A mere thirteen days after closing the book on 2024, I’ve decided to crack that book open once more to reminisce. Some might be crying out to not do that. Let that tumultuous year (speaking in worldwide, or at least American, terms) sit on the bookshelf until it gathers so much dust that we don’t see it. But I’m a blogger who didn’t quite finish his year end lists, gosh darn it! So forgive me for a bit of self-indulgence and come look at some (hopefully) interesting photos. I promise not to bring up how many political ads you watched on TV or the fragility of time as yet another year has passed. Instead, I’ll countdown my favorite Disney Parks photos I took this year.

We took a break from this (typically) annual tradition last year because I was too far behind in my photo editing. I’m excited to bring it back, as it’s fun for me to see how my style and quality (again, hopefully) has improved over the years. The subject matter certainly impacts things and 2024 saw us in 8 different Disney Theme parks at Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World and Tokyo Disney Resort. Seeing photos from all of them has reminded me how lucky we are to travel the world. We thank you all for that and look to continue that in 2025, hopefully with even better photos!

Speaking of photos, I want to say that there are (much) better Disney Parks photographers out there. Some of my favorites include Tom Bricker, Mark Willard, Todd Kemp and several Japanese photographers I’ve found on Instagram. For a more thorough list, leave me a comment below and I’ll get back to you.

Picking my top ten was a collaborative effort. My dear friends, Shelby and Ben, along with Melissa helped me narrow the list after I came up with some initial favorites. I’ll list those photos below, along with a little blurb about each. Since this is my list, I’ll probably cheat along the way with some ties to include more than 10. Along with that, there are some honorable mentions including the Miss Piggy photo above. She made the post because, sadly, I don’t know how many more times I’ll get to photograph that iconic fountain. As she would say, “You could never take enough photos of moi!” Let’s get to a few more honorable mentions.

I think the landscaping here deserves more credit than the actual picture taking. This branch canopy is one of the first sights on Tokyo Disneyland’s Jungle Cruise and is absolutely gorgeous, especially when the sun hits it just right. I’d happily live here if I could!

Another Tokyo Disneyland beaut! This likely would have made the top ten but I like another Dreamlights photo more, so this one moved to honorable mention. The framing here worked out very well and is a selling point for watching the nighttime parade from by the Partners Statue.

No Animal Kingdom photos made the top ten so I had to represent them in the honorable mention. The most beautiful of the domestic parks deserved a shoutout somewhere! It’s not your fault that you missed the top ten, Animal Kingdom. I’m the problem.

I don’t always have nice things to say about Toy Story Land, but I will admit to the Slinky Dog Coaster being very photogenic. You get those big eyes coming at you and it’s hard not to take a fun photo!

Let’s get to the top ten, which includes a tie for tenth place so really it’s eleven. My friends may make fun of me for that decision but, if you’re reading this friends, I am undeterred.

Two on-ride character photos take up the tenth spot on this list. The Pirates picture is sharper, with a color that looks natural. No matter how many years I go to Disney Parks, I never grow tired of taking photos of (or riding) that attraction. The alien creature from Tokyo DisneySea’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was a much harder photo to take. I like how it turned out, even though it’s not as sharp. The blurred lights behind the character add some mysticism, which that attraction has plenty of!

I’m always a sucker for a Big Thunder photo. Similar to Miss Piggy up above, I don’t know how much longer we’ll have this particular view of the roller coaster, as this area of Magic Kingdom is going to look much different in a few years. For now, we’ll embrace the beautiful rock formations above the water and a ride on the Liberty Square Riverboat.

Pixar Pier, or the previous Paradise Pier, remains one of the most picturesque settings in any Disney Park. When those Southern California sunsets hit, there’s not many better places to be than standing on the bridge next to Lamplight Lounge and soaking in the vibes.

Number 7 on this list is more a byproduct of the subject than it is good photography. Rapunzel’s Lantern Festival in DisneySea’s Fantasy Springs features one of the most beautiful attraction rooms ever. Our first ride through was particularly memorable, as Melissa has always adored Tangled and walked down the aisle to ‘I See the Light’. This photo comes from that first ride and turned out pretty well considering my watery eyes.

I took a gumbo’s pot worth of photos of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure this year! Most of them were wider and more landscape photos than this but they aren’t as much fun. The colors turned out well here but it’s the excitement of the people that really makes the photo work. It’s a good reminder that even if I was underwhelmed by that attraction, there’s still a lot of joy in riding Tiana’s.

Tokyo Disneyland’s World Bazaar (their version of Main Street) is a wonderful spot to take photos because of the framing you can do with the roof. Catching this view at sunset makes it all the more lovely. This photo came on a day filled with unexpected friendly meetings and I hold that memory close.

Like Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, I took a lot of photos of Tron this year. That area is intoxicating for photographers, as it’s fun to play with the angles of the tracks and bikes. Once the sun sets, Tron Lightcycle Run gets even cooler. With a bevy of choices, we settled on this one with the bikes coming around the corner following the leading lines of the track.

Dreamlights is so beautiful. Like others on this list, if you find the right aperture, shutter speed and other settings then you just start snapping, the subject will usually reward you. That’s what happened here, with Peter Pan and Wendy holding hands with the castle in the background. I’m already thinking on how to make this photo a little better next time we’re in Tokyo Disneyland.

This blue hour photo is another case of right time, right place. The moon up above the Cadillac Mountains definitely adds to what otherwise would be a pretty but more forgettable photo. The skies colors above DCA that night were brilliant, with some wispy clouds and pink hues. Cars Land is still one of the best places for nighttime photography.

Look, I don’t know if this is actually the best photo of the bunch but the sun setting on our first trip to Fantasy Springs is something I’ll never forget. I was running around joyfully, and maybe just a tad maniacally, capturing whatever photos I could. This wide angle lens photo was the best of the bunch, with the streaking clouds shooting out from the Royal Banquet Hall. If photos are a mix of nostalgia and imparting the feeling I had while taking it, this one does the trick.

Thank you for looking at and reading about my favorite photos I took in 2024! Let me know what your favorite ones are in the comments below! Planning a trip to a Disney Park? Check out all of our Planning Guides to help you along the way. If you enjoy what you are reading here on Wandering in Disney please share this post with your friends, as well as like our social media pages. You can also subscribe to the blog via WordPress or email. All of those links are on the right side of this page. Thank you for reading, we really appreciate it!