Disney World’s Tree of Life: A 2002 Throwback Transformation

Tree of Life

For this flashback Friday, I have decided to re-edit a couple of photos I captured at Disney World, Florida, in 2002. I captured these images almost exactly 22 years ago. Through software advancements in recent years, I was able to transform these 1.2-megapixel images into what you see here. If you notice any artifacts, JPG images, unlike RAW files, do not give the photographer much information. The camera’s internal algorithms rendered the photo after the shutter clicked.

This is Disney World’s Tree of Life, a sculpted fourteen-story (145-foot or 44.2-meter tall), 50-foot (15.25-m) wide tree in the Animal Kingdom park. This artificial tree has several interesting facts. According to the WDW Magazine, the tree was inspired by various mythologies, including Christianity and Norse mythology. If you think it looks like a baobab, you are correct. The same source mentions over 300 intricate carvings on the tree trunk. You can see some of those in the next photo.

Trunk carving detail

Another interesting fact is that the tree’s more than 103,000 translucent, five-shades-of-green leaves were individually placed. When the wind blows, the leaves move (The Disney Wiki).

Next time you visit Disney World, don’t forget to stop by this impressive tree in the Animal Kingdom section of the park.


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16 Responses

  1. Lovely edit effects!
    Thank you for sharing this knowledge about this tree .

  2. Writing to Freedom
    | Reply

    It looks real at first glance!

    • Egidio Leitao
      | Reply

      Brad, that was my take when we walked by that tree. Only later did I find out it was fake.

  3. Tra Italia e Finlandia
    | Reply

    Quanta creatività! 👌

    • Egidio Leitao
      | Reply

      Sì, tutto viene dalla mente della Disney.

  4. solaner
    | Reply

    Wow

  5. Anne Sandler
    | Reply

    Beautiful Egidio. Even with 1.2 mg pixels. Just proves that it’s the photographer that counts and not the gear.

    • Egidio Leitao
      | Reply

      Thank you kindly, Anne. I hope you’re getting well.

  6. margaret21
    | Reply

    What an extraordinary creation! I assumed it was real till I read your text.

    • Egidio Leitao
      | Reply

      Margaret, when I captured that image, I was not aware it was a fake tree. After the fact, I read about it.

      • margaret21
        | Reply

        Well, if it fooled you ‘in the flesh’, I had no chance!

  7. Aletta - nowathome
    | Reply

    It is just amazing!

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