Memory Maker- Is it Worth it?

[Tia1977]

Many people have already shared, but thought I'd add anyway... I tell anyone who'll listen... Memory Maker is my Disney version of American Express, I NEVER leave home without it (regardless of trip length). If anyone is close to being a scrapbooker, or at least just halfway nostalgic about photos; it's a must. The value is in how many times you utilize the khaki vests. Our last trip, we came home with over 600 FP pics. And, I have a huge scrapbook and a handful of photos-to-canvas to cherish forever (my profile pic is one). You only live once, and you're never guaranteed another WDW trip with your loved ones (or another trip at all). Sentimental, yes. But, isn't sentimental part of the magic you feel being there? What souvenirs do people value most in 5, 10, 20 + years? The pictures... bc they freeze frame special memories forever. Do you want to live in the moment & be a part of them, or hidden behind a camera? It's worth can be more than any monetary amount...

 

[FirstTimeDisneyVisit]

we got it our last 2 trips and we have loved it ! We still use our camera for other shots but Love how easy it is and all the attraction pix you get as well

 

[kelmac284]

1) Wait until you get home
2&3) you will find them in your MDE account, then you'll have to either download all or select certain ones that you want to download. The site will create .zip files for you (condensed files with groups of your photos in each .zip). When you're ready, you click on each one and select "download now". Whatever device you're on (computer, phone, etc) is where they'll be downloaded. I believe you can download to cloud storage as well, but it's been a little while and I'm not certain about that.
4) The Photopass area of the Disney site is where you'll find all the stickers, borders, character signatures, titles, etc. that you can add to your pictures. I like to download one whole original set first, so that I am certain I have a "clean" copy of everything; then I play around with all the special edits and download again. The site is pretty cool, because it knows where your shots were taken and suggests borders and stickers that match (i.e. when you're on Space Mountain, it shows you Space Mountain and Tomorrowland themed edits)
5) if you want to create a photobook or get prints, you can upload to Shutterfly, Snapfish, Walgreens, etc just like you would with photos off your own camera. Your downloads will include a copyright waiver that I always include with all the photos I want printed, because I have neglected it in the past and it slowed down my order when they waited for me to send the waiver.

You have until 45 days after your first picture was taken before they begin to expire (disappear off the site). I recommend leaving yourself a good amount of time before that deadline to make your edits and do the download. The site can be slow, if you're like me you'll spend AGES playing with the edits and enjoying the photos, you can run into computer difficulties. You don't want to be doing this at the 11th hour worrying about losing your photos. I will note, though, that lots of people have reported here that customer service is kind about giving extensions and offering help in those cases. I just wouldn't want to have to count on it!
have fun!!

Thank you SO much that is awesome. I know I have done it in the past at DW and DL. The last time I was at DW (in 10) you still got the disc that they mailed to you so I am still new to all this LOL. I was a little worried about the first pics because we are going to be there for almost 2 weeks but I guess as long as I did it right when I got home it would be ok. I def don't want all those pics on my phone (don't have that much memory) so that is good to know. And I am glad they still have the borders. Apparently at DL they don't have one you can buy for your whole trip anymore it is now 39 bucks a day and I heard no borders which is just DUMB if you ask me. But honestly we live in Northern CA and go to DL at least once a year so I don't do them anymore. Plus we have the disney visa so again last time I was there (last summer) we still got 1 pic a day.

That brings up a good question though. If I do the visa meet and greets does that go on there as well? And I assume I can add borders to those also? I heard you no longer get actual photos anymore but downloads.

Thanks SO much for all your help!!! You are awesome!!

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

We got it with our AP this time thought meh won't use that. How wrong a person can be. We were by the end of the vacation lining up for every shot! Loving it! I still download a photo most days. Forever changing my profile photo on Facebook etc . It's the gift that keeps giving! I would pay for it for sure. But it sure is nice now it is bundled with the AP because the photos stay there for a year.

 

[jazzyscoob]

We love it. The Magic shots and ride videos seal the deal for me.

 

[aretha30]

We get it each trip. We love the ride pictures and videos, and the magic shots. We come home with hundreds of pictures and I do print them out and put them in frames around our house. I make memory books with all the pictures. I feel as if it is well worth the money.

 

[brooke789]

Yes, it is so worth it. We had over 1000 pictures in our account. Buying the MM allowed my husband to shoot video of our trip/character interactions rather than him doing all the photography! We also would not have bought a single ride photo, so it's pretty awesome getting all of those too!

 

[DisneyCrazyMom22]

We are going in July with family. There will be 11 of us total and I am planning on buying the memory maker. We are staying offsite at WBC so we won't have the magic bands. My question is-- should I buy 1 or 2 magic bands so we get all the experiences on the memory maker and if so where do I buy them and how do I switch 1 or 2 tickets? Thanks for any advice.

 

[SaintsManiac]

I have not read the replies, but I will add my 2 cents: I will never go for a long trip without it. YES, it is well worth it!

 

[Brittni__duh]

My husband and I had a 8 day, 7 night trip last year and we ended up with over 500 pictures and that's without meet and greets or character meals. We loved it. I can only imagine a family with children would love it even more.

 

[Mikie]

We are going in July with family. There will be 11 of us total and I am planning on buying the memory maker. We are staying offsite at WBC so we won't have the magic bands. My question is-- should I buy 1 or 2 magic bands so we get all the experiences on the memory maker and if so where do I buy them and how do I switch 1 or 2 tickets? Thanks for any advice.

The only thing I know of that requires a band is the ride photo and video from 7dwarfs mine train. All other ride photos are available by scanning your ticket or photopass card to the photo viewing screens at the end of a ride. 7 dwarfs doesn't have screens, so only magicband users get those. If you wanted to get a couple magicbands to make sure you got a photo and video on that ride, I suppose you'd do best to get as much of your group as possible onto one train car, so that you'll all be visible in the shot. Beyond that, you'll just find them convenient for when you get pictures taken, because rather than pulling out a card, you just have to stick out your wrist for the photographers to scan.

As far as getting the magic bands, you can buy them online (Disney store, parks app) or at the parks, Disney Springs and resort gift shops. I believe the CM can help you link it to your MDE account and you assign it to a particular person in your party.

 

[Gari14]

Just noticed that Memory Maker is included with with all 7, 14 or 21 day tickets for the parks. It says its exclusive to the UK and Ireland, but not sure.

 

[Mikie]

Just noticed that Memory Maker is included with with all 7, 14 or 21 day tickets for the parks. It says its exclusive to the UK and Ireland, but not sure.

Well, that makes me wish I were from the UK! My husband attempts an Irish accent, but he sounds more like a pirate. . . I'm pretty sure that wouldn't get us anywhere and it's exclusive to you folks. . .

 

[Gari14]

Well, that makes me wish I were from the UK! My husband attempts an Irish accent, but he sounds more like a pirate. . . I'm pretty sure that wouldn't get us anywhere and it's exclusive to you folks. . .

HAHA!

Yeah, its great news for us in the UK as we always moan here that we never get anything given to us and always end up paying more than everybody else, but its not the case this time!

 

[michgeo]

When we got back, I had a few "random" ones too, but from rides (I think I swiped my MB too many times), but they were good about sending me the Space Mountain pic that was missing. Once you can be very descriptive with what everyone is wearing and a timeframe of when it may have been taken, Disney is good about finding them and putting them in your gallery. I think it took me a day to get my picture up. Look on the Magic Maker/Photopass website, they have a form you fill out with that info.

I looked today and all the pics were there without me having to fill out the form!! So happy!

 

[castlegazer]

So worth it! Period! Three parks days this week and we got almost a hundred photos and they are awesome and I am in them! Candida and posed too.

 

[Bama.rover15]

My fiancé and I are going for our honeymoon in Decemeber. It's the first time in a decade for either of us so I felt like it was a must!

 

[FBandA]

I am going in September and December how long does the Memory Maker last? Would it be good for both trips?

 

[siskaren]

I am going in September and December how long does the Memory Maker last? Would it be good for both trips?

It can't be stretched out that far. When you take a picture, you have 45 days to download it before it gets deleted from your PhotoPass account, and once you download your first picture, you have 30 days to add more pictures, so the furthest you could stretch it out would be 75 days. An AP, which now includes unlimited PhotoPass downloads (which is basically the same thing as Memory Maker), would cover both trips.