Waiting Before Buying Photo Connect, Great Decision

[John Marecek]

Previously I had asked about the Photo Connect, also pestered my wife for weeks about it. Today, we visited USO, got a card after the first pic, and planned to use it for all the pics, check them before we left, then decide. What I learned throughout the day, USO doesn't have any photographers out there. We had one taken when we walked in, there were the ride photos, and the one at the Krusty and Side Show Bob M&G. I would not have been a happy man had we burned the money on this.

Was this an oddity, or normal? I understood the Photo Pass treatment we had the previous 4 days wasn't going to happen, but I expected to have more pics for a day at USO than one meeting with a Photo Pass shooter.

 

[macraven]

every time i read a question about photo connect, i start thinking we need a sticky for that subject.
i scour thru the past threads on photo connect and see that there are many with similar questions needing direction or help.

 

[John Marecek]

every time i read a question about photo connect, i start thinking we need a sticky for that subject.
i scour thru the past threads on photo connect and see that there are many with similar questions needing direction or help.

I was that guy a month or so ago. Finding info was hard, which is why I posted this after our visit today. I'm going to keep my eye out tomorrow at IOA and se if there's any difference.

 

[damo]

We had photographers at the Minions ride. Also in the Gringott's queue. And we got the on-ride photos. Pretty sure there were also some on the bridge in front of Hogwarts.

 

[John Marecek]

I don't believe the Gringotts was included as part of Photo Connect. Not having photogs all over Diagon Alley was a massive disappointment. Just one would be nice, but guessing that's not allowed under the terms of the contract.

 

[Bluer101]

Yep, pretty much photoconnect is used for the rides.

I had mine for 2 years and that was enough.

 

[damo]

I don't believe the Gringotts was included as part of Photo Connect. Not having photogs all over Diagon Alley was a massive disappointment. Just one would be nice, but guessing that's not allowed under the terms of the contract.

Ours definitely was since we didn't purchase anything else other than the photo connect. So unless there was some special going on since the ride was new, it was included for us.

There sure could be a lot more. I'm thinking because it is not a Universal operation but a contracted out business, they don't really care too much. I think they should take it over themselves and really promote it.

 

[stormer]

We bought it one trip about two or three years ago. The only spot where we found a "roaming" photographer was one day as we entered IOA. The rest of our photos were all rides and characters. We did use it for the photos in the ET gift shop, too, which were really cute.

 

[JOCAmom]

I think it really depends on your expectations. We knew going in that there were not a lot of posed photo ops in the parks and it was mostly ride photos. But my kids love the ride photos so it works for us. This past January, we found a photographer in Toon Lagoon which was new to us. The photographer near Hogwart's took pictures from both sides of the bridge for us. Same with the one heading towards IOA. The Studios side leaves a lot to be desired with photographers.

 

[SA mom]

Thanks for this info. We usually stop at every photographer we see at WDW so the memory maker is great for us. I'm thinking we may wait to see how it goes before we buy it. We do love those ride photos though...we even used one for our Christmas card pic one year.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

OP. there are many places to find Photoconnect photographers throughout the day. Touringplans has a great list:

https://touringplans.com/universal-orlando/photo-connect#

For the record, here is where you can always find Photo Connect locations throughout Universal’s two parks:

Universal Studios Florida Photo Connect Locations

• Park entrance
• Meet and greet near Shrek 4-D exit
• Minions Meet and Greet at Despicable Me ride exit
• SpongeBob shop in KidZone
• Transformers meet and greet
• E.T. shop
• MIB on-ride photo
• Simpsons couch gag
• Revenge of the Mummy on-ride photo
• Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit on-ride photo
• Gringotts queue photo
• Roaming Photographers during Halloween Horror Nights (seasonal)

Islands of Adventure Photo Connect Locations

• Park entrance
• Incredible Hulk on-ride photo
• Spider-Man queue photo
• Spider-Man meet and greet
• Ripsaw Falls on-ride photo
• Jurassic Park photo op
• Jurassic Park River Adventure on-ride photo
• Jurassic Park Raptor Encounter
• Forbidden Journey on-ride photo
• Seuss Trolley queue photo
• Grinch Meet and Greet during Grinchmas (seasonal)

We have found this information to be spot-on on each of our visits. We have also run into photographers in many other locations not listed....just being in the right place at the right time.

The Gringott's in-queue photo is definitely included with a Photoconnect Star Card purchase (that's how we got ours).

We purchased the annual Star Card before our May 2015 visit and we have been more than satisifed....we have tons of great photos, some of which weren't the best quality but many which were frame-worthy. It easily paid for itself on our May trip alone, but we have also used it for our October vacation and our Christmas vacation (with one more trip, April 2016, to squeeze in before it expires).

 

[snoopboop]

I've also always found PhotoConnect to be well worth the expense. We've also found that the roaming photographers will, upon request, follow you pretty much anywhere in the park.... We had some really fun photos taken in Springfield, for example, because we simply asked a photographer to go there with us!

 

[HM]

We found a roaming photographer out in front of Monster's Cafe. He wandered around the garden area with us taking photos of us in December. We probably could have asked for some other spots too.

 

[LemonNeko]

I got my sister photo connect for Christmas and I was kind of disappointed how few photos they got. Part of it was she didn't go out of her way to get them taken and they aren't everywhere. The one nice thing is because it's not that busy a couple of them spent extra time to get some nice poses. I think it's likely worth it if either you really like ride photos or you are willing to do the extra work to make sure you hit them all up.

 

[angierae]

We enjoyed photoconnect, but we did a lot of character greets and we liked being able to have the borders and such on the photos. We are not ride photo people (I have never looked good in a ride photo, ever).

This album should be public, so you can see the photoconnect photos and the ones we took ourselves: (I will say that a photo connect photog found us over by the Knight Bus and took us all through the Simpsons area taking photos. I don't know how common that is, but it was his idea - he just was like "Hey, let's get some pictures, follow me!")

https://www.facebook.com/angela.rush/media_set?set=a.10153855527761703.1073741876.652961702&type=3

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

We enjoyed photoconnect, but we did a lot of character greets and we liked being able to have the borders and such on the photos. We are not ride photo people (I have never looked good in a ride photo, ever).

This album should be public, so you can see the photoconnect photos and the ones we took ourselves: (I will say that a photo connect photog found us over by the Knight Bus and took us all through the Simpsons area taking photos. I don't know how common that is, but it was his idea - he just was like "Hey, let's get some pictures, follow me!")

https://www.facebook.com/angela.rush/media_set?set=a.10153855527761703.1073741876.652961702&type=3

I can't see your album ... I get the message:

Sorry, this content isn't available right now
The link you followed may have expired, or the page may only be visible to an audience you're not in.


For anyone wanting to see the types of Photo Connect pictures that other Disers have obtained using the in-park photographers, this thread is a good resource:

http://www.disboards.com/threads/hey-yall-show-me-your-favorite-photo-connect-pictures.3393961/

 

[John Marecek]

We enjoyed photoconnect, but we did a lot of character greets and we liked being able to have the borders and such on the photos. We are not ride photo people (I have never looked good in a ride photo, ever).

This album should be public, so you can see the photoconnect photos and the ones we took ourselves: (I will say that a photo connect photog found us over by the Knight Bus and took us all through the Simpsons area taking photos. I don't know how common that is, but it was his idea - he just was like "Hey, let's get some pictures, follow me!")

https://www.facebook.com/angela.rush/media_set?set=a.10153855527761703.1073741876.652961702&type=3

We saw them at the Transformers, Simpsons, and Seuss M&G's, also the Raptor Encounter. Didn't see one anywhere in the WWoHP over 3 days, nor the bus. Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade pics was why I wanted it in the first place, but none to be found. $89 is a lot to for ride photos for 3 days.

Maybe my issue is, I much prefer the way Disney handles things than Universal. Think Disney is a much better set up for the travelers than Universal across the board.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Maybe my issue is, I much prefer the way Disney handles things than Universal. Think Disney is a much better set up for the travelers than Universal across the board.

Having visited both as well, I'm personally of the opposite opinion. Other than the Halloween parties and an odd character meal, we have no desire to visit Disney. Our hearts belong to the SeaWorld and Universal park families.

That said, I love the fact that Orlando offers something for everyone.....that's what makes it our favourite place in the world to vacation.

Still sorry to hear that you didn't find value in the Photo Connect product. It offers SO much more than opportunities for ride pics. Hopefully this thread will serve as helpful assistance to others of how to make the most of their purchase.

 

[gsikes]

We enjoyed photoconnect, but we did a lot of character greets and we liked being able to have the borders and such on the photos. We are not ride photo people (I have never looked good in a ride photo, ever).

This album should be public, so you can see the photoconnect photos and the ones we took ourselves: (I will say that a photo connect photog found us over by the Knight Bus and took us all through the Simpsons area taking photos. I don't know how common that is, but it was his idea - he just was like "Hey, let's get some pictures, follow me!")

https://www.facebook.com/angela.rush/media_set?set=a.10153855527761703.1073741876.652961702&type=3

Thanks for sharing!! You got some really good ones. We loved the photoconnect on our trip last April. We had 13 people in our group so it was great to have some pictures with everyone in it.

 

[lvdis]

I posted this in another thread but it doesn't seem to be getting much attention. I'm hoping someone here may be familiar with this and know. Do you still get these free prints and do they need to be selected and printed while you are in the parks? Thank you and sorry for the double-post.

When I look at the details on Universal's site about a 3-day photo connect star card - https://www.universalorlando.com/Theme-Park-Tickets/Photo-Connect.aspx, it says you get these extras besides the unlimited digital downloads;

• 1 free 5x7 or 8x10 print in a folder
• 1 free 4x6 print
• $5.00 5x7 or $10.00 8x10 prints at participating Photo Connect locations
• $2.00 4x6 prints at participating Photo Connect locations

I'm guessing you would have to select and get your free prints while you are still in the parks. Is this a true assumption? Thanks!