Camera carry on riders??

[diputs]

I want to take my camera with me to Disney world, but I also want to enjoy the rides. I am not sure I want to leave my camera with the CM's at the rides and would prefer to have it with me. I am not thinking about the looping rides, but just the lapbar roller coasters like space mountain.

Has anyone used a cotton carrier to take their camera on a roller coaster or other theme park ride?

Any idea if they will let me take my camera on a lap bar roller coaster with a cotton carrier?

(The cotton carrier is a harness that allows you to attach the camera to your body and not use a neck strap or hand hold it. I am unable to post links do to my post count.)

 

[disneyboy2003]

I looked online, and here's a CottonCarrier:

This guy looks ready to go on Space Mountain!

Although I don't have a CottonCarrier, I have carried my camera(s) onto several rides at Walt Disney World, including the roller coasters.

I didn't realize I had the option of leaving my camera with Cast Members at the rides.

 

[diputs]

I didn't realize I had the option of leaving my camera with Cast Members at the rides.

Thanks for posting the link.

I did not know if it was an option or not to leave your bags with the CM's at the rides. At Great Adventure, in NJ, we used to just put your bag on the exit side of the ride (usually on a looping coaster) and they would move them away from the car. You would just get your bag on the way out. Not sure if it still happens, but that was the way it used to happen.

 

[disneyboy2003]

I guess even if I could leave my camera with a Cast Member, I'd be afraid to. You never know what strange pictures those Cast Members may take using your camera!

 

[ukcatfan]

I do not believe that leaving anything with cast members is an option at WDW because you never get on and off the ride at the same place at WDW. I would just get a bag that is just big enough to fit your gear. I would not take the risk of it banging around on the ride and I also would not enjoy the ride worrying about it the whole time.

 

[mom2rtk]

The only ride I'm aware of where you don't have to bring your bag with you is Soarin. They have a spot on the floor where you leave oversize bags. Since the doors are closed and everyone is on the ride, it should be safe. And of course I had no choice since it would not fit under the seat!

Other than that, I'm pretty sure the CM's would NOT be willing to be responsible for your things. You need to be prepared to bring it on every ride (except Soarin).

You'll also want a zip loc bag for Splash Mountain. I know they have a spot in the middle of Kali River Rapids, but I've never really tested it out.... Not sure I'd put my SLR in there........ I'd probably prefer to send the kids and DH and stay back to take their picture getting drenched.....

 

[Groucho]

The rollercoasters usually have some sort of mesh where you can store a smallish bag. Most of the rollercoasters would probably be OK with a device like in the photo, the one I'd be concerned about would be Rock 'n Rollercoaster; because of the inversion, you have to wear an over-the-shoulder restraint that may hit the equipment.

I have ridden RnRR while holding my camera with a hand strap, though.

 

[My2Girls66]

I've ridden all Disney's rides with my camera. Either holding it or putting it in a bag at my feet. With a backpack you can slip your feet thru the straps to secure it.
At Great Advanture this past summer they made all bags go in lockers. Nothing was allowed to be left on the exit side of the ride. Not even a hat! I know we used to leave stuff there but no more.

 

[Marlton Mom]

About 5 years ago I had a Nikon cool pix camera (2 whopping megapixels, little sensor, crappy flash) with me when I went on the Tower of Terror ride.

It was rectangular and flat and had a neck cord. I used to wear it in my shirt pocket so it wouldn't bounce when I walked....

I had that camera in my pocket with the cord around my neck and we hit zero g's briefly on the Tower Of Terror.... I looked and saw my camera ~ was Floating!!!! ~ in front of me.

Totally cool... and from that day forward the Tower of Terror is my Favorite Ride!!!

I too was wondering what I was going to do with my Lowe Pro camera back pack when I went on the rides so thanks for asking this question! I will be very curious to see what others say.

Smoochies,
Wanna be Astronaut, Marlton Mom

 

[ukcatfan]

On most thrill rides, I place my leg through the straps on my backpack and place it on the floor of the ride. How Soarin works has already been covered. One that you do need to think about is Space Mountain. You need to be in the front seat of the car if you have a backpack. There is just not room in the other seats for it. I do not believe the cars have been changed any with the renovations.

 

[dmccarty]

I carry one of two camera bags to the parks. One is a bag that can hold all of my gear and its about 6"x8"x14" give or take. I can add external pouches or take them off as needed so the size of the bag can change a bit. But I seldom take this bag into the parks. Usually it goes to AK.

Mostly I use a small holster bag that will hold the camera and one attached lens. Well it won't hold the 180mm lens. But the bag will hold the camera with the 100mm or 35-70mm lens. However I usually just take a 50mm or 24mm lens. In that case I can carry one lens attached to the D700 and one lens will fit at the bottom of the bag. The camera strap is what is used to carry the bag/camera.

If I have the big bag I wrap the strap around a leg and hold with my feet so that the bag is off the floor. I really don't want the bag/gear banged around too much.

The small bag I just hold tightly depending on the ride.

BUT, if the ride is like Thunder Mountain, Yeti aka EE, or Test Track I take out the camera and start taking photos of the family. The best photos I have are of my kids and family on the rides.

The 24mm lens is perfect for ride photos. You don't have to be too accurate with framing which can be tough to do when getting whipped around TM or Yeti! And sometimes you just have to hold on since you can not take photos with the camera to your face. Last spring we got lucky and were on the first car on Yeti! After escaping the deadly clutches of the horrible Yeti the car screamed, or was the me, down the mountain. The forces were too much to hold the camera to my face so I just centered the camera on my chest and fired away. Got some good photos!

I just wish I had something like Dumbledore's Deluminator aka Put Outer to keep people from taking photos on dark rides!

Later,
Dan