What took you so long to get here?! A Dec TR - update 1/28 MVMCP!

[poisonapple_PRINCESS]

Yes - it totally feels like I've known some of these people for a lifetime! I felt the same way (and I think my DH thought I was just a little nuts, but no more so than usual I guess, since I run into people everywhere I go according to him and my bestie) . . . I found two Disboutiquers by recognizing one of their daughters and I looked for lots of others Heck, look at D~ & I - we met on the Dis, we met IRL when she came to my hotel and took me to Target when I volunteered to skip my flight because I was at the Minneapolis airport and knew I could probably deliver a pattern to her in person if I did . . . now we text or call or email regularly!

Jessie was chasing Woody and causing all kinds of trouble (and holding up the line) when we saw them. They had to take them "away" and come back five minutes later to calm her down I did think it was a little crazy how they were tucked back there by the bathrooms at Splash Mountain. . . we never would have seen them back there if DH hadn't ridden SM solo!!!

aw, I'm so bummed I didnt get to meet anyone!

Where Woody and Jessie were, is where the Seven Dwarfs are during the Christmas Party for photo's! So that is how we found them actually

 

[poisonapple_PRINCESS]

 

[Lidian]

Off to a great start! Sorry to hear you weren't feeling well, but hoping you felt better quickly! Did the Dramamine knock you out? If I take it, I'm out for HOURS!

A hair in your oatmeal? YUCk! I would have taken it to the manager. Bleh.

I'm digging the Pac-Man shirt.

Thanks for the room pics! POFQ is the resort I wanted to stay at for our March trip, but the kid's won.... What floor did you get? And did you have a view? Okay, I'm probably getting ahead of you.

Totally can't wait to hear more!!!

 

[RyansMommy1]

Great start to your trip report!! I read your whole PTR one night when I got home from work!! So I'm very excited to hear about your trip!!

 

[DMGeurts]

I love your update!!!

Totally loved the hidden Mickey in the clouds - how perfect!!!

Bummer about being on the wrong side of the plane for the sunrise...

Love your POFQ pictures... I requested bldg 6... So, I am curious how you liked that location??? The good, bad, ugly???? Your room looks amazing... I can't believe I am confining myself to a room that size with my 2 teenage dds... I'll be LUCKY to make it out alive!

I know I am going to fail at the game t-shirt contest... But I will give it a vailent try. :0)

Can't wait to hear about the rest of your trip!!!

D~

 

[Nermel9]

Hi, I'm joining in, your trip sounds like it was a lot of fun! I was just there for a quick Christmas trip too, so I love reading TR's from around the same time!

Great start! I was upset about being on the wrong side of the plane for sunrise too, I have to remember that for our next trip! The hidden Mickey in the clouds is adorable! And POFQ looks beautiful, I love the purple everywhere!

 

[poisonapple_PRINCESS]

Off to a great start! Sorry to hear you weren't feeling well, but hoping you felt better quickly! Did the Dramamine knock you out? If I take it, I'm out for HOURS!

A hair in your oatmeal? YUCk! I would have taken it to the manager. Bleh.

I'm digging the Pac-Man shirt.

Thanks for the room pics! POFQ is the resort I wanted to stay at for our March trip, but the kid's won.... What floor did you get? And did you have a view? Okay, I'm probably getting ahead of you.

Totally can't wait to hear more!!!

No it didnt even make me feel tired??? I didnt realize it was supposed to do that!

We were on the 3rd floor. BOY was that a long walk with suitcases. And no...we didnt have a few.

Great start to your trip report!! I read your whole PTR one night when I got home from work!! So I'm very excited to hear about your trip!!

Thanks for joining! I'm hoping to have another update or two before the weekend is over!

I love your update!!!

Totally loved the hidden Mickey in the clouds - how perfect!!!

Bummer about being on the wrong side of the plane for the sunrise...

Love your POFQ pictures... I requested bldg 6... So, I am curious how you liked that location??? The good, bad, ugly???? Your room looks amazing... I can't believe I am confining myself to a room that size with my 2 teenage dds... I'll be LUCKY to make it out alive!

I know I am going to fail at the game t-shirt contest... But I will give it a vailent try. :0)

Can't wait to hear about the rest of your trip!!!

D~

Well when we were lugging our luggage building six was SOOOO far away. Plus we were on the 3rd floor! But there were buildings even further away than ours so I wasnt complaining too much.

And good luck with the daughters in that room. If they fight often you might be hiding in the bathroom the whole time. But the room itself was great. We had more than enough room for the little time we spent there.

Hi, I'm joining in, your trip sounds like it was a lot of fun! I was just there for a quick Christmas trip too, so I love reading TR's from around the same time!

Great start! I was upset about being on the wrong side of the plane for sunrise too, I have to remember that for our next trip! The hidden Mickey in the clouds is adorable! And POFQ looks beautiful, I love the purple everywhere!

I know! I'm definitely going to remember that for the next time I fly! From what I saw it was gorgeous! And POFQ was so cute. We loved it there and would without a doubt go back!

 

[JessicaKnits]

I can't speak about the Canon, but I just got myself a Nikon Coolpix L120 and am madly in love with it. Its also not super huge, I carry an average size bag and it fits in there and is pretty reasonably priced. Target often has it on sale for $249.99.

 

[mphalens]

Security was a breeze and the airport was dead! We headed to find some breakfast. McDonalds fruit and maple oatmeal, please! I found 2 hairs in it. Thats just something I couldnt stomach regardless of how hungry I was.

Eeww! Yeah, that'd be enough to make me skip breakfast

I took some Dramamine and just kind of chilled the whole way to Florida...but I did spy this in the clouds...

Very cool Hidden Mickey!!! Dramamine non-drowsy knocks me out and the regular doesn't... go figure

We can play a game throughout this TR, because I believe Pat wore a video game shirt just about every day, so we'll play What Video Game Shirt is Pat Wearing TODAY!

And also, Cannon or Nikon? I will never go to Disney again without a better camera. I saw people lugging around monsters. If they can do it, SO CAN I!

PacMan!!!!

And Nikon! I shoot a D80 and LOVE LOVE LOVE it! It's a slightly older model, but that usually means you can get a great deal on it from a reputable camera shop that takes trade ins The D80 is actually what the photopass photographers used to use until Disney upgraded them recently. I had two different photopass guys tell me how much they missed the D80 versus the D90 because it's a good sturdy camera that is very forgiving.
My Dad shoots a D90, but only on automatic mode. It's a great camera too (newer than the D80) and does have a better video feature than the D80. He wants to upgrade to the D7000 and give me his D90 and let me sell the D80 so I can buy a new lense or two, but we'll see . . .

 

[poisonapple_PRINCESS]

I can't speak about the Canon, but I just got myself a Nikon Coolpix L120 and am madly in love with it. Its also not super huge, I carry an average size bag and it fits in there and is pretty reasonably priced. Target often has it on sale for $249.99.

It is so hard to make a decision on cameras!

Eeww! Yeah, that'd be enough to make me skip breakfast



Very cool Hidden Mickey!!! Dramamine non-drowsy knocks me out and the regular doesn't... go figure



PacMan!!!!

And Nikon! I shoot a D80 and LOVE LOVE LOVE it! It's a slightly older model, but that usually means you can get a great deal on it from a reputable camera shop that takes trade ins The D80 is actually what the photopass photographers used to use until Disney upgraded them recently. I had two different photopass guys tell me how much they missed the D80 versus the D90 because it's a good sturdy camera that is very forgiving.
My Dad shoots a D90, but only on automatic mode. It's a great camera too (newer than the D80) and does have a better video feature than the D80. He wants to upgrade to the D7000 and give me his D90 and let me sell the D80 so I can buy a new lense or two, but we'll see . . .

So is there a huge difference in your photos than photos using a point and shoot camera?

I find that I'm just not satisfied with the quality of the photos I took on my trip. Especially not the night time ones. It was very difficult to get a good night photo with my camera, which I understand might be from not using a tripod? But My bf's point and shoot camera managed to get a handful of good night shots. Camera shopping is TOUGH!

 

[mphalens]

It is so hard to make a decision on cameras!



So is there a huge difference in your photos than photos using a point and shoot camera?

I find that I'm just not satisfied with the quality of the photos I took on my trip. Especially not the night time ones. It was very difficult to get a good night photo with my camera, which I understand might be from not using a tripod? But My bf's point and shoot camera managed to get a handful of good night shots. Camera shopping is TOUGH!

I see a huge difference between point and shoot pictures and the pictures I get on my D80. Take, for example, some of the pictures my mom took on our trip versus pictures I took at the same time. When I start to edit, I run into problems doing much of anything to her pictures and she shoots a panasonic point & shoot.
That said, I notice a difference between some of my pictures and my dad's. The difference there is that I shoot in manual (90% of the time) and he shoots in automatic, letting the camera decide the settings for the picture rather than me doing it myself. Some of your nighttime stuff, yes, it would be related to having or not having a tripod, but some of it is just being able to change your settings on a DSLR vs not on a point and shoot.

Does that help at all? There are tons and tons of online tutorials and classes, etc. that you can watch/take/do to learn how to use a DSLR in manual (learning the settings, etc) - I ended up taking a class here in Charlotte that my parents gave me as my Christmas present last year, but that was because I couldn't get much of ANYTHING done around here with my two little "helpers" - so the class was my "me" time AND my way of learning about a Digital SLR vs a Film SLR (which I used to shoot in high school and college when I was on the newspaper and yearbook staffs).

 

[disneydreamingdebby]

Great start! It's awesome that your flight was early. It meant you had the whole day ahead of you!

My opinion on the camera discussion: Using a DSLR is a huge commitment. You really have to enjoy taking pictures. I used a Nikon Coolpix P&S (bought the first one when my girls were infants and purchased a replacement one when they were five.) I loved the camera. It took great shots. Then, I decided I wanted to do more.

I purchased a Canon Xsi. I found that I really just wanted to carry the point and shoot in the parks at the beginning of our vacation last year. The DSLR is large. I also still didn't fully understand how to use it other than the automatic settings. Hands down, the picture quality is better on a DSLR.

Fast forward to this trip - I finally understand the manual settings and what to do to operate the DSLR. I carried it to the parks every day. I didn't use the flash 99% of the time; I swapped lenses for different occasions. I still have a lot to learn, but I wouldn't trade the quality, and I no longer am bothered by the size. (I still use my iPhone for capturing moments of our lives when I just don't have the DSLR available.)

I think the technology of the point and shoot has come a long way. If you want to be able to shove a camera in your pocket, this is the way to go. I love the new Nikon Coolpixes and have some friends who use them. If you really want to get into photography, you are ready for the DSLR.

 

[poisonapple_PRINCESS]

I see a huge difference between point and shoot pictures and the pictures I get on my D80. Take, for example, some of the pictures my mom took on our trip versus pictures I took at the same time. When I start to edit, I run into problems doing much of anything to her pictures and she shoots a panasonic point & shoot.
That said, I notice a difference between some of my pictures and my dad's. The difference there is that I shoot in manual (90% of the time) and he shoots in automatic, letting the camera decide the settings for the picture rather than me doing it myself. Some of your nighttime stuff, yes, it would be related to having or not having a tripod, but some of it is just being able to change your settings on a DSLR vs not on a point and shoot.

Does that help at all? There are tons and tons of online tutorials and classes, etc. that you can watch/take/do to learn how to use a DSLR in manual (learning the settings, etc) - I ended up taking a class here in Charlotte that my parents gave me as my Christmas present last year, but that was because I couldn't get much of ANYTHING done around here with my two little "helpers" - so the class was my "me" time AND my way of learning about a Digital SLR vs a Film SLR (which I used to shoot in high school and college when I was on the newspaper and yearbook staffs).

Great start! It's awesome that your flight was early. It meant you had the whole day ahead of you!

My opinion on the camera discussion: Using a DSLR is a huge commitment. You really have to enjoy taking pictures. I used a Nikon Coolpix P&S (bought the first one when my girls were infants and purchased a replacement one when they were five.) I loved the camera. It took great shots. Then, I decided I wanted to do more.

I purchased a Canon Xsi. I found that I really just wanted to carry the point and shoot in the parks at the beginning of our vacation last year. The DSLR is large. I also still didn't fully understand how to use it other than the automatic settings. Hands down, the picture quality is better on a DSLR.

Fast forward to this trip - I finally understand the manual settings and what to do to operate the DSLR. I carried it to the parks every day. I didn't use the flash 99% of the time; I swapped lenses for different occasions. I still have a lot to learn, but I wouldn't trade the quality, and I no longer am bothered by the size. (I still use my iPhone for capturing moments of our lives when I just don't have the DSLR available.)

I think the technology of the point and shoot has come a long way. If you want to be able to shove a camera in your pocket, this is the way to go. I love the new Nikon Coolpixes and have some friends who use them. If you really want to get into photography, you are ready for the DSLR.

Well I really just want better quality photo's but I'm hesitant about the size. I took a digital photography class in high school but that was awhile ago. It seems everyone who uses a DSLR loves it. I guess the only real way I'm going to know if it works for me is if I get my hands on one and try it out. My aunt actually just got one and is learning how to use it....maybe I'll go check hers out.

I saw so many people lugging around these monster cameras, I was wondering how in the world they go on rides?! Are the a pain when it comes to rides?

I guess I'm just going to have to get my hands on my aunts camera to see what I think.

 

[mphalens]

I saw so many people lugging around these monster cameras, I was wondering how in the world they go on rides?! Are the a pain when it comes to rides?

I totally carried my "monster camera" with me every day at the parks. I did NOT carry my camera bag though, because my camera bag doubles as a purse for me (I have a small backpack style bag big enough for my camera with lense and two additional lenses) and I didn't need a purse because I had my Ultimate Park Bag . . . so I'd carry the camera around my neck or occasionally on top of the stroller. I really want to get a neoprene case for my camera for exactly this reason - when I don't need my big camera bag but want some protection for my camera, kwim?
Wow! All that just to basically tell you - if you've got an Ultimate Park bag (which you do - LOVE your Santa Mickey bag!!!) I don't think it's a pain to take your UPB and your DSLR - and I'm usually wrangling two kids onto the ride as well

 

[poisonapple_PRINCESS]

I totally carried my "monster camera" with me every day at the parks. I did NOT carry my camera bag though, because my camera bag doubles as a purse for me (I have a small backpack style bag big enough for my camera with lense and two additional lenses) and I didn't need a purse because I had my Ultimate Park Bag . . . so I'd carry the camera around my neck or occasionally on top of the stroller. I really want to get a neoprene case for my camera for exactly this reason - when I don't need my big camera bag but want some protection for my camera, kwim?
Wow! All that just to basically tell you - if you've got an Ultimate Park bag (which you do - LOVE your Santa Mickey bag!!!) I don't think it's a pain to take your UPB and your DSLR - and I'm usually wrangling two kids onto the ride as well

Thank you! I love my bag! D did such an awesome job!

Do you find that your big camera limits you at all in the parks? With so many people carrying them in the parks, I doubt there are too many limitations but that is what I'm most worried about.

I've been looking at blogs and such online basically drooling over how nice the photo quality is! I guess it's time to start camera shopping

 

[disneydreamingdebby]

I think when you love the camera, the size doesn't matter. I find camera bags annoyingly large. I can't find a perfect one to use as a park bag. My park bag is a Vera Bradley purse size backpack. I am able to fit my Canon, two extra lenses, and a tripod in it.

The only ride where I found the camera troublesome was TOT. I should have put it in my bag (I usually do if I am not taking pictures). Instead, I held it so it wouldn't hit me in the face on the drops.

 

[poisonapple_PRINCESS]

I think when you love the camera, the size doesn't matter. I find camera bags annoyingly large. I can't find a perfect one to use as a park bag. My park bag is a Vera Bradley purse size backpack. I am able to fit my Canon, two extra lenses, and a tripod in it.

The only ride where I found the camera troublesome was TOT. I should have put it in my bag (I usually do if I am not taking pictures). Instead, I held it so it wouldn't hit me in the face on the drops.

ah, well that just gives me an excuse to buy a new Vera!

Well as far as camera shopping goes, I think I'm leaning towards a canon rebel T3 at this very moment. The reviews are good and I've found a few bundles that I'm looking in to.

 

[Merida]

French Quarter looks lovely! What views are available there? We really liked the streets/"interior" part of FQ but we also really enjoyed our river view at Riverside.

I liked having my camera (Canon T2i), but I definitely saw a lot of people with similar models who seemed to have no idea how to utilize them properly. I think it depends what you want to do with photography - I got my camera because I enjoy astrophotography (and that's pretty much my only background in photography) and a point and shoot doesn't work for that. There are cameras in between dSLR and point and shoot (I have something like the Canon PowerShot SX20IS, which is a little heftier than a point and shoot, and I brought both to Disney). Personally, I don't see the point of a dSLR if you don't want to put in the effort to learn beyond automatic mode, but that's a MMV point. They are deceivingly expensive (in time and money) and even then you aren't really "guaranteed" good pictures, a lot also comes from the photography/editing skills of the user too. I had a really bulky camera bag (2 lens, 2 cameras, various other 'stuff', I can find the dimensions somewhere) and didn't have a problem on any rides. It was more difficult on Space Mountain to get situated quickly but my bag fit in all rides. I'll be taking a smaller bag next time because we've learned what we do/don't need. idk, it's kind of a personal thing and I did lots of research of different levels of cameras/equipment and made sure that I was buying what I needed since money was a factor. I don't think there's a wrong choice!

 

[disneydreamingdebby]

I'm jealous of the ISO on the T3, but I probably will move into a new camera body in the next couple of years so I won't dwell on it too much.

I wouldn't worry so much about the lens bundle. I would get the standard 18-55 and read up on lenses.

The photography forum here has wonderfully helpful people.

 

[mommytominnie]

It is so hard to make a decision on cameras!



So is there a huge difference in your photos than photos using a point and shoot camera?

I find that I'm just not satisfied with the quality of the photos I took on my trip. Especially not the night time ones. It was very difficult to get a good night photo with my camera, which I understand might be from not using a tripod? But My bf's point and shoot camera managed to get a handful of good night shots. Camera shopping is TOUGH!

Hi Stephanie!! I totally agree with you on cameras. I have a Nikon Coolpix point and shoot and I think I spent more time trying to find the perfect setting than I did enjoying my surroundings. I definitely want to take a better camera next time I go. I am subbing to your thread. Can't believe we were at POFQ at the same time but never ran into each other. Except for Tusker House when I was too much of a wuss to go up to you and my Husband saying he will not use our spending money as bail money for me stalking a stranger I should be starting our first full day in my TR soon!!