Video camera in parks?

[LeslieG]

We're going to MK next week. Staying at WL. Our kids are 4 and 6. How many of you take your video cameras with you into the parks? While it would be nice, I'm thinking of the extra weight. Was hoping to only take a fanny pack. Any thoughts?

 

[Kuffam]

I'm a video nut my self (was my profession for a while), but I have to admit that since I had children I really don't take too much footage. While the thought of missing something is terrifing. Being free from the extra weight and responsibility is nice. I would bring a camera for stills.

 

[misandrog]

We plan on taking our video camera, but I have a 4 1/2 yo and a 2 yo and grandparents are telling us that since they can't be there to enjoy them going to WDW for the 1st time, that they want to see video. I agree...one more thing to carry around, but we also are bringing a double stroller that has baskets and we will probably be putting it in there when it is not in use.

 

[all4fun]

If it's really small I say go ahead and bring it. If it's big and you don't think you'll want to lug it around, then I wouldn't. We took one trip with a borrowed VHS-C video camera and I hardly used it because it was just too much to carry around. This last trip I broke down and bought a small mini-DV camcorder and used it quite a bit. It was small enough I could just keep it in my little backpack with my other stuff. I didn't even bother putting it in the camera bag so I could easily pull it out and use it. I just kept a small ziploc bag handy in case it rained or when we were on water rides.

hth!

 

[kcbean]

We take a camcorder on some days. The main reason is we video different things for the kids to watch at home. They love to watch these videos throughout the year to remind them of their trip. It is a pain while we are there but the videos are worth it when we get home. We will do our first day at MK without it and then take it on our second day when we hit all the things we love.

Ten days and counting till WDW!!

 

[RichNKatHolly]

We take our video camera and still camera most days. Our video camera is one of the newer small ones and is very light. In fact our regular camera fits in the same little bag so no problems. When we had one of our old large cameras in 2002 we left it home - too heavy and cumbersome. Could get broken on rides or stolen if left in the stroller IMO.

The kids really enjoy watching the videos I must say. We will bring it along again in November! I just love family videos and the WDW ones are extra special. We have to quickly transfer them to DVD because the kids watch them so much that they often break!

Have fun whatever you decide. Still pictures are still nice too!

 

[NJDisneymom]

I will definately be taking ours. For the past 2 weeks my kids have watched our 2003 tape at least 100 times and that was our old Sharp Viewcam (which still wasn't huge). We now have a real small mini-DV camcorder that fits right in my purse.

DH is usually in charge of the video camera while I take the still pictures (he's clueless with my digital camera).

 

[DZNYMGCFAM]

We always take all our cameras and camcorders to the parks!! The only time we leave it in the room is when we are at waterparks (do not want to leave it unattended or chance it getting wet). We just bought a new one last year and it fits into my husbands pocket. We just usually carry it into the shows or onto the rides with us (well at least my husband does )

 

[Stitchfans]

I brought our camcorder and my 35MM still camera. I am so glad I did. Our camcorder is small enough that is wasn't that much of a bother. We taped Wishes, Illuminations, Fantasmic, Festival of the Lion King, Share a Dream Come True parade, Beauty and the Beast, and there may be more can't thing of rest. We had all sorts of magical interations with many characters. Now my daughters can look back at all those wonderful memories. My dh hates video taping so I tried to video tape and take pictures at the same time and that is not easy. I still got 3 hrs and 10 minutes of video and about 150 pictures. Thank goodness for the CMs cause they took some of the stills for me. I actually had one small part on the video were I am video taping windows, the ground, and my chest since I wasn't aware the camcorder was on while I tried to juggle the camera and snap pictures and then video tape immediately after. My family got a good laugh over that. I did my best to catch all the magic.

 

[2dogmom]

Ditto Stitchfans. I can't tell you how many times my girls are watching our videos from the previous trips, gearing up for this one. Even my almost 2yo will sit still long enough to watch much of it. And it is so fun to listen to them talk about wanting to go on all of the rides again and go swimming in THAT pool and...

I will definitely bring mine again.

 

[eileds]

I say take it. My 3 kids watch the video of our Florida hols quite a lot and to be honest it can capture a lot of things a still camera can't. we were watching it the other night and it showed my 3 in Epcot in line at USA waiting to get their passport stamped at the Kidcot station. They are dancing to the live music (which happened to be Davy Jones of the Monkees), then they climb on a small wall near some Mickey and Minnie topiaries and carry on their dancing antics - it is fabulous. the kids think its great fun and it makes you smile and think that its not all about Mickey and Minnie, and that it is about fun, fun, fun and just having the best time ever!

 

[flipturngirl]

I think that it would be easier to bring a camera. We brought a video camera two years and we hardly got anything. the things that we did get was from the trip down and back. Camera's are easier. you could get disposibles and have one for you and your kids and spouse if you trust your kids then when you get back scan them in and make a slideshow with them all and pretend it is a movie..

 

[kparc]

Take lots of blank video cartridges with you! They are very expensive at the parks or resorts! You can buy a pack of 3 at Wal Mart/Target/K-mart for the price of one at the parks or resorts!

 

[Yak]

I have what I consider to be priceless footage of my (at the time) 2 daughters walking hand in hand toward Cinderella's castle for CRT breakfast. The park had not opened yet and we had Main street to ourselves. So, yes, it's a pain to carry, but the video camera will be running when DD #3 joins her sisters on that stroll to the castle for her first time.

 

[patrenoe]

We take both video recorder and digital camera. Both are small and very easy to manage. We also bring our laptop so we can download each night and the print the pictures in our room. How crazy is that? lol

 

[DisneyJen0504]

Bring it!!
We brought our video camera (very small) and our digital on our honeymoon last year and we took the digital camera everywhere,all the time and brought the video camera out with us maybe 3 or 4 times for special stuff like MK and fireworks and Illuminations. We watch it and laugh so hard at some of the stuff we did and said...or the way we looked!! I think it is nice to have so we like to bring it with us, and use it when we want to. If the video camera is small enough, it really is not much extra to carry and soooo worth it-especially with kids!!!

 

[SqueakyMouse]

Usually, we lug all of our cameras with us and end-up using only our digital. Dh just bought me (hmm, did I even ask for this??) a new digital video camera for Mother's Day. It's so small, it will just about fit in a pocket -- definitely in a fanny pack. If I figure out how everything works before we leave in 11 days, it may become my new best friend. We'll see....