Bringing Video Cameras to WDW: Yay or Nay?

[PacMan2006]

Hey all,

I am curious what you all do. I know many people here have gone to Disney World anywhere from 2 times to 200. And I know that every time you go, you WON'T bring a video camera. But I am curious, have you brought one before?

Do you feel like you lose out on the experience of being at WDW when:

a) You have to lug it around
b) You have to look through the viewfinder/LCD pullout screen to see what you are recording.

I am grappling with it. I have been to WDW about ten times over the past 13 or so years. So, I know the parks and enjoy them, but I kind of want to get it captured on video when I go back in May. I am kind of hesitant, though, because my current camera is pretty big considering the cameras out now. It's a Sony 8mm, but it's fairly heavy to have to hold all the time when recording or lug around in a big bag. I suppose I could upgrade to Mini-DV cameras--I am looking into that.

Well, I'm curious of your opinions.

 

[WDWScottieBoy]

I took my new camcorder with me on this past trip at the end of July and didn't find it a problem at all. It helped in storing things in the case, and wasn't bad to carry because it's one of the new small Sony ones (DCR-TRV260 to be exact). I usually just held the camcorder in one place while recording shows and fireworks and rides and didn't have to mess with looking at the screen all the time. If you have a steady hand (which I do) it's not that hard to make it through without looking at the screen. I did look through at the LCD screen during PotC because of lighting effects and every now and then at HM. Since lines weren't bad at all, I was able to go on them right after I got off and got to enjoy it the whole time without looking at it. I highly recommend taking one as I watch my tapes all the time (the past two nights I've been watching them over and over again). I hope this helps in your decision.

 

[Sharon L]

It's definitely a double edged sword. On one hand, I think you do miss out on really experiencing things because you're busy looking through the viewfinder. And it is a pain to lug around. But I have to say we really enjoy watching our vacation videos. Our son is currently 7, and we have video of him from our last two trips when he was 5 and 6. He may not remember the trips when he is older, but he will be able to view the video of himself, and perhaps share it with his kids someday.

So in my opinion, if you have small children, you may want to take video of at least one of their trips.

 

[NemoRocks78]

I'll bring it sometimes. I would bring with me all the time, but even though I have a pretty small camera, I hate lugging it around (and it won't fit into my pocket like my digital camera does), and since I go often it isn't like I "lose out" on the experience. The only reason I do bring it is to get ride videos anyways. I do plan on bringing it with me this weekend though.....

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

If you've got it - take it !! I take a camcorder AND digital camera on my trips (but then I don't get to Disney as much as I'd like) so for me the capturing of memories is VERY important.

 

[Disnut]

I take mine al of the time. I did the last time and mine is a VHS-C. I really do enjoy wathing the vedios and I have even put them on DVD to enjoy. With everything changing you never know when something that you like will be taken out of WDW.

 

[Boo's Mom]

We take one every year. We have a panasonic something another. It takes those little tapes VCR-C I think. Its great to take a camera because you can catch those little moments that you just don't see everyday. We also got some rides on it like: Tower of Terror, Pirates, test track, imagination, spaceship earth, mission space just to name a few. We love taking the video camera!

 

[mrtoad]

We only took one once about 11 years ago. It is nice to look back and enjoy but it can get in the way on the trip. I think you need to split the time you take it with you so you can do things twice and enjoy them the second time around. This is for attractions, shows, parades, etc. But your family interaction will be different every time so you really can't plan on getting it the second time around.

 

[wdwhoneymooner]

We've only brought a video cam twice in all of your trips: Once for our honeymoon (no jokes, please :lookaroun ), and the other during our last visit. Although we've only watched the former thrice, our son has watched portions of the latter at least twice a week since last September. We recorded most of his favorite attractions and he loves watching them over and over and over and over............

We plan on bringing it again this December for our daughter's first visit. It'll be our very first time seeing the decorations. We never felt the need to bring the video cam for every visit since we can capture stills (and alot of 'em!) on our digital.

 

[LadyDarling]

I do bring my video camera and some great memories on it! I have a Sony Hi 8, so it still is a large thing to lug around, and like you, I don't want to live it through the view finder/LCD screen, so what we do is bring it for the first couple days, and then leave it in the room when we're repeating things. That way we have footage days and non footage days.

One thing I DO recommend though is a trip diary! Get a blank book (I decorate mine with Disney stuff) and write out your itinerary for each day. When you sit down to have a break, pass the book around to everyone in your party and ask them to write about the day - what they loved, what they didn't, what happened that was funny - sometimes we capture in words what we can't get our cameras for!

And please - if you do bring it, heed the rules and us it during appropriate times!
Have fun!

 

[swimmom]

Anyone ever consider storing their video camera in a locker for part of the day? I have never brought ours, for the same reasons. Lugging it around and seeing everything through the viewfinder. We are going this year in December for the first time and I would love to get some video of the decorations and music, but don't want to carry the camera all day. I was planning on bringing jackets/sweatshirts to the parks each day that we planned to stay into the evening and put in a locker anyway, but wondered what others thought of leaving a camera in a locker?

 

[tigger-wdw]

cameras ?

digital are the best you can always delete a picture but if watching the parades or fireworks always good have a camcorder

 

[goonsquads57]

I've taken my video camera every year, and I'll probably bring it along this year too. I take TERRIBLE videos. I always hope that "this year's videos will be great", but no luck so far.

In case you were unaware, Disney sells videos (tape and disc) of the four parks (all on one tape or disc). I have one of those, and it's a lot better than anything I could do. Although they obviously have no family members in them, they capture just about everything in each park. And the quality is top notch. No worries with proper lighting, etcetera. The video wasn't cheap, but it's a great way to get your "WDW fix" when you can't be there.

 

[Dr.Seeker]

I recently took my camera around DLP, it was a bit of a pain having to carry it around and quickly flip it open everytime something happenned, but ive been so many times i know the rides inside out and it does give a lasting memory of the Disney experience when ur back home.

 

[Nansafan]

We have been to WDW 20 times and brought our video camera to every trip except for the first one in 1980. We took our super 8 movie camera that time. We will not take the camera to water parks. Other than that, it is with us the entire trip. We even tape driving from the airport.

 

[jcraycraft]

We always bring our Video Camcorder (DV) to WDW, but depending on length of stay, we don’t bring it into parks every day. Short stays we always take it to the parks each day to capture every moment. On our longer stays we try to plan a few days without the video camera..... We plan those days around the weather (i.e. if its going to rain all day no video camera). But we always bring the digital camera with use... on a normal day at WDW we will take 100 to 150 pictures per day.

 

[that_L_do_pig]

wow great post - I was struggling with this exact thing. 4 trips over the past 4 years I have left he camcorder at home but took a digital still cam. For my trip in December, I just bought a new DV to bring along. I am struggling with how to get enough video to capture the family moments versus it being a distraction to the actual experience. In looking a 600+ pictures from the past trips, I am in about 10.

 

[Ringo8n24]

We do not take ours everyday because we get tired of lugging it around like everyone else said. We do find it hard to enjoy ourselves completely when something is going on when we have to pull out the camera real quick to get the shot. But, as someone else said, it is a must with kids. We do not enjoy carrying the camera around, but these experiences are so new to a child that you want to capture them. If we were not bringing a child, I would maybe video a few times and that is all.

 

[Sherm00]

I've been thinking about the same issue since my daughter was born. I want to take video but I don't want to mis the experience with her. Here is what I have come up with.

Take your videocamera (Mine is a Canon ES8400v)
Take a Digital camera with a movie mode and extra CF cards(Sony currently has the best movie modes, but I find the ones on the Canons and Kodak's more the adiquit)

Then for the hotels and parades and stuff and some other stuff use the camcorder, then put it in a locker and use the digital camera for little scenes in the park then grab it just before a parade or the firworks etc. Then read it all into your computer and edit it together. The digital camera isn't big to carry around and by pairing the footage together from both cameras you can get everything and not have to lug around the camcorder all the time.

 

[csaguy]

We've used our's all over the parks. I just point and shoot in the general direction of the action. We have most of the rides on tape.