Last Minute Disney Advice

joelsgirl

joelsgirl

Well-known member
I need some please! we leave Tuesday, and I am not ready.

1. If you could only use one lens at Disney, what would you use? And if you had to choose between a 35 mm Prime lens and an 85-200mm zoom lens, which would it be? Also any random picture taking tips would be appreciated.

2. My boys are 6 and 9, and my daughter and niece are 16/21 months. Anything we MUST SEE or DO?

3. Autographs. Do I need to make them an autograph book?

4. What else? I am so un prepared!
 
I just brought my kit lens. I am lame like that though.

For your boys, I am guessing the Star Wars experience, but I have not seen it.

You can buy autograph books there if you don't want to make them.
 
answers in bold

joelsgirl said:
I need some please! we leave Tuesday, and I am not ready.

1. If you could only use one lens at Disney, what would you use? And if you had to choose between a 35 mm Prime lens and an 85-200mm zoom lens, which would it be? Also any random picture taking tips would be appreciated. Get the photopass, that way you'll get lots of group shots. You can split it between your group if you want. Take the 35mm prime or your kit lens. I took my rebel with kit lens set on auto for Keira's wish trip.

2. My boys are 6 and 9, and my daughter and niece are 16/21 months. Anything we MUST SEE or DO? Research height requirements. Do a character meal, if you can book it. Chef Mickey's is the great, get to see the big 5 with out the lines. IF you're going to Hollywood Studios, go to the Disney Junior show for the girls, Sophia the first, Doc McStuffins, Jake, etc. Lots of fun and dancing. We had other junior characters when we went, but Keira and Coop loved it. 6 & 4 when we went. Jedi Training Academy is a must for your boys if you're going to Hollywood Studios, gotta sign up first thing as soon as the park opens.

3. Autographs. Do I need to make them an autograph book? Yes, they will like them, but stop at a Walmart in Orlando and get a cheap one.

4. What else? I am so un prepared! go to the disboards.com, read up on anything you might have questions on.
Get this app
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/disney-world-magic-guide/id365817457?mt=8

They have it for android too.
Click to expand...
 
I made these for our trip too, so I had one thing I had to keep in my pocket other than my camera. I didn't want to carry a lot on rides.


 
are you going to scrap the autographs? I used a bunch of 4x6 PL cards for our autographs when we went last fall (disneyland). Bought a clipboard that had a storage section built right in - so I put the cards and sharpies in there. It worked really well.

Definitely do a character meal if at all possible. Breakfast might be easier - when we went in 2009 we did breakfast buffet at Tusker House in Animal Kingdom.

Definitely do PhotoPass! We did that and I basically just took photos with my cellphone. I got plenty of photos! And with the PhotoPass if you get a certain package you can get all your ride photos and character meals photos. It's pricey but definitely worth it.

Hope this helps!
 
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yep, read disboards, you'll get loads of info that you need and more. :)

and for autograph book, i didn't make for my kids when we visited disney, i just brought colorful cardstock (cut in half) and clipped them on a small clipboard.

eta :
agree with photopass! :thumbup:
 
I agree with a lot of what's already been said. Keep in mind with photos that you will want to be able to snap quick ones. I leave my camera on auto mode, which I usually avoid. But that way I don't have to worry that I missed a photo because I was trying to set something on the camera. If you want to do the photo pass, it's a cool deal, but it's EXPENSIVE. We take our own photos, even when there is a photopass cast member there. You CAN ask cast members to take a picture with your camera at the character spots. It's your time to enjoy, so don't feel bad about it.

Speaking of characters, did you know that Mickey has recently started to talk... I mean, really talk to you??? When you get into the Magic Kingdom, just to the right there is the ""main street theater" where you can meet Mickey. Stop there first and see the only talking Mickey we've met. It will be a great way to start the day. My kids (7, 5 and 2) were amazed when we saw this for the first time in November, and they'd met Mickey several times before,

Jedi Training Academy... I vote that's it's a must too. But as mentioned, go directly to the signs ups as soon as you get in Hollywood Studios to make sure you get a spot. It's for kids 4 and over and you get to light saber fight Darth Vader or Darth Maul.

Also at Hollywood, the best ride for kids/families is the Toy Story ride. Go at the beginning of the day and get a fast pass if it's already crowded. It always has the longest lines at that park and will run out of fastpasses later in the day.

I better stop... I love Disney since we moved here and go a lot... but you don't need a whole book to read from me :) Hope you enjoy your trip!
 
tanyiadeskins said:
I was gonna to also suggest apps. Each park has an app, all the maps, show times, wait times, etc come in so handy!
Click to expand...

that app I suggested has all of that and restaurant menus and prices for everyone, including snack stands on the property. very handy.
 
ooh... I totally second - or third - the character dinners... that was the best and for my son who doesn't really know disney characters, that is what he really got into.

for an autograph book... I got a 4x6 scrapbook/memory book at hobby lobby... just one of those cheap $5.99 ones... :) Also, I saw somewhere they say to use sharpies because it's easier for the characters to give signatures with their gloves... :)

Have great time... and can't wait to see all your scrapped pages!!! ;)
 
When we went to Disney, my younger dd was all about seeing the characters. I made her an autograph album with 4x6 index cards printed with character pictures and names. I too used a clipboard - a small half-size one with a rubber band at one end to hold the cards down. My older DD wanted a signed shirt... the clipboard was great for this as well. I would stretch the shirt over the clipboard and use the rubberband to hold it in place. The clipboard makes it easier for characters to hold and sign things as well as a nice size sharpie or two.

I kept the cards in a plastic baggie with the sharpies to keep them dry and together when they were in our backpack. When I got home we printed the photos and put them in an album with the cards for DD2.
 
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I also love the photopass CD and would purchase again.

I would ask your kids what they are hoping to see. You never know what they have seen or heard about and if you can hit that one thing for them it may make the whole trip.

Disney Junior at Hollywood Studios would be good for the younger ones. But, it's Disney. You'll pretty much be able to find fun anywhere. :)

Have a GOOD TIME!
 
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I would definitely do a 35mm prime over an 85-200mm lens. That is too zoomed in. The trip the time before I used my new 22-70mm 2.8 which worked pretty well. This time I tried my 18-200mm thinking that with the extra wide and zoom it would work better. Loved it for outdoor photos, but still needed to change to my 2.8 whenever I went inside somewhere, so maybe I would have just been better off with the 2.8 the whole time. I tended to shoot in P mode because I didn't want to miss a shot trying to set my M settings, which worked well regardless of which lens I had on, I was just better off with the quicker lens inside.

Have so much fun!!
 
I know you're already there, but the best advice that I could give is to have fun and live in the moment! Over planning can be over rated sometimes! I did the Disney college program spring of last year, and whatever you do, you'll have a good time!
 
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