Disneyworld - equipment?

[jdbyrnes]

I'm going to Disneyworld in about 3 weeks with my family (wife and 5yo). I'm trying to decide what equipment I need to bring.

Equipment I have:
10D
24-70mm f2.8L
75-300mm f4-5.6 IS (I don't really like the pictures from it, so I may not bring it.)
550EX
256MB CF card
512MB Extreme CF card
1 battery
Lowepro Nova 3 AF bag (with Lowepro strap - ouch)
OP/Tech camera strap
Single battery charger

Stuff I know I will get:
either a better strap for my bag, or a backpack type bag (need advice here)
BG-ED3 and at least one more battery
Hand strap for grip

Stuff I'm thinking about:
Monopod - I know nothing about them, so specific model advice would be nice
100mm Macro
Wider lense - (Maybe 17-40mm f4L)
Filters - (I don't have any 77mm filters yet)
More storage - More cards or something else?
Tripod - Gitzo G-2220 and Acratech Ultimate Ballhead (This is the tripod I'm getting, I doubt I'll need it for the trip though)

Stuff I can't afford to get, so don't suggest it:
Lenses over $700.00 e.g. 70-200mm f2.8L IS, or 100-400mm

I'm spending a lot of money on this trip, and I really want to be able to capture some memories. Unfortunatly I will need approval from the wife, hence why more L lenses are out. I have some bankroll to fund this, but I'm still going to have to get each item OKed, so no set dollar amount, sorry.

Thank you for any advice, I'm sure I've forgotten some important stuff, so please feel free to suggest things. I plan on getting everything through B&H.

[Leon van Batenburg]

Please, don't fool yourself with equipment desires... Be carefull to use new, unknown equipment on important shoots.

And remember: It's the photogapher that is responsible for really good and memorable pictures, not the equipment! Seems to me you're set up just fine with the 24-70. Walk some more if the image won't fit the frame. The image is made in the mind first, then translated to film or file.

An extra battery won't hurt, though.:)

[jdbyrnes]

I agree that it's the photographer. I just don't want to be caught with my pants down, and with it being a 5 day trip, comfort is certainly an issue. With my current camera bag, my collarbone hurts after about 5hrs.

If it hurts, I'll be tempted to not bring it, then I won't be able to any pictures. :)

Keep the comments coming. I want to get this right.

Point taken on the new equipment before a trip. It's been a while since I've gotten new equip. :)

[flyfishnj]

I went to Disney last April - Our first time - I brought a film camera (K2 -least expensive that I have) and 28-200 lens. Wanted to concentrate on the kids having a good time and not on lugging and worrying about $1000's of dollars of equipment. Also brought a camcorder and alternated carrying between days. In addition, my wife has a P&S (film) cam in her purse. We shot like 15 rolls of film over 7 days.

[ChadClancy]

When in Disneyworld you will undoubetdly be participating in a lot of their attractions/rides and I'm guessing that with all of the walking, you will want a stroller for the 5-year old. They have places next to each ride to park the stroller and you can leave things behind in the stroller with a reasonable expectation that it will be there when you go back to retrieve it. Don't be alarmed if your stroller isn't in the exact same place where you left it because the "cast members" will often reorganize the stroller lots while you are on the ride. You will want to have a small bag that you take with you on the ride and another bag for less valuable items that you can leave with the stroller without having to worry about it.

We just did Disney with 3 young kids and that wasn't too bad but we had an extra set of grandparents along and that made a huge difference.

A tripod might be nice but I wouldn't bother with a tripod and a monopod. Two sets of batteries should be fine. Some more storage would be nice. 256K cards are cheap. I hear Disney is starting a new service where they will download your card data to CDs but I would guess that like other things on Disney property, it will be pretty pricey. Might as well put that money toward some more storage that you will be able to make use of at a later time. Don't get huge capacity cards - better to get several smaller ones in the unlikely event that one goes bad. Kinda hard to go back and recreate all those "memories."

[rebel61021]

I would really recomend more CF cards at least 1 gig and the battery grip just so that you have 2 batterys in and a backup would be nice nothing worse then running out of storage or battery when that perfect shot happens I have been to disney land and you don't want to lug alot of stuff your 24-70 is a pretty good walk around lens and remeber that you are there to have fun with family so don't let Camera hold you back from having it travel light.

[sdommin]

I'm going to Disneyworld in about 3 weeks with my family (wife and 5yo). I'm trying to decide what equipment I need to bring.

If you have a small P&S digicam, take that instead. You'll end up with pictures that are just as good and you'll enjoy yourself a lot more. Having said that (and I know you don't believe me), I'd recommend just the 24-70 and lots of CF cards.

[pcasciola]

If you have a small P&S digicam, take that instead.

I agree. I've been to Disney at least half a dozen times and always bought my smallest point and shoot at the time. If I went today, I'd leave my 20D in the hotel and bring my wife's Sony to the park. Buy yourself a $200-300 point and shoot that will fit in your pocket, and use your 10D for shots outside of the parks.

[chris.bailey]

I have been to Disney a couple of times and really would not recommend an SLR if you are going to join the kids on the rides. I would go for an S50/60/70 evertime.

[FlipsidE]

Personally, if I was going to some place like Disney, I think I'd go with a G6 and a 420EX instead of all the SLR gear. Just so much money and equipment to be carrying around.

Edit: The only reason I wouldn't necessarily want to go with a non-G series digicam is simply because you'd be limited to a built in flash. Even in Disney, I think I'd want the ability to have an external flash at times. Though, I could be completely off as I haven't kept up with the S Series recently. Do they have hotshoes?

FlipsidE

[12345Michael54321]

Dude, if you're going to Disney primarily to make photographs, bring along all the equipment you can carry.

But if you're going to Disney primarily for a fun family vacation, limit yourself to a compact p&s.

I mean, do you really want to haul around a big bag full of camera stuff, for hours and hours, including taking it along on rides?

There are times where it's appropriate to tote around an 8x10 view camera (complete with 40 lbs. of film holders, lenses, tripod, etc.), and times where it's appropriate to opt for a credit card sized p&s. A good photographer knows how to match the equipment to the situation.

Oh, and I hate Disney World. There, I said it. (But my advice is valid, even so.)

[kfong]

Forget about the tripod and the monopod, they'll get knock over by the crowds.
BUT if your monopod can double up as a chair, THEN I would definitely bring it along. VERY useful during line ups.
24-70 is a bit too long for shots inside a ride.

Ken

[cowboyupphotos]

I went to Disney last April with one camera body and a Tamron 28-300 lens, that was it. Put the camera and lens in my backpack - took it on rides and all that. Keeping the equipment down to a minimum in the park is key! You will get tired quick. If you plan to take any photos of the fireworks or laser shows, then take a tripod by all means.

[dogface]

Get a Tamrac Expedition 5 backpack and fill-er-up. Add a strap-on water bottle and side lens bags for stuff like cell phones. It's a tight fit riding space mountain (just strap it on backwards across your chest). Most rides have plenty of room at your feet. Just don't forget it anywhere. With all the trouble to get into CRT, you don't want to blow the shot of your little girl with the princesses just cause you were too lazy to bring your good camera.

[xdjoynerx]

1 pocketable p&s

go and have fun with your kid and wife... dont concern your self with taking a million photos. having a massive camera around your neck and bag on your back holding you down is no way to have fun at disneyland. lines on weekends are easily an hour long or more and there are a billion people.

[mjordan]

There sure are a lot of people in this thread that don't appear to be serious photographers. I've been to Disneyland twice and took all of my 35mm film equipment at the time... and used every bit of it and still had fun. Was I to go today with my 10D, I'd probably not carry around the 100-400 lens, but I'd sure carry the 24-70 2.8L, 70-200 2.8L IS, all my CF cards and batteries and a number of other things. And I'd still be able to have fun. Not only did I take a lot of closeup, which used my wide angle lens but I also took a lot of distant shots of the area with my telephoto. Although Disneyland is compact, there are still a lot of areas that 70mm is not going to do it justice, including if you take pictures of your wife and kid on some of the rides. I wouldn't carry a tripod or monopod, but I'd use my belt pack rather than backpack or shoulder bag. That way the weight is on my waist and not my shoulders or taking up my hands. LowePro has a good one as does a few other companies.

For the water rides, if you go on them, put your camera in the bag and take a few plastic garbage bags with you and slip that over your bag. Then you won't worry about getting wet or skip the ride with the family.

If you don't get a belt pack, then get a belt lens case with a belt loop and put that on your belt. You can carry a lens or other small stuff in that which will keep the weight off your shoulders. When you take pictures, don't just take pictures of the family, take them of the scenes as well. I took a lot of pictures of the castle and Matterhorn and other areas and turned them into high contrast BAS Relief images after wards (this was in my film days). I got some real nice abstract pictures there. You are going to cheriss these images for a long time... so take what you need to get some good ones.

Mike

PS, I see you are going to Disney World and not Disneyland. With the wide spaces around there, you will need a zoom or telephoto.

[12345Michael54321]

There sure are a lot of people in this thread that don't appear to be serious photographers.
I find it sad that you equate being a serious photographer with carrying around large amounts of photographic equipment, even when there may be good and compelling reasons to do otherwise.

If you're going to Disney primarily for purposes of making photographs, take all the gear you carry. But if you're going primarily in search of a pleasant family vacation, limit yourself to a small p&s (sufficient to capture "special moments") and concentrate on being at Disney with your family, and not on capturing images.

I've no doubt that I could carry a large bag with 20 lbs. of camera equipment, and a tripod, for 10-12 hours per day, day after day, even while going on rides, waiting on line, dealing with crowds, etc.

But I've even less doubt that to do so would be less pleasant than simply carrying a compact camera in my pocket. Carrying a small camera would certainly leave me in a better, more relaxed mood, than would toting around lots of camera gear. It would probably result in a happier Disney trip for me and my family.

And even serious photographers are allowed to weigh "being prepared with maximum gear" against "spending time having fun and being with family," and decide that on occasion the latter is the more important consideration.

[stevec999]

Last October I took:
10D
1 Battery and charger
24-70
550EX flash with 2 sets of batteries and charger
512MB CF
256MB CF
Laptop


Next trip I will be using the wife's point and shoot

[mjordan]

Well, actually, Michael, I find it funny that so many people in here do recommend that he not take anything but point and shoot cameras. Even though I wonder how many take their own advice. To me, part of going on any family outing with my family included taking my camera equipment.. be it my RB67 system or my 35mm system back in the good ole days of film, or my digital system today. And taking it has never taken away from my having fun. But getting the pictures to remember the events by was always high on my list of important things to do on family outings. And I'm glad I did take my "Prime System" back 30+ years ago during my family outings and over the years while my daughter was growing up. I have a lot of great shots and memories that I just couldn't have gotten with a point and shoot.

It's too bad you have to feel sad over it, but I guess that's the way it goes. Though I will say that the comment was made in jest... I just forgot to add the smiley after it... not that that probably would have made much of a difference as some people like to read what they want into a comment regardless of what the meaning really was.

Remember... we live for today, but we take pictures for tomorrow. ;D

Mike

[boBquincy]

I go to Walt Disney World more than most, usually about six times a year. A P&S is nice for lightweight travel but it is not going to get all the shots you might want. Most P&S are particularly poor when it comes to low light, their ISO 400 performance is not good.

I usually carry a 10D with a 24-85, and a 55-200, batteries, CF, etc in a LowePro Nova mini. It can seem a little heavy by the end of the day but it's not that bad. I also carry an ultra-light (3 oz) monopod for the stage shows and for long shots at Animal Kingdom.

You are going at a good time of year weather-wise but also a fairly crowded time. See allearsnet.com for lots of info, it's better than Disney's website even.

So, carry the 10D and the 24-70, add the longer lens if you have room, and take some good photos! And have fun!


boB

[wcstory]

Not to go off topic

Anyone know of lens rental locations in the Orlando area?

Bill

[dogface]

A lot of Disney is in the details. I spent the last couple days last October with my telephoto taking detail shots. Ever look in some of the windows on Main street? How about the detailed carvings in the Animal Kingdom, not just the tree but the buildings. Speaking of the tree, there is no way you can see all the detail in it unless you stand there for several hours. Use your telephoto and grab some shots - you'll be surprised at what you see when you have time to study them. Do some Photoshop magic and hide your kids faces in the tree. Ever see the tree pots in AKL with the rats? There's detail all over that most people overlook. Take your telephoto and get a few shots without characters. When you get back home, quiz the rest of the family on where each shot was taken.

It's also a great place for candid people shots, etc., etc,.

[Citizensmith]

I'm absolutely going with the majority. If you are going to take a photographic documentary of your trip there bring all the gear. If you want to be part of the action then your better off dropping $440 on a Canon S70.

At the end of a long day you are much more likely to be taking shots with that than if you had to drag your SLR out of a backpack.

[markubig]

I just came back from Disneyworld Orlando and I also did Universal Studios. I walked around with my 300D w/ grip + 420 ex flash. I had 4 batteries with me, and as long as you charge everynight, that should be more than enough. I found myself only using my Tamron 28-75. brought the other lenses, but never broke them out. After the 1st day, I even just went to the parks w/o my gear bag and just brought camera/grip/tamron/flash.

There are opportunities for excellent night shots at Epcot Center, so you might want to take the monopod around w/ you or a light-weight tripod. After a full-day of walking, the weight of a full-size tripod will probably be taking its toll. I used a Velbon Ultra Max i S tripod w/ PH-243 ballhead that is only about one foot collapsed, and can get the camera to eye-level fully-extended w/ a wide base. it was lightweight and sturdy enough for vacation purposes.

If you decide not to carry around a bag of some sort (gearbag or regular backpack), be prepared to use your shirt/jacket or something to protect your camera on some of the attractions (especially at Universal). A lot of the 3D attractions now spray small water bursts to make you feel part of the action.

Here are some pics from my trip:

http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=470432

[markubig]

I have a lot of great shots and memories that I just couldn't have gotten with a point and shoot.

In this statement, you might not be referring to disneyworld, but if you look at this thread:

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=55354&highlight=disney

Scott (Sdommin) posts some AMAZING disneyworld photos w/ P&S Canon G3. There are a lot of people on this site who have posted some breathtaking photographs with P&S cameras that I could only dream of doing with my DSLR.

just my 2 cents to defend those who are recommending P&S

[Cadenza]

Be sure to hire a couple Sherpas to help you carrry
all this stuff around.

I'm going to Disneyworld in about 3 weeks with my family (wife and 5yo). I'm trying to decide what equipment I need to bring.

Equipment I have:
10D
24-70mm f2.8L
75-300mm f4-5.6 IS (I don't really like the pictures from it, so I may not bring it.)
550EX
256MB CF card
512MB Extreme CF card
1 battery
Lowepro Nova 3 AF bag (with Lowepro strap - ouch)
OP/Tech camera strap
Single battery charger

Stuff I know I will get:
either a better strap for my bag, or a backpack type bag (need advice here)
BG-ED3 and at least one more battery
Hand strap for grip

Stuff I'm thinking about:
Monopod - I know nothing about them, so specific model advice would be nice
100mm Macro
Wider lense - (Maybe 17-40mm f4L)
Filters - (I don't have any 77mm filters yet)
More storage - More cards or something else?
Tripod - Gitzo G-2220 and Acratech Ultimate Ballhead

[jdbyrnes]

boB - That's an incredible site, thank you for pointing it out. I've been reading it for the past hour.

First off, I'm trying to get my equipment together for the whole trip. I'm certainly not going to bring every piece of gear with me through each park every day. I expect most of my gear will stay in the hotel room each day, simply bringing what is appropriate for each day. I was looking more for suggestions on what gear to bring to what park. I haven't been to WDW in over 20 years, so I don't remember anything. I will be bringing a P&S camera for the days I want to be traveling light, but I'll also bring my SLR for some more creative shots.

As for leaving the camera so I can have fun with my family, well... I have fun buy taking pictures of my family. It's never been so much of an inconvienience that I have wished I left my camera at home. It will be a sad day if that ever happens.

I went into NY today and stopped at B&H. It was actually a relatively cheap visit. I got a used Gitzo "weekend" tripod and a ball head. I don't plan on bringing this all the time, but will certainly help with fireworks and lightshow shots.

I decided to pass on the monopod, mostly because I couldn't find one I liked that wasn't expensive, and I don't think I really want to carry it around this trip. I think the only thing that I'm going to get for this trip is a more comfortable bag and a couple batteries. There were no BG-ED3s at B&H, new or used, so I'll probably have to wait for that.

Thank you for your suggestions, I think I'm heading down the right track..

[CaseyScofield]

I would agree with the point and shoot idea. We have been to Mickey's village several times and the one camera I found most useful was my pocket size 2.0 mega pixel. And besides...if you do decide to go on the log ride you won't stress yourself out with the matter of where to put your high quality stuff!

In fact last time we went, my 35mm remained in the hotel safe all week long.:confused:

[boBquincy]

My girlfriend (now wife) stood beside me and took the same photo with her P&S Canon A70 countless times at WDW, and most of her photos look as good as mine...except... when the lighting required higher ISO/wider aperture or when a fast shutter response was required.

Check out "Disney in the Dark" at www.mindspring.com/~bobquincy to see the photos you just won't get with a P&S.

boB

[ducdubbq]

I was wondering how your trip went and what equipment you brought and what you used.

[Bob_A]

I've been to Disney World twice with my family and had my Elan II with a Canon 28-105 II USM and 420EX. I carried everything in my Lowepro MiniTrekker along with an extra battery and film. We spent 7 days at Disney World along with 1 day at Sea World and never had any comfort problems as long as I used the chest strap. Getting on and off rides was no problem at all.

On future trips I'd like to take my 20D with my 24-70L, but the camera/lens combo weighs a lot more than my Elan II with the 28-105. I'm not concerned when the camera is in the bag, but it's a killer to wear around your neck for extended periods (hopefully my new POTN strap will help when it arrives!). It would be a shame, but I'd consider leaving the 24-70L at home and go with the much lighter lens.

Bob

[abhorred]

I'm going to start off on the right foot and say that a 3-4Mp Canon P&S captures memories as well as my DSLR

and

Please - with all the places in the world to take your families who would go to Disney anything more than once?

[Bob_A]

Please - with all the places in the world to take your families who would go to Disney anything more than once?

LOL. I love that place, and wil probably go again. I don't think I could handle going more than once every 3 years though.

[prime80]

Get a good backpack camera bag. I carried my camera and camcorder around the parks for 14 days last december and having the backpack was a lifesaver. I think a standard bag would have been miserable. I don't think you'll need any lenses other than your 24-70. You should be able to move around enough to make it work in most any situation. The only time you'd really need something longer is during Fantasmic (a must see!), but your 75-300 isn't fast enough to do you much good at that show. If you don't have a laptop you can dump your cards to, you're going to need a LOT more memory. I came back from our last trip with 1290 shots. :) I took a light tripod with me on the last trip, and while it was a pain in the butt lugging it around the parks, I got the best video out of all of our disney trips by far. I typically used it for my camcorder during parades, and my camera during fireworks shows. Holding a camcorder up during a parade gets very tiring.

[IainB]

No-one seems to have considered what your wife will use to photograph you and your daughter!(unless of course you want to be noticeably absent from the family photo album.) Believe me, unless she is your equal in the photo-enthusiast club, all she will want to do is 'point and shoot', and follow the KISS principle ("Keep it simple, Stupid") Lumber her with 'Just look through here, and turn that and check this before pressing that...', will do nothing for your relationship, not to mention any support she might have for your future purchases. That's RULE #1!!! I've been there, done that, so on a recent trip to Noumea, we simply took my trusty G1. My wife used it happily and we got some super shots . There are times when outings are seriously not 'photo shoots', and a family trip to Disney is one of them. Do try to avoid coming home with the imprint of the viewfinder on your eye socket...

[dhbailey]

[snip]There are times when outings are seriously not 'photo shoots', and a family trip to Disney is one of them. Do try to avoid coming home with the imprint of the viewfinder on your eye socket...

We went for February school vacation, and I have to disagree with the idea that DisneyWorld isn't a photo-shoot place. There are gorgeous birds flying around, fantastic structures, and people with the most amazing expressions on their faces. For a photographer, it can indeed be a fantastic photo-shoot opportunity.

I took my 20D, Tamron 28-75 f2.8, Canon 18-55, and Canon 75-300, and the lens I shot with most of the time was the Tamron.

I would suggest a top-down shoulder bag -- I went with a Tamrac which could hold either the 20D/75-300 combo or the 20D/28-75 with the 18-55 stored beneath it. I bought a medium lens bag to strap onto the side of the Tamrac (so it could store either the 28-75 and 18-55 or the 75-300 by itself) and did walk around with all 3 lenses (great weight training).

Leave the tripod or monopod behind, take your body and the 24-70 f2.8 lens and that's it. Buy an extra battery and buy your storage cards before you get there. They do sell memory cards on the grounds but at prices at least double what you can get them for anywhere else.

I went with 2 1GB cards and wish I had more (I was shooting jpg-L). I will be buying a storage tank with viewing screen soon for times when I am away from my computer for more than a single day (am torn between the Epson P2000 and the SmartDisk FlashTrax). I don't want just a holding tank without viewing screen because I have heard horror stories of cards appearing to transfer correctly but when the files were finally transferred to a computer for viewing or printing they were all corrupted. I would like to know that BEFORE erasing the cards.

Enjoy the visit -- I would go back often if I could afford it. I love the place!

[lancea]

I spent a weekend in the parks last October, with my brand spanking new 20D and the 18-55 lens. I could easily have spent another couple of days. Great fun! A slightly stronger telephoto and wide-angle would have been nice on a few occasions, but I was glad of the light weight of that lens. You do a lot of walking and waiting. If you stay from opening till the night show, you'll all be pretty tired. Do get a bigger CF card though - 2GB wouldn't go astray, or even 2 of them since you seem to be intent on serious photography! On several occasions I was very glad of the highest ISO on the 20D, but you have a 2.8 so should do okay. Of course flash is a no-no in those shows that could do with it. While it was a weekend when I was there, I think it was a quiet time of year. Even so, there were lots and lots of people and it wasn't always easy getting into a bit of a clear space to take photos. It was nice though that people often moved out of the way when they noticed you trying to take a shot. I think if I'd had lots of gear it would have made my photos less spontaneous and I wouldn't have enjoyed myself so much. Travel light and bring back happy memories as well as photos!

[eosster]

Take P and S digicam. You want to have fun at Disney right?

[Jetmech1]

I agree. I've been to Disney at least half a dozen times and always bought my smallest point and shoot at the time. If I went today, I'd leave my 20D in the hotel and bring my wife's Sony to the park. Buy yourself a $200-300 point and shoot that will fit in your pocket, and use your 10D for shots outside of the parks.

I agree. I would never carry my D Rebel set up to a theme park. That is why I keep my Oly C750 around. It takes great pics and is very easy to carry. Besides my Oly C750 can take video also, so that is another advantage.

Just my .02 cents worth of advice.

[Jetmech1]

In this statement, you might not be referring to disneyworld, but if you look at this thread:

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=55354&highlight=disney

Scott (Sdommin) posts some AMAZING disneyworld photos w/ P&S Canon G3. There are a lot of people on this site who have posted some breathtaking photographs with P&S cameras that I could only dream of doing with my DSLR.

just my 2 cents to defend those who are recommending P&S

While I love my DSLR, I have got some great shots with my P & S Oly C750. The DSLR has it's advantages, but a good photographer can get some nice shots with a P & S. If I wear going by my self I would take the DSLR and have a grea time shooting pics, but with the family I would stick with a small camera.

[lost]

Ok, I am going to stick my nose in here. I have been to Disney World 9 times and spent over a week each time. This started when I was 4 yrs old and the most recent trip was 2 years ago. (My family has an addiction.) Just recently started with SLR photography. There is no way I would pass up the chance to photograph such amazing sights with my DRebel. Disney world is probably the only place you will have such a huge variety of shots presented. Now I would limit the amout of Viewfinder time spent. But ultimately its all about what you are looking to get out of YOUR vacation.

[ducdubbq]

the thing about disney world is that it is so huge and avialable. you can go any place at anytime and no one looks at you strangely if you have a camera.

stuck in the suburbs i always feel wierd walking with a camera/camerabag past endless rows of houses hoping for a pic of a squirrel. and i've had more than one person while watering their lawn or some foolish thing

"hey, young fella, don't be thinking of stealing nothing"

disneyworld gives a tremendous variety of architecture, easy transportation and I can drink the water. Ive been to europe 4 times, traveled about canada and crossed the US and been back. and the combination of artitecture, landscape and candid people photos you can get at disney is hard to beat.

[godfrey]

Well it really all depends on what you are shooting. If you are shooting more of the park (night shots, landscape, etc) then I would suggest bring your DSLR gear. My suggestion would be:
10D
24-70L,
75-300
550EX
17-40 or as wide of a lens at you can get
Circular Polarizers
2-3 batteries
2-3gig if shooting jpg, more if you're shooting RAW
tripod
Nice comfy backpack (Lowepro trekker type)

Now if you're mainly shooting family portraits and the some scenic (landscape and night shots) then I would suggest saving your back by going to a prosumer type camera where it's better than a p+s but give you enough control on your shots. This is from my experience. I've been to Disneyworld and Disneyland several times. I've brought all my gear thinking I'll be able to take a lot of shots. So I lugged my 100lb (similar to what I'd listed up above) of gear. After a day or two of Magic Kingdom/Epcot/MGM, I was basically lining up/getting fastpass/buying food (more line ups) than I was shooting. I thought I could shoot at night once my wife and kids were back to the hotel, well, I was too bushed to muster up any energy to go back. My last trip was this past Feb to Disneyland and California Adventures. I decided I didn't want to lug the gears. So I'd brought a Olympus C8080WZ. It was the best decision I've ever made. It's a 8 Meg camera with a 28-140mm zoom. It has a 58mm filter size. So I could put on my circular polarizer filter. The only complaint is that it will only goes up to ISO 400. So here's what I'd brought in this last trip:

Olympus C8080WZ (one of the best reviewed)
Cirular Polarizer filter
travelling tripod (Gitzo)
3 - 1 gb Ultra II CF
2 batteries
Charger

Hope this helped.
Godfrey

[ska60te]

your 10-D Plus 24-70 should be fine with a flash for just in case purposes

[charlesu]

May I recommend a dose of sanity. Take a G2 or something and pay attention to the family and have fun. The 10D will be an albatross around your neck. Here is something of mine from Disney with a G2.


http://www.runways.com/images/WDW%20Feb%202003%20382.jpg

http://www.runways.com/images/WDW%20Feb%202003%20500.jpg

http://www.runways.com/images/WDW%20Feb%202003%20228.jpg

All taken with a little G2 which was MUCH more manageable (belt pack when we were not shooting). The prints are astonishing. I got 13x19 from them that fooled a film bigot into thinking they were medium format prints.

By the way, I don't recommend asking Baloo for directions. He's not very good with maps. Come to think of it, I don't think many bears are.

.

[ducdubbq]

By the way, I don't recommend asking Baloo for directions. He's not very good with maps. Come to think of it, I don't think many bears are.

.

LOL.

one must strike a balance on any vacation between phototaking and non-photo family time. it would be no different were I going to disneyworld or Rome. actually walking around Rome I'd be more tempted NOT to bring the big, noticable dslr especially when I look american and speak american and walk american.

But here's the problem. I have this great equipment I spent thousands of dollars on to use. why wouldn't I bring it on a place I want to take good photos? the worst use of a camera is as a paperweight.

its a dilemma.

i don't have the 24-70 (that plus a fast wide prime should fulfill 99% of your) but i do have a 70-200/4L and it is my best lens. it is fast, phat, great looking, takes great photos. it is the alpha and the omega of my lens collection but its heavy and its noticable and it is awkward to fit in a bag. but how do I not bring it? the whole reason i bought it was to use it.

what do y'll think?


PS. Disneyworld is all about the motion and the music. a video recorder (or digital camera that can record video) is a must. everything from the talking trashcan to the fireworks to the screams of people on Tower of Terror.

Rule 2: you have to bring the tripod. Disneyworld is awesome at night. the fireworks are great, but the buildings, resorts, all of it at night is fantastic. to take photos you'll need a tripod. I have brought a tabletop and put the camera on walls and trashcans, now i've upgraded to a midsize Slik sprint mini which may be the best or "worst" size in your opinions:

too big to fit easily in the small bag, too small to be as versatile as a full tripod. but I've been alright with it. its not as awkward or as embarassing as a full on tripod but can stand on its own and give a good height.

[ducdubbq]

As a post note, I also think the whole photo-fam vacation thing does matter what you do with the gobs of photos you take.

if they just sit in a digital dustbin then all that time taking the photos was worthless to the fam. but if you made an iphoto book for each of the family, a personalised scrap book so to speak.
they'll have something that lasts longer.

and the iphoto books are reasonably priced and look great.