Disney Photopass system a failure

[Ridge]

Some brain decided the old regular picture taking method at the parks had to go. For the last 10 years we had a family tradition of going to one of the parks and have a formal family picture taken in front of a different scene in one of the parks. Our hallway is lined with year after year of photographs. This year we went to the Animal Kingdom and the chap gave us a Disney Photopass. Take it home and see your pictures online within 24 hours he claims. Two weeks later and numerous complaints online I discover the contract is with Kodak and their system over loaded and lost thousands of pictures over the holidays. I asked Disney Guest services what to do. No one knows. Contact Kodak they say. I pointed out that even though the blunder was at Kodak’s end the system is named Disney’s Photopass. Telephone numbers ? None to be found they say.We’re so sorry but just come back to the park and we’ll comp you new pictures. I said great and who is going to pay for the airfare ? Better yet how did they plan to put up Christmas decorations for this special picture.

So far all I get is perky replies like Greetings from sunny Florida and How Ya doing Mr.Oakley.We are really upset with Disney on this one. They’ve ruined a decade long family tradition for a system with no back up. They didn’t even offer to try and make amends by saying next year we’d get some extra special pictures. All we get is the run around and they apparently have no phone number I can use to complain to. Everything on their www.disneyphotopass.com website is online related.

I wish someone could advise me what to do.

 

[tink2dw]

I went to the link you gave and at the bottom of the page in blue lettering under "Can't find your Disney PhotoPass? Learn more about Disney's PhotoPass" there is "Contact Us" this how you contact the website people!!

 

[SyracuseWolvrine]

You can also check your photopass pictures in the gift shops before you leave the parks, just as you could before photopass was implemented. That way, if the picture doesn't show up for some reason, you have a chance to take another picture before your trip is over.

 

[jctwizzer]

Some brain decided the old regular picture taking method at the parks had to go. ....... I discover the contract is with Kodak and their system over loaded and lost thousands of pictures over the holidays.

I wish someone could advise me what to do.

If it's that important, take your own pictures next time....just a thought

 

[Nanajo1]

We were planning on using the photopass. We spent too much time returning to the parks and then trying to get waited on to view our photos. I hope it improves. We always ask the photographer to take a couple of pix with our camera.

 

[mochabean]

In my experience the Disney photographers are always happy to take some shots with your own camera as well as theirs. That is probably the best backup solution there is.

 

[macphrsn]

We just returned in December from WDW and I was so excited to be able to use the Photo Pass. Yes, we had to wait to view our photos, they quickly try to get you to make a purchase and when I viewed them from home I found that I had over $150+ that I would have liked to get. Their packages just didn't seem to work for me, I really would have preferred an opportunity to purchase a 4X6 vs 5X7. Everytime we had the photographer take our picture with the Photo Pass system I handed them my camera or they offered. As it turns out the photos on my camera were for the most part better. At least I have the choice of what size photo I want to print on my printer and how many without breaking the bank!

 

[gail228]

I happened to love the new PhotoPass program! More photographers are available and no more lines waiting to view pictures. The different locations were great. We were there just before Christmas and had no problems viewing pictures when we got home. I hope they keep it and even enhance it!

 

[disneyfreakjackie]

In my experience the Disney photographers are always happy to take some shots with your own camera as well as theirs. That is probably the best backup solution there is.

THAT'S GREAT TO KNOW!!! Thanks for that information!!!

 

[peacefulgirl]

Two weeks later and numerous complaints online I discover the contract is with Kodak and their system over loaded and lost thousands of pictures over the holidays.

Me too !Thanks Ridge! That explains why one of my photopass ID's are blank, it was during the Holiday's. I filled out the "lost and find" form online too with DETAILS and I gave them a pic from the same day, so its not like they cant be sure, they definately lost it in the system. They responded cant be found.

I had two ID cards and thank god only 2 pictures were on the one that is blank.

I took my own exact picture too, so I am not as upset. But I would be steaming if I were you !

I guess we can hope others will learn from that and take their own pictures too, but then, what the heck is the point ??

And 9.95 for a 5x7 is a rip off !!! No discounts for buying more than one either.

I have a wall of pics too and paid quite a lot for all those ride pics. Now I have 13 rolls at home to develope too!

Its a good concept, but not so good service and price yet.


PG

 

[ktglads]

Personally, I prefer to have the one swipe card rather than a pocket full of tickets that get a bit much if you take a lot of pictures. Plus you don't have to worry about who took what ticket and what pocket you put them in and if you dropped one somewhere along the line. I also like the idea of being able to go back and get a picture when you get home. Its nice not having to bet on if you are going to take a better picture later or not. Plus, if you are worried about the cards losing data, you can always get more than one. There's no stopping you from getting a new one each day. We did that when we forgot the old one in the room one morning.

 

[Susiesnowflake]

I love the idea of photopass. When I got home and went to view the photos, however, many were missing and I also had some photos that belonged to someone else. They eventually located one of the missing photos, but all my pictures with Mickey and Minnie are missing.

 

[gabsmom]

Sorry some of you have had problems with the Photopass. Personally, I like the new system. We were there over the holidays, had pictures taken. All of them were up on the website when we returned home, ordered what I wanted and got them within 5 days. I like the idea of being able to view them at my leisure, not when I'm leaving the parks and maybe have to make a rush decision if I want to buy them or not.

 

[MazdaUK]

I like the idea of photopass - as long as it works!

I'm tkaing a digital camera too and have heard you can now download your pics onto a CD on site. Does anyone know how much this costs? Also, can you check somehow that the pictures really have transferred BEFORE you delete them from the camera? And do you have to take your own connecting cable?

I'd much rather buy several photo CDs than fork out for an extra memory card, but I want to make sure everyhting is OK before deleting those precious memories.

Just to be safe both DS also have disposable cameras for the trip, and I'm getting a disposable waterproof one as well for the water parks.

Belt and braces!!

 

[blujaymama]

Sorry to hear about your troubles Ridge. That definitely stinks! I used Photopass for the first time this past December (early in the month) and luckily didn't have a problem. I do have to say the photographer certainly didn't do the best work though. The castle looks like the leaning tower of Pisa in every picture and he had his flash up way too high, we both (my DBF and I ) looked as pale as the ghosts in the Haunted Mansion! Otherwise they were cute and I was suckered into buying 2-5x7s!
I am a huge photography freak and a big fan of tradition, so I can only imagine how upset you are. I wish I had some real advise on how to resolve this, I would say don't give up. Keep calling whoever you can until you can get some sort of resolve. I know the photos I ordered were sent from NY. The return address was on there, maybe you could hunt them down that way. Unfortunately I trashed the envelope mine came in but does anyone still have their Photopass envelope with the return address to try to help Ridge?
That is my only suggestion. Good luck and keep us posted if you make any progress.

 

[DisneyPhD]

I take it you are not actually from Celebration FLA as your profile says. Or this wouldn't be a problem.

When a picture is important, always get a back up.

I must admit when ever we start a tradation, or collecting something, disney goes and takes it away or changes it. We used to take a picture at the flower cart on Main Street every year. They took it away around 2000. Oh well.

I will give Photopass a try, but I will away hand them my camera too.

 

[hezzie]

We used the new system for our vacation in early December and found the pictures to be horrible. All of them look like we were digitally placed in front of the object. Although we will continue to use them in hopes of getting a decent picture, I think I will have a CM use our camera from now on. We were also very disappointed in our "free" picture from MVMCP. I was so anxious to get it and when we finally did, I was really disappointed in the quality.

Good luck to those of you who lost pictures.