To take the video camera, or not

[pixistix]

I had no intentions of taking our video camera on our Aug. Disney World trip. We're truly shooting for bagless! That was until we watched the video (last night) of our 2001 trip. DH, dd's and myself watched it and laughed through the whole video! Of course, we had started the video tape with packing and caught on tape waking up the girls (then 12 and 7) at 3:30 a.m. to go to the airport plus many Disney magic moments on tape such as my dd's first look at the castle.
This time we're staying at a hotel the night before near the airport so there won't be an early wake-up call, but the girls are begging us to make another Disney video and take the video camera along.
Now I'm leaning toward taking it and maybe just not taking it to the parks every day.

 

[scoolover]

At least take it down there so you have the option. I took mine on my honeymoon in 99 and have not watched it since but if you watch it then it is a good idea. Tell the kids that if they want the camera, they have to share bag duty.

 

[jbwolffiv]

I too dont like lugging the bag around but watching the tapes(now DVD's) are a lot of fun. That is all my daughter remembers from her first trip when she was only 16 months old. I say bring it.

 

[daisyduck123]

We spent 9 days at CBR in May..without our video camera. I wish we'd brought it. That was absolutely our best family vacation together ever & I wish we could sit back in our family room & relive some of it on video, but now we can't. I am presently completing a gorgeous scrapbook of our trip, but it's not the same.

Next time, we're going to bring the video camera for sure, but it won't be the same trip, the kids will be a little older, etc. I say BRING IT!!

 

[GarrettJD]

I'd say bring it. Better to have it and not use it than leave it at home and wish you had brought it.

Personally, I couldn't go without my camera. Video is an "amateur" hobby of mine, and I enjoy the process of editing and putting together a finished vacation DVD almost as much as I enjoy WDW. (Almost. ) My camera is very small and light, and I carry a small camera bag, so it doesn't really become a burden.

 

[disgram]

When we first started carrying a video camera to the park, It was a HUGE thing that got old very fast carrying. We only had it with us for one or two parks! We left it home after that trip. A few years later, my DD and DGDs and I went again but with a smaller but still heavy camcorder. Unfortunately, I had not learned how to use it and I have some very interesting shots of people's feet, and some humungus butts!!! Now I am planning a trip for August and about two weeks ago I went and got a small, cute, liteweight camcorder! I just love it! I am practicing now so that I won't embarrass anyone on the trip this year!!!!
But you know, the films that I took before are very precious to look at and I would not trade them for the world! So I say, take it! Just watch what you are filming!!

 

[Gradar1]

I'd say take it. Even if you don't use it, at least you have the option. Home movies catch moments of your vacation that pictures just can't describe--and can make you laugh even years later.

 

[mejaie]

We took ours and filmed about two tapes worth, The other day we were deciding what to do next trip, and we remembered that each night we set up the camera and did a recap of the day. So our vote is take the camera.

 

[Torontogal]

BRING IT!
I am in love with my camera. I walk around everywhere with mine and love it. I have taken about 18 video tapes of my children from birth to now. They are 3 and 6 and have every major milestone on tape. The children love watching themselves on video and esp. love watching their Disney trips. I do too. The parades always look so fantastic on video and I always notice details that I never noticed the previous time. The only time we never took our camera was on our honeymoon and our tri around the world. I still regret it to this day!
Is it a hassle to carry? Yes, it is but remember you can now get smaller and lighter cameras. Have fun!

 

[NJDisneymom]

I couldn't imagine NOT having ours with us!!! My kids watch both of our trips all the time and its so neat to see how they have grown from one trip to the next (we only go every 2 years or so).

My camcorder is even smaller than my regular digital camera so carrying it around is no problem at all for me.

 

[Jennick]

I also would say bring it. Just to be safe. We just cannot get those memories back. One year at Christmas my daughter wanted to be the camcorder operator, so we let her. We bust out laughing everytime we watch the video. The whole tape is filmed upside down and sideways , (she thought it was like her regular camera, where if you turn it one way you get a horizontal shot and the other way you get a vertical shot).
But its the memory of that day that we can relive over and over again.
Have a wonderful trip!!!! We leave Saturday for AKL ....can't wait to get there!!!!!!!!!

 

[Perditamarie]

I read on these boards somewhere that you can have the pictures from photopass organized into a photo-movie, with some music and enhancements added. I believe the price was around $50, and they said you could do it online after your trip and even add some of your own digital photos (I think up to 116 photos total). I thought that sounded fantastic, and knowing so ahead of time, you could plan to pose for a ton of photopass pics.

But, after reading this thread, there is no way you would capture the funny, candid moments. Now I will have to reconsider taking ours -- maybe it's not too big after all -- they are only so little once. I really like the idea of doing a re-cap of the day and filming packing, etc.

 

[donna in Oz]

We don't like carrying it in the parks each day, but in the evenings, we would gather 'round the pool and talk about the day's events and laugh. We taped those evening conversations, so that the memories wouldn't be forgotten.

 

[stites1]

I was wondering the same thing, but I think we'll take it. The idea of reliving the trip a few years later is almost irresitable.