Is it worth it to take a video camera into the parks?

[MOmousefan]

I started out 20 years ago lugging a VHS camcorder to all of the parks. My arm and shoulders ached for days. HOWEVER, reliving the memories of those tapes over and over is so worth it to the family. I now have a hand-sized Canon digital camcorder and it is no problem to use.
One thing we always say is "Why didn't we take more pictures!" On our last trip we took over 1200 picture between three of us. I also took 7.5 hours of movies. You can never have enough memories of these trips.
I had two cameras with me at all times on vacation. My two girls are adults, so it is much easier to stop and record the action.

 

[toothboy2k1]

My problem is I love photos and home movies but hate lugging around the equipment. My compromise -- a 7.2-megapixel Casio Exilim digital camera with video functions. Photos are excellent - sharp with vivid colors. Video isn't spectacular but very serviceable, and certainly better than having no movies at all. I did have to buy a large memory card (1GB) and a smaller one for backup, but those set me back less than $100 and are well worth it. Thanks to this camera less than an inch deep and weighing only 5 ounces, my needs are met.

 

[jensen]

I've never taken a video camera because I didn't want to lug around two cameras, but I regret that I didn't have one last trip and I've decided that I will definately take one on our next trip. My DD2 and DS5 still love the watch the Disney Vacation planning video to remember our trip and I know they would love seeing themselves even more.

 

[brer rabbit 28]

i've bought a camcorder especially for the trip this time.Did some trial runs with it at disneyland paris last xnas and was really pleased with it.
It's just small enough to fit in my waist bag and will be perfect for filming the parades and shows.

 

[hawkeyesparks]

We have taken the video camera to WDW only since we have had DS(3).
Before that I just wasn't concerned with videotaping everything, because I was experiencing everything.

But when DS came to WDW, we videotaped him walking down Mainstreet UsA for the first time, dumbo for the first time, etc. and when we go this summer to WDW again, we showed DS on the videos and he loved it.

It was a lot of fun for him, and it's a part of our memories we'll never lose. (But in a few years when our children are older, we'll lose the camera)

 

[tink1978]

If you have kids, it is worth it to have a video camera. We just got a DVD camcorder and it was awesome. Now we have DVD's of the trip to watch.

 

[phisigprincess]

I seriously watch my video ALL THE TIME!!!! It's great in between trips therapy.

 

[BeckWhy]

I know that when I went with the cheerleaders a few years ago it would have been worth it to have my video camera. Most of them had never been there before and we had a lot of great memories that I would love to watch over and over again.

When I went with my sister in 2004 I brought it. I think I only video taped about 1.5 hours worth of stuff and that was mostly just fireworks. I was always carrying it, but never taping. There weren't as many memories for that trip as for my first one. Now I found out after that there were a lot of attractions that you can video tape as long as you don't have an exterior light (the LCD screens are an exterior light). I would have taped many of the shows if I had known that.

This upcoming trip I was going to bring it. But then I found a website that had many of the attractions online so I could watch them whenever I wanted. I have since decided not to bring it.

BUT, I think it would possibly be more beneficial (in the long run) to just get a digitial camera and a BIG memory card (1G or so). This way you can take tons of pics and record video if you want. I think my 512 card takes about an hour of video if there are no pics on it; it goes down with the more pics I take. So I figure if there is any good memories I want to capture via video I can do it with my digi. Granted I have 3 512 mem cards which will take up to 1200 pictures. So I have plenty of space. You can always get 1 G memory cards at Officemax, Best Buy, or Circuit City (And probably other places, but thats where I shop) for about $40 after rebates (last week one of them had them for $35).

There's my input. Sorry it's long. I hope it helps.

 

[SnackyStacky]

I took mine once, and I got an error message that it detected too much dew.

I've heard that if you leave it in the camera bag or an hour or two after leaving the hotel, it helps this problem.

I'll give it another try, (especially since we'll have a kid on our next trip! ) but if I end up with the same problem, I'll be leaving the video camera home.

 

[grahamsgirl]

For us it is a definate yes ! Especially with kids - you may see the character greetings each time you go - but for us none are as priceless as the looks on our kids faces the first time they met them at ages 3 and 7. On our first trip with the kids we took about 6 hours over a 14 day trip, and still watch it in installments!!