Disney Springs - Orlando, Florida U.S.A.
SUNSET - Winter - Christmas Eve - 12/24/22
PADDLEFISH Restaurant in her Blaze of Glory
*[left-double-click for a closer-look - twilight - blue-hour]
*[2nd trip back this year; Easter & Christmas. So much fun!}
*[it just happened to be Orlando's coldest few days on record!]
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disney_Springs
www.disneysprings.com/
Tags: Landscape Photography Sunset Photography FLA The Florida Photographer Disney Springs Orlando U.S.A. United States Central Florida holiday mini-vacation windows treetops horizon West bright trees no rain cold and windy skyscape Christmas Eve 12/24/22 Orlando, Florida dark restaurant lake roof reflection blue fun scape Paddlefish cold cloudscape blue hour River Magic paddleboat FREEZING! temp 30's! Very Cold Orlando Temps! Christmas Eve 2022
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The structure originally known as the The Empress Lilly is a static full-size replica of a paddle steamer riverboat on Village Lake. It is 220 feet long and 62 feet wide. Though it resembles a boat, it is actually a boat-shaped building on a submerged concrete foundation.
The Empress Lilly was designed by Walt Disney Imagineering to look as authentic as possible. The gingerbread scrollwork and stained-glass detailing hearkened back to the days of Mark Twain's Mississippi River. The paddlewheel at the aft end constantly churned, though the ship never moved. It greeted guests for the first time on May 1, 1976, when it was christened by Walt Disney's widow, Lillian Disney, for whom it was named. It originally housed four separate entertainment and dining areas:
The Baton Rouge Lounge, located forward on the main deck. Here patrons could relax at the bar and enjoy the music and comedy of the Riverboat Rascals. Many of these musicians played in the Baton Rouge for years and became local legends. Some of them included "Fast Eddie" Erickson, Dave Tobiasen, Tom Bucci, Denny Zavett, Ralf Reynolds, Mike Gentry, Randy Morris, Dan Riley, John Charles, Andy Fielding and Bill Dendle.
Steerman's Quarters, in the main deck's aft section, specialized in certified Angus beef. Its décor featured nostalgic imagery of America's western cattle. In the aft end of the room, giant windows overlooked the churning paddlewheel.
The Fisherman's Deck, a seafood restaurant, was located forward on the promenade deck.
The Empress Room, aft on the promenade deck, was a formal dining room that required reservations. It was extravagantly decorated with gold-trimmed walls and Rococo (Louis XIV) style appointments. Hungarian chef Garry Reich developed the original menu to cater to upscale tastes.
The Empress Lilly was also one of the first locations of the famous Disney Character Breakfasts.
In the mid-1990s, as a cost-cutting move, Disney began to engage outside partners to take over operations of many of its restaurants. It was decided the Empress Lilly would come under new management, and Levy Restaurants signed a contract to operate the "ship" for 20 years. On April 22, 1995, the Empress Lilly served her last meals. All interiors were subsequently ripped out and a new décor for a single restaurant put in place. The old smokestacks and paddlewheel were removed due to rust and rot and were not replaced. The restaurant opened as Fulton's Crab House on March 10, 1996.
Fulton's Crab House ~ Downtown Disney ~ Orlando, Florida
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downtown_Disney_%28Florida%29
Tags: Orlando Florida Central Florida United States mini-vacation fun downtown downtown disney lunch pleasure island color colorful lake blue sky dock buildings sunlit paddle-steamer river boat replica The Empress Lilly Fulton's Crab House 220 feet long 62 feet wide restaurant
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Disney Springs - Orlando, Florida U.S.A.
*[left-double-click for a closer-look - entrance]
~~~~~~~ Christmas Eve 2021 ~~~~~~~
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disney_Springs
www.disneysprings.com/
Tags: The Florida Photographer Disney Springs Orlando U.S.A. United States Central Florida holiday mini-vacation windows treetops horizon West bright trees no rain cold and windy skyscape Christmas Eve 12/24/21 Orlando, Florida dark Planet Hollywood lights restaurant lake roof reflection blue vertical Night Photography fun balloon lit up reflect Christmas Eve 2021 snow Christmas Tree Palm Tree snowflakes floating FL very festive high-end shops hotel walkway bridge over road walkway clear calm cool staircase red glow steps rail green
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SUNSET - Orlando, Florida U.S.A. - Disney Springs
Winter - Christmas Eve - December 24th, 2022
*[left-double-click for a closer-look - inland - Central-Florida]
*[it just happened to be Orlando's coldest few days on record!]
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disney_Springs
www.disneysprings.com/
Tags: Landscape Photography Sunset Photography FLA The Florida Photographer Disney Springs Orlando U.S.A. United States Central Florida holiday mini-vacation windows treetops horizon West bright trees no rain cold and windy skyscape Christmas Eve 12/24/22 Orlando, Florida dark reflection blue fun scape cloudscape FREEZING! temp 30's! Very Cold Orlando Temps! Cold Winter-Sky dramatic Cold Blue-Sky Big Sky Christmas Eve 2022 red magical land magic light
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Disney Springs - Orlando, Florida U.S.A.
*[left-double-click for a closer-look - M&M's Store!]
~~~~~~ Christmas Eve 2021 ~~~~~~~
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disney_Springs
www.disneysprings.com/
3rd Place Competition Winner - Sin City Group - 6/16/23
Tags: The Florida Photographer Disney Springs Orlando U.S.A. United States Central Florida holiday mini-vacation windows treetops horizon West bright trees no rain cold and windy skyscape Christmas Eve 12/24/21 Orlando, Florida dark Planet Hollywood lights restaurant lake roof reflection blue vertical fun balloon lit up Christmas Eve 2021 red A Happy Environment '21 M & M's Store yellow
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