Universal Photo Connect - yeah or nay?

[Queen of Oakville]

I've been emailing back and forth with them, and I'm still a bit confused.

Looks like if I preorder I will have to go with the 14 day package (we'll only be there for 7 days).

But are there enough photo ops to justify the 89.99?

I've done the photo cd with Disney before and it was an awesome deal. The photographers were everywhere and I loved having the digital photos.

But in my emails with photo connect, they tell me that the photos are copyrighted so I can't print them other than on my own printer.

For those that bought the pictures were you able to print? To be honest, mostly I just post photos at facebook, but i'd like to be able to print some or make a photobook (and they said I can't use the pictures for that purpose either - unless I do the book through them). Has anyone been successful in using the photos through shutterfly?

 

[Bluer101]

It was ok for the first 2 years I had it. As a annual pass holder I used to pay $39-$49 per year. Then this year it went up to $99, I said forget it.

They don't have enough people taking photos around the parks. The rides are good but how many ride photos do we need.

As for the digital downloads allow you to save them to your computer, phone, tablet, etc. you can email them, text, or print. They are not copyrighted with watermark unless you don't do the digital download part to the package. You also get discount prints, key chains, and merchandise with the photos of you choice on it.

If they lower the price I might do it again but not worth the money to me anymore.

 

[WDW Fan Since 1973]

Is Photo Connect a service equivalent to Disney's Photopass (Memory Maker)? With Universal Photo Connect do you have to pay for this service AND for individual shots around the Parks? It appears as if the 1-day offer is around $40.00 and the 3-day around $60.00.

 

[stormer]

We did it once and loved it, but the price was much cheaper. It was about $50. I loved getting the ride photos. There were not many photographers around the park. We got all of the ride photos that were offered, some of the characters (Transformers, Spiderman, SpongeBob, and Minions had photographers when we were there), one during the line for Spidey, two fun ones in the ET gift shop, and one by the Jurassic Park dinosaur. The only place we found a photographer in the park was one day at the front of IOA. He took about 5 different shots of us and some magic shots like Disney. That was the only time the three day trip we found a photographer. If I could get a good deal on the price I would do it again, but I would not pay $89 for it. T

 

[Bluer101]

I have no experience with disney pictures.

You pay for service and then whatever pictures you print there. The digital download can be done online afterwards and while there. This is the best way as it cost nothing to print at home or take them to a Walmart or such.

I have the app on my iPhone that I can see the photos added anywhere from 5 minutes to 1 day after picture is taken. I can then share it from there anyway I wish.

 

[stormer]

I have the app on my iPhone that I can see the photos added anywhere from 5 minutes to 1 day after picture is taken. I can then share it from there anyway I wish.

I forgot about that. That was one of the best parts. The picture showed up in the app right away and you could share it from there.

 

[Queen of Oakville]

what app is it?

has anyone had success in printing the pictures from Walmart? I specifically asked them if I could to that and was told NO because of the copyright. They don't issue a release like Disney does - they still own the pictures. That is where it falls apart and doesn't make sense to me. I could understand if there was a fancy harry potter border, but I would think I could still print the picture, even without the border.

I had no issue printing any of my Disney photopass pictures - even with the borders.

I'm in Canada if that makes any difference.

 

[hpriamson]

Two years ago, we got what was then the 5 day package for $50, and it was definitely worth it. Especially when they added unlimited in-park prints for $25. And the digital download images were absolutely printable - they were at a good resolution for printing, and no watermarks - we made a few snapfish photo books including those pictures. But that's two year old information - I don't know if you can trust it now.

 

[captaindavidhook]

I hope I can help a little. So the app is called amazing pictures. I just came back from my trip there and got 68 pictures taken of me. I got my pictures taken at US the IOA but that's ok as well. I got plenty of character photos. If you get the star card you a period of 3 days for it. I was going two days so I used it on a Fri and Sun. It worked out well, also they tell you to go to photo center at end of the day and check your photos. It al worked out well. I do plan on printing them out when I get the chance. I have to download them first but it was worth the money.

 

[captaindavidhook]

I hope I can help a little. So the app is called amazing pictures. I just came back from my trip there and got 68 pictures taken of me. I got my pictures taken at US the IOA but that's ok as well. I got plenty of character photos. If you get the star card you a period of 3 days for it. I was going two days so I used it on a Fri and Sun. It worked out well, also they tell you to go to photo center at end of the day and check your photos. It al worked out well. I do plan on printing them out when I get the chance. I have to download them first but it was worth the money.

 

[Queen of Oakville]

thanks captain hook! please let me know your experience with printing. makes no sense to me that you sell someone a digital download package but then restrict printing. It might just be that the person answering my emails didn't understand my question or perhaps didn't understand the program.

I'll download the app right now!

 

[Queen of Oakville]

for any Canadians reading this - the app is not available in the Canadian apple app store. You need a US apple ID to get the app {which fortunately i have!}

I noticed the app asks for a username and pw. I assume I will set that up when I preorder?

 

[hpriamson]

Actually, I think if you go to the photoconnect website, you can set up an account without even buying the star card. Just so you can test everything out ahead of time.

 

[GCS2000]

We are considering do this as well I just hate paying the $90 price to have it be good for 14 days. We are only going 3 days but they are not consecutive so we either have to change our plans and go 3 days in a row for the $50 plan or pay the extra money and spread out the Universal fun for the week we are down in FL.

 

[CPanther95]

We did it once 2 years ago @ $49.00 for - I think - 7 days. We found it extremely difficult to get enough out of it to feel that we got our money's worth. We basically got 1 pic at entry and some on-ride photos ... the "roving photographers" pitched in the marketing materials never materialized.

However, it may be different now.

Edit: Just remembered we also got one shot from a photographer in front of the T-Rex.

 

[GCS2000]

The key to this is if you would normally get a ride photo or not. If you are the type to get ride photos then this is where I think this makes a lot of sense due to those costing about $25 each. Otherwise "the pics around the park" are so limited it appears that this package is too much money for what you get.

 

[FLVacationGirl]

I was offered the 3 day package for $47 while onsite. We loved it! We ended up with lots of fun pictures for sharing on FB and printed pictures for my daughter's memory book that she took to school. The pics looked great both on FB and printed. We just tried 4 x 6 photos and the resolution was perfect. My daughter's ET picture in my avatar is from the photo pass.

 

[FLVacationGirl]

I should add, I printed our pictures via Costco.ca.

 

[GCS2000]

We are probably doing it as the ride pics would be great for my kids. They like getting these things but they are just too darn expensive to do so IMHO. We will probably add the Shutterbutton part to the package as well as my daughter is a major Potter freak and would love it.

Does anyone know if they are offering the digital frames yet for the Shutterbutton stuff?

 

[Queen of Oakville]

I should add, I printed our pictures via Costco.ca.

thanks! II didnt' buy it when the photo connect person told me I could only print the pictures at home.