Tripod Storage in the MK?

[kcb1dizbksfan]

Well my trip to WDW is fast approaching 7/3 and in over 30 visits in 3 decades this will be my first time to experience what I heard are to be spectacular fireworks at the MK on 7/4. I plan to be there early and leave late and will not be going back to POR - Riverside for fear of never getting let back into the MK.

My question to the group is whether or not the MK has storage facilities other than the lockers that would accept storage of my tripod for the day. I don't want to be lugging this gear around the park during the heat of the day, but will need it at nite for the fireworks display.

BTW . . . I am in Long Island right now and the weather is sweltering . . . Orlando has to be cooler than here!

DR NYKCB (Ken)

 

[barrie]

I've used the smaller locker to store my tripod. It fits if I take the ball head off and put it in from corner to opposite corner, but it's a travel size tripod. I think you can also give it to the cast members where you rent the lockers to store it in the back for you if it doesn't fit in the larger lockers. I don't know of anywhere else in the park to store it.

 

[kcb1dizbksfan]

Thxs ... I just don't want to have to lug it around all day with a heavy gadget bag and myself!

DR NYKCB (Ken)

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

Orlando has to be cooler than here!

Dream on. Tripple digits and brutal here, yesterday.

Before you leave, put a name/address/phone label on your tripod. As PP says, if it doesn't fit in your locker, you can hand it to the cast member to hold for you in the back. I didn't realize until I was in the park that there was nothing on my tripod that identified it as mine, and had to improvise.

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

BTW, we'll also be in the park on the 4th. I've decided not to photograph the fireworks, though. I've taken pictures of Wishes and Illuminations already this trip, and I've decided I want to just enjoy watching the special show on the Fourth. I also figure that, since the 4th is usually a full-capacity day at MK, it would be more of a hassle to try to set up a tripod on Main Street. I don't particularly want to have to be there hours early to stake out a spot.

 

[mom2rtk]

Dream on. Tripple digits and brutal here, yesterday.

Before you leave, put a name/address/phone label on your tripod. As PP says, if it doesn't fit in your locker, you can hand it to the cast member to hold for you in the back. I didn't realize until I was in the park that there was nothing on my tripod that identified it as mine, and had to improvise.

I second labeling the tripod itself. My case has a label, but I didn't stop to put it in the case last year on the way out of Osborne lights, just carried it onto the bus...... and promptly left it there. I really thought I'd never see it again. I got lucky though and lost and found came though.

Just curious what anyone has used to label theirs? I'm thinking of just taping over some paper but would love other ideas.

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

Just curious what anyone has used to label theirs? I'm thinking of just taping over some paper but would love other ideas.

Had I done mine at home, I probably would have just used one of my return address labels, added the phone number with a pen, then put packing tape over it. Because I was doing it on-the-fly in the park, I took a tag off another bag. Most of my camera stuff has the little metal ID tags that you can get out of the machine in the entrance hall at most Wal-Marts. I think the exact one I use is intended to be a dog collar. It's just big enough for my name and phone number, and small enough that I can attach it to the neck strap attachment point without it getting in the way.

 

[photo_chick]

Nothing useful about storing a tripod, but have fun watching the fireworks. I was totally unprepared for how different the show is than Wishes. It's not centered around the castle, it's all around the park so there aren't a lot of bad views.

 

[Ninja Mom]

I have found that the locker place at the MK will store over-sized bags that don't fit in a locker for you. They just put a paper tag on the item and give you a receipt that you must show them each time you need to access your bag or item. They will store your items in a large closet off to the side of the locker area.

 

[kcb1dizbksfan]

Thanks everyone for the advice . . . so for those of you Dis'rs who have been to the MK on the 4th, if fireworks are all around, then where is the optimal place to position myself away from the crowds on main street (and everywhere else), with my tripod?

KCB

 

[Ninja Mom]

Ak dpotn h swkng ro whe cingtw nrfk msicyr

 

[photo_chick]

Thanks everyone for the advice . . . so for those of you Dis'rs who have been to the MK on the 4th, if fireworks are all around, then where is the optimal place to position myself away from the crowds on main street (and everywhere else), with my tripod?

KCB

I'd still want the castle in my shots. Any other setup and you're just shooting fireworks, not shooting fireworks at the Magic Kingdom to me. And you'll need to be a few hours early if you want a place on Main Street. We headed that way about an hour before hand and the closest we could get was near Tomorrowland Speedway, and this was on the 3rd. I imagine that it is worse on the 4th.

 

[Mr.MouseFan]

I know you probably want the castle in the shot, but if I were there, I'd be taking pics from the beach at Poly. You get all of the fireworks in the shot as well as the flag and stars light up barges out on Seven Seas Lagoon. And less crowded too!

 

[mom2rtk]

I know you want the castle in the shot, but if I were there, I'd be taking pics from the beach at Poly. You get all of the fireworks in the shot as well as the flag and stars light up barges out on Seven Seas Lagoon. And less crowded too!

And I bet you could capture more of the scale of the event too!

 

[2Tiggies]

Had I done mine at home, I probably would have just used one of my return address labels, added the phone number with a pen, then put packing tape over it. Because I was doing it on-the-fly in the park, I took a tag off another bag. Most of my camera stuff has the little metal ID tags that you can get out of the machine in the entrance hall at most Wal-Marts. I think the exact one I use is intended to be a dog collar. It's just big enough for my name and phone number, and small enough that I can attach it to the neck strap attachment point without it getting in the way.

I love that idea! It looks really good too. I am going to borrow that idea just because it serves the purpose in a way that looks really good

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

We were in MK, last night, for the first night of 4th of July fireworks. (Disney put a flyer under our door encouraging resort guests to do MK on the 3rd and select another park for the 4th. I think they're trying to alleviate a little of the MK crowd on the 4th.)

After a day of bright sunshine and high heat all day, a thunderstorm decided to roll in about an hour before the fireworks were supposed to start. It certainly made keeping our position at the hub more interesting. Soggy, but at least it broke the heat. By 9:00, the rain had mostly stopped, but they made an announcement that fireworks would be delayed. There was no mention of a new time. We could see people working on the castle and surrounding walls, I guess checking the launchers.

Every 15 minutes, they repeated the same message, that the fireworks were delayed due to the weather.

At 9:45, they announced that the fireworks would start "around" 10:00. They actually started around 10:10. That was a long time to be standing in the hub.

Most of the show was centered behind the castle. There was, however, a second group of fireworks going off from one of the islands in the Seven Seas Lagoon (I think). So, if you looked behind you, you'd also see fireworks over the train station. Only during the finale (the Star Spangled Banner) did fireworks truly surround you on all sides.

So if you're in the park, set up as if you're shooting Wishes. If you're outside the park, I'd think either the Poly beach or T&T ferry landing would be excellent locations to capture the extra set of fireworks.

I won't say this was the most fantastic fireworks display I've ever seen, but it ranks up there. The finale with the national anthem actually brought a tear to my eye.

 

[MolonLabe]

Use a zip-tie to attach the dog tag to your tripods

 

[Lzika]

I have put my collapsible Manfrotto tripod in the Disney lockers on several occasions. Mine collapses pretty small though and if it was much bigger, it would not fit.

That's a great suggestion to make sure the tripod is labeled in case you have to leave it with a cast member.