Are vacation videos the next social media phenomenon? What do you think?


This was supposed to be a post about Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party at Disney World, which we attended on Friday evening. It was great fun, like last year, except that we stayed for the parade.

The kids loved it. We’re grateful to Disney for inviting us.

So why are you watching a 30-second clip of our trip to Canaveral National Seashore yesterday? Well, let me explain.

When we met up with our friend Charles, who works for Disney, just before the party, he mentioned the park’s new ad campaign, Let The Memories Begin. Disney is inviting guests to share their home videos with the world.

That’s pretty remarkable. Here’s why:

• Who doesn’t shoot at least one video while they’re on vacation? But unless there’s an “America’s Funnies Home Videos” moment, these clips are usually stored on the hard drive of your computer. Occasionally, they’re posted online. But they aren’t really recognized in a meaningful way.

• Family vacation videos are about people while they’re traveling, and there’s probably no more effective way of marketing a destination than by showing how much fun a place can be.

• In the early years of online video (2003-2010) there was an overt bias against home videos about destinations (the tinny audio, the bad focus, the shaky image). Destinations wanted professional B-roll with models showing off their resort. But viewers know that’s not authentic. Jerky images, standard definition and bad audio are in, because they’re real.

We’ve been looking for a new project, now that Kari is done with her MBA, and we think Disney is on to something. In fact, we think this would make a great business.

Since late 2008, we’ve been posting our own vacation videos on Souvenirist.com. It’s been moderately successful, but now, inspired by Disney, we think the time has come to expand its scope and sharpen its focus. We think Souvenirst might make a great site for featuring your vacation videos.

So here’s what I’m wondering: Would you visit a site that highlighted the funniest, most entertaining, most poignant family vacation videos? Would you participate in a site that gave you tips for creating vacation videos with the technology you already have (a cell phone, a PC and an Internet connection)?

Here’s the survey.

(By the way, the video at the top of the page was shot Saturday at Canaveral National Seashore, which is just a stone’s throw from Cape Canaveral, Florida. It has developed something of a reputation for its clothing-optional visitors, a fact I learned only after our visit, when I notice a preponderance of signs that urged beachgoes to remain clothed at all times. The beach was practically abandoned, since tourist season is long over.)

  • http://www.sanibel-rentals.net Sylvia

    I voted yes. As a vacation rental owner on Sanibel Island, a very popular family destination, I see that rental guests want to access as much information as possible on an upcoming trip. Though I would only use a video myself if the quality were exceptionally high to market my own condo and house, families do not care that much about what they are watching as long as they can “see themselves” in the picture.

  • http://www.thetravelinggiraffe.com Crissy

    I voted no. I do think there is a market for it, many people like watching videos of all sorts of stuff, and this could be an outlet for the tourism industry.. However, I personally don’t watch videos of people’s vacations (or much else for that matter) so there is no market for me.

  • http://www.getawayearth.com Andy

    I voted “yes” for the same reasons as Sylvia – it’s about giving a real insight into a vacation. But the problem is that home made movies are usually terrible. I know because I’m one of those people when I’m with the family at the beach! So the problem you face is getting good content – and that means a lot of moderation. However, well made videos that capture the essence of a place, can’t be beaten. We have just kicked off a film making service with exactly that in mind for vacation rental owners. Our first one is on our home page.

  • Dan

    The home-made videos that I want to see are the ones that focus on the destination, with the people as a side thing.

    My wife and I have planned a 5-week trip through SE Asia. Sure, the property materials draw me in, but what sells me are the Trip Advisor photos and the You Tube videos. If your property/beach/resort is so stunning that no touch-ups are needed, then it truly is beautiful and worth a visit.

  • Terry

    I voted “no”. I feel like the discussion is all much too theoretical. Yes, it would be great to watch “real” people having fun in a destination if these videos didn’t make me want to stick a fork in my eye. As Andy mentioned, most home videos are awful. No offense, but the 30 second clip at the beginning of this article is the perfect example of why this fad is just that – a fad. How many times have we all watched a lame video and said, “Wow. That’s two minutes of my life I’ll never get back.” People will tire of these very quickly.