The Absolute 4 Best GoPro Style Cameras for Your Next Disney World Trip in 2022

Everyone knows one of the biggest parts of any Walt Disney World adventure is making and preserving memories. When it comes to documenting your most special vacation moments, you don’t want to settle for your phone’s camera. But you don’t want to have to fiddle around with a huge, complicated DSLR either. While phone cameras and classic DSLRs can be great in a pinch, they’re not always ideal vacation cameras.

GoPro-style cameras bridge the gap between convenience and fantastic photo quality. They let you record footage hands-free (like when you’re screaming your head off on your favorite rides) and take quick selfies better than your iPhone can.

To help you capture all the best Disney moments, we looked into the best GoPro-style cameras in 2022.

Can You Bring a GoPro into Disney World?

If you’ve never done this before, you might feel sheepish about whether you can get away with bringing a GoPro into the parks. Here’s what you need to know.

What You Can’t Bring into Disney World

Drones, selfie sticks, and hand-held extension poles for cameras or phones aren’t allowed in any theme park, water park, or Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser. The parks also won’t allow tripods or monopod camera stands that can’t fit inside a normal-size backpack or that extend over 6 feet long. 

And be sure you’re only taking pictures and videos for personal use – any photography, videotaping, or recording for unapproved commercial purposes can land you in hot water.

Keep in mind that Cast members might ask to search your bags, including camera bags, that you bring into the park. This is a safety precaution, not necessarily an indication that you’ve done something wrong. So don’t be surprised if they ask!

What You Can Bring into Disney World

Luckily, you can bring camera phones, DSLRs, GoPros, and most GoPro-style accessories into the parks! This is great because they serve similar purposes as large camera equipment and selfie sticks but won’t give you issues getting into the park.

Here are a few pro tips for using your GoPro in the parks:

Keep Your GoPro Strapped to You

Handheld extension poles for GoPros aren’t allowed, so be sure you’re mounting your GoPro to your body while at the parks. That isn’t to say you don’t want to bring all your cool gadgets on your trip. You just want to leave them in your hotel room on days you’re heading to the parks.

You Might Not Be Able to Use it Everywhere

You might be asked to remove your GoPro or shut it off for some experiences. Photography and recordings aren’t allowed on some attractions, so don’t be surprised or take it personally if you’re asked to stash your GoPro from time to time.

Check Before Every Visit

Remember, rules change, so check the parks’ current GoPro policy before each visit to make sure you’re complying with the current rules. You don’t want to end up needing to stash your fancy new camera and missing out on perfect shots!

The Best GoPro-Style Action Cameras for Your Disney World Trip

GoPro used to be the only name in action cameras (which is why we still refer to most action cameras as “GoPros” even if that’s just the brand name). But in recent years, the industry has opened up with more options. We’ll run the gamut of price points and brands so you can make the best choice for your Disney adventures!

GoPro Hero 10

This one is the most expensive of all. At a splurge-worthy $500, it’s the Holy Grail of GoPros.

And it’s worth every penny. If you want a GoPro-style camera that can do everything, this is it. The camera itself is waterproof (no need to worry about a protective case). It can capture 2880p resolution videos and 23MP photos. With a 5.3K video resolution at 60 frames per second, you’ll get super smooth videos that will stand the test of time.

You can also take videos in 8x slow motion for the best action shots you’ve ever taken. Or pause your videos and grab high-quality still photos that still look amazing. Your cell phone camera probably can’t do that!

When you get home, just plug in your camera and connect it to your home wifi. The camera handles transferring your photos and videos from the GoPro to your phone through the cloud or via USB.

If you want top-of-the-line tech and GoPro’s stellar reputation, you can’t ask for better than this option.

GoPro Hero 9

If you want a bit of a compromise between saving money and still getting GoPro’s sterling reputation (along with the almost latest and greatest in tech), the Hero 9 is a great option.

Like the Hero 10, the camera itself is waterproof, meaning you don’t have to worry about water damage or dealing with a protective case.

Easily take time-lapse footage and capture video in crystal-clear 5K resolution. That means you can get great detail even if you’re zooming in. And your 20MP photos will still look super crisp – especially with the SuperPhoto feature, which automatically picks the best image processing and editing for you.

If you’re into live-streaming your adventures, this is your pick. It has live streaming and webcam capabilities built right in. Stream in 1080p across social media with HyperSmooth stabilization for a smoother video as you broadcast.

DJI Osmo Action

If the GoPro brand name isn’t important to you, there are some awesome options to be found from other brands. The DJI Osmo Action takes 12MP photos, is waterproof up to 36 feet, and still has awesome features like time-lapse videos.

The RockSteady technology smooths out any shaking while you’re capturing video footage. And it can even take 8x slow motion in 1080p resolution at 240 frames per second. It even charges fully in 90 minutes!

But our favorite feature about the DJI Osmo Action is that you can switch to wide-angle mode. The wide-angle lens captures 145° around you in 4K, so you can always get the action in the frame.

COOAU Native 4K

At only $100, this is our favorite budget option. The COOAU Native has multiple video resolution options so you can save your memory for the most important of moments. The 20MP images are crystal-clear and the 2-inch LCD touch screen makes it easy for you to navigate between features and take the perfect shot.

And there are plenty of features to choose between. Switch from wide, medium, and narrow angles to always get the action in the frame. It comes with 6 video modes like loop video, time-lapse, slow motion, fast motion, and more. And it comes with 5 photo modes like time-lapse photos, the self-timer, long exposure, and more. This pick is super versatile and super affordable. It even comes with a rugged waterproof case, so it’s waterproof up to 131 feet underwater!

Snorkeling mode isn’t a feature you’ll probably get much use out of at Disney, but true adventurers will love the option to optimize underwater footage to get true-to-life colors even below the surface.

Pro-Tip

Make sure to order a Micro SD card when you order your camera. They’re not included with any of these cameras. We recommend getting a 32GB so you won’t run out of storage space in the middle of taking snapshots of your Dole Whip. (And it never hurts to have a spare.)

Is there a GoPro-style camera you love that we didn’t mention here? Chime in below to help your fellow Disney fans plan their best possible trip!

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Photo: Unsplash

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