Does anybody carry a dslr with them to Universal?

[mickey1968]

Do you carry your dslr with you when you go to Universal parks? It seems like having to check a bag for just about every ride would get tiresome. I am going in November and trying to decide what will work best: carry my regular backpack with the camera and use the lockers at each ride, spend one-day camera free then take pictures on a second day or during a limited timeframe?

Or, is most of Universal and IOA just not photoworthy?

 

[PrincessInOz]

As Universal don't let you take cameras on-board their rides, I think your strategy of one day bag-free and another day just for pictures is a good one.

I did take my dSLR into the UO parks on all the days I was there and found I was using the camera to take pictures of character meet and greets. I did indulge in a PhotoConnect Pass for the time I was there. Comparing the PCP and the pictures taken by the Universal staff on my camera ... I would stick with taking my dSLR and handing it over to them to take.

FWIW - I did come home with more park shots of IoA than of US. A lot of that was because of the WWoHP. But also because I thought IoA was a lot more colourful and the theming more eyecatching. With Diagon Alley opened since I last visited, the equation might be completely different.

 

[SrisonS]

As mentioned, IoA is more photoworthy than US; but not by loads. Most of the pics will probably be of the Harry Potter areas; where there are many great photo ops.

If anything, maybe try to make one day mainly a HP one; and take your DSLR then. And on the other day, hit the other attractions and take along a small camera if possible. Of course it depends on what kind of tickets you're gonna get. But just a suggestion.

 

[LittleMissMagic]

This is a question I've been asking myself lately. I'll be going to Islands of Adventure in a month, and I recently remembered the locker situation with the roller coasters. Being a girl, going completely bagless isn't quite as practical, but I am wondering if I should downsize cameras for the day and carry my Nikon 1, rather than my D7100.

 

[mickey1968]

I travel solo, so most of my pics are of scenery and iconic spots in the parks. But at Disney I take 1000-1500 pics over a weeklong trip. (I tend to shoot with the burst mode on a lot.)

The main areas I want pics of at USF/IOA are definitely the Harry Potter sections. That is actually the whole reason I am going! My last visit to Universal was sometime in the 90s before IOA even existed and I remember thinking the atmosphere of the Universal park was pretty boring. It does look like they really tried to bring in the themeing in IOA and especially in the WWoHP.

My backup camera is my iphone 5, which does great in daylight. If I put it in my front pocket, would it be okay on the rides? I don't know if I can make it through without a bag either. I bought one of the VB Mickey backpacks in May and it was perfect size for my DSLR when needed, the extra 50mm lens plus other junk "I just have to have." I kept the DSLR out on a Black Rapid strap I bought for that trip. The combination of small pack and strap was perfect.

 

[misse336]

I've been debating this too for my first trip to US/IoA next month so I'm eager to read how everyone who has been there before has handled it.

 

[SrisonS]

Anything that fits in your pockets will be fine. But thinking on it some more; having to use the lockers isn't really a huge hassle, when looking at the benefit to having your DSLR. If anything, just make sure the bag you take isn't too big. The lockers are on the smaller side.

 

[Hockeyman]

If im at Uni all day and know ill be there at night ill rent a locker up front, huge locker that fits all my stuff and tripod. Then walk around with just my camera and a few lenses and will use the lockers at the ride entrances as needed. Like SrisonS say, its not to big of a deal. Then later at night will come back from my tripod.

Pro tip. At Forbidden Journey use the lockers that are out front of Dragon Challenge for less of a hassle than the FJ lockers which can be a headache when busy.

 

[misse336]

I have a question about the lockers- Am I understanding it correctly that there are lockers to rent at the front of the park and lockers in front of each ride where you can't take items on the ride?

If so, how much do the lockers in front of the rides cost and are they able to be locked? I don't think that there will be many rides that I will have to lock up my camera since I don't think my dd will ride most of those rides, but there may be a few.

 

[havoc315]

I have a question about the lockers- Am I understanding it correctly that there are lockers to rent at the front of the park and lockers in front of each ride where you can't take items on the ride?

If so, how much do the lockers in front of the rides cost and are they able to be locked? I don't think that there will be many rides that I will have to lock up my camera since I don't think my dd will ride most of those rides, but there may be a few.

My understanding is that you "rent" a locker for free for a set amount of time -- enough time to get through the ride. If you go over your time, you are charged.

 

[Hockeyman]

I have a question about the lockers- Am I understanding it correctly that there are lockers to rent at the front of the park and lockers in front of each ride where you can't take items on the ride?

If so, how much do the lockers in front of the rides cost and are they able to be locked? I don't think that there will be many rides that I will have to lock up my camera since I don't think my dd will ride most of those rides, but there may be a few.

They have set of lockers at the front of the park that you can rent all day. Im drawing a blank on how much the larger locker was though, I want to say around $9.00 but don't quote me on that, lol.

The one at the rides entrances have a time limit that they are free like Havoc mentioned but after they hit that free mark it starts charging your card and believe it starts at $3.00. I also think times vary on the time that is free also from ride to ride

 

[Groucho]

I went to Universal about a year and a half ago for the first time since the '90s (pre IoA) - like the OP. The whole locker thing, after being used to Disney for so many years, is a colossal pain in the rump roast IMHO, and really slows you down. It reminds me of when we had a stroller for the kids - before every ride, you had to stash the stroller, and after the ride, you had to go hunt it down again.

That being said - you don't have to check your stuff for *every* ride. I took my (weather-sealed) DSLR on Jurassic Park and Popeye with no problems. If you have a small enough camera, you can keep it with you. Were I going today, I'd bring along my Pentax Q and a fast prime lens for it. I'm not sure how the size of the Nikon 1 compares (for LittleMissMagic) - I know it's bigger than the Q but not enormously so, so you might be able to hang on to it.

I actually found a few pockets of good theming here and there in the "old" Universal, but they were rare and often seemed to make no sense - like the Garden of Allah Villas, which was an attractive area that seemed tied to no store, restaurant, or attraction, it was just there. I like the HP area but wasn't blown away by it, and much of the rest of Universal didn't impress me. Poor quality character costumes, uninspiring shows (the nighttime show was pretty awful), old rides, etc... of course, it was still lightyears better than the Hollywood Universal Studios, which I last visited in 2007 or so and which had, as I recall, all of *four* rides open in the whole place and was a big, ugly, unthemed mess.

I was there (USF) for Halloween Horror Nights and most of that was pretty well-done, to be fair, even if much of the time is spent waiting in looooong lines.

 

[mickey1968]

It looks like the all-day lockers are $10 per day with unlimited access in and out. And, like Groucho said, you don't have to check your bags for every ride. On the list I found on Orlando Informer I think only maybe 4 rides that I plan to ride require it: HP FJ and Grigotts, MIB, and the Mummy. The others are coasters that I don't plan to ride. It is also highly recommended to store bags on JP and the other water-based rides, but not required, therefore not free at those rides. I guess I can carry a plastic trash bag to put my backpack in on JP.

I am leaning toward storing my bag for most of the day and then retrieving it to do my photo-taking.