To Video or Not to Video

[brenda1966]

I'm having a hard time deciding whether to bring my video camera along on this trip. I generally just use it around home for birthdays and dance recitals. I don't even watch what I tape so I suspect I'm not a good videographer. Still photos are my passion and I'll be taking my camera and many rolls of film.

This is the first time I'll be at Disney with my daughter and some extra sets of hands who could help carry, hold the video camera. But the thought of lugging that thing around and on the plane and having to worry about where it is just doesn't appeal to me much.

Any comments, advice, experiences that could help me decide? Thanks!

 

[Glynis]

I'm having a hard time deciding whether to bring my video camera along on this trip. I generally just use it around home for birthdays and dance recitals. I don't even watch what I tape so I suspect I'm not a good videographer. Still photos are my passion and I'll be taking my camera and many rolls of film.

This is the first time I'll be at Disney with my daughter and some extra sets of hands who could help carry, hold the video camera. But the thought of lugging that thing around and on the plane and having to worry about where it is just doesn't appeal to me much.

Any comments, advice, experiences that could help me decide? Thanks!

We just got back from DL, and this was the first year we had a video camera to take with us. My hubby is a professional videographer, so I pretty much left it in his hands. If it had been up to me, I probably wouldn't have done it, but I'm so glad he did. Still photos are great, but there's something wonderful about having your kids exclamations, laughter, and sometimes tantrums on tape. You can capture glimpses of them on stills, but the video is really special. We have already watched our video many, many times.

Just my opinion. If you have someone to help you, I don't think you'll be sorry.

 

[noryglory]

Unless you have a brand-new super small and lightweight camera (which it sounds like you do NOT) I would skip it. I still have all my memories of going to Disneyland as a child (not to mention a few still photos!) and that's what counts. If you are busy trying to capture these fabulous moments you won't be enjoying them as much yourself.

Perhaps give yourself a compromise: If you DO bring it, you limit yourself to dragging into the park for one morning or afternoon to "get it on film" and then give yourself a break and leave it back at the hotel for the rest of the time!

Just because a technology exists does not mean you MUST use it or feel guilty because you didn't!

 

[All Aboard]

Of the hundreds of hours of home video tape that we have, perhaps our most treasured is the video of our daughter's first trip to WDW. So, my vote is yes.

 

[astroboy]

I'm a big fan of shooting video, so I vote yes too!

 

[tink too]

My DH would say no as he always moans that he has to carry it about! I on the other hand, always take our video camera on vacation as you just don't know what kids will do (or characters for that matter!)

I agree though that you could limit yourself and leave it in the hotel room safe sometimes to give yourself a break from lugging it around!

 

[jencav5]

I vote yes! You just can't capture with a camera, a ride on the carousel with Wendy, Peter Pan & Captain Hook, the same as with a video! My kids love to watch themselves on the rides over and over again-especially when they're lucky enough to get on with a character! Also, sometimes video is better for meeting characters if it's in a crowd-a quick hug is sometimes hard to get with a camera. I use my camera more, but I like the video available. You should really consider (if you don't have already) a small video camera that also takes a memory stick-that's what I use and it works great!

 

[kmsandrbs]

For us, it worked well to do a mixture. We brought the video camera, but brought it to the parks sparingly. However, we always had our digital camera which will also take video, although not really high quality (not horrible, though). This allowed us to take short videos ( a couple of minutes) a couple of times a day without having to lug the video camera everywhere.

 

[lark]

You need to have some discipline with it, I think. We went to DL last year and took video and it turned out great and we watch it alot. On the trip up to DL this year, the camera actually broke, and I was tempted to go out and try to buy a new one on the spot. Not having it was a bummer.

The key, in my opinion, is to take short clips -- a minute or so at a time -- and not overdo it. If you make it an obsession to get every last thing on tape, you'll find yourself missing nothing on the tape but missing virtually everything of the experience. In other words, if you think you're likely to make the trip all about gathering video, rather than gathering video of the trip, you may regret it, if that makes sense.

The one thing I simply will never understand is the seeming obsession with some guests at DL who appear to be taking extended video of objects that do not move.

 

[LucyKate]

I disagree with the above - I reckon the key is to take heaps and then EDIT! I took about 2 hours of video in Disneyland and it ended up being 15 minutes on the DVD after editing. (5.5 hours filmed in the US made a nice 50 minute movie).

No one, not your wife, not your best friend, not your family should EVER be made to watch a second of unedited home movies.....

But it's always a balance - taking a video means you end up spending the holiday seeing everything through the view finder, not taking it means not being able to relive those wonderful holiday memories and see precious film of your children. I think the memories and keeping, forever, those images of my girls, makes it all worthwhile.

Some tips though
- don't bother filming inside the dark rides, Unless you have extremely good equipment none of it works out (apart from Small world).
- Film rides twice, once while you are on them, and once from outside (Splash Mountain for example) to get some perspective.
- After a few minutes all the fireowrks look the same
- Film the entire parade, then edit it later, and replace the sound with a copy of the Parade soundtrack purchased on a CD.

 

[hookem59]

I shot a couple of hours of video there last month, and most of it is pretty unimpressive. However, I did get all of the fireworks and Fantasmic shows from good vantage points. After we got back, I got CDs with the soundtracks on them, matched the CD audio with the video, and ended up with pretty good movies of those two things.

 

[brenda1966]

Thanks everyone for the advice -- it has been helpful. My video camera is not digital and I don't have the skills or patience to edit and add music, but I will be taking the camera and will take it into the park on our EE day and get some fun shots of my daughter in Fantasyland. If it goes well I'll take it along to our Princess lunch at Ariel's grotto.

I totally agree about trying to film everything and feeling like you're not even there. That's how I feel at my daughter's dance recitals. She's on stage for all of 5 minutes and I've got my head stuck in a camera and really don't get the full enjoyment. I won't let that happen at DL!

 

[Brina78]

I've gone to conventions with my friend from Michigan and she videotapes a lot of the panel discussions. Mainly because on stage are actors we like. The discussions can get very, very, boring, but every so often, the actor will do/say something funny and it's hard to edit! On my last trip back east with her, she recorded A LOT of footage, mostly of us walking around towns. I fast-forwarded heaps of it and wish she saved the footage (and battery!) for more important things.

With DL, I would bring a video camera to record shows, such as the fireworks and the Parade of Dreams. Also, interaction with characters. That's usually cute to watch. But, attractions? Meh. Well, I'm a CA resident and can go to DL as many times as I want. Those who don't get to come out here that often may want to record attractions, or the ones where they're allowed to. I know if I ever go to FL (or Tokyo Disney OR Euro Disney!), I would want to bring a video camera and record as much as possible.

SO! With that, sure, bring a video camera. It's always good to carry one for such a place!

 

[disneychrista]

After spending way too much on a video camera a few years back. I have learned for the most part, I am too involved in experiencing what I am doing to video or even take pictures of.

 

[Dale-n-Chip]

Back in the 60s (pre-me), my parents took my two brothers to DL along with their "video camera" (what did they call the old cameras pre-video??). The family has laughed ever since, because when they finally watched the movies, there would be two minutes of family and then a shot of the monorail. Followed by two minutes of family, and another shot of the monorail going by. Followed by two minutes of family and yet another--you guessed it!--shot of the monorail.

My father was obsessed with the monorail. We're taking DM and DF back in December and I should definitely find a monorail gift of some sort.

Thanks for bringing back a great family memory!!