To bring the video camera or not?

[BeckityBobbidyBoo!]

We have never used our camcorder on vacation, it seems like a pain, but I think my kids would get a kick out of reliving the trip. What do you do?

 

[mrsmarilyn]

We're not big video people but I just picked up a video camera for this trip. A) it's tiny, B) it's digital (uses SD cards and C) it goes underwater! Best part was Amazon had it on a Gold Box special for $149. So we're actually taking one this time.

this is the one: tiny url dot com slash 8zkod

[/B]I really needed it to be small, we travel light in the parks. So i'd say if it is a small camera, go for it. But if it is at all unwieldy or weighty, skip it.

We'll probably forget to use it anyway. But at least I have it ;-)

 

[homedad]

always take the camcorder on vacation, video is priceless

 

[bradisgoofy]

Last year I bought a new Sony HD camcorder that also takes 4 megapixel pictures. So I have two cameras in one.

 

[RMulieri]

I hated bringing ours.Neither DH nor I want to live behind a camera of any kind on out vacation with DD.It stayed in the room.We took regular digital pics and used photopass.

 

[lisadr]

As much as I hate carrying that thing around, I have loved every minute of watching the stuff we taped once got home. I have also gotten things on tape that made me forget the sore muscles and aggravation of dragging it around. Nothing beats having my 7yo doing the "Robot" at the block party bash .

 

[tinkerlisa]

After our last trip, I swore I would NEVER take the camcorder again! I was the one who wore the backpack that housed it. My back hurt so bad the rest of the vacation!
This Christmas though, Hubby bought me a new one! Its lightweight and small so I will take it this time!
I like taking it! I think its fun to relive the "active" memories! We taped the Halloween parade when we went and we love watching it over and over again!

 

[Colinsmom]

We took it the first time and never used it. Now, we just use the video mode on our regular digital camera whenever we want to capture a moment. We took video (no flash) on some of my 2yo's favorite rides so that he could revisit bits and pieces, including the music. He absolutely loves hearing the Nemo ride again (video didn't come out well - it was dark) and seeing the "mike mikes" outside of Nemo.

 

[PollyannaMom]

We have a very small one now, and do take it, but we used to have a huge, bulky one that was not worth carrying on vacation. So for one trip, we bought a "disposable" one at CVS. - They are tiny, and shoot about an hour, I think - which was great for capturing the "moving snapshots" we wanted without being behind the camera all trip. You turn the whole thing in, and they process it and give you a CD. We watched for a sale, so I don't remember it being hugely expensive (but it was quite a while ago), and the processing was included.

 

[wdwmom0f3]

Yes, take it. The videos are priceless.

 

[MnMomW3Boys]

We take ours, it is kind of a pain, but I still have a stroller and a diaper bag so I just throw it iin there whenit's not in use. My boys love watching the videos...they really are priceless.

 

[KYMickey]

We're not big video people but I just picked up a video camera for this trip. A) it's tiny, B) it's digital (uses SD cards and C) it goes underwater! Best part was Amazon had it on a Gold Box special for $149. So we're actually taking one this time.

this is the one: tiny url dot com slash 8zkod

[/B]I really needed it to be small, we travel light in the parks. So i'd say if it is a small camera, go for it. But if it is at all unwieldy or weighty, skip it.

We'll probably forget to use it anyway. But at least I have it ;-)

Can you please repair the link you tried to put in this posting? It sounds very interesting and I'd like to take a look at it.
Thanks!

 

[luv2go2disney]

We always pick a few times to take our video camera into the park that way we werent stuck carrying it around the whole time. We made sure to get first interactions with Mickey and Friends, parades, fireworks, etc.

If you don't want to carry your video camera, do you have a digital camera that has video option? I just burned a bunch of these videos from my camera onto DVD after getting a new laptop for xmas and they turned out pretty good. So maybe this could be an option for you, just make sure you pick up a big memory card as the videos do take up a lot of space on the card.

 

[NY_MOM]

If you have little ones, I would say absolutely YES! It's great for them to see themselves and relive the parades and shows. They also love seeing themselves..my DD5 loves to watch herself. It will also be good for you when the kiddies are older to relive those moments. I find myself really loving video from when DD started talking and really developing her own personality. We have a really small sony which weighs next to nothing... and fits in one hand when recording. Happy Taping!!!

 

[BABY_EINSTEIN'S_MOM]

Absolutely!!!!! I will probably still watch the videos when I am old and the kids have moved out!! It IS priceless to have videos of your children meeting characters for the first time, etc. etc.!! My kids even love watching things like the parade in AK over and over again!! The video is so much more that just looking at pics. Looking at a pic does not bring back the same amount of emotion as watching a video!
And my only piece of advice.... while watching our old videos the other day, I told dh that this time I want more footage of our actual children and less of the parades, shows, etc. I didn't realize that I had so much more of the "stuff" and not enough of our kids enjoying it! So make sure to get alot of actual "people" enjoying Disney and not just "Disney"!!

 

[brockash]

We have never used our camcorder on vacation, it seems like a pain, but I think my kids would get a kick out of reliving the trip. What do you do?

We bring it, and yes it's a pain. I really wish I could hire some type of camera crew to do all the video taping for our stuff, especially our Disney trips , but until then, we still do it, and I still think it's well worth it. I love seeing our memories, and I know they'll be growing up way too fast. One thing I did a lot more for our last trip was use my camera's video. I think I can only video on my camera for a few minutes at a time, but it worked pretty well, and I used the video camera for parades ect.

 

[FoundMyPrince]

No, we don't. We can, however, take short videos with our small digital camera. The smaller videos are better, in my opinion, than taping an entire parade, etc. Get a big ole' memory stick and say good bye to the camcorder!

 

[James65]

What do you do with the camera while you go on a ride? Have you ever left it in the stroller?

 

[FoundMyPrince]

What do you do with the camera while you go on a ride? Have you ever left it in the stroller?

I'm not sure who you are addressing, but if it's me: NO! It's small and not worth the chance of losing $$ by someone swiping it. We take it on rides and take photos.

 

[Razorback]

We use our camcorder everywhere we go. I ususally have about two 60 minute tapes full everytime we go to WDW. We do not watch them until we start planning our next trip and then we will watch last years and usually other years as well. We do the same for birthdays, breach trips and Silver Dollar City.

I agree that they are a pain but those video memories are priceless and someday you will be so glad you have them.

I can't wait to watch these videos with my grandkids and show them how much fun we had taking their dad's to WDW.