Advice needed: Photos for family of 8

[weschmom]

All,

We leave for our trip in 23 days. My family of 4, along with my dad, step-mom, step-sister and niece, so 8 of us all together. Fifth visit for us, but FIRST visit for them.

Today I received notice that my dad, age 65, has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's. This trip is now that much more important and special. I'd like to have a beautiful photo taken of all of us. Any suggestions for this? Just utilize the photo pass people, or are there professionals we could work with?

Thanks for your help.

 

[sterre]

I just saw something about there being pro photographers through Disney, not photopass people. If I recall, they work out of the resorts, not so much in the parks. I really for the life of me can't recall where I saw this, though.

 

[jngwright]

http://www.disneyeventphotography.com/

We were going to do this for our family/anniversary trip, but ended up bringing a portable tripod with and did our own.

Our family has been deeply affected by alzheimers/dementia and you have my prayers. Enjoy your time together in this magical place

 

[mjp12831]

We only did photopass our first year - it's great for the "once in a lifetime" trip or the "I really want to remember this" trip.

The photographers are all over the park and get you in front of all of the great landmarks and scenes. They're not professional photographers but they do a very good job. Based on what you are saying, I'd recommend you do this.

Once you commit to photopass, be all in - take advantage of the photo oportunities early in the trip (it's easy to pass them by and figure you'll go back later - but you might not). You don't pay by the photo, so have them take lots of them.

In terms of what the best shots are, here are my favorites:
- At AK near the entrance to Kali they shoot you with Everest in the background
- Main St USA with the castle in the back
- Epcot near the transition from FW to WS with the fountains in the near background and the ball in the far background
- HS on Hollywood Blvd with the TOT in the background

You'll also get great shots with characters that you can get the whole group in

 

[Raenstoirm]

You can hire a disney photographer as well. They take a whole cd of you at your chosen resort. They are called Disney's PhotoPass Professional Portrait Sessions.

 

[krb2g]

I'd go with the photopass photographers. You can get group pictures all trip long and pay one price ($99 if you preorder a CD) for all the files. In your case, I'd especially recommend getting multiple shots (i.e. don't just do one group picture in front of the castle, do one as you enter the park and one before you're getting ready to leave)--the PP photographers have different skill levels (sometimes the pictures turn out great and sometimes they're out of focus!). You can also check the pictures online (if you have a smartphone or internet access) or in the parks (at the camera center in each park) before you leave--to make sure you have one you like! You can also add Test Track pictures for free to your photopass (many other ride photos can also be added, but you have to pay for those).

If you preorder and feel like you haven't gotten $99 worth of pictures, you can cancel the preorder up to 2 weeks after your trip and get all your money back. Obviously, in that case you don't get the files.

If you want to hire a professional in-park, according to Disney rules, it has to be through the Disney event photography division. If you like the work of an Orlando photographer who doesn't work for Disney, you could take pictures at the resort hotels but not in the parks.

I hope you have a magical trip! Your family is in my thoughts.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

I'd do the pro photopass session!

Personally I find that utilizing Photopass photographers in the parks can be a little slow sometimes. Often we find it quite a bit faster just to take our own photos, rahter than wait for one ot become availlable.

If there is no line, we'll let the Photopass person take a photo, don't get me wrong. And if you seek them out, and are willing to wait a little, then yes - you can end up with quite a few photos. They are also at many character locations. At character locations you don't ave to wait extra for the Phtotpass person.

I think there is a deal though - if you do the pro session and buy the photopass CD - you also get the pro photos included. If that is still the deal, then it's very worthwhile.

I've not done the pro session myself, but what I've seen has impressed me.

Another idea - if anyone in your family has a Disney Visa (or maybe could get one?) The Disney Visa has a special spot in Innoventions where you can have photos taken. Sometimes there is a wait, but when I did it, there was a bunch of characters all in one location. they took quite a bit of time with us! Later, you can pick up one photo from your session for free! Like I said above, I'm often too impatiant to wait, but in your situation, it would be a fun way to get a photo. The hardest part is remembering to stop in to get your photo (The pick up spot is near the front of the park, and you MUST pick it up the SAME day.)

 

[Glennie5]

We always get family pictures done at Epcot after you get off of Figment They do the green screen photo's. We have one of the kids flying around the castle with Mickey Mouse, Pluto and Tinkerbell. We had a large family photo done with the castle in the background, fireworks going off and they put the characters in amongst everyone. It was only 24.95 for a poster size picture. They are beautiful in a frame. You can get the photo's in many sizes.

 

[CapnJacksGirl]

We always get family pictures done at Epcot after you get off of Figment They do the green screen photo's. We have one of the kids flying around the castle with Mickey Mouse, Pluto and Tinkerbell. We had a large family photo done with the castle in the background, fireworks going off and they put the characters in amongst everyone. It was only 24.95 for a poster size picture. They are beautiful in a frame. You can get the photo's in many sizes.

I had no idea this existed!!! I am so excited I nearly screamed! (On a side note, this also gives me further proof that I find new info on the DIS all the time....never hurts to have "ammo" when the DH asks why I'm on here all the time )

LOVE IT!!!

To the OP, I highly recommend taking full advantage of the photopass photographers. Check out http://www.stitchkingdom.com/disneysphotopass/ for a list of places to watch out for photographers and special photos they can do for you. Like a PP suggested, once you decide to use Photopass, go all in. Stop at every photographer you see. And definitely pre-order the CD. It's definitely worth it!

Best of luck to you and your family!

 

[mommyrosa2]

All,

We leave for our trip in 23 days. My family of 4, along with my dad, step-mom, step-sister and niece, so 8 of us all together. Fifth visit for us, but FIRST visit for them.

Today I received notice that my dad, age 65, has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's. This trip is now that much more important and special. I'd like to have a beautiful photo taken of all of us. Any suggestions for this? Just utilize the photo pass people, or are there professionals we could work with?

Thanks for your help.

If you want a really nice photo of your family then I would suggest booking a
professional photo shoot with the Disney photographers (actually taken by the
Disney wedding photographers). We did a family photo shoot back in 2010 at
the GF & our pictures came out beautiful. The price then was $99 but they
took so many different shots...it was well worth the $$ and you get all the
poses on a CD that you have the rights to. We took ours to our local Walmart
and printed all kinds of poses in different sizes very cheap. This past October
we booked a professional pkg for my oldest DD to have her senior pictures
taken. The price is now 149 for a 20 min session (i believe) but again, the
shots they took were amazing. She chose to have her shoot at the BC...they
took some great shots - some on the beach, others by the gardens...much
cheaper then it would have cost me to book a professional photographer in
my area. If you google Disney professional photography, you'll be able to see
different pics along with the packages & prices. I'm so sorry to hear about
your dad, my mother was diagnosed with dementia last year so I know how
difficult it can be. Enjoy every moment of your trip.

 

[mommyrosa2]

All,

We leave for our trip in 23 days. My family of 4, along with my dad, step-mom, step-sister and niece, so 8 of us all together. Fifth visit for us, but FIRST visit for them.

Today I received notice that my dad, age 65, has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's. This trip is now that much more important and special. I'd like to have a beautiful photo taken of all of us. Any suggestions for this? Just utilize the photo pass people, or are there professionals we could work with?

Thanks for your help.

Here's the link if you're interested:

http://www.disneyeventphotography.com/portraits/miniportraits.php

And we booked the mini portrait package and it was $150....well worth it IMHO.

 

[Princess_Belle]

Are the pro photoshoots really the wedding photographers!? If this is true you will get amazing shots!!! I had my wedding at the wedding pavilion in Sept 07 and every picture was amazing!!! We did the MK package as well on a different day. Both photographers were the best I've ever worked with! At $150 for a professional shoot you would be getting a really good deal!!

 

[tarrbear]

I highly recommend the photopass photoshoot at one of the resorts.
I did it last year for my senior photos (we paid $99 then, it is $150 now) and even at that price, it is so worth it!

I had my photos done at the Grand Floridian and I was asked whether I wanted indoor, outdoor, or both locations in my photos and I choose both. Our session seemed to last more around a half hour and resulted in 40 wonderful (extremely HD) photos.

I'm not a very photogenic person but these photos surely made me look and feel like I was XD

I couldn't praise it enough!

 

[mommyrosa2]

Are the pro photoshoots really the wedding photographers!? If this is true you will get amazing shots!!! I had my wedding at the wedding pavilion in Sept 07 and every picture was amazing!!! We did the MK package as well on a different day. Both photographers were the best I've ever worked with! At $150 for a professional shoot you would be getting a really good deal!!

We were told that the professional photos were run & taken by the same folks who do the weddings & that's why the prices were higher now. All I can is that the woman who took my daughter's pics in October was awesome and took some unbelievably amazing photos - we got so many different poses that I can't say enough about the photo session.

 

[bearlyanne]

Are the green screen shots part of photo pass?

 

[book_junkie]

If you can afford it, I would go with the event photographers, hands down. I surprised my husband with this in 2007 for our trip back when they were just starting to offer it, and our pictures turned out beautiful! It was $99 back then, and falls in line with the mini-package that's on the website now. We were at the GF, and the photographer spent more than the 20 minutes with us, inside the GF on the stair cases and around the building, down on the beach, on the porches with the castle in the background...

If I can get all of my family there, I would definitely splurge on the full session around the parks to have those photos.

 

[WDWfanatic2]

You can also go to downtown disney and they have a studio there that they will do photos for your photo pass. We did that on our honeymoon and it was great because they were professional photos and they took their time posing us and we could also put them on our photo pass.

 

[dzorn]

All,

We leave for our trip in 23 days. My family of 4, along with my dad, step-mom, step-sister and niece, so 8 of us all together. Fifth visit for us, but FIRST visit for them.

Today I received notice that my dad, age 65, has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's. This trip is now that much more important and special. I'd like to have a beautiful photo taken of all of us. Any suggestions for this? Just utilize the photo pass people, or are there professionals we could work with?

Thanks for your help.

Don't forget you can also get photopass pictures taken in some of the resort lobbies without the portrait session. When we stayed at AK they had a photopass photographer set up in the lobby in the morning and evening that just took photopass pictures. (not sure about during the day) We also say this when we stayed at WL and other places.

Also let the any photopass photographer know you have prepurchased the CD and to snap away.

Denise in MI

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Keep in mind, no matter what, there are LOTS of places around WDW where there is no FP photographer. On the one hand, how many photos do you need? On the other, it pays for you to havea digital camera on hand!

In addtion to the Figment location, there is a similar facility in DTD and there used to be one in Star Tours (I haven't been there since the ride reopened, soI can't say for sure it's still there.) The one in ST had SW themed screens, but also princess ones, etc.

The figment location, and I think some of the others DTD?) in addition to green screen photos, will also make laser etchings in glass cubes. I'm not sure how else to describe them. they are pricey, but fun.


Beyond that, there are numberous artists all over WDw that will make assorted portaits and caricatures. One of my personal favoties are the silouette makers on Main St. The artisits who make them are amazing! the price is quite reasonable, too. In my opinion, it is one of the best bargains in all of WDW! (or at least it was last itme I checked.) The artists can incorporate several folks into one image, it only takes afew minutes. They will hold your image all day; I think also you can have it delivered to your resort.

Look for portrait artists in the lobby of the deluxe resorts, GF comes to mind.

 

[Glennie5]

Are the green screen shots part of photo pass?

No they are not part of the photo pass.
One nice thing about having the photo's done is you get them the same day and they will have them sent to your resort for you so you don't have to carry them around the park with you.