SATURDAY SIX Presents: Our Favorite @bioreconstruct Photos of 2025

Benjamin Franklin once wrote, “in this world, nothing is certain except death and taxes.” However, over the years I have come to the conclusion that there is something in our lives that is just as unequivocal and definite: @bioreconstruct.

The ultra mysterious blogger-in-the-sky — who at times appears to defy every single law of time and space — never ceases to amaze us with the spectacular photos he gets from the air (and on the ground!)

Compiling the year end BEST OF BIO article is something we look forward to, as so much happens over the course of 12 months that most of it turns into a blur. BEST OF BIO gives us a moment to reflect on everything that we have all collectively experienced over the last year and appreciate the shots that no one else seems to get, despite the theme park community being home to an amazing amount of great photographers.

Reminder that clicking on any picture will bring up a larger version, and with that out of the way let’s check out our favorites, starting with…

# 6 – Big Picture

My personal favorite “genre” of photos that Bio takes are what I like to call the Big Picture ones. These are photos that put everything that we see on the ground into a much larger context, such as the photo below featuring the entire Magic Kingdom resort area. On the ground you only see pieces of the puzzle, but pictures like this you get to see how they all fit together.

Look at this shot of Disney’s Magic Kingdom theme park. Are you kidding me? Absolutely perfect.

Bio also gets the shots a lot of other photographers pass up because they aren’t as glamorous, including the Magic Kingdom’s parking lot. However, even with these shots Bio includes valuable information that the average theme park fanatic probably doesn’t even know.

Also a big fan of shots which have Bio shooting “in the clouds” because it really gets across how high up in the air he is when taking these incredible photographs.

When Bio posts one of his patented “very wide aerials” you know you’re getting something special.

If I were to rank my park icons, the Tree of Life at Animal Kingdom is always going to be contending for the top spot. Look at how it stands out in this stunning photo below.

Five star shot of EPCOT.

Can you imagine explaining to someone 20 years ago that Disney spent who knows how many hundreds of millions of dollars and spent over a half a decade redoing Future World and this is what they ended up with? “Inconcievable!” – Vizzini, The Princess Bride

Flying above DHS.

Spectacular shot from above DHS showing Echo Lake during the Christmas season.

Wild shot above Disney Springs where the Aerophile (hot air balloon) is also “high” in the sky.

Bio looking down at the Aerophile is ::chef’s kiss::

Fantastic shot below of the Disney Springs area from the other direction.

Let’s check out some wonderful aerials of Walt Disney World’s hotels. We’ll start with a look down at Animal Kingdom Lodge, a resort that – like Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America – is something that Disney’s competitors in Florida will never come close to replicating.

The sprawling Port Orleans Riverside with Bacini’s beloved Best Friends Pet Hotel, across the street. Will never forget the time we took a WDW vacation and Bacini’s suite at Best Friends – for a 10 lb Maltipoo – had more square footage than my room at Pop Century. As they say in the world of professional wrestling, “and that’s a shoot, brother.”

Let’s look at some terrific shots from Bio that contain multiple resorts in them.

Per Bio: “The yellow line in this aerial photo is the boundary of the TFR (Temporary Flight Restriction) or no-fly area at Walt Disney World. An approximately 3-mile radius centered South of Contemporary resort. Really, a cylinder from ground level to 3000 feet. This photo at 3100 feet.”

One resort that is located a hop, skip, and jump away from Walt Disney World that gets very little coverage in the theme park community is the Evermore Resort. This is something I hope to check off the bucket list soon because LOOK AT THAT POOL. Reminder that no editing was done to this photo…it looks that good!!

Getting some serious FOMO looking at pics like this.

Alright, now let’s head on over to the Universal Orlando Resort.

This photo taken on the ground may be my favorite shot of IOA all year. Wow!

 

The only Universal hotels missing in the single shot below are the Hard Rock Hotel and Portofino Bay. Just amazing.

Bio also occasionally heads down International Drive from Universal and gets us some great shots above the SeaWorld parks.

Zooming in to see Shamu and friend? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!

I’m personally going to check SeaWorld’s Discovery Cove off my bucket list later this year and can’t wait.

Have heard nothing but raves about the Discovery Cove experience.

Bio will even get great aerials of SeaWorld’s Aquatica water park. SeaWorld has a solid package going right now with the main SeaWorld park having some awesome roller coasters & even better sea life exhibits and shows, the all inclusive Discovery Cove experience, and a water park that truly brings its A-game.

# 5 – Mirror Glass

How can you not love when Bio takes advantage of nearby water sources and gets photos that give a “mirror glass” view? Picking my jaw off the floor looking at this Expedition Everest photo and would gladly display it as a framed print in my house.

Turns out Everest is just as stunning at night.

# 4 – Coasters

Say what you will about “exposed steel coasters,” but Bio had another outstanding year photographing these E-Ticket thrill rides.

This photo of Hulk below looks like a painting!

How about we combine a coaster with mirror glass and sprinkle it with a touch of Florida sunset?

If bad weather is coming, Bio’s running towards it to get electrifying shots like the one below.

No one can frame a shot better than Bio. No one. You can make a case that being in the right place at the right time for the Rip Ride Rockit shot above involves a little bit of luck, but a shot like the one below is earned after painstakingly scouting areas around the park and combining that with the knowledge of seeing a show like CineSational multiple times in order to know what to look for and anticipate. As we can see, the execution is flawless and just out-of-this-world.

# 3 – Only Bio

Even though there is an immeasurable amount of photographers in the Orlando area, there’s some things that I’ve never seen anybody but Bio cover. Take for example this video ribbon that sits atop a parking garage not far from the Universal Orlando Resort. This ribbon display is in many ways like a billboard, except its changed multiple times per year. Bio is there to document every single change of this video ribbon. Every. Single. One. For all three years its been operating.

Don’t believe me?

He also posts video of the ribbon displays, for anyone interested in that type of thing.

Longtime readers of my work at TouringPlans will remember the years I spent covering the Disney Outlet Stores. There are two Premium Outlets in Orlando, one is close to Universal off International Drive, and one is closer to Walt Disney World off Vineland Ave. Below is the one closer to Disney and the best way to describe it comes straight from Star Wars, “a wretched hive of scum and villainy.”

This photo below shows another look at the very same Outlets, but at the top right of the photo by the body of water is a place called “Mickey’s Retreat.” I’ve been in and around the theme park world my entire life, and if it wasn’t for Bio I would have no idea that “Mickey’s Retreat” existed.

Mickey’s Retreat is a recreational area for Cast Members. I’m not quite sure how one gets to go there, but let’s hope the CM who stood in front of the 400 pound bouncing ball at the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular to block it from hitting guests gets at least a three day weekend there.

This retreat seems to have more amenities than 80% of Disney’s hotels.

This shot of The Contemporary and Bake Lake Tower is neat, but what makes it an Only Bio is when you learn where the picture was taken from. It was shot from CORONADO SPRINGS. That doesn’t even sound possible!

Let’s check out some more shots taken from ::checks notes:: Coronado Springs, located near Blizzard Beach and Disney’s All Star Resorts.

The mood in the photo below is 11/10.

Bio get a better shot of Spaceship Earth from Coronado Springs than I did when staying at the Swan Dolphin Reserve located directly across the street from EPCOT.

Bio also made history when shooting from Coronado!!

Let’s get back to some aerials and see some of the details that no one ever seems to spot but Bio. First up is not just Kevin backstage at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, but an orange suit that is clearly made to cover Kevin. Have never seen that before.

This look at the most expensive office space in America isn’t that newsworthy by itself, but zooming in reveals…

…all the toilets from the guest cabins being thrown away.

I’ve said many times over the years that there are things Disney and Universal do just for Bio because us regular guests at the parks would never see them.

Bio gets a great view of them though.

Bio also catches the details very few people would ever notice, such as Hidden Mickeys in the treads of tires.

From the day they left Universal Studios Florida, Bio has been keeping track of the three monsters who stood atop the former Monsters Cafe in Universal Studios Florida. These three Monsters (Wolfman, Frankenstein’s Monster and Creature From the Black Lagoon) have been backstage at Epic Universe for a while now, but recently were moved onto an expansion pad for Dark Universe. This has caused Rumors & Innuendo to suggest Universal getting ready for an attraction to go into this area, possibly one based on The Creature From the Black Lagoon as he is laying completely different than the other two. Time will tell.

Here’s a look back at our three monsters in their glory days.

One day this year there were reports of a fire at Epic Universe after guests were taking photos of black smoke coming from the area. Turns out the fire was actually outside Epic Universe at a bus service area as two buses caught on fire. Of course our pal Bio was up immediately to document the damage.

Who else but Bio is going to document every single change in Halloween Horror Nights wristbands?

Bio extensively covered the Universal Backlot Club experience during HHN. Like many things that Universal does for its fans, the Backlot Club unnecessarily complicated and involved using the Universal app along with in-park machines that were often broken.

However, the payoff to the Backlot Club “quests” were fantastic. Bio was there to show us not just the cards that guests could collect, but also revealed how high the quality was.

Bio then did it again for Universal’s Christmas season, getting a full collection of the cards.

After I covered the detail of Narcissus being carved into the rock work of Mythos Restaurant in Island of Adventure, Bio went straight to the park to get this great shot showing Narcissus looking at his “reflection” in the water below.

Bio even had an aerial ready to go showing how Universal achieved this amazing detail.

Then Bio has to take it up another notch, getting a reflection of Narcissus in the water next to the stone “reflection” Universal made. Bio just showing off with pics like this. Truly humbling.

If you’re not following Bio on social media, you’re missing out on stuff like him flying on the last day of the year to get a photo of the exact spot where Walt Disney himself planned for the city of EPCOT to be built…

…along with posting the actual concept art for you to compare to his photo to figure out what was going to go where!

If it wasn’t for the labeling of the helicopter, I couldn’t rule out this being Bio taking a picture of himself in another helicopter. He is the master of all time and space after all.

# 2 – Construction

Many people enjoy following Bio on social media because of his great photos covering all the construction projects currently going on at Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando. This includes the DVC monstrosity at Disney’s Fort Wilderness campground. From 3,000 feet in the area you can truly see how this area sticks out like a sore thumb in one of the most serene areas in Central Florida.

This perspective shows how small the current things at Fort Wilderness – such as Pioneer Hall, home of the Hoop Dee Doo Revue – are in relation to these gigantic towers. Pioneer hall is located at the top left of this photo.

Heading over to Disney’s Magic Kingdom we see the area at the top of this photo that is going to be used for an upcoming Villains Land while Tom Sawyer and the Rivers of America have been removed for the development of Piston Peak.

Over above Animal Kingdom we have a great view of the Imagineering office that has been setup for the current transformation of the Dinoland USA area into Tropical Americas (featuring attractions based on Encanto and Indiana Jones.)

Zooming in allows to see some interesting tests being performed by Disney Imagineering.

This gigantic pit is sitting where the show building for where the Encanto ride will be.

Over at Disney Hollywood Studios we have work underway in the parking lot for the upcoming “Doors” coasters in the new Monstropolis land.

Universal Studios Florida removed Rip Ride Rockit in record time, is already hard at work replacing it with an as-yet unannounced roller coaster.

At Universal’s Volcano Bay it appears the park is getting ready for it’s first addition since it opened back in 2017.

SeaWorld Orlando keeps chugging along with new attractions, and below we have a bird’s-eye look at the upcoming SEAQuest: Legends of the Deep.

While the park is already open, the early part of the year had people GLUED to Bio’s posts showing the development of Universal’s Epic Universe theme park. It seemed that almost every day he was catching something new, such as showing us the Burning Blade Tavern lighting up with fire.

While not as flashy, the following photo taken above the Wizarding World at Epic shows a pretty big moment. It features a phase of the development of the park when certain areas weren’t “hard hat only” and had regular Team Members walking around.

Bio was also able to photograph things like street musicians auditioning for their role at Epic Universe.

The very first sneak previews of Epic Universe started back in March, and you better believe Bio was in the air seeing the first interactions between the day guests and characters in the land, such as Tuffnut and Ruffnut from the Isle of Berk.

# 1 – Epic Universe

The last several years our annual Best of Bio feature has spotlighted the building of Epic Universe, and 2025 is the year we get to post Bio’s photos showing the completed park. To quote Cousin Eddie from Christmas Vacation, “It’s a beaut, Clark.”

Tickets to Epic Universe weren’t easy to get in the preview days, but you better believe Bio was there getting the shots we all wanted to see, such as the park’s incredible Icon: The Chronos Portal.

Bio also had a room at Helios Grand Hotel – located at the opposite end of the park from the Chronos Portal – and was able to get photos of the very first guests entering the park in Mid April, when the park was first opened to previews for Annual Passholders and guests staying at Universal Resorts.

Both day and night, Bio was getting us one great shot after another.

If you want details, Bio is your guy. Look how perfectly framed the inscription is on the inside of the Chronos portal.

Bio was getting us incredible shots from every world inside Epic Universe, including my personal favorite: The Isle of Berk.

Stardust Racers, the roller coaster in Epic Universe’s Celestial Park, joined by Bio’s informal list of “Coasters I Can Take Incredibly Cool Photos Of.”

Let’s just be dazzled by these Stardust Racers photos for a moment.

Bio was also the first person to catch that Universal had hidden a fun detail in the attraction, as the back of each Stardust Racers train featured a flux capacitor from Back to the Future!

This photo of a Stardust Racers train is stunning, and I’m not sure the average person seeing it knows how hard it is to get a shot like this in such clarity.

I feel like we could do an entire article dedicated solely to Bio’s photos of Stardust Racers.

It’s fair to say Bio knows a thing or too about photographing theme parks at night.

In fact we did an entire article dedicated to the subject: Epic Universe at Night. The vast majority of photos in that article are from Bio, including the one below.

Bio frequented Epic Universe during Christmas time, and didn’t just photograph the decorations in the park. NAY NAY. He took the time to photograph them during the day AND night so we could see how the various Christmas lights added to the overall atmosphere. You can see those photos in the article looking at Our Favorite Epic Universe Christmas Decorations.

Located at the back of Epic Universe is Helios Grand Hotel. Here is where you’ll find a statue of Apollo that Bio has used to frame some truly fantastic shots.

Let’s take a look at Helios Grand Hotel from inside the park…

…and from above.

Bio actually booked a room in one of the Helios Grand’s two Presidential Suites.

Not only do the Presidential Suites have a large bedroom, multiple bathrooms, a kitchen and dining area, but they also have a personal workout room…THAT LOOKS OUT INTO EPIC UNIVERSE!!!!

Bio set up multiple cameras in his room to get a plethora of photos and video during his stay.

To capture the nighttime fountain show at Epic, Bio pulled out EVEN MORE CAMERAS!

Because of those cameras, we got amazing shots like this…

In fact, Bio combined the video from those cameras at Helios Grand along with ones he used on the ground and in the air for this look at the Cosmos Fountain show!

Bio being Bio, he also got a picture of his in-room camera setup taken from the ground.

The end result? Bio’s Helios Grand Hotel time lapse projects resulted in 166,291 photos, and created 90 min of video to sift through. Two LRTimelapse PRO Timer controlled 4 of the cameras. I don’t know what any of that means, but Bio said it’s “much easier than in-camera, unlimited photo counts.” I’ll take his word for it while I admire shots like this of Stardust Racers taken from his hotel room.

Grand Helios was not the only hotel he got great Epic Universe photos from. Check out this pic below that was taken at Terra Luna Resort!

Bio even got some wonderful photos walking outside of Epic Universe, including this straight up E-Ticket picture featuring Frankenstein Manor.

On New Year’s Eve Bio also got shots at Epic, so you can say he started the year with a bang getting photos of the park’s completion, and ended the year with a literal bang!

Honorable Mention:

M-o-o-n, that spells moon.” – Tom Cullens, The Stand

Bio’s photos featuring the moon are hands down the best in the business.

Bio is also informing me of moons I’ve never heard about, such as a strawberry moon like in the photo below.

I can’t think of a theme park photographer with a better sense of humor than Bio, and he often displays that wit in the captions of his photos.

But mostly he just posts phenomenal photos that take your breath away.

It’s one thing to photograph the moon, but Bio always takes it up a notch and tells a story with his pictures.

I imagine if Bio wasn’t wasting his time photographing the theme parks for us, he’d be a world renowned photographer of Celestial bodies with several coffee table books featuring his pictures. Have said before and will say it again, he’s not the hero we deserve, but he’s the one we need.

Double Secret Honorable Mention – Fine Feathered Friends

One of the most amazing stories from the year 2020 was the battle back and forth between Universal Orlando and an Osprey. This struggle for supremacy, taking place on the highest point of the VelociCoaster track, was covered in depth in that year’s Theme Park Turkey of the Year Awards. This “fight” between bird and man actually went into 2021, and it wasn’t until the VelociCoaster opened that Universal could finally be declared the winner (the Osprey was given several other options nearby from Universal in which to build its nest.) However, the Osprey has continually returned to IOA to check on his former home…

Bio has featured many types in his photographs this year, and here are some of our favorites.

Triple Threat Honorable Mention – Reflections

Beautiful photos that speak for themself.

Grand Slam Honorable Mention – BioDeconstruct

Now Bio wasn’t just covering the construction of new attractions at Universal and Disney, he was also covering the destruction of the attractions that were previously there. This includes what seemed like DAILY updates of Universal taking apart my beloved Rip Ride Rockit. Here we have Bio waking up early to get sunrise photos of Rip Ride Rockit being taken down…

…mid day photos of the track being disassembled…

…. and nighttime shots. Bio was working 24 hour shifts documenting Rip Ride Rockit’s demise.

We did get some GREAT details though, stuff certainly no one else would ever get.

Along with some fun facts along the way, including a rare look into Islands of Adventure from inside of Universal Studios Florida.

From the very first track being assembled to the last, Bio was there getting it all.

Above Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Bio got shots of other iconic items being disassembled for the Disney Dump, including the Miss Piggy Fountain in the Muppet Courtyard.

We also got to see the demolition of another area of DHS as well.

Credit Where Credit Is Due

Bioreconstruct is known worldwide as the leading photographer of theme park related shots. He has been credited in many forms of media including The Weather Channel…

…the Orlando Sentinel…

…and the Daily Star over in the UK.

Every single outlet using Bio’s fantastic photos was sure to properly credit him. This wasn’t always the case though, and one high profile example was seen at WonderCon back back in March.

WonderCon is an annual convention targeting fans of comic books, science fiction, movies and other forms of pop culture. WonderCon features an Artist Alley, tons of cosplayers, and a huge space of various vendors selling their wares. WonderCon is also where you find various panels featuring a wide variety of subjects. One of these subjects would directly appeal to theme park fans, and it was the Science of Disneyland panel. The website LaughingPlace covered the panel, and noticed that when the group was discussing using forced perspective at Disneyland they were actually looking at a picture taken at Walt Disney World.

 

That wasn’t the only thing wrong in the presentation. The panel presented the Cinderella Castle photo with no credit.

That’s right, back in 2020 when the Disney theme parks were shut down due to Covid 19, Bio was up in the air taking this incredible photo.

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