Where do you stash camera gear if going on a ride?

mreynoldsDisney

Earning My Ears
Joined
Jun 18, 2019
As a serious photographer I would like to bring my camera gear with me to the park (at least I think I will) but for others that do ; any tips on how to still go on a ride other than having someone else you know hold your stuff for you?
 
It depends on the ride and the size and amount of your gear. Many rides have pouches or other receptacles to hold your bags, etc. They vary in size but most will hold a camera/lens. A few rides are different. Kali river Rapids has lockers. Flight of Passage has a shelf a few feet behind you to stow things. I've never ever heard of anything being stolen and I think it would be hard to do so but your things will be a few feet apart from you while you ride. Unfortunately there is no single answer. And yes, if you do have a companion who is not riding that is often a good option but most always there is some other solution.
 
Also Soarin is another that I remember is different. You might need to leave larger bags on the floor a bit aways from you. Again I have never heard of a items disappearing.
 
It depends on the ride and the size and amount of your gear. Many rides have pouches or other receptacles to hold your bags, etc. They vary in size but most will hold a camera/lens. A few rides are different. Kali river Rapids has lockers. Flight of Passage has a shelf a few feet behind you to stow things. I've never ever heard of anything being stolen and I think it would be hard to do so but your things will be a few feet apart from you while you ride. Unfortunately there is no single answer. And yes, if you do have a companion who is not riding that is often a good option but most always there is some other solution.
Much appreciate the reply. Surprised the rides have such large storage areas, I guess made to fit womens purses and similar? I would be for the most part just taking pictures of our daughter but didn't want to not be able to go on any rides with her if I bring the camera. Don't want to lose a $4000 camera/lens just to take a ride though either.
Only other photographic interests would be animals in AK near sunset, MK fireworks at night, Epcot maybe at the end of the night when the crowds are leaving. Would love to bring my tripod but seems too much of a hassle and it may be too big for what they allow. Have a Platypod I will bring, if stick to that and camera with 1 lens on it per park I think that will fit in a small bag. Will bring a 70-300 lens for the day at AK and 24-70 lens for the other parks. During the day I won't be photographing anything but family.
 


The size varies but most are good for a purse size at least. Also a few rides don't even have holders but you just put your stuff under/behind your legs, including some rides where you would think you might need something more secure. But as you might expect Disney has this stuff figured out.
 
Much appreciate the reply. Surprised the rides have such large storage areas, I guess made to fit womens purses and similar?

Pretty much that, and various other things guests carry - Disney knows there are a lot of people carrying bags, coolers, drink bottles, camera bags, purses, and so on. And it's really only the 'action' rides where it matters - on slower rides the bag can sit between your feet in the ride car or seat beside you if there's room. Some rides like Big Thunder Mountain have small pouches that don't fit larger camera bags, but if you wrap the shoulder strap around your knee and stick the bag between your feet on the floor, it won't go anywhere. And as mentioned, some rides like Kali offer lockers to store bags you don't want to bring with you - as even the ride pouch areas provided on the raft are made for smaller items, and often end up getting wet inside anyway.

I tend to store my larger bags in a locker if I know I'll be hitting lots of action rides, and bring my camera with me with one chosen lens to shoot on-ride photos.

I would be for the most part just taking pictures of our daughter but didn't want to not be able to go on any rides with her if I bring the camera. Don't want to lose a $4000 camera/lens just to take a ride though either.

I've never had any issues bringing cameras on even the fast rides, as long as you can show you're taking good precautions...I tightly wrap the straps around my wrist multiple times and keep a good grip on it, and will bring the camera along on roller coasters and such as it's fun and challenging to try to get some shots while riding. I've convinced some ride operators that the camera was safer on the ride than people shooting with phones, as they have no straps holding things to their body in case their grip gives out - my camera will stay on my wrist while someone's phone could go sailing into someone else or fly free into the ride tracks.

Only other photographic interests would be animals in AK near sunset, MK fireworks at night, Epcot maybe at the end of the night when the crowds are leaving. Would love to bring my tripod but seems too much of a hassle and it may be too big for what they allow. Have a Platypod I will bring, if stick to that and camera with 1 lens on it per park I think that will fit in a small bag. Will bring a 70-300 lens for the day at AK and 24-70 lens for the other parks. During the day I won't be photographing anything but family.

Tripods are OK in all the Disney parks as long as they're not giant ones...you may have trouble entering with some pods that are more than 21" when compacted - though I've had some fellow photogs manage to get in with those strapped to their camera backpacks - it's just a matter of luck and taking the chance. Better if you have a reasonable pod that can compact down - aluminum 3 or 4 leg section pods that are less than 21" folded are fine - I've brought my Slik pods that extend up 65" and can handle pretty decent weighted lenses and never had an issue. The good thing is those tripods will fit in the standard Disney lockers that you can rent at every park entrance...so if planning on using it later at night and not wanting to haul it around all day - rent a locker, stick the pod in there, enjoy your day, then when ready, retrieve the pod and enjoy the long-exposure night shots.
 
Pretty much that, and various other things guests carry - Disney knows there are a lot of people carrying bags, coolers, drink bottles, camera bags, purses, and so on. And it's really only the 'action' rides where it matters - on slower rides the bag can sit between your feet in the ride car or seat beside you if there's room. Some rides like Big Thunder Mountain have small pouches that don't fit larger camera bags, but if you wrap the shoulder strap around your knee and stick the bag between your feet on the floor, it won't go anywhere. And as mentioned, some rides like Kali offer lockers to store bags you don't want to bring with you - as even the ride pouch areas provided on the raft are made for smaller items, and often end up getting wet inside anyway.

I tend to store my larger bags in a locker if I know I'll be hitting lots of action rides, and bring my camera with me with one chosen lens to shoot on-ride photos.



I've never had any issues bringing cameras on even the fast rides, as long as you can show you're taking good precautions...I tightly wrap the straps around my wrist multiple times and keep a good grip on it, and will bring the camera along on roller coasters and such as it's fun and challenging to try to get some shots while riding. I've convinced some ride operators that the camera was safer on the ride than people shooting with phones, as they have no straps holding things to their body in case their grip gives out - my camera will stay on my wrist while someone's phone could go sailing into someone else or fly free into the ride tracks.



Tripods are OK in all the Disney parks as long as they're not giant ones...you may have trouble entering with some pods that are more than 21" when compacted - though I've had some fellow photogs manage to get in with those strapped to their camera backpacks - it's just a matter of luck and taking the chance. Better if you have a reasonable pod that can compact down - aluminum 3 or 4 leg section pods that are less than 21" folded are fine - I've brought my Slik pods that extend up 65" and can handle pretty decent weighted lenses and never had an issue. The good thing is those tripods will fit in the standard Disney lockers that you can rent at every park entrance...so if planning on using it later at night and not wanting to haul it around all day - rent a locker, stick the pod in there, enjoy your day, then when ready, retrieve the pod and enjoy the long-exposure night shots.
Ballhead off my tripod is 23" Tall and made of carbon fiber. Think that will be OK to bring in the park? Love the idea of renting a locker and keeping the tripod, ballhead and maybe a wide angle lens in there all day until night time. Model is Really Right Stuff 24L.
 


You'll be JUST on the line, I think, by my rough guestimate measurements for the large locker size. The large lockers at WDW are 15.5 high x 17 deep - the diagonal on that would be a hair over 23". So you SHOULD just fit with the head removed...but it will be close! You'd have to put the tripod in at a diagonal from left front corner to rear right corner, for example. At MK and Epcot, there's a 'jumbo' locker option too, and those would be no problem at all - at 17" deep by 22" wide and 26" high. I'd think the most likely parks you'd want to do night long exposures would be MK and Epcot, so you could probably rent the 'large' size and see if your stuff fits, and if it doesn't, just have them upgrade you to the jumbo.
There are also 'secret' lockers at Epcot - very large ones - out at their bus stop info booth. They're first-come first-serve, and are single-use only - meaning you use coins to pay and once you go back and open it, you have to pay again to close...but they're paid with quarters and very cheap - I think $.50 last I saw. If you don't mind the longer walk out to the bus stop, it's a very cheap way to go if you just need to store your stuff one time for later that night.
 
Thank you very much!!! Yes 1 night at MK and 1 night at Epcot is all I would want the tripod for anyway. I was thinking I would leave the tripod at home but now will bring it.
 
Hey there! I haven't been down since, well, before digital cameras, so it's been a while. Anyways, I would always take my Pentax K1000 and a couple of lenses, a 50mm and a zoom, 70 - 200mm...something like that. And I would have the 50mm wrapped up in a hand towel in my backpack and my camera hanging from my side. When it came time to ride the rides, I would stuff my camera in my backpack, put it at my feet and loop my legs through the straps to prevent it from going anywhere and I never had a problem. I should mention that I never rode Kali River Rapids. As for other rides with water I'd just hold the backpack in my lap. Hope that helps.
 
Hey there! I haven't been down since, well, before digital cameras, so it's been a while. Anyways, I would always take my Pentax K1000 and a couple of lenses, a 50mm and a zoom, 70 - 200mm...something like that. And I would have the 50mm wrapped up in a hand towel in my backpack and my camera hanging from my side. When it came time to ride the rides, I would stuff my camera in my backpack, put it at my feet and loop my legs through the straps to prevent it from going anywhere and I never had a problem. I should mention that I never rode Kali River Rapids. As for other rides with water I'd just hold the backpack in my lap. Hope that helps.
Thanks!
Are you from Cape Cod? I am very close to the Sagamore Bridge.
 
Thanks!
Are you from Cape Cod? I am very close to the Sagamore Bridge.

I am, Town of Barnstable, won't get too specific on a public board. Love it here. Although I'm more in to portrait photography, I do appreciate landscape and what not. I don't consider myself very good at it, but there's a lot of great places for pictures down here. I recently discovered Paine's Creek Beach down in Brewster.
 
I am, Town of Barnstable, won't get too specific on a public board. Love it here. Although I'm more in to portrait photography, I do appreciate landscape and what not. I don't consider myself very good at it, but there's a lot of great places for pictures down here. I recently discovered Paine's Creek Beach down in Brewster.
Small world!
Paine's Creek is great. The whole bayside is filled with gems.
Rock Harbor Beach, Point of Rocks Beach, and the boardwalk at Gray's Beach are my 3 favorite spots near Paine's Creek.
 
I use a Crumpler 5 Million Dollar Home bag when in the parks, and it neatly fits inside any ride compartment. Large camera gear means different things to different people, and to me that's my smaller shoulder bag, and doesn't carry my big body or lenses unless I really overstuff it, and even then I get one large item. My larger Restrospective 10 bag doesn't fit in the ride compartments, but lockers are easy with it, and that will carry a full set of f/2.8 zooms and a gripped body.
 
Thanks jec6613 !!!
Good to know that bag fits in the ride compartments. Looks like it is no longer made but can be bought fairly cheaply on ebay.
I think it would carry what I want to bring into each park for the day.
Been on the lookout for a small carry bag for when my camera backpack is too large (cities mainly but amusement parks also fit that description) so can justify purchasing it for more than just 1 trip use.
Could probably bring my larger backpack, tripod with this bag inside. Then rent the largest locker ; but my backpack, tripod in their and carry around the Crumpler Bag till night time long exposure hour.
 
The Crumpler is discontinued, but the Think Tank Retrospective 5 is the same size, roughly, and IMHO a better bag (I have the 10). The 5 is the volume in liters, and bag manufacturers frequently use volume as their model number, so you can shop around for a number of them that size.

And although it fits, it is a *barely* fits situation in a few cases, so be sure you're okay treating your gear somewhat harshly. :)
 
Hey there! I haven't been down since, well, before digital cameras, so it's been a while. Anyways, I would always take my Pentax K1000 and a couple of lenses, a 50mm and a zoom, 70 - 200mm...something like that. And I would have the 50mm wrapped up in a hand towel in my backpack and my camera hanging from my side. When it came time to ride the rides, I would stuff my camera in my backpack, put it at my feet and loop my legs through the straps to prevent it from going anywhere and I never had a problem. I should mention that I never rode Kali River Rapids. As for other rides with water I'd just hold the backpack in my lap. Hope that helps.

There are camera wraps that are more secure and protective than a towel. They're a padded square with velcro on the four corners so they can be folded into a pouch which makes it easy to quickly insert or remove your gear. and ensures that your gear won't work its way free when you're getting things out of your bag.
 
There are camera wraps that are more secure and protective than a towel. They're a padded square with velcro on the four corners so they can be folded into a pouch which makes it easy to quickly insert or remove your gear. and ensures that your gear won't work its way free when you're getting things out of your bag.

Thanks for the heads up on this, I'll be looking for these for my next trip down.
 
I bring my Nikon DSLR, I usually just use one lens so on certain rides I will put it inside the case, inside of a backpack and wrap the straps of the backpack around my hands or my feet. The only rides I haven't brought it on have been Slinky, Tower of Terror, and Rockin' roller coaster.
 
There are camera wraps that are more secure and protective than a towel. They're a padded square with velcro on the four corners so they can be folded into a pouch which makes it easy to quickly insert or remove your gear. and ensures that your gear won't work its way free when you're getting things out of your bag.

yes, it's been a while but if I was going on a ride I would put my Canon mirrorless and "pancake" lens in a small waterproof waistpack. Which I do anyway, ride or no ride
www.flickr.com/photos/mmirrorless
 

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