Do You Videotape Your Disney Trip?

[EeyoresBestFriend]

Btw, the most screens I see are phones. You're at Disney World, what the heck could be so important that you cant ignore that little idiot box for a while! Grrrrrrrrr! Rant complete.

EXACTLY!!!

[BKBrinkman]

I echo a lot of the sentiment here. It's a double edge sword because you can miss some of the vacation trying to get everything on tape but it is so much fun to relive those memories by watching the tapes during years you're not able to go or when you're ramping up for the next trip. My parents go with us so there's always plenty of people to run the cameras and catch the looks on the kiddos faces as they experience the Disney magic for the first time.

One thing I will ad is what you film. While it's so much fun to see rides, shows, and panormic views of the park that you took your self, I've found the best videos are one of us on the trip doing something silly or the kid's faces when they see Mickey!

[Wolf]

I've always wanted to do this but end up taking lots of pictures instead, which I for sure agree with you about missing alot of things, last trip it rained so much that I ended up only taking like 200 pictures instead of my normal 2000 and it was crazy how much more I saw. I think this coming trip I'll still take pictures but am going to try to scale it back so I can really see the parks instead of taking pictures for physical memories I can make real time ones lol

[azcavalier]

I video short clips, and usually have the kids explain where we are, what we're doing next, etc. I have video of some rides, but quite frankly, they stink. You can't really video a ride very well without a professional setup, so why bother.

I do video the kids meeting characters, swimming, that kind of thing. We'll be going this fall with a family who has never been who has three young kids. My still camera takes great video, so i'll be taking some of them, for them. It'll be a lot of fun.

[joonyer]

I used to video a lot of each of our Disney trips (and other vacations, too). But now I think it's kind of a hassle and tend to record less and less. But I know that 20-30 years from now those recordings will be cherished by our kids and grandchildren, just like the few home movies that I have from my childhood years are treasures for me now.

[minnie04]

But the thing is: when I'm recording, I'm actually missing much of the enjoyment. You can't fully take in the beauty of the parks, looking at them through a camera screen. If I'm focused on making a nice video for my family, I'm missing the real impact of being in Disney as it's happening. It's a double-edged sword.

This is my problem too. I used to take all the video and pictures, but I realized just how much I was missing. I would hardly be in any pictures or video only my voice. I have stopped doing video as the kids got older. I still love taking pictures, but have downsized the camera. I would be the one carrying everything (not to miss the shot or video) so this got old really quick. I really enjoy just walking around and being in the mix with the rest of the family rather than struggling to capture that moment that I end up missing until its played back.

[Gator]

But the thing is: when I'm recording, I'm actually missing much of the enjoyment. You can't fully take in the beauty of the parks, looking at them through a camera screen. If I'm focused on making a nice video for my family, I'm missing the real impact of being in Disney as it's happening. It's a double-edged sword.

What do you think?

I agree with the point. I always video tape a bunch of stuff, but then catch myself staring intently at the screen instead of taking in what's happening.

With my new HD camera, WDW looks so great on my TV. I went out and bought some bluray burning software along with a BD burner. The video is nothing short of stunning. I love HD!

[Goes4FastPass]

We usually take SHORT videos using that feature on our camera. If a picture is worth a thousand words than a video with sound can be worth a million words BUT we only make SHORT videos of people in our group interacting with each other and characters/CMs/other guests at WDW.

Video recording a MOMENT is ‘priceless’, video recording a whole parade is just too much and it turns the ‘videographer’ into a person at work, not a WDW guest on vacation.

[crltkcagle]

Yes we always video tape our trips. Whether it be meet and greets, rides, special events, or the shenanigans at whispering canyon (yes I actually recorded our waitress). It's always fun to come home and relive our memories.

[TheVBs]

DH will take shorter videos with our camera, but the sad thing is that we never watch them and have never put them on a dvd. Unfortunately, this causes a little friction between us because, for example, he opted to video the Halloween parade instead of taking pictures. I look at the pictures frequently and there's a big void where there should be parade pictures. I would have enjoyed the photos more.

And, I agree with people who have said that filming a special moment with the kids is so much more fun to watch than parade or ride footage. On the flip side, I also agree with those that have said we don't really enjoy the moment through the camera as much as we would with our own eyes.

[Aurora]

I actually wish that I videotaped MORE of our trips now that we're home. I agree with those who say forget trying to get the rides (except for Snow White's Scary Adventure -- glad I got that one -- and the top of Splash Mountain just before the drop).

Our whole family gets such enjoyment out of watching our old vacation videos.

[Figment104]

We generally take a combination of video and still photos, but not video of the whole trip. I like to do short videos with a few longer ones here and there. This next trip though I have a feeling the video camera will be out a whole lot more as it will be DS first trip. One thing that is nice is we have a very small video camera and a pretty small still camera, so DH takes one, and I take the other, and then we switch either through out the day or at the start of the day. That way we get pictures and videos with both of us in them.

[Disney Doll]

I video if there is something particularly cute my kids are doing. Playing in the EPCOT fountains usually gets a short video. However, my total video footage for a week long trip is probably no more than 10 minutes. I just video a minute or two here and there. There's no way we would sit down and watch footage of our entire trip.

[Arielfan98]

No, not really. My family just takes a lot of pictures and we keep the memories in our minds. We might record a firework show on our phones, however, but for the most part no. To be honest, the reason we don't is because when we return home no one would look at the tapes anyway.

[Snow's Mom]

Short videos with a digital camera, but mostly just pictures. My son volunteered to take pictures last trip and it was great! It's actually a huge responsibility .

I make digital scrapbooks when I get home and we love looking at those, but I don't really think we'd watch videos. Especially not of the rides, etc.

[johnO]

Video recording a MOMENT is ‘priceless’, video recording a whole parade is just too much and it turns the ‘videographer’ into a person at work, not a WDW guest on vacation.[/FONT][/SIZE]

Exactly! I used to record so much video but as a pp stated I felt like I was seeing the entire vacation through a viewfinder. So nowadays I mostly take stills with a short video clip here or there.

I too then put it to DVD, add music and everything. They really are great videos and bring us back. What I've found is that it's just as good having mostly stills and only a small amount of video. Especially since I add Disney music to it. Good times

[SandmanGStefani24]

But the thing is: when I'm recording, I'm actually missing much of the enjoyment. You can't fully take in the beauty of the parks, looking at them through a camera screen.

Precisely why I find myself taking less and less pictures each trip! Didn't really see it that way till last trip while riding the TTA. Going to be scaling back big time on the pix. Videos are a no altogether, as nothing is more rude or distracting as a bright viewfinder on a ride. This should not be allowed at all!

[indytraveler]

We aren't video tapers at all. Bought a video camera when kids were little but didn't use it. We are so involved in "the moment" while we are at WDW that we forget to take pictures with the camera.

We'll usually take a picture in front of the Castle, Ball, Hat, Tree when we arrive but forget about it until late afternoon.

[johnO]

We aren't video tapers at all. Bought a video camera when kids were little but didn't use it. We are so involved in "the moment" while we are at WDW that we forget to take pictures with the camera.

We'll usually take a picture in front of the Castle, Ball, Hat, Tree when we arrive but forget about it until late afternoon.

I've scaled back on photos so much. Rather shooting as many pictures as possible, I find myself taking pictures on a more spontaneous level. I end up with a lot less photos, but theyre still great and capture some good moments. More importantly, I can enjoy myself more rather than constantly trying to find as many great shots as possible.

[I<3Disney]

We usually do about an hour and a half on the camcorder. We normally just record ourselves having fun, not really the attractions or parades. We have at least one video from each trip!