SGs at ToT

[Syndrome]

We rode ToT seven or eight times this morning/afternoon, and as it got later the SGs came out in droves. Worst were the idiots behind us who started up with flash photos the moments the doors closed; then dad and son in the front row thought it was the height of cleverness and hilarity to stand up and flip the bird for the photo. One of the flashers was standing next to me while waiting to board...a hefty mama in a tank top who nearly bowled me over every time she moved her arm due to the cloud of BO that issued forth.

The other SGs weren't as bad, but what's with the obsession of lighting up the cell phones every time they're in the dark? Isn't darkness supposed to be part of the ride's coolness?

[stefunierocks]

i confess to posing for the camera on TOT. Never anything profane though. Usually reading a map. or telling my friend a secret. or Jazz hands is classic

People dont know how to enjoy stuff anymore. I see the dad with the family at Wishes, setting up his tripod, and then not even 'watching' the show. Just taking picture after picture of the fireworks. When pictures of his adorable daughters face enjoying the fireworks, would be much more priceless.

Same thing with people on rides. So concerned with getting a pic of the view from on TOT (which is never a good picture, you can find better online) that they forget theyre riding a ride. grr

[ectomstr]

I hate people like that. those that ruin it for others. a few months back we were in the process of buying my mom a gift for her birthday and decided to ride JII. well, the three people behind us were loud, rude and just laughed and talked through the entire ride. I kept looking back at them and they obviously never took the hint. some people are just out to ruin everyone's ride i guess.

[Big Wallaby]

I, too, enjoy posing for that camera, asleep or reading a map or doing something funny. They don't take to the map reading so well at RR. Oh, well.

But I do it in such way that I don't ruin it for the person next to me or anywhere else on the ride. Now, I would do a picture with my camera up to my face taking a picture if I thought it would be funny. If I could figure out a way to fasten my tripod to the floor of the car I would (with proper permission, of course).

But really, trying to take a picture of the view from ToT? Please.

[Randy B]

I, too, enjoy posing for that camera, asleep or reading a map or doing something funny. They don't take to the map reading so well at RR. Oh, well.

But I do it in such way that I don't ruin it for the person next to me or anywhere else on the ride. Now, I would do a picture with my camera up to my face taking a picture if I thought it would be funny. If I could figure out a way to fasten my tripod to the floor of the car I would (with proper permission, of course).

But really, trying to take a picture of the view from ToT? Please.

I agree that doing anything that will disturb anyone not of your immediate party (they would not be afraid to let you know if they are disturbed by your actions, but stangers may not) is not good. Never a flash! But I have given lots of thought to photography from ride vehicles. First I would have a neck strap long enough to pass behind your neck, under an arm and still give you enough play to allow for easy use. Second I would use a wide angle setting so that some hand and vehicle motion and vibration won't be so apparent. Coupled with as fast a shutter speed as I could get would work. Last to stabilize the camera to the vehicle I would use a monopod or possibly a tripod with the legs collapsed to as close as possible to a single column. Then placing this column on the floor with my feet on either side to hold it steady in one place. Twisting a monopod or leaving the pan adjustment loose on a tripod would allow you to twist the camera left and right and up/down movement would be accomplished by tilting the camera (and pod) forward and back towards you or side to side (depending on which direction you are aiming the camera. Also by using a wide angle lens setting I could aim the camera in the general direction and not have to be so precise in aiming. It doesn't take much practice to be able to "shoot from the hip" by aiming without looking at or through the camera. Actually this practice makes the photography much less disturbing to others as if you are not obviously aiming they are normally not aware you are taking photos at all. I can always crop the photo down later. Especially on the more energetic vehicles, never hold the camera to your face to aim. I learned that a few decades ago when I first tried to video tape some of the WDW coasters. It's very easy to give yourself a black eye with the viewfinder cup (even tho it is soft padded rubber) when the vehicle takes a sharp bounce.

Randy (only a little over a week and a half from taking more of these photos at WDW!!) :D:

[Kwahati]

I, too, enjoy posing for that camera, asleep or reading a map or doing something funny. They don't take to the map reading so well at RR. Oh, well.

Last time I was there, I caused them to delay our train by getting out my map a little too early so CM's had to come tell me I was being an SG (in a very surprisingly nice way). I felt very bad, although I don't think anyone knew it was me except my party. :( I do love posing, though. We have a pic from splash mountain with me and my best friend looking totally bored, checking our watches (and we're all dressed up as we had just come from Vicky & Al's) and my cousins have one from Cali Screamin' with one of them "asleep" one checking his watch, and me, in back reading the LA Times! These same cousins also have one of them "puking" bright orange (cheetos) into their laps (I think that's from Space Mountain in DL...is there a camera in there now?) They're pretty good guests, so I'm fairly certain they were careful to not leave an orange cheesey mess for CM's or other guests...

[Syndrome]

I think I'm gonna have to try a pose next time we ride (something that doesn't bug anyone around him). RnR would be a bit too challenging for something good, but ToT has LOTS of potential.

We also had a kid who was mightily offended by the CM at the library. The minute the doors opened, SG-kid and sibling RAN to the door at the other end of the room. The CM admonished them twice not to run and said, "Don't spoil it for everyone else." Then, during the video, another kid was talking loudly and constantly, and the CM (who had slipped to the back by the original SGs) did a loud SHHHHHHHHHH, which thankfully brought silence. The original SGs must have been doing something, too, because he asked them to move away from the wall and the painting. As they left the room, the one kid said loudly, "He was a real jerk!" Uh, I think you're labelling the wrong person, kiddo.

[DisneyMom]

These same cousins also have one of them "puking" bright orange (cheetos) into their laps (I think that's from Space Mountain in DL...is there a camera in there now?) They're pretty good guests, so I'm fairly certain they were careful to not leave an orange cheesey mess for CM's or other guests... We were there yesterday, they still have a camera, and there were guests right in front of us in the picture reading their map!
I will now worry about being pelted with chewed-up Cheetos as we complete our ride... :eek: Thanks for telling everyone! :rolleyes:

[Kwahati]

We were there yesterday, they still have a camera, and there were guests right in front of us in the picture reading their map!
I will now worry about being pelted with chewed-up Cheetos as we complete our ride... :eek: Thanks for telling everyone! :rolleyes:

See, the really elaborate poses aren't any fun (or respectful) unless you have a whole car (or log or ride vehicle) to yourself (who buys the pics with other parties in them too anyway?). And I'm pretty sure they picked Space Mountain for the cheeto's gag because it doesn't go fast enough to risk making a mess or getting any on other guests. It's all about making fun for yourself without causing grief for others (hence my shame about the map on RnR causing a delay...)

Speaking of not buying pictures with other people in them: there was one time, several years ago, we wanted to get a pic of all the grandkids (my sister, myself, and our two cousins) on Splash for our (now late) grandmother. We asked for a log to ourselves to accommodate this, but the CM's said they couldn't do it (the line was too long). We ended up being put into the front of a log with one other guy, who we didn't know, sitting in the very back. We went to check the picture to see if it looked any good even though we would never buy a picture with someone else who we don't know in it...Amazingly, the guy disappeared! I swear to you, we don't know to this day if he ducked down or went invisible or what, but he is not at all in the picture! One of my cousins adopted that picture after my grandma's death, and we still laugh about the disappearing guy! :p:

[DisneyMom]

See, the really elaborate poses aren't any fun (or respectful) unless you have a whole car (or log or ride vehicle) to yourself (who buys the pics with other parties in them too anyway?). And I'm pretty sure they picked Space Mountain for the cheeto's gag because it doesn't go fast enough to risk making a mess or getting any on other guests. It's all about making fun for yourself without causing grief for others (hence my shame about the map on RnR causing a delay...)I hope you know that I was just teasing you,Kwahati! :o:

[SRT_GB]

See, the really elaborate poses aren't any fun (or respectful) unless you have a whole car (or log or ride vehicle) to yourself (who buys the pics with other parties in them too anyway?). And I'm pretty sure they picked Space Mountain for the cheeto's gag because it doesn't go fast enough to risk making a mess or getting any on other guests. It's all about making fun for yourself without causing grief for others (hence my shame about the map on RnR causing a delay...)Officially, photos of people with food/drink on the ride are supposed to be deleted. The reason is that Disney doesn't officially sell photos of people breaking its safety rules. But as we all know, there are pictures that get through because the CM at the edit room 1) made an honest mistake and didn't catch it; 2) didn't know it was against the rules; or 3) saw it, knew it was against the rules, and didn't care.

Speaking of not buying pictures with other people in them: there was one time, several years ago, we wanted to get a pic of all the grandkids (my sister, myself, and our two cousins) on Splash for our (now late) grandmother. We asked for a log to ourselves to accommodate this, but the CM's said they couldn't do it (the line was too long). We ended up being put into the front of a log with one other guy, who we didn't know, sitting in the very back. We went to check the picture to see if it looked any good even though we would never buy a picture with someone else who we don't know in it...Amazingly, the guy disappeared! I swear to you, we don't know to this day if he ducked down or went invisible or what, but he is not at all in the picture! One of my cousins adopted that picture after my grandma's death, and we still laugh about the disappearing guy! :p:
It is possible that the computer photo system cut the guy out. Only a small portion of the area photographed actually goes into the printed picture because of the amount of space the Splash Mountain background takes up. The system has cut out the hands of people who put their hands up, as well as people sitting in the backs of logs.

Or it's possible that the guy overheard your situation and, not caring about his own picture (or not wanting to be in your grandmother's picture), ducked down so you would appear to have a log all to yourself.

Whatever happened, it couldn't have been a CM editing the picture. The edit room CM sits in a booth by himself or herself, isolated from the store and the ride operators, and doesn't have the ability to edit pictures. The software just doesn't allow it.

[BRWombat]

... It is possible that the computer photo system cut the guy out. Only a small portion of the area photographed actually goes into the printed picture because of the amount of space the Splash Mountain background takes up. The system has cut out the hands of people who put their hands up, as well as people sitting in the backs of logs.

Or it's possible that the guy overheard your situation and, not caring about his own picture (or not wanting to be in your grandmother's picture), ducked down so you would appear to have a log all to yourself.

Whatever happened, it couldn't have been a CM editing the picture. The edit room CM sits in a booth by himself or herself, isolated from the store and the ride operators, and doesn't have the ability to edit pictures. The software just doesn't allow it.My theory: pixie dust!!!
:fairymom: :tink: :tink:

[SirWillow]

We love posing for pictures on the rides, but are careful to make sure that it doesn't disturb or interfere with others around us. in other words, if I'm not in the back, I won't raise my hands so I don't block someone's face. Reading maps, playing rock paper scissors, "sleeping", funny faces, faked being punched by my brother in law one time.

One of my favorites on Tower was when we had 3 of us in teh front row and did, "hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil." We got some good laughs out of that- even from the other people on the ride with us when they saw the picture.

[ktulu]

My last trip on Splash (alone, since my daughter can't ride it yet) I was on the back row, so for the photo I put my hands behind my head, relaxing style and closed my eyes. The resulting splash that hit my face woke me up though :(

I usually just try to make a stupid face, which is not hard to do when you look like me :D:

[hhsrat]

One of my favorites was going to tower with a group large enough to fill the whole elevator ... every one of us was pointing to the left and looking astonished. Another time, same group, just a few more people, we had enough to fill 2 elevators, and so naturally, this lead to a competition to see who could get a funnier picture. Group #1 did a fart picture (lame!), group #2 tried first to have 2 guys making out in the front row, it got deleted. Attempt #2 was a guy pretending to try and kiss a girl, who was responding by pretending to puke in someone's hat ... deleted because someone in the back apparently was holding someone else in a headlock. Attempt #3 made it without being deleted ... one guy that nobody liked wearing a stitch ears hat, sitting with a 1 seat border on all sides, everyone else talking on a cell phone and completely ignoring him.

While we were doing this, we also "posed" for the doors opening at the end of the ride. First time everyone pretended to wake up from a deep sleep, 2nd time we all linked arms and sang kumbuya, 3rd time we just smiled and waved

[Theme Park Where]

Be careful with props too! I have the scar on my nose to prove that R&RC can be a dangerous place*. I always hate to see SGs "posing" with props, because even in a coaster car by themselves, those props are going to end up a) on the coaster floor, b) in someone else's lap (or face in my case), or c) on the floor of the ride building. Posing with cameras, food & drink, etc. is dangerous on launch or inverted rides. Even if you're really careful with the stuff, you can end up losing control of them. That's why the CMs come yell at you if you get your props out too soon. Do the funny "posed" pictures, that's great. But leave the props at home.

*It was actually a SCM that got me. She thought it would be fun to ride with a hardhat on for the photo. The manager decided not to stop her, and although everyone told her to hold onto it, at the last minute she decided to WEAR it instead of HOLD it. It flew off her head at the launch and hit me square on the nose. She was lucky she didn't break my nose, although I had a cut across the bridge. I came off the ride all bloody and crying. I still have a scar across the bridge of my nose from it. :(

[gurgi]

The software just doesn't allow it.

oh! but consider the possibilities!!!

"load to edit. please be advised, boat number 4 is full of jerks. edit at will."

[BRWombat]

oh! but consider the possibilities!!!

"load to edit. please be advised, boat number 4 is full of jerks. edit at will."Then all you'd ever get is pictures of empty boats. :rolleyes:

[Randy B]

Then all you'd ever get is pictures of empty boats. :rolleyes:

Or the edit CM could keep a file of source photos to play with. Think what would happen when a bunch of over-testosteroned jerks got off the ride to find the photo showing them all vastly over weight and wearing flowery dresses. Of course the other side of that is the extra nice people could find that they magically lost weight, added "cup sizes" or whatever other "improvement" they wish.

It would't be too hard. Kind of like a digital version of the old carny cutouts. But from experience I know that such edits don't happen quickly. So some such edits may require a request and a later pickup. As an example my annual Splash Mt "extra size log" can take me a few weeks of free time to get right. But I am a bit picky and so editing takes time. But the results are that sometimes I can't even find the edits afterwards, and I remember puting them there!

Two examples:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1123/1461565324_d07eacfa4a_b.jpg

I'm the guy asleep in the front row and some of you might recognize someone in the next to last row. :D:

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1049/1461565068_87bf7d7106_b.jpg

Randy



Randy

[DLRFantasmic!Dan]

The thing that annoys more is not when teens scream during the ride, but they scream THROUGHOUT the ride!! It is so freakin' annoying!!! They scream when the CM says,"If you want anything, just scream" and then the doors close until the doors open again at the end!!! :mad:

[Big Wallaby]

Got a great one on Tower with me holding a map and the lady next to me (who I didn't know) pointing at it. Since she was wearing a birthday button and because of her the picture came out so good, I bought her a copy as well as myself. I'll post it here sometime. Only thing I wish is that I had had the map upside down.

I agree about not taking objects along. The map is the most I will do, because it would be hard to cause injury with it, and I know I can keep ahold of it. Oh, and they allow it.

[Rob562]

The two decent posed ride photos that my group has done... One was on Dinosaur, while the other riders in the car were all looking up and to the left at the Carnotaurus, we were all in the back row looking and pointing off to the right.
The other one was on Test Track. I think we had the car to ourselves. One friend was "Dad" driving and was turning around to yell at the kids fighting with each other in the back seat "If you don't cut it out, I'll turn this car right around" style... :)

-Rob

[BRWombat]

The two decent posed ride photos that my group has done... One was on Dinosaur, while the other riders in the car were all looking up and to the left at the Carnotaurus, we were all in the back row looking and pointing off to the right.... My FIL Bob & I rode Dinosaur for our first time on our last visit. Neither of us startle easily -- Bob, I'm guessing, because he was an Air Force pilot. Or maybe because, after that, he was a junior high school principal! And me because I work around police officers and their cars all the time, and they test their sirens and lights in the parking lot before they go out on patrol. I've had to train myself not to flinch at sudden loud noises. (Which frustrates my 12-year-old son to no end, because he likes to try to startle me.) Anyway, our ride picture was a hoot.

Everyone else in the car looked scared and surprised from the carnotaurus jumping out at us, including a couple of teen girls on the front row in a classic "scare" position, arms up, hands in front of face. And Bob & I sit cheerfully on the back row, looking at the carnotaur in perfect peace, with big grins on our faces!

[TheManator]

I once brought my copy of Moby Dick and my dad's pair of old-man-ish reading glasses...the picture was pricless..

[Tara_Lee3]

Dinosaur is fun for posed pics. When I was down there on my College Program one of my roomies and I went on Dinosaur three or four times in a row posing. Once we pretended to be asleep, another we had full on goo-goo-eyes looking at it like "awww.. isn't it adorable?'

[Big Wallaby]

I have a photopass card with me on Test Track, either sleeping or dead. I like it, but my wife hates it.

Next time on Tower, I am going to do the map thing again, but this time the map will be upside down.