. Very simple and nothing complicated about that!
The historic botanical Cypress Gardens provided the natural backdrop for my family portrait. Concrete and LEGO bricks did not pave over the entire former Winter Haven, Florida sanctuary. Beautiful remnants of the first commercial theme park in Florida founded in 1936 still remain. The Southern Belles are now replaced by a LEGO replica at the front entrance and the past water ski shows now have LEGO Pirates treading water. Only in America!
You can view more pictures and video shot with the Canon EOS 1D Mark IV paired with the Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS and the EF 70-200mm f/4L IS lenses in my LEGOLAND Florida Experience 2011.
Stay updated with the latest HD DSLR gear by Becoming a Fan on my Facebook Fan Page and following me on Twitter!
Membership has its privileges. The grand opening of the new LEGOLAND Florida theme park in Winter Haven, FL does not officially launch until October 15, 2011, but my family got a sneak preview of this LEGO wonderland. American Automobile Association members received discounted early admission tickets for this rainy weekend. Inclement weather did not stop the family from enjoying all the sights and sounds of LEGOLAND Florida.
Some assembly is required for this life size Ford Explorer SUV made out of 380,000 LEGO bricks. Ford Motor Company made a large impression for young future drivers in the "Ford Driving School" of LEGO CITY with miniature cars for kids with an authentic race track.
This is dedication. Through wind and rain my son rides the "Royal Joust" in LEGO KINGDOMS with a smile. My umbrella almost blew away covering my damp Canon EOS Rebel T3i paired with the Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS lens, but I captured the moment.
Bright lights, Big LEGO City! MiniLand is at the center of LEGOLAND Florida. Detailed replicas of Florida destinations such as South Beach in Miami, FL to the Kennedy Space Center with an authentic NASA Space Shuttle on its launching pad. I do not want to forget the Tampa, FL downtown skyline and the iconic San Francisco, CA Golden Gate Bridge in all its glory. Bring an extra battery and memory card for your camera because this place is non stop photo moments.
Who does not love DIY LEGO Robots? The IMAGINATION ZONE has interactive build and test activities for the young ones. If LEGO Robots are not your fancy, you can construct your own LEGO Racers and compete with other worthy challengers on the race track.
My seven month old baby daughter Serena has not much to do in this big kid planet but taste her toys. We are looking forward to the soon to be toddler days of our youngest. We purchased the Annual LEGO Membership for the family so we can come back and enjoy the toddler friendly DUPLO VILLAGE. Catered for the kids under 3 years old, the DUPLO VILLAGE has kiddie rides and interactive play areas for the little ones.
Big kids like me want to play as well in this LEGO wonderland. Taking photographs and HD DSLR video all day of my family takes a toll on my "little kid at heart" mentality. LEGOLAND Florida has big kid roller coasters such as the "COASTERSAURUS" in LAND OF ADVENTURE and "TEST TRACK" in LEGO TECHNIC to sooth my wild side.
The family enjoyed this very brief and wet preview of LEGOLAND Florida this past weekend. The torrential rain deterred us from some rides and attractions including the historic botanical Cypress Gardens. Luckily we have the LEGOLAND annual membership pass to comeback to enjoy the rained out Pirates' Cove Live Water Ski Show and the ISLAND IN THE SKY ride. Well, Rome was not built in a day and we have the year to play and eat Granny's Apple Fries at LEGOLAND Florida.
This is a 1080p video shot with the Canon EOS Rebel T3i/600D paired with the Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS lens at 29.97fps. Edited with Final Cut Pro and used Compressor to get a 1.3gb h264 video file. I also used the Canon E-1 Movie Plugin to transcode to AppleProRes422. For audio, I used the Sennheiser MKE400 shotgun microphone.
Chad Soriano brings more than 20 years of experience as a television news photojournalist and still camera photographer. Chad worked at Tampa’s Fox Television station, WTVT. His primary role there was in the special projects, consumer investigation unit. His assignments ranged from general news to consumer fraud. His skills in news gathering and camera-work combine to create a strong tool in developing and promoting a unique visual style.
Bright Lights, Brick City! The month of October marks the 1st Anniversary of LEGOLAND Florida
and the family friendly Halloween festivities of Brick-or-Treat. Beautiful Fall weather this weekend contrasts with last year's rainy LEGOLAND Florida sneak preview weekend in 2011.
Miniland USA is transformed into a Halloween Brick-or-Treat spooktacular. Ghostly goblins and scary LEGO creatures of the night haunt the LEGO grounds of Miniland USA. My young ones gobbled up all the free trick or treat candies of the Brick-or-Treat Trail and I clicked pictures a many of illuminated LEGO cities in Miniland USA. When it comes to sugared freebies, corporate endorsements are a blessing.
Look who's big enough to ride with the family? My 19 month old baby daughter can finally join us in theme park rides. No more stroller duty for her! Look who's too cheap to buy the souvenir photo of this glorious event? My 18 megapixel Canon EOS Rebel T4i saved me at least twenty bucks!
Nothing says togetherness better than social connectivity under the old Banyan Tree in Cypress Gardens at LEGOLAND Florida. The Apple iPhone is the glue that bonds long time family friends of Getawaymoments.
At first glance, progress moving nowhere! Second glance, LEGOLAND Florida closes at 9pm on weekends in October. Miniland USA is illuminated like NYC's Time Square and the Las Vegas Strip but all in LEGO.
Even the Tampa Bay skyline makes a night debut! Old City Hall, Tampa Theater and even the "beer" can building glimmers in the fake Hillsborough river moonlight. Miniland USA at night is quite remarkable...
A year has gone by but Youtube makes video memories last forever. Just a quick montage of the rainy preview weekend at LEGOLAND Florida last year. Get a towel, you will definitely need it...
Take one part baby stroller and one part GoPro Hero 2 to LEGOLAND Florida. You have yourself the ultimate mobile infant dolly to glide the crowded streets of Miniland USA. When the cinematic greats of Getawaymoments and ChadSorianoPhotoBlog converge, you also have vehicular verite at its best!
Happy orange LEGO pumpkin Halloween from the Soriano family! May all your trick or treat bags be filled with less candy corn and more chocolate with a heavy emphasis on Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.
Who could say no to this adorable baby? I see chocolate and iPhone 6 in her future. You can see more cuteness in my LEGOLAND Florida First Anniversary and Brick-orTreat Gallery 2012 shot with the Canon EOS Rebel T4i/650D.
Stay updated with the latest gear by Becoming a Fan on my Facebook Fan Page and following me on Twitter!.
