Will filming ruin my vacation?

[maliboomer]

I'm just worried I will spend too much of my vacation time looking down at an LCD viewfinder and shooting rather then enjoying myself if I upgrade to a camcorder from a plain digital camera. I already feel like I spend too much of my time taking photos, and I'd probably get excessive knowing myself.
So anyone who films during their vacation, has thought about it, or has any advice, I would appreciate your information!

 

[hockey mom]

I found it took away from enjoying the parade or show that I was trying to film. Maybe if I had seen something a few times it wouldn't have been so bad.

 

[daannzzz]

It is a personal thing. I absolutely love taking video and then when I get home I love the editing process and the footage I have to look at from years past. That being said I am often solo on my Disney trips so have the time to do the filming. When I am with others I feel rushed and the footage is not as good. If you have not seen a parade or show or fireworks it can cause you to miss out. I have learned to turn the camera on and hold it without looking through the view finder and hoping for the best. It often turns out fine.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

I love taking photos but at WDW the last few trips I've found I enjoy it more putting the camera away.

 

[the kabuki]

While I hate lugging the thing around, I absolutely love being able to watch the video's when we get home, so it's a catch 22. Usually I'll try not to film every little thing around me, if we're watching the parade maybe a minute or so of that, a minute or so of the kids' enjoying the parade and that's it I'll put the camera away. In a one day at WDW I may take only 20-30 minutes of video total but it has the highlights of the day and that's all I really want anyways. I will take lots of still pics with the digital camera, but those don't seem to distract as much as the video

 

[staci]

Ive got a solution! Put me in your suitcase, I will video all day long for ya!!

 

[maliboomer]

^ You better stop eating, the bag can't weigh more then 50 pounds!

 

[webray]

We find it definately takes away from just enjoying something for what it is.

 

[Deedee]

My DH usually has the video but what he does if we are doing the same park twice he will video the one time then enjoy it the second time. We always take it with us just in case any thing different happens though.

 

[k5thbeatle]

I would say as a general rule the answer would be yes that it does detract from your vacation. However, as others mentioned it is a personal thing. If you enjoy filming and are a true camera bug then this would probably be fun for you. If you are going down there thinking, "Oh my gosh, I just have to film this", then you may find the camera a burden. Also as mentioned, it is a catch 22 in that it is nice to be home and watch the videos (just don't make relatives and friends watch ).

Why do you go on vacation?...probably to relax and have some fun. Just don't let the camera detract from your fun...or others! I think you'll be glad you did it as long as you don't think you must film every little thing.

Have fun!

 

[10drum]

I told my DW years ago I'm done watching special moments of my children through a 1" square view finder, and stopped.

We have many hours of our children's lives doing normal things...ie playing in the yard, doing homework, arguing, and birthdays/ect. (setting the camara on a tri-pod). The special times are welded in my memory. We have 100's of photos of our disney trips, awards, and special moments, which we enjoy alot.

Put some video time aside, then leave it alone, and enjoy your vacation.

We visit the parks with a small pack containing light rain gear, camara, and of course, the credit card.

 

[Kapp]

gotten into the who filming thing. We have always felt that you miss so much filming that we only use it for plays and such. We do take photos but they don't seem to suck your time away as much as the filming does. JMHP!

 

[dis-happy]

Personally, I felt kind of sorry for those people who watched Wishes through their video cameras. Maybe you could split your time and have an "enjoy the experience" day without your camera.

 

[ryanmilla]

It may be a pain lugging it around and filming, but for us it really has been great. We filmed a lot on our DD's (2 at the time) first trip. Like most people said, highlights, but lots of them. When I got home I burned the video to DVD and our daughter loved watching it. She watched it everyday for probably the first 3 months after we returned.

Our next trip DD is now 3 and we brought our DS 3months. I seemed to film more of the shows and for longer periods than I should have, thinking my DD would like that. Again, when we got home I burned it to DVD and it is nice, but our DD still likes to watch the first one. The first one was a lot more highlights and images of the area. It would have a couple of minutes here and there, but not 10's of minutes at one show like the DVD of the second trip.

So, I think it was worth it, but again, like most people say try and get the highlights. If you have young kids, they will love to see it again and again.

 

[Goofy DS]

I'm more of a photo kinda guy. I always get hours of "junk" when I film and later, when I watch it, I'm like "why did I feel the need to film the whole parade?!"

Digital photos work great! I load them onto the computer when I get home and pick all of the good ones and make a slide show, complete with background music! I can then burn it to a DVD and watch it anywhere!

This trip, each of the kids will have their own digital camera and they can make a "movie" of their very own when we get back.

 

[Bill From PA]

We've filmed most of the rides already and doing that does take away from the experience of the ride, but we're gald to have them. Lately, I've taken to just letting the camera run while we boat from MK to Trails End or on the monorail. I've got one of our first day at MK a couple of trips ago when we entered MK, found the horse drawn trolly sitting right there, so we rode it to the castle with the video rolling. Nothing puts me 'in the moment' like watching that, with all the street sounds, music and our dialogue. As a bonus, the horse f@rted and the reactions of the folks in the first car is priceless.

Bill From PA

 

[WDWprincessloyola]

I didn't start videotaping until my last two trips to WDW. I really enjoyed it the first time I was filming. My suggestion would be to make a list of what you really want to film. Things like the parades, that favorite show, or specific character interactions, the things you will want to look back on in the future. I agree that you don't want to spend your entire vacation looking at a 2 in X 2 in screen, but there are also those things you want to take back home with you. Film those things maybe once, or, in my case, you know when you were filming it was raining and the screen fogged up, you had it set on night vision, etc, then tape it a second time just to be sure. It is great to have things to look at when you need a Disney moment, but don't let your entire vacation be taken through the eye of a camera! Good luck!

 

[henrylovespooh]

I like having the videos and photos but I also want to enjoy myself, so here's what I do:

I always carry my camera and video camera with me in case something comes up. On the first day we go to MK, I usually focus on having fun and just take pictures when I feel like it. When DH goes on Space Mountain or another ride I don't like, I take the kids to see characters or to some Kodak picture spots or places I pick out and take their pictures there. Then the second time we go back to MK (we usually go there at least three mornings of every visit) I try to video as much as possible.

I have videoed the afternoon parade at MK so I don't need to do it in full again, but I will try to get snippets of it with the kids in it so someday I can edit it all together to show them throughout the years.

I really enjoy interviewing the kids on video when we're in the room toward the end of the trip. I ask them what they enjoyed most, what characters they met, etc.

 

[JRawkSteady]

I would never film constantly if it were my 1st - 3rd time there...but I love to film my whole vacation now! As a personal rule, I never tape anything I haven't experienced before. If i have time to go back and videotape it, then I do, but I'm not interested in seeing something that's so much better live. I videotape to bring back memories of the family/friends. Most of the time, you won't see any of the rides on my films, just everyone having a great time!