Tripods for Disney World

[Joe0921]

I am going back and forth in selecting a tripod for an upcoming Disney trip and I am looking for suggestions. Is a full size tripod the way to go? What is the minimum height I should get and whats the maximum height I should get? I have also thought about getting one of the smaller ones and putting it a trash can or something when I need to use it. ie for fireworks and such. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank You!

 

[MouseBrayden]

Hey Joe!

I have been taking photography and making videos for a few years now at Walt Disney World. Tripods can become quite a hassle and it is hard to decide what to bring.

There are four routes you can take to getting a stable photo/video in WDW without straining your back/arms etc.

Option 1) Bring a good tripod. I used to bring a tripod that costed slightly over $50 dollars to the parks. It was quite heavy, so I bought a locker to store it in. The lockers are quite small, so you have to fit it in diagonally. You will most likely have to disassemble parts of it to fit it inside. The benefit is high-quality pictures/video as well as less chance of people trying to stand/sit infront of you because it looks pretty professional and you mean business. xD The con is the hassle of running back and forth from your locker when you need it and when you don't need it. One other thing to note, if you give back your key and receipt from when you purchased your locker for the day, you get a portion of the charge put back on your card!

Option 2) Buy a cheap tripod down in Orlando at a Walmart or Target. I use this option now. They are generally easy to fit in a locker and if worse comes to worse, you can throw it out! I grabbed at $10 tripod from the local Orlando Walmart on my latest visit, got some great, stable footage. This option costs you less and gives you a bit more freedom. The only con is that you may need to hold on to the tripod to keep it grounded. People sitting infront of you in parades and such can cause a disturbance otherwise.

Option 3) Monopod! Don't underestimate these! They can fit in your backpack and no locker will be necessary! Monopods are not going to be as stable as tripods, but they keep the camera grounded and it is a very good option when filming in big crowds. No matter what tripod you get, someone will bump into one of the legs no matter what you do to prevent it. This is a good option to stop that from happening! Also, you can get these cheap down in Orlando like Option 2!

Option 4) Trash Can Mount. Never tried it, to be honest. I have mini-tripods but I never use them in WDW. Relying on the availability of trash cans to get good photos/videos is simply not worth it. The major problem is that despite what you would assume, people love to sit on the trash cans to watch fireworks (especially little kids who need a good view and their parents actually respect that putting your child on your head is very annoying for others trying to get a good view). You will have to get there early. On the off chance one is not being sat on, it is most likely by Casey's Corner (if you are in MK). I have been by that trash can before, tons of people saying excuse me to throw away their garbage and spilling ketchup on you...not a good option! xD

This is my experience and I hope one of these options sparks your interest! If anyone else finds this helpful or has a question, I can help!

Have a Magical Day,
~Brayden

 

[f19810]

Somebody on these boards mentioned the mefoto road trip. It gets good ratings on amazon and some photo websites. It is only 3.6 lbs and about 15 in when folded. The maximum height is 61 inches, so it may not be tall enough for you. I ordered one from amazon to take on my trip in December. My christmas wish for santa is not to have tall people or kids on shoulders in front of me when I am taking fireworks pictures!

 

[HPS3]

I have the Road Trip also and highly recommend it. I also really like the Slik Sprint Pro for lighter loads such as a mirrorless camera or a crop body/kit lens setup. It's lighter than the MeFoto and about the same height.

 

[Joe0921]

Thank you for all the responses on this. It will give me a could base to go off of. I know the smaller it folds to and the higher it gets fully extended. Does anyone know of on that folds to a pretty small size and extends to 60 + inches for like under 50 bucks? I am not really thinking of spending $200 or more on a tripod.

Thanks Guys!

 

[mom2rtk]

I have and really love the Luxi l iii. It's the best balance of height, weight, and portability I could find.

Google "Tom Bricker tripod review". I think you'll find it very helpful.