10-day Vacation in Florida - What Gears to Carry?

[flying_tiger]

Hi, I'm planning a trip to Florida for 10 days and I wonder what

gears I should carry with me. I'll be traveling by air with my wife

and another couple and plan to visit at least 5 theme parks:

 

Universal Studio

 

MGM Studio

 

Magic Kingdom

 

Animal Kingdom

 

Apcot Center

 

A lot of walking! Averagely 8-10 hours a day. Also, I'd like to

take pictures of fireworks at night. So I guess I have bring a

tripod with me. Here is a list of what I have in my arsenal.

 

Canon Eos 3 SLR

 

Canon 28-70/2.8L

 

Canon 70-200/2.8L

 

Canon 550EX speedlite

 

Canon A80 Digital Camera

 

Nikon FM2N SLR (manual focus)

 

Nikon 50/1.8 AI

 

Nikon 105/2.5 AIS

 

Nikon SB-28 speedlite

 

Gitzo 1228 MkII (carbon fiber) Mountaineer tripod

 

Arca-Swiss B1 Ballhead

 

Lowporo Mini Trekker Backpack

 

___________________________________________________________

 

A friend told me that the 70-200/2.8L is NOT very useful for a trip

like this. Do I need to carry the heavy 70-200/2.8L with me?

 

Anyways, here is a list of gears I intend to bring.

 

Lowporo Mini Trekker backpack with:

 

Canon Eos 3

 

Canon 28-70/2.8L

 

Canon 550EX speedlite

 

Canon A80 digital camera

 

Gitzo 1228 MkII tripod

 

Arca-Swiss B1 ballhead

 

20 rolls of Films (12 rolls of print; 8 rolls of slides)

 

Do I need to bring a backup SLR such as Nikon FM2n with 50/1.8 just

in case my Eos 3 breaks down? I would rather carry the 70-200/2.8L

instead of a backup camera with lens. The 70-200/2.8L is not much

heavier than the Fm2n with 50/1.8AI.

 

Does it make sense to limit the total weight withing 14bls? BTW, I

don't plan to carry the Gitzo G1228 tripod everyday. Maybe I'll use

it for the 2 nights when I shoot fireworks. For the rest of trip,

I'll leave it in the trunk of my rental car. Is it safe to leave

stuff in the trunk in parking lot?

 

 

Any suggestions and recommendation are appreciated.

[amanda_b.]

Check with all those parks. You may not be allowed to bring in a backpack, much less any tripods.

 

Been a while since I've been though, pre-9/11, so I don't know.

 

No, it's not safe to leave anything in a trunk anywhere.

 

All those theme parks have lockers you can rent for like $5 a day. Do that instead.

 

I can't imagine needing a major zoom, everything is right there in front of you, except maybe at Animal Kingdom, but, being a glorified zoo, if there are animals out when you are there they are going be close to the people. No wide vistas where a zoom would be needed.

 

I hope you take time away from Theme Park World and visit some other non-tourist spots. If you are interested. There's a lot out here.

[amanda_b.]

Oh, and let me add that IMO that's an AWFUL lot of gear for just doing theme parks. What you shoot will not "change" much - rides, building facades, friends in front of/on said rides/buildings, and the animals at animal kingdom. Perhaps some nighttime photography. But everything at these parks (except the animals - I hope) is man-made. EPCOT, if you are going before I think June 9, has the International Flower and Garden Festival, which is cool, and all parks, esp. Animal Kingdom, have nice little "gardens" spattered about.

 

But it's still a lot to take for just going to theme parks (you've seen one, you've seen them all). Plus it's hot down here. And very muggy. Keep that in mind when deciding how much/heavy a load to take!

[craig_bridge]

Magic Kingdom night fireworks are best done from outside the park. Polyneasian lake front has a few areas where light polution is low and tripods are welcome if you are staying on property at any of the resorts (Your room key will be your ID so security won't chase you out of the resort guest only areas). If not, don't expect much.

 

Epcot show is an inside the park event and finding a good place is tough and anywhere a tripod wouldn't be in the way in a guest area is not somewhere you want to shoot from. Use 800 speed film and you won't need a tripod.

 

As for pictures in the theme parks, one inexpensive small body with one lens for the we were there shots.

 

5 parks in 10 days is not my idea of a vacation and certainly not one that you want to pack a lot of camera gear for!

[Aoresteen]

I live in Orlando and have been to the parks many times (my grandkids love it!). You can bring in a tripod but you might be asked to move it depending where you set up. I use a monopod for shoting from the stands. Backpacks are alowed; they will inspect it before entering.

 

When I go I take 1 body, a 28mm, an 85 or 105, and (sometimes) a 200mm. At Animal Kingdom a 400 or 500 is usefull (also good for the Shamu Show at Seaworld). Most of the time it's the 85mm that gets used. Your 28 to 70 zoom will be used the most. Leave the 70-200 home. Bring EXTRA batteries for your EOS 3! They will die!

 

Bring DOUBLE the film! 20 rolls is NOT enough for 10 days. Film in the parks is EXPENSIVE. A 4 pack of Fuji 200 24 exp costs $16 at Seaworld. The same film at Wal-Mart is $5.60. You won't find any E6 film. If you do,it will be old. You will not find any B&W film either or 120. You can find E6 film in the nearby shopping centers but it will be expensive and it will be Kodak Elite 100. No Fuji.

 

You can get C-41 processed everywhere in 1 hour. Have your C-41 processed daily to make sure you are getting the photos you want.

 

Forget about getting E6 done. There's only one lab that picks up at most of the photo places and it could be 2 days before you get your slides back. Have the E6 done at home. If you shoot Kodachrome, it's 10 days turn around in Orlando.

 

Consider a small clamping mount or table top tripod instead of a tripod to to take fireworks. AT Eptcot there's a metal fence and you can clamp your camera to it to take the shots. Or use the table top tripod.

 

You need to claim a spot at least 1 1/2 hours before the fireworks start; it gets crowded fast!. Claim apot for the parades 1 hour before they start; make sure you get a place with the sun to your BACK as in the afternoons the sun is low and you don't want to shoot into the sun.

 

As for the second body, I'd leave the Nikon home and bring a small 3 mp digital camera.

 

Bring the flash. AA batteries are available everywhere. 123s are a bit harder to find but the local drug stores have them.

 

There are a couple of camera stores in DOWNTOWN Orlando (20 minute drive from most parks). Colonial Camera & Hobby has a good selection of Fuji & Kodak films. Harmen Photo does as well.

 

Have fun visiting the parks.

[Aoresteen]

Oh, you are going to be very tired after the first few days. Take a day off and hang by the pool or drive to Cocoa Beach and relax. 5 parks in 10 days is a LOT!!

 

You will get tired carying all that equipment. Get rid of as much of it as you can. Less is more at the parks.

 

Bring a water bottle carrier and refill your 1st bottle at the water fountians.

 

Take advantage of Disney's FastPass option. You put your ticket in a machine and it tells you when to come back and you go to the head of the line.

[flying_tiger]

Thanks a lot for the inputs from your guys.

 

Good advise and very educational. This is going to be my first visit to Disney and I want to take advantage of the opportunity photographying. Anyways, our trip is for 10-day including travel back and forth from NY. So, we'll actually spend 6 full days in Orlando and 2 days in Miami area.

 

I know 5 parks in 6 days is extremely tight and quite a challenge physically. How about our 2-day in Miami? Any suggestions on places to visit? We may want to spend a day in Miami area (downtown Miami, Jungle of Parrots) and a 2nd day in Everglade.

 

How much time do I need for the Everglade? Which entrance to the park is the best? BTW, we do plan to stop by Palm Beach. Too many place and too little time!

 

How's the weather there between 5/15-5/23? Very hot and muddy?

 

Thanks again.

[craig_bridge]

Way too much planned.

 

Everglades in 1 day, Florida Turnpike extension south to Florida City, main park road to main entrance - pay fee, stop at visitor center and Royal Palm and walk the Anhinga Trail. Plan on 2 hours drive each way plus however long it takes to get from where you are staying to SW 152nd and the Florida Turnpike extension. Miami traffic is highly variable! You will want your 70-200 (or longer) on the trail unless it is totally dead.

 

We are still in the "dry" season but that should be starting to change, so you may get some days with afternoon thunder showers. Expect highs in the 80's in Orlando and 3-4 degrees warmer in Miami.

[Ken Katz]

If you also want to have fun, take only the A80 into theme parks. If you want to live in pain and agony and watch everyone else enjoy the rides, then take a pro SLR with a pile of pro lenses.

 

At Magic Kingdom, you enjoy the fireworks with 50,000 of your closest friends. Its wall to wall people (and baby strollers) anyplace close to the action. Maybe a table top tripod (if you can find a vacant table).

[Marvin]

Just east of Orlando is the Merritt Island Bird Refuge (Titusville). Go there to shoot birds. Another good spot for birds is in the Boynton Beach area it's called Wakadohatchee (look it up on the web).

[Aoresteen]

The night Laser Light show at Disney/MGM is great. It starts at dark so it makes for a very long day. But see it. Plan on geting seats 1 hour before the show starts.

[Jerry_]

....plus (if the afternoon-shower-per-day kicks in early) you may want to include some sort of rain cover for your gear if a p.m. thunderstorm happens to visit the park you are in. For a day in the park, two lenses, one body, film, batteries, and (groan) a tripod should get you through in good shape. If you do a lot of out-of-door face images, you may want a flash for fill.

 

 

 

The Florida Tourist Board will thank you!

[keith_van_hulle1]

Kenneth had the right answer. Take the A80 and forget everything else and go have fun. It's going to be very warm there. Forget the tripod unless you take a tabletop. You could take the 3 and 28-70 for night shots and such like fireworks but don't plan on carrying that all day. You WILL regret it.

[herman_hiel]

As most of the other posters said: forget about the tripod.

Instead make sure you have a pair of good shoes; you'll be doing a lot of walking.

If you go to the Everglades: you can 'do' the Anhinga trail in a morning. Actually, I think that is the best time, as the alligators come out to sun and warm up. In the afternoon, when it warms up, they might dissapear - at least when I was there about a month ago.

I was recommended the loop road - around Big Cypress and this was confirmed to me by some people; they had lots of birds and alligators a couple of meters from the road.

Enjoy.

[amanda_b.]

PLUS you will be asked to place your bags (camera or otherwise) in a locker while on certain rides. The roller coasters especially. THAT can be a pain in the rear. Plus there are several water rides that IF you go on you WILL get soaked. So will everything you have with you / on you.

 

Back in the day (!) when I used to go I would only have a little point and shoot and could either "hide" it in a pocket or around my neck tucked under my shirt. Can't do that with what you'll be bringing.

 

And I'm going to 2nd, or 3rd, the fact that you are doing WAY too much for such a short time. Now you want to see Miami, Everglades, AND palm beach? All are worthy in their own right, but really. Even if you did JUST the 5 theme parks in what, 6 days did you say, THAT will be a rushed schedule Add in wanting to take fabulous photos, and you are going to be run ragged come the afternoon.

[jim_gifford]

Been there, done that. Yes, it is hot and muggy and crowded (lots of "sorry!" and "excuse me!" and "pardon me!" going on) inside the parks... especially the Magic Kingdom.

 

If you're there to have fun and enjoy the park(s), just bring the Canon A80 and leave everything else at home! Really. And if you also bring a ziploc baggie you can waterproof it for the wet rides or afternoon showers.

 

On the other hand, if photography is as much a part of your agenda as enjoying the park experience... okay, bring whichever SLR you are most compfortable using. Just one, not both! One lens will do. For your Canon I'd suggest bringing the 28-70. For the Nikon, just the 50/1.8.

 

You can haul everything to Florida if you want. Why not? But I do think it will take you just one day to decide that a single camera and a single lens is all you want to lug around... so the remainder of your gear will be vacationing in your hotel or rental car trunk (tempting the bad guys to be bad).

 

If you get tired of plastic, prepackaged excitement (and after a bunch of days the theme parks can get to feel that way) consider some time at the beach, or the Everglades, or at Kennedy Space Center or something.

 

Have fun!

[eye-of-searle]

Bring the stuff on your list that you intended to bring for the trip, BUT only take the digital into the parks. There is not point lugging all that stuff around. The only caveat to this would be the Animal Kingdom. Bring your SLR there.

 

Jim

[todd_phillips1]

Way to many theme parks! When shooting in one, take a slr and your 20-whatever zoom. That's really all you'll need, even for fireworks. Get to a spot early (though then you might miss a really good dinner at the French pavillion at Epcot....matter of fact, the dinners are REALLY good so forget the fireworks) and prop your camera on something (use a Leitz table top tripod, if you must). I generally use a 20-35 Nikkor, or a Leica with a 35 and 20.

 

Sincerely, take a day off and go to the beach. See the ocean. Open a bottle of wine and watch/photograph (the only time you need a tele lens) a sunset. Enjoy Florida....I haven't been there for five years, but I wish every day that I could return or move there!