Scrapbookers, do you carry journal?

[Amyg]

Do you carry some sort of travel journal at the parks? I've taken a look at the Passporter and wondered if it might be combersome to carry around daily.

Also, do you have any photo tips, must have photo shots, etc.? (I'll have to remember to take pics of the food)

 

[bigbabyblues]

I just kept a notebook in the room and wrote in it at the end of the day, and sometimes when we went back for a rest/swim too.

No photo tips, except take lots. Last year I had 457 printed from the digital, and a roll of film. No telling how many I deleted.

 

[WDW Poly Princess]

I've started keeping a "Photo List" of neat photo ideas that I come across in trip reports, online, etc. I'll either make a note like "Wilderness Lodge from the water at night", or actually copy and paste the picture into my graphics program, resize it so it's little, and then paste it into my list. I find it really handy to have a list of shots I know I want, so that I don't end up coming home without something important (Um, like a shot of the castle.)

I usually carry my Passporter in the parks with me, and don't find it bulky. I do take out some sections and leave them at home to make it a little slimmer (ie if you're not interested in checking out the resorts, you can leave most of the resort chapter at home or in your room.)

 

[Copperline]

I'll usually keep a pen in my bag and write directly on a guide map as we go through the parks. I'll circle each attraction we go on, and sometimes number them in the order we rode them.
I always take extra maps/brochures, as I cut them up and use them on my scrapbook pages too.
I am a techie geek and bring my laptop with me to d/l digi pix at the end of each day. I usually go through the pix and delete off those that are useless, and if I missed any shots I know I wanted, make a note to go back and get them later.
Have a great time!

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

I don't bring a journal with me but I typically don't do much "journaling" in my scrapbooks anyway (aside from captions and titles). I like the pictures to tell the story! I do agree with the tip to take extra park maps, etc to cut up for you scrapbook when you get home.

As for "must take" pics...I should make a list. I always have great ideas when I'm dreaming up my trip while in the planning stages and then I get home and say "oops"...For instance, I'm determined this trip to actually get a picture with Mickey!!!!

 

[figmentfan1]

No journaling... I think the pictures tell the story.

We do however take the small Creative Memories scrapbook (last trip and this one we used the Red Disney 7X7 album) and had the characters autograph that one. We just let them sign wherever, then you can move the pages around, add some, take some out, and add your pictures around the autographs. Mine turned out AWESOME. The kids love looking at it!

Have fun!!

je

 

[striker3636]

I didn't bring a journal for me, but I ended up writing in the WDW journal I printed out for my kids (5 & 3 at the time). This was a huge thing you can print out (see printable activites thread in families forum) and I used this as "homework" for my son to complete each day. We had a journal page for each day, plus info sheets on each park to complete. He kept track of what the weather was like, what we did, his fav. things etc. This was a way for him to practice his writing and spelling. I ended up writing on the reverse of the page to add my own thoughts, or more details. We did this most nights at bedtime snack time to wind down and talk about our day. The most common thing he liked - rides and shows, and least fav thing - walking!

I'm using these as prompts for my scrapbooking and to do pages for our top things to see and do etc. I plan to make one each trip, and that way it is "homework" the kids can share with their class and a way to record the trip from their point of view. I know if I have my own I'll won't really do it!

 

[deefranco]

I plan to bring a journal with me when I leave in 6 days...it will help with journaling in my scrapbook. I will write in it each night. I'm only 32, but already I can't remember details of what I did yesterday!!

 

[kytiam]

I didn't carry a journal to the parks with me, but I kept one in the room each night. I printed mine off from a website called The Mouse For Less. I forget the actual address, but I got it from someone on these boards. When I got home and started scrapbooking the trip, I just made a cutsie cover for the pages and made a pocket page in my album to put it in. As far as "must take" pictures, I went with a plan in mind, so I had a definate list. I made an ABC book with tons of pictures arranged in alphabetical order. It took some planning and imagination to come up with pictures for some of the letters! For example, I may not have made a point of taking a picture of the Queen of Hearts in the parade, but options for "Q" are sort of limited! I also took pictures of the signs at the entrance to our favorite rides. Those made nice title for some of the pictures. Turned out to be one of my better scrapbooks! (but how could you go wrong with such awesome subject matter?!)

 

[TLC371]

I don't bring a journal with me to the parks. But I do have a notebook back at our timeshare and each night when we get back from our day's activities, I'll write down the highlights of the day.

I also grab at least 3, if not more, copies of the guidemaps and time schedules at the parks, so I can include them in my scrapbooks. I also save my parking pass for the day as well to include in my scrapbook.

Last year when we were at Epcot, I made sure to take pictures of us in each country's pavilion, so I could do an around the world section of my scrapbook.

This year I want to find some of the Kodak picture spots and get pictures from those spots.
I also make sure to buy some postcards to include in my scrapbooks. Sometimes those pictures are better than what I come home with using my camera.
I always try to get pictures of our whole group together and pictures of us in front of some of our favorite attractions. I like to get pictures of the entrance of the parks, not just the main entrance of the park, but also the entrance where you pay for parking. I found that it's never a bad thing to take too many pictures, you don't have to use EVERY picture in your scrapbook. I just pick the ones I like best and scrapbook those.
Also, for all the little things that I pick up along the week to include in my scrapbook, I put those in a ziploc bag, so they are all in the same spot and people know that it's for my scrapbook and to please not mess them up.

 

[TN Traveler]

There are alot of great ideas and suggestions in here...alot I've used, some I haven't but will. For a list of "must dos" on picture taking, there is a thread in the scrapbook site (probably several pages back) that lists suggestions of good photo shots.

Now, here's a suggestion on what NOT to do. Probably one of the biggest mistakes we made -- we NEVER bought a picture of us as a family upon entering the Parks--in front of Cindy's castle, The Tree of Life etc. At the time, we were on a very tight budget and I just couldn't justify paying $10 for a picture. However, as I look back, I see that was a very bad mistake. When we went Memorial Day week 2004, it was our first trip as a family. Altho I had been once as a kid in 76 and again in 01 w/some travel agent friends, DH and my 3 DDs had never been before. At the very least I should have asked one of the CMs to take pictures of us w/my camera. Have no idea where my brain was at that point, but I didn't have one picture taken of all 5 of us!! Actually, I don't think I have any of DH & I together either!

Gee whiz........guess that means we'll have to go back before too long!!!

Karen aka TN Traveler

 

[ASFCurly]

I take my journal and leave it in the room, and I have a small notebook that has all the park info in it, and room to write things down each day that I take with me in the parks.

 

[Amyg]

Thanks sooo much for the tips! I think I'll make a list that I can refer to every so often. I like to journal thing like my son riding Dumbo three times in a row on his very first trip to DL, etc. I'm so looking forward to this first trip to WDW!

 

[Stitchy_Baby_626]

I save lots of stuff from Disney for my scrap book. Also when i'm there i take my diary with me, and if i don't have time to write in it, i just write bullet points at the end of the day then when i get back home, i write it up

Donna
xxx

 

[pjlla]

I do carry a very small notepad with me in my fannypack. If I am in line waiting for a ride or waiting for a meal, I make notes of what we have been doing since I last wrote. I also make notes of how long we waited for things, funny things that the kids did/said, nice folks we talked to, prices of things, where we parked (helpful at the end of the day). Then at the end of the day I review my notes, add details or whatever is needed. When I get home I type the entire journal. Whereas others who scrapbook use their pictures to tell the story, I consider my trip scrapbooks to be "a trip diary with pictures". HTH.................P

 

[monica31671]

Allearsnet.com has a scrapbooking ideas page and it has a list of good spots for pictures. Check it out.
I have a PassPorter and it is way to heavy to carry around the parks. I write things down at the end of every day.

 

[luv2go2disney]

I am planning on taking a small notebook into the parks and use it if we are standing in line or eating. I also have the 7x7 Creative memories albums for the kids to have autographed. I have 2 cheap 12x12 plastic pouches to but memoribilia and souveniers in. I have also printed out the travel journal from mouseforless.com. I used the half pages and printed them on acid free cardstock and plan on binding them by tying ribbons on the edge. I plan on writing in this journal at nights or back at the room for breaks, making sure to write everyone's favs and least favs for the day. I never thought about a picture list, I better get on that!!! Does anyone have list they go off of?

 

[mickeysaver]

I usual jot down notes at the end of the day in a small note pad. I also keep the purchase receipts so that I can check the bill at checkout and it helps when figuring out what order we did things when my notes fail to paint the whole picture. I hope this helps. Maggie

 

[BrerMama]

I use the passporters pockets to jot notes to myself. Our last trip, they were jotted all over... the front, the back, inbetween lines. All our receipts and memorabilia went in the Passpockets. When I got home, I wrote a detailed trip report. That helps with my journaling, because my pages are all about journaling. Yes, the pictures tell the story, but when my 4 year old daughter is 34, do you think she will remember the joy I felt when I heard her laugh at Chip and Dale at midnight during e-ride night? She will, but because I have done a layout with that picture and added the story. So taking notes is incredibly important to me.

My dh just bought a laptop and we plan to take it to back-up pictures for this trip. I'll probably make trip notes on it, as I type much faster than I write. I do all my trip notes either at night or in the morning before we leave. I'm big on enjoying the moment and carrying something into the parks to jot notes would ruin that.