Flash Photography in rides

[Brer Chump]

On a related note, my favorite pre-wishes hobby is watching people take pictures of the castle from the hub with their flash on. After reviewing the picture on their digital display, they see the castle is dark and take another picture. They again look at their display see the same result and either keep taking pictures or just give up. Most people do not know how to take pictures at night and don't realize that the flash is useless on most cameras at distances greater than 30-50 feet. I am no expert on f-stops and aperature settings but know how to take photos in a couple of situations, by reading the instruction manual for the camera.

 

[perla75]

That's a little ridiculous

Umm, I'm just quoting from a cast member on another thread. Something about the light of the flash causing the computer sensors on the ride to malfunction. It actually doesn't sound that ridiculous to me....

 

[moon]

I think any flash photographer on a ride should be removed from the park.

I'm always moved by the planetarium portion on Spaceship Earth. I remember the first time seeing the Earth, that emotion. I always look forward to that part.

Last time I was on it, a woman on the cart next to mine decided to take a picture of "earth".....seeing the wires, the wall, etc. really ruined the magic for me. I couldn't believe anyone could be so rude and inconsiderate. I was thankful that it wasn't my first time on SE, and I hope no first-timer was riding, having that first impact completely ruined.

ETA to add that I also thought she was stupid as she was rude. How could she think that flash photography was going to capture what can only be appreciated in the dark?

 

[xDressedinlove]

Umm, I'm just quoting from a cast member on another thread. Something about the light of the flash causing the computer sensors on the ride to malfunction. It actually doesn't sound that ridiculous to me....

Sorry, I wasn't trying to be rude.

Superman likes the Disney girls I see.

Get back to Six Flags where you belong!

 

[DisneyJoo2008]

The Carousel of Progress stopped everytime someone took a flash photo and the CM came over the speaker-phone and reminded guests flash photography isn't allowed. It got annoying on this ride - especially as we rode it about 6 times - my hubby LOVED it!!!

On the Great Movie Ride at HS, there was a family in the row behind us who consistently used flash photography throughout the ride. The CM doing the tour reminded them a few times but they looked at him blankly and carried on. I think the CM was quite new and he just couldn't be bothered after a while. I think they spoke a different language - but I'm sure it was one of those times where people 'faked' that they didn't understand English!!! Sorry but I really think that's what they were doing!!!

xxx

 

[DisneyJoo2008]

The Carousel of Progress stopped everytime someone took a flash photo and the CM came over the speaker-phone and reminded guests flash photography isn't allowed. It got annoying on this ride - especially as we rode it about 6 times - my hubby LOVED it!!!

xxx

The ride not the flash photography!!! But you guys knew that right!

 

[bennyb98]

Not to mention by taking flash photos you risk having a CM come over the loudspeaker for the ride asking you to not take photos and ruining the ride for the rest of the guests onboard.

 

[bradk]

flash doesn't interfere with pirates or any other attraction. i know because (1) i think we've all been on the attraction when people were using the flash anyway and (2) i've used the flash on POTC and HM with multiple CMs' blessings (when it was late EMH and I was the only one on the attractions). Nothing ever stopped.

They can tell when you're using a flash on most attractions so they have the ability to yell at you (they even told me how they know people are using it on HM despite it not having any cameras).

the issue with flash is because it annoys other guests. their eyes get used to the darkness so the flash totally messes you up (try it on yourself sometimes). that's why it might be allowed on buzz because it's simply not that dark in there. the one thing I was advised on HM is to make sure nobody was across from me in the seance room for this reason.

 

[fairestoneofall]

Gdad posted a picture in the picture thread of a guest using flash on POTC. The picture makes it clearly obvious how much it can ruin the experience of other guests.

And Brad's right too. When my eyes are used to the dark and then a flash goes off, I have that white burned into my eyes for a few moments and I can't see anything.

 

[dburg30]

Yea, they pretty much only prohibit flash on rides that, as stated are a) dark and your eyes need to stay dark adapted and b) the flash would 'ruin' the immersion (ie: seeing the 'stuff' that makes the ride, wires, cables, people etc etc). Other then that WDW is pretty allowing on photos, and even encourage it at Lion King..

 

[goofy4tink]

On a related note, my favorite pre-wishes hobby is watching people take pictures of the castle from the hub with their flash on. After reviewing the picture on their digital display, they see the castle is dark and take another picture. They again look at their display see the same result and either keep taking pictures or just give up. Most people do not know how to take pictures at night and don't realize that the flash is useless on most cameras at distances greater than 30-50 feet. I am no expert on f-stops and aperature settings but know how to take photos in a couple of situations, by reading the instruction manual for the camera.

Yep....I remember the time I was at MK, for MNSSHP, with my dd and her friend and her mother. Now, this other mother is a bit of a photography nut..took a class and such. Well, we got to the fireworks part of the night, I had my handy-dandy little point and shoot, she had this super expensive big ole SLR. She started giving me 'hints' on how to best photograph the fireworks. Well, I just sat there, in the middle of the street, by the Walt and Mickey statue, and shot away.....sometimes using my fireworks setting, sometimes not, just the auto setting. Guess who's shots came out the best? Yep, mine.
And then again, last July, same woman and I were at our dd's summer camp production. She, again had her SLR, I had my point and shoot Canon Powershot. Well, the lights went out...seems a fuse got blown. The other dd (my friends dd) was on-stage, with another girl, waiting for the lights to come on. Took a few shots....guess who's came out? Yep again....her's were awful. She spends so much time balancing stuff and fooling with settings...while I'm just madly shooting.
No flash is a great option....when we were at Cape Canaveral a year ago, there were areas where you weren't allowed to use your flash. Okay, I turned mine off...and proceeded to get some great shots. One woman standing near me asked me why I even bothered taking pictures with no flash...they would come out awful. So, I showed her the shots I had just taken...she was amazed. Seems many just don't allow for the existing light conditions.

But, when I'm on PoC, it drives me nuts when flashes start going off...it really messes with my eyes!! Same thing on HM...I have actually made a comment to those behind me who are taking flash shots!!!

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

The blinding flash in the middle of the dark is really the most annoying thing. My husband and I were on Thunder Mtn late at night and a group of 4 was ahead of us. A teen girl kept turning around and taking flash pictures of her friends in the row behind her, which was the row in front of us. We got blinded by her flash every 60-90 seconds during the ride. It was terrible. I was fuming. I wound up keeping my eyes closed for most of the ride.

 

[larryz]

on my pet peeve list. Annoying. Rude. Insensitive. In some cases (with live cast members in the attraction), hazardous.



The only way to deal with it is get used to it. There's no practical way to stop it. The only way would be to prohibit cameras on the ride. You'd have to physically search the guests as they were in queue. Maybe Disney could invest in some of those millimeter wave body scanners...

 

[Luv4Disney]

Someone took a pic on the HM during the scene with Madame Leota in the crystal ball. Totally ruined it. I loudly said, "NO FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY!). They didn't do it again. However, not everyone listens when no flash photography comments are made. Flashes on PotC drive me up a wall!

 

[kaybird]

The flash on most cameras are ineffective over 12-15 feet, so your pics are not going to be much better with the flash. It is a BIG no-no and most annoying to guest who can only see the bright light while they are trying to see the rides, shows, etc.

The big one that cracks me up is the people who flash wildly at the firework shows.

 

[Experiment_626]

Flashes on PotC drive me up a wall!

Several years ago, I wanted to take some flash photos on PotC. When I got to the loading area, I asked the CM there if I could wait and get a boat to myself for that reason -- I didn't want to annoy other guests. She told me I could do so, but she explained that on that ride, flash photography was not prohibited -- only the use of constant video camera lighting. Nevertheless, I got a boat to myself for that ride.

Of course, this was back in the days before any of the Pirates movies had been released, and the ride was a walk-on at virtually any time of day -- much more so than it is now. Getting a boat to myself was fairly easy -- in fact, I don't think there were any guests in the boats in front of or behind me.

SSB

 

[galnar]

I think any flash photographer on a ride should be removed from the park.

^^This.

 

[~Kik-Kik~]

^^This.

I tad extreme....

Jungle Cruise would be fine to use flash on, I assume. Though we have great pictures of it without flash.

 

[Robo]

Jungle Cruise would be fine to use flash on, I assume. Though we have great pictures of it without flash.

Careful...

You're liable to startle the boat's Skipper.

He might wake up and that is not a pretty thing.

 

[Not so Dumbo]

Yes, when people take pictures in the dark it does bother me. But for the first offense I like to chalk it up to maybe they didn't realize their flash was on. I know I've had that happen before where either I thought it was turned off or didn't realize that I would have to turn it off again after turning the camera back on.
Now if they keeptaking pictures fully knowing what they are doing is wrong, then I get annoyed fairly quickly.