Okay Disney pros...
 

It's been 10 years since I was in Disney World..back then I was still using a point and shoot film camera.

So camera wise - when should I lug my 7d with me and when should I just stick with my iphone? I know I will mainly use my phone b/c I don't want to carry my big camera or risk it getting dropped/damaged etc. And I don't want to spend my vacation trying to get the perfect shot behind the camera while missing out on the moments going on in front of the camera kwim?

So..experiences? advice?...proceed :p

We're staying in the Wilderness Lodge Resort in a cabin...the kids are going to love it. :)

I didn't take my Rebel with me on my vacation and I didn't regret it one second. I had a good point and shoot that took all my pics and I was happy with the quality. I did buy the photo pass though, and that was great so I was in the pictures too.

We took a little P&S plus our phones for our entire trip, and there were only a few times I regretted not having my DSLR, and that was mostly in Epcot and for fireworks and shows. We also got the photopass and it was well worth the money.

I was going to say photopass too!

Yes I recommend the photo pass but if you decide to do this then decide before you go and not half way through as it's the same price no matter how many photos you get (my point the earlier you decide the more photos you get-as soon as you see a photographer grab a pic)

I took my big camera and I didn't regret it . I didn't want to spend all that money going and end up with poor photos. My point and shoot isn't very reliable on getting good photos) I didn't have an iPhone when we went last August. I didn't find that my big camera caused much hassle. But then again it's my main camera and it usually goes everywhere I go.:)

I tend to be of the mind of what's the point in having the camera if you don't use it for a major trip? But if you're worried about the weight, maybe just narrow it down to one lens, no flash, etc?

I can tell you, shortly after I first got my DSLR, we went to Tokyo Disney and I agreed to just take my P&S for the first day since I was still a bit slow with the DSLR. We both ended up regretting it because the photos from the DSLR are just SO much nicer and the day we went back to that park, it poured the entire day.

Oh and I'll just say that I didn't have a good experience with Photopass on any of my trips - I much preferred the shots they took with my camera sans bright flash, haha - but others love it so maybe I was just unlucky.

Nikki, I left my 7D at home and just took my Rebel w/ my kit lens.

I felt like I'd still have great photos and it wouldn't be such a hassle getting it in and out of bags, taking it on rides, there is no way I'd leave that in a stroller.

My rebel was nice and light weight, I wore it the whole time. We also had the photo pass.

I left my DSLR at home (gasp!) and just bought a really good P&S for the trip. We got the photopass and I don't regret not taking my DSLR for one second.

I get the point of what's the deal having an awesome camera and not taking it but it's Disney and between the rides, the weather, and the busy-ness of it I really think it's not worth carting around. It's enough to keep up with the kids and the stuff (again IMO) If it was a relaxing holiday with beautiful scenery and downtime to get some great shots I'd reconsider but honestly my P&S and my phone were enough for me

When are y'all going again?

Each and every time I've gone my sister has offered for me to take her 7D, but I only took my point and shoot and a small video camera and I've always been happy with that. Some days I didn't bring either *gasp* with me to where ever we were going for the day.

My situation is a bit different in that it's just Cheyanne and I, and I go on all the rides with her - water rides, coasters, etc. and I didn't want to worry about the camera getting wet, smashed and bumped around. I love having my video camera for the parades and the fireworks at night and a few other special things.

We are hopefully going in December and I think I'm going to take my 5DMII but we don't have kids. I honestly think that must makes a big difference because we aren't lugging around all the kid stuff, know what I mean. I will have my camera and that's it.

I do need a smaller bag. I have a giant Kelly Moore and it is not good at all for things like this. Any recommendations?

We just got back yesturday, I would have totally regretted not taking my dslr, the iphone is just not as good. I can get photo's of all the characters and not have to pay an huge price for the same thing. I just have my cinch sac and keep it in there. If I want to take a quick photo I have the iphone, but for great shots I want the dslr. If this is one of the few trips to disney you are taking I wouldnt want to regret not having a decent camera. JMO

When we went, we brought the 5d and my purse point and shoot plus Photopass. And I would do the same when we go back. When it was raining, we left the dslr in the safe, and carried the p&s. Photopass pictures were not that good, but still we got a bunch and it was worth it. We came back with almost 5 000 pics for a 17-day trip. :D

I took my Rebel and my P&S and on some days I took my rebel and some I took my P&Sl and I didn't have any regrets either way. Honestly, normally the sun is out for such a long time, that you usually get pretty good pictures with your P&S. My night pictures I took with my Rebel so I had more control of the apeture/SS/ISO....but I do recommend a good P&S if that is all you are going to take :)

I don't have a dSLR, but on our last WDW trip, I had a better P&S and a pocket P&S. I took my bigger camera on two days and the pocket camera every other day. I freaking hate the photos from the pocket camera. I can't even bring myself to look at them. They're grainy and out of focus and awful.

We're going in less than two months. I again bought a pocket camera -- because surely the quality is better by now -- and then I have an even bigger P&S/bridge camera (which shoots RAW... didn't realize how much I love RAW until I tried editing .jpgs again). I've decided to give the pocket camera to my older dd and I'm taking the big one. I don't want to get into the same situation as I had last trip. I bought a long cross body strap for my bigger camera and will just wear it like I will my park bag. I'll take a big ziploc to put the camera in when we go on water rides or during a pop-up thunder storm. Wearing it will mean I don't have to dig it out to take a photo. It will just be there and ready.

I'll also have my iPhone. For times when I don't have my camera handy (like in the car, on the plane, at meals), the iPhone will work just fine. It will take the place of the pocket camera.

Yeah this is mostly why I'm torn..if it were just me and DH I'd take my dslr and not worry about it too much..but keeping up with two kids and all their stuff is going to be a handful as it is.

We'll be going the week after New Year's if all goes as planned.

I hadn't even though of just taking my Rebel..and I may do that instead of the 7d. I have a point and shoot but my iphone pics are better than the ones with the little p&s.

great advice thanks everyone!

I took my Rebel with me when we went in December and Im so glad I did. I only took one lense- my 28-75 and I had no problems with it getting in the way or not being able to juggle the kids and keeping up with the camera. We did do the Photopass and Im glad we didn't JUST rely on the photopass because I have 1500+ pictures that *I* took and only 200-300 photos from the photopass. There are so many photo opportunities that you simply cannot rely on being able to find a photopass photographer. IMO, the photopass is good for family shots in front of the castle, in front of other rides, with the characters, etc.

This is me. LOL!

We bought a season pass (which gives you 3 trips during the spring) and so far we've been to HS and Epcot. And both times we took our main camera and phones. I liked the mix of shots... but the stress of worrying about (and carrying!) the camera has done me in and when we go to MK next weekend, we've decided to really pare things down. Camera phone, iPod, 1 bag/purse, a handful of diapers... might not even do the stroller! We just feel so weighed down by all this stuff... :sleep:

i'd do the stroller lol although you can rent one there if you decide you need one

Oh man....the stroller is a MUST in my book. I thought my 7 year old would not want to sit in it but they rode in the stroller most of the time. We rented one from a company and it was a double jogging stroller- MUCH nicer than the hard plastic strollers from DW.

yeah we'll be either buying a stroller that both kids can ride on (7 and 4) or renting one. I know my 7 year old will be totally whiney about walking when he gets tired.

When we went my oldest was 8 and youngest was 5 and they both fit in the double stroller you can rent at the parks. Lance fell asleep in it every day at some point.

I took my rebel and switched between my 35mm and 28-75mm depending on the park. We also did the prepaid photopass. I took the p&s a couple days because I knew I wanted to get some video but it is small and lightweight. I would have regretting not taking my dslr. We went at a time with low crowds and I was able to get some great photos.

I bought this camera strap and it was a lifesaver.

http://www.blackrapid.com/product/camera-strap/rs-w1/

I never felt the camera and heavy lens when wearing them and it was out of the way. I wore my camera using that strap for the whole 13 hours we were at MK and had no back, shoulder or neck ache.

I used a Vera Bradley hipster and wore it cross body and it held my camera (canon xti with 28-75 lens fit perfectly) when I didn't have it on, a ziploc for the camera in case of rain or wet ride and all my personal items. Billy wore a backpack that had our water bottles, snacks, ponchos and a few ziplocs. I was able to wear my bag on almost all rides and it really never came off of me. That is where we kept the KTW cards and important stuff. We would leave the backpack in the stroller if we couldn't take it on a ride with us. SInce it only had snacks and water it wasn't a big deal to leave it.

You do want a stroller Nikki, for sure.

Keira & Cooper were in one almost all the time, and they're basically the same ages as your kiddos.

But, I'd figure out how many days you're going to be there, because its probably going to be cheaper to buy one. LOL!

The double strollers are $31 a day. We got a free stroller rental since we were on Keira's wish trip for every day, but we ended up getting one from the resort so we'd have one at the end of the day when everyone is tired and didn't want to walk. And if you're kids are anything like mine, the idea of them sitting side by side so they could touch each other, OMG, they would have fought the whole time.

Yeah I told DH that it was probably going to be cheaper to just buy one b/c someone else had told me they are very expensive to rent daily. IDK I'm torn there too b/c then I guess we'd have a stroller that we wouldn't really need that much after the trip.

could always stick it on Craigslist and try and get some of your $$ back

Gina Miller rents from some place that will drop it at your resort & then pick it up when you're done. I'm not sure which one she uses, but there are several. Check out the Family board on DISboards. They have tons of info.

I forgot you'll have little ones and be juggling a stroller, etc. I'd go with the rebel... seems like a good compromise.

This is who I used and loved it! http://www.orlandostrollerrentals.com/
Stroller was at the hotel when we got there and all we had to do was take it to bell services at the hotel when we left and the company picked it up. We got the city mini double stroller and paid $85 for 6 days.

I took my rebel and we got photopass. I would have been upset if I hadn't taken my rebel.. JMO.. :)

Steph from the Daily Digi shared in this post how she just used her iPhone 4S and she was glad she left her bulky camera at home. Her kids are older, too, so it's not like she had to juggle strollers, etc like you may do during your trip.

I just returned from Disneyland and NOT impressed with Photopass. Thankfully I didn't rely on it too much. (I took my 5D along) however the ONE photo I really wanted with Photopass didn't turn out at all. Extremely overexposed. I was there with my whole family (parents, brothers, their families and mine) so I wanted a big family photo at the entrance. I didn't bother giving them my camera as I thought that they could handle it but NO WAY. Very disappointing as we will probably never get there again as an extended family!

Have fun!!!! It truly is the happiest place on earth.

This may be what we do..sounds like the best bet.

This sounds a lot like my experience. We used them when we wanted a picture of us or my family all together but the ones they took with my camera where I set the setting always came out much better exposed. And the one shot we bought from our 1st trip was completely blurry (nightshot at the castle) but of course you couldn't tell that before buying because they only show you the tiny previews on the website.

I know they're often shooting in tough conditions (bright sun, etc) but I'm not sure how much photography experience/training the majority of them have. I think it's more like use this setting, use flash, point and shoot. Occasionally you get lucky and find someone who knows what they're doing but most of them seemed to look at me like I had three heads when I'd tell them my (prime) lens didn't zoom so they'd have to zoom with their feet. And more than a few of them still tried to turn the lens hoping it would zoom. :D

I am going to Disney in two weeks (so excited) and honestly, I am not taking my 5D. When we were in Paris for a month, it really became a hassle to lug that thing around with my heavy lenses and what not. There were times that I wished I just had a nice point and shoot. For our trip to Disney, I went out and got a nice point and shoot with a good zoom and I think I will be happy with that.

I really like using my professional camera when I am in scenic locations and the kids are dressed nicely and whatnot. For Disney, I am not looking for the artistic gorgeous shot, my goal is just to capture and ENJOY the memories. I don't want to be worried about damaging my expensive camera to the detriment of having fun.

That is just my take on it. Have fun on your trip Nikki!

I think I've decided to go with my Rebel and my iphone camera...I won't be as anxious about my rebel as I would my 7d and will probably only take it out at certain times. I still haven't decided on photopass yet.

Any other suggestions or things I need to know when taking 2 little ones? Last time it was just me and DH so we just kind of winged it and did what we wanted..but planning this time has me totally overwhelmed..anything that we just don't want to miss? I know that list is probably a mile long lol

I've always taken my Rebel with me on Disney trips and haven't ever really been bothered by the weight/bulk, especially in the days when I had a stroller. The pics from my earlier Disney trips when all I had was a P&S vs. the more recent ones when I used my DSLR are like night and day. Not sure if that's because of the type of camera I had or what, but personally I would def take the DSLR.

Are you visiting all four parks?

Yeah, I would love to hear any recommendations for things to pack as well. I am a total newbie with Disney.

I just rented that double stroller recommended above. My kids are 8 & 5 and my son fatigues fast...so I think it will be awesome to have.

I am going to go through my Passporter again to make a list of things to pack but would love to hear anyone's thoughts on things to bring.

that's the plan right now...

Nikki,
I would suggest, be sure you know height requirements for the rides. That was the first thing I did. You'll also probably want to schedule a character meal or two.

These are the planning pages I made. I just stuck them in my pocket, they were so helpful.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...domplans-1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...udiosplans.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...f/AK_Epcot.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...f/seaworld.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v715/v_usaf/IOA.jpg

Take some small snacks too for the kids so you don't spend an arm and a leg. We got a special snack here and there, but I kept fruit snacks, granola bars, stuff like that and frozen bottles of water, they thawed as the day went on. It should be great weather when you guys are there.

And this is Our Trip Report from Keira's wish trip.

The Disboards are fantastic. I'd also look at kennythepirate.com, it lists all the characters in the parks and where they meet. That was a big part of the trip for Keira. She loved getting their autographs.

And this app.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/disne...365817457?mt=8

It has the complete menus of all the restaurants at the parks, Downtown Disney and all the Resort hotels.

Maps, Wait Times and Prices for the food.

I loved having all the menus, made planning where we were eating so easy.

Looks like Vanessa has you covered! :p Like she said, I recommend doing a little reading/research ahead of time to decide what the "must do's" are for each kid. That way, you can make those things a priority. For example, some characters only meet at certain times throughout the day, and the shows all take place at different times and sometimes on different days. I highly recommend this site for info. on character meeting times and shows/entertainment. It's updated far more frequently and is often times more accurate than Disney's own site. You might also want to get an idea of any ride closures before you go. I've witnessed many a family become extremely angry/disappointed when they realized a certain ride or attraction was closed for refurbishment. Allears.net is another good site for general WDW info.

That is an awesome site, I've used it too, but I had it bookmarked on the other computer.

All the showtimes will be on there too Nikki.

Every time I've brought my old P&S, I've regretted it! But, I tend to be very critical of my photos and want them all to be perfect. I guess so of it will depend on how much you care about the quality of the photo vs. just capturing the moment. I have a new P&S that is better, so the next time we go back to Disney, I'll have the same decision all over again!