AP Card Pic Question

[Disneylvrforever]

Hey APers!

Renewal time is coming soon and I haven't changed my AP card picture in FOREVER!!! I've renewed my AP through the mail for many years and as many of you may know, it's cheaper this way. I've thought of taking a new pic, but I don't really want to pay the extra $.
So my question is, before I make a final decision on if I should take a new pic now or later, what do you think of the quality of the pictures that they have on the cards? My pic was taken in the late 90's/early 2000's and the pic is grey and clear. When my friends had their pics taken a couple of years ago, the pics looked terrible; their faces were outlined w/ black lines and you can see the dots that make up their faces. It was definately not as clear as the pics used to be. Do the pics still turn out this way and do you think that the camera images will improve as time goes on?

Thanks for imput!

 

[bumbershoot]

Our pics from Sept '07 are pretty grainy. Then they re-used those pictures for our new APs, and they are even worse. Splotches going vertically through them. Awful.

But the pic that comes up on the screen looks about the same, so the pic on the AP itself doesn't bother me.

I don't know their policy on re-taking pictures and keeping the renewal discount.


You have two more days to order the Deluxe AP for $30 off online, you know. That might be better than the renewal discount (though if you get a premium there would likely be NO savings). You could order it online, print it at home (important b/c printing at home gives an expiration date for the voucher of Jan 4th 2010), and then save it for your next renewal period. Then go in, exchange the voucher, and ask for a new picture?

 

[Sherry E]

My AP picture taken in October is HORRID! It is grainy, splotchy, it looks like I have black tar between my teeth (which I do not!), and I look about 85 years old because of the weird quality of the photo. However, I looked at my friend's AP picture - and she took the photo in January of this year - and hers is not the same as mine. The quality was a little better and there was no black tar effect anywhere!

 

[pixiewings71]

Mine from last year was grainy too. It wasn't horrible tho, no black lines or tar spots. YUK! I would just ask what it takes to get a new picture, they print them right there in the bank so it can't be hard for them.

 

[VBsHustla]

I got my picture taken in October 2007, and it is terribly grainy. This year, I used the same picture when I renewed my pass, and it is even more grainy, plus has the black tar stains all over it! It looks like it was xeroxed on a machine circa 1985! Basically I could hand my card over to any member of the human race and if the CM just wanted to confirm that the pass belonged to the person entering, anyone would be safe!

 

[Disneylvrforever]

Wow, it sounds like all of the pics have issues. I guess I'll just wait until they get new cameras before I get a new pic taken or wait until a lot of CMs complain about my old pic. It's so old! My pic shows me w/ bangs & I grew them out years ago. I wanted to have a new pic taken a while back, but the CMs said that it would cost $20 just to take the pic. I don't see what the big deal is if they'd just take a pic & put it in their files. It's not like I lost my pass and need a new one. I just want a nice updated pic and it's not that hard to point, shoot, and click the pixels away to my file. Oh well.
Thanks everyone for sharing the status' of your pics!

 

[MateasMom]

Our originals from 99 were cute. A few years ago they made DH and I get new pictures, and the quailty is so/so. This year they made 8YO get a new picture. It's awful. They did NOT make (almost) 10YO get a new picture though! Both girls pictures were from their 4th Bday. No clue why 10YOs is okay but 8YOs wasn't

 

[Disneylvrforever]

I really liked the quality of the pics in the 90's. I also liked how they used to make you go & get a new pic taken whenever you'd renew it so that it was always updated. But since they stopped doing that, my pic has stayed the same.
It's weird that they made only one of your girls get a new pic. Some CMs can be so picky. I really hope they get new cameras soon or figure out how to make the pics look better.

 

[tonaly]

Our whole family just got cards on 12/19/08 and I was surprised at how good the pictures are! They are gray and clear, not too grainy at all. Compared to the ones we had 3 years ago it is a huge improvement.

Also - the deluxe passes at Costco come with $50 Disney gift card, that might be cheaper than your renewal.

Alyson

 

[Disneylvrforever]

Our whole family just got cards on 12/19/08 and I was surprised at how good the pictures are! They are gray and clear, not too grainy at all. Compared to the ones we had 3 years ago it is a huge improvement.

Also - the deluxe passes at Costco come with $50 Disney gift card, that might be cheaper than your renewal.

Alyson

Wow, really? That's suprising! Do you think you could post a pic of your AP pic? I'm really skeptical when it comes to these things and I'd hate to live w/ a grainy pic. I'm just a perfectionist that way.

And I think I'll stick w/ my renewal. I'm a premium passholder & I don't know what I'd do w/out it. It especially comes in handy when I feel like going to DLR on a whim! The gift card does sound like a great deal though.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

And I think I'll stick w/ my renewal. I'm a premium passholder & I don't know what I'd do w/out it. It especially comes in handy when I feel like going to DLR on a whim! The gift card does sound like a great deal though.

I got my son & his girlfriend deluxe APs from Costco for Christmas. She's taking him to DL on Friday & will surprise him with them and then upgrade to premium (he has no idea they have them). According to Disney ticketing (I called them), they'll be able to get the $50 gift cards & upgrade at the same time. I've instructed the girlfriend to make sure that they get those cards, even if they at first get the deluxe, and then upgrade.

 

[pixiewings71]

I got my son & his girlfriend deluxe APs from Costco for Christmas. She's taking him to DL on Friday & will surprise him with them and then upgrade to premium (he has no idea they have them). According to Disney ticketing (I called them), they'll be able to get the $50 gift cards & upgrade at the same time. I've instructed the girlfriend to make sure that they get those cards, even if they at first get the deluxe, and then upgrade.

This is what DBF and I have discussed......we haven't decided tho because we can work around the black out dates. But you could get the So Cal Costco pass, get the $50 gift card and use the gift card towards your upgrade from the Deluxe to Premium, it's like getting $50 off your Premium AP. Much better than the renewal discount I believe.