traveling with film....?

[California Mom]

I have 35 rolls of film that I am taking with us...that I'm sure I will use up! I love pics...especially at WDW!
..will my rolls of film be okay if they are packed in my suitcase that gets thrown, xrayed, dropped, etc? or should I put it on a carry-on? I'm hoping to not have to, since it's a lot of film and will take up a lot of space...but then again I don't want it damaged!

What about on the way back...after using all of the film...where's the best place to put it to transport it home for developing?

THANKS!

 

[Hockeymommy]

I know that going through the x ray can damage film, so carry on or checked there is still a risk. What about picking it up a walmart or target when you get there? I know they carry all the major brands like Fugi and Kodak. If you take the risk you won't know until you try to develop and your pics are a mess or maybe not even there. For us we just error on the side of caution. We went to Hawaii last year and that's what we did, no problems getting them developed at a 1 hour photo. Maybe another option would be just sending it to your resort about a week before you go, saves space and you don't have to stop anywhere after you get there. Hope this helps!

 

[cstwwt]

I just asked our photo store and they said keep all film and any camaras in your carry on. You don't want the film going through the x ray machine.

Wendy

 

[MagicalMom]

I decided to collect a bunch of york & kodak mailing envelopes. I plan to just mail off my used film each evening. Hopefully they'll begin returning not long after we return from our vacation.

 

[California Mom]

Sounds like carry-on is the way to go...but even carry-ons go through machines through security...aren't they xray machines?

 

[scrapperjill]

I've a big PHOTO/PICTURE taker..and took a ton of roll of film last year with us...Seeing that I'm such a big picture person..I didn't want to take ANY chance with my film becoming damaged with the x-ray machines..they say that film under 800 speed should be fine...up to 4 trip through a machine...but I've also heard that since 9/11 alot of places have upgraded their machines to be more powerful...so...I found that I have the right to have ALL of my film and cameras hand checked at security stations...so NO x-ray machines for them...However I also found (through experience durring our trip) that most if not all the security checkers...will tell you it's okay to run them through the machine...but YOU DON'T have to...remember you have the right to have them hand checked. To make it easer they recomend you take the film out of the dark/black/gray cases and keep them in zip lock bags...or get clear cases to put the film in....otherwise they have to open EVERY case...by placing them in a zip lock they can easly see what it is. I had about 5-6 ziplocks with 8-10 rolls per baggie...that made it alot easer for them to check...I also kept the ziplocks in a seperate (gift bag)...so it was easer for me to take out of my carryon and hand to the security checker.

I've gone digital since then...so I don't plan on taking as many rolls of film...but what ever I do take...I will most defiantly have hand checked.

 

[California Mom]

Thanks, Scrapperjill! That's exactly what I was thinking; putting in ziplock bags and request a hand check. My DH will probably think that I'm parnoid...but there's not second chance to capture the Disney magic!

 

[Miller1412]

Definitely DO NOT let them go through the xray machines in your suitcase. They are extremely powerful machines that will cause your film to become very grainy if it is exposed. Photo stores sell bags that protect your film, but my understanding is that after 9/11 xray machines are even more powerful and can still ruin your film in these bags.

You are smart to mail it off. If you have any film that you do carry back, put it in your carry on. You will be glad you did.