Video Tapes Keep Piling Up

JMarsden92 June 21, 2011
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Each year when we go to Disney, or the cruise we always take @3-4 tapes for our video camera.  Last year I started transferring all the tapes from our camcorders to dvd, or Blu-ray.  I am now looking at a pile of tapes that I am sure can be used a second time, but I also have had bad experiences with reusing tapes.  For some reason we lost a whole vacation because we video taped it on second run tapes that we had.  We now use one of many recording devices so that I don’t have as much work to do in transferring them to dvd, or blu-ray.  If you are going to purchase a camcorder try to find one that has a firewire port on it.  This is one of the best ways to transfer video for editing, and movie making.

Having multiple recording devices has helped us out.  We have 2 Flip cameras, and 1 DV camcorder.  On top of that we have multiple cameras that go with us to Disney.  Word to the wise… Bring a extra memory card for your cameras so that you don’t have to worry about downloading the camera each night while in Disney.

Usually I have extra memory cards, but for the most part I download the photos nightly into our laptop so that we can sort through them before the count gets out of hand.

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What Will Become Of Captain EO?

JMarsden92 May 11, 2011
[1] comment

I know that it was rumored that Disney had originally brought back Captain EO for a limited time.  We took my daughter to see the show last time we were in the parks because she had never seen the show before.  There was something different, or maybe I am wrong.  The show was the same, but I think that maybe they did something to the theater when it went to “Honey I Shrunk”.

Has anyone else been to the show?  Were you at the show in its beginning?  Did you find anything different?

On a side note… Why is it that Michael Jackson seems to get a lot of things named, and termed after him now that he is gone?  I have seen so many different things that seem like they are just money makers for the Jacksons.  There are even Thriller radii shoes that resemble shoes like MJ had in one or two of his videos.

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Home Automation Testing While In Disney

JMarsden92 March 30, 2011
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I have finished installing a vast array of automation equipment in my home.  This is on top of the cctv system, and alarm system.  A lot of this stuff was mainly for demo purposes for my business.  With the amount of times that we go away to Disney World it will be nice to be able to control some of our home via the home automation systems from my cell phone.  From Disney I will now be able to be secure in knowing if anything is going on that I need immediate attention to like water leaks, house temperature, etc.  I have seen a lot of the things similar to what I have when they had one of the sections in the Innoventions Pavilion.

Now my wife can yell at me for toying with my phone while we are away again because I will have to do some continual testing to see that everything works correct so I can adjust things accordingly.

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Recommended Disney Android Apps

JMarsden92 March 13, 2011
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I am continually looking for good Android apps for my Disney experiences.  I have recently compiled a list of a few of them for you.  You will need the Barcode Reader app installed to use the QR codes below.

  • Ship Mate – Disney Cruise (Jan Jirout)

This app by far is the best app I have found.  Interactive maps, and information about the cruise ships.  You can also see the schedules.

  • Disney Channel TV
  • Days Left Widget (Leihwelt.com)

This app makes a little countdown on your screen.

  • Disney World Wait Times (VersaEdge Software)

This app lets you view, and also update wait times for attractions throughout the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida.

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Eating In Disney World

JMarsden92 February 26, 2011
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Here is some information to take into consideration when you visit Disney World, and dining is about to come into play.  These are all things that we practice when vacationing with the mouse.

When planning your vacation make sure to book any desired meals well in advance.  Most restaurants book up quickly, and during PEAK times the dining is sometimes even harder to work with.  Check out the Disney dining system by CLICKING HERE.

If you are going into the parks for a day take some small food with you so that you can snack and not have to purchase as much while in the parks.  We go out to the Super WalMart when we get to Florida and we purchase some food that our diet supplements out like candies, and ready made lunches.  We take them into the parks, and eat them as necessary to save some cash.

Weigh out the cost of eating individual meals without a dining plan.  Calculate one of the cheaper locations in WDW, and then calculate what the dining plan would cost instead.  9 times out of 10 the dining plan will work out more feasible.

If you are in a DVC room, or any room that has refrigerator, microwave, etc., then leave the park at peak hours, and go back to your room to eat.

Posted in Dining | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment