To bring or not to bring videocamera-that is the ?

[kldmom2000]

This is our first trip with the girls (ages 2 and 4)..... I'm an avid scrapbooker (and Creative Memories consultant) so I will of course have my regular camera..... just wondering if it would be a major PITA to bring my video camera? Is it too much of a hassle? Just wondering what the consensus was from all those BTDT.... thanks in advance for your input!

 

[Jenny]

our first family trip w/ 7 mo. & 2+ will be coming up & I also am faced w/ the same question. i was leaning towards bringing it but of course, brought it yesterday to film baby's baptism & the battery was dead even after hours of recharging - i got 10 seconds of the event. UGH! that said, i'm hesitating now. i'm wondering what i'd really tape as we'll have our hands full w/ the kids & getting on & off the rides, etc. plus we'll end up carrying on it on the rides since i don't want to leave it w/ the stroller. i'm leaning towards "no" but look forward to also hearing from others' experiences.

 

[elgerber]

We have brought ours down for all 4 family trips with the kids. The first one we used it a lot. The second one, some. The third one a little and the 4th? It never came out of the bag in the hotel room. I love the thought of having the video, but we really had to choose between the camcorder and the digital camera, as we could not carry both.

 

[SandrainNC]

We are definitely taking our video camera. It is my son's first trip and we have to tape him on Dumbo! I love my still pictures too though (scrapbooker here as well), so my husband will be carrying his camera bag with video camera, digital camera and regular film camera. I wonder how long that will last!

Sandra

 

[chipnwendy]

We took both types in May, but only brought our regular camera back with us in October.

Unless your camcorder is one of those that also takes still pictures, I would consider not bringing it with you...or you could bring it with you the first day and see how much you used it compared to the other, then decide whether or not is is worth carrying it around all day.

 

[pirateofthecarolinas]

My children love watching our movies from WDW. At the end of everyday, I videotape them telling about their favorite things from that day. Take it, you won't regret it!

Lori

 

[lovelykccat]

I also debated this question.
I'm borrowing my sister's videocamera because it's lighter than mine - I decided to bring it, because of the "what if" and "gosh, I wish I had" that runs around in my mind.
I want to tape Wishes and Illuminations, and I also want to try and tape some of the shows.
DD7's birthday is this Sunday. She doesn't know it, but she's having breakfast with the princesses in the castle - it might be kind of fun to tape her expression.
We'll see about the rest of it.
With it being just her and me, I know I'm going to get tired of carrying the thing around.
I'll let you know how it goes when I get back.

 

[F1Julie]

I never bring mine because I spend more time filming and figuring out the camera than I do just enjoying the moment. I'd love to have those magical WDW moments preserved on film, but when I'm recording, I feel like I'm not as much a part of things. I'd rather be able to remember what it was like to be there, than to watch the movies. I only take my still camera to WDW.

 

[kupperman]

You have to take it!! It's your girls first trip and you will regret not getting their reactions to things on tape. It shouldn't be a hassle if you have a camera bag and if you bring a stroller you can put it in the stroller basket. Just don't forget to take it out of the stroller when you go on rides. Plus your kids can relive the memories on film when you get home.

 

[MelessaG]

It was kind of a pain to have ours, but when my sister and I got picked for the Backlot Tour pre-show on our first trip, DH sure was glad he had it.

 

[Lollipop Mom]

I've brough ours on all but our most recent trip and I regretted not having it then. Our first trip my parents were with us as well so it was easier. I could take stills while my Mom video taped. The kids LOVE watching the videos. Our second trip it was just DH and I with the kids and we didn't want to keep up with it all the time. I videotaped the kids talking about their day at the end of every day but I only brought it into the parks on our last day. That was our "kids choice" day where we went back to do their favorites one last time before heading home. Just bringing it that day, I knew I already had stills of them on Dumbo and in front of the castle etc. so I could focus more on filming. I still brought the digital camera just in case, just didn't use it as much. We were able to video tape all their favorite stuff so they are thrilled with that tape and we didn't have to lug it around all day every day.

 

[mommytotwo]

For our first trip to Disneyland, we bought it with us so that we could remember the trip and so our daughter who was below the age of two would be able to see the video. We also had our camera and I had scrapbooked our entire trip.
I think that for our next trip, we will just use the camera so that we have our hands free to do things, and just use our video camera during other parts of our trip-ex. The San Diego Zoo-like we had done on that same trip.

 

[POOH&PIGLET]

Bring the video camera. We take about 200 pictures in a one-week trip to WDW. However, pictures do not compare to watching your children on video (over & over).

 

[djm99]

My first trip I didn't have a camcorder and wanted one sooooo bad. The second trip I took it and used it very little. I hated that I got soooo little on tape and was really "upset" at myself for not having a lot on film. Our 3rd trip - oh boy!!! I got lots of footage and now with my DVD recorder and me learning how to edit - all I can say is one day (like 20 years from now) this DVD is going to be timeless. I got sooo much on tape - all of Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King Show, and sooooo much more. When I returned home and showed it to my family and friends, they said its like they have experienced Disney and based off my video they want to return with us next summer. Now, I will admit that carrying both a Camcorder and Digital camera was a hassle and sometimes timely (trying to get both a wave from characters and pictures).

So just last month I purchased a camcorder with still pictures capture capabilities (MiniDV). Again oh boy!!! I used it a few weeks and I didn't need my digital samara once. I got the Canon ZR80. It was soooo easy to use and upload like my digital camera. Now I will still use my digital camera (because it is much smaller) but when I want to use both - the Canan is coming with me!!! And just to let you know, the canan is small (smaller than my hand), but I've seen some really little ones - like Sharp's and Panasonics (they are "pocket" sized MiniDV's).



Canon Camcorder - new "toy"

 

[DisneyPete]

We have always brought our video camera and we all love watching our trip when we get home. But the bigger, older camera was becoming a hassle and I noticed that we did little filming one trip.

So, I invested in a new one. A Mini DV that is smaller than most 35mm cameras and on our last trip we used it more than ever. It also takes digital pictures and that was a big plus! Would never go without it now and at about $250 (JVC DX75) it wasn't a huge burden to purchase.

 

[MissionMouse]

The fact you are asking us sort of gives me the thought you do not take a lot of video to begin with.

1) If you don't bring it, you can't use it.
2) If you bring it, you have the option to use it.
3) If you bring the video camera it does not mean you have to carry it around and use it.

When people have a single function video camera I perceive they take long segments of film that put people to sleep, unless you take it home and download to your hard drive and edit it.

The best is a hand sized, dual function, high resolution digital camera (4 megapixel or higher) allowing you to take still photos (JPEG) and short movies (MPEG). These short little mpegs are great and typically will hold the interest of any future viewer.

 

[Stitchfan]

The first time we took our camcorder to WDW we barely used it, but when we got home we had a blast watching the video and wished we had filmed more. Every trip since then we bring it with us and we'll be bringing it again when we head down in 15 days!! We also brought a regular camera with us and still took plenty of pics and I was still able to make a rather large scrapbook. As the previous posted said, as long as you bring it you'll at least have the option of using it.

 

[kelscross]

Last year for my birthday my husband bought me a video camera that also takes still digital pictures. It is small so it was very convenient. I took video of everything! The parades, the shows. The girls love watching it.

This year I took the same camera but used the pictures more as I wanted to see things live instead of through a lens.

I would say for your first trip take the video camera, but if you can get one of those combos so that you don't have to fuss with two things.

Have fun!

 

[montblanc]

I bring a film camera and a camcorder every time I go to Disney. I don't use them every day of the vacation and it really isn't a bother (I use a hip pack). The memories are wonderful...

 

[Cinderellagrl]

My 5 yr old daughter was pulled into the Festival of the Lion King for the encore. I really wish I would've had a video camera with me. I took a few pics, but they didn't get. I really regret not having it on video.