Buying memory maker at the lower price

[Icecoldpenguin]

When is the last day you can get memory maker at the lower price of $149 before it goes up to the regular price?

Also once you purchase it when do you have to start using it because I know there is a time frame?

 

[Accident]

at least 3 days prior to arrival (you need a full 3 days between purchase and the first photo to ensure that photo is included). I believe once your checked in or it's your checked in date getting it pre-price is no longer an option and you have to pay the post price.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

As I recall, the time frame is structured from the dates you buy it.

As in, if you pay the lower price- you can NOT activate it until three days later.

If you want to activate it sooner than three days, you have to pay full price.

If you have a WDW package, and MDE, then you link it your WDW package.

Otherwise, I see little advantage in paying for it far in advance, except perhaps to avoid a price increase.


About a year ago, we went the same time as a group of first-timer friends so split the cost with them. (I also bought the old version about ten years ago, split among a large group.) It was kind of fun seeing the 7D footage, but also a bit creepy to know we were being watched/automatically scanned/linked everywhere we went.

Suffice it to say, the risk of kids being abducted is a whole lot lower than it was a few years back!

 

[Icecoldpenguin]

So our trip starts June 8th so when should I get it do to the timeline?

 

[imthemamahere]

As I recall, the time frame is structured from the dates you buy it.

As in, if you pay the lower price- you can NOT activate it until three days later.

If you want to activate it sooner than three days, you have to pay full price.

This sums it up perfectly. If you pay $149, you can't activate it for at least 3 days.
If you pay the full $169, you can start using it right this minute.

For what it's worth, we always roll ours into our package - for my family, it's a part of the cost of a Disney trip. But you can pay the discounted $149 at any point up to 3 days before the first photo you want to keep.

 

[imthemamahere]

So our trip starts June 8th so when should I get it do to the timeline?

To pay the $149 price and have Photopass photos from your entire trip available, you can buy your Memory Maker at any point from right now to 3 days before you go to Disney on June 8th.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

For what it is worth, for us, MM isn't really worth what WDW charges. It kind of depends how much value you put on ride photos and adding Disney 'borders' to your pictures, and maybe getting the whole family in the photo. I find the photos I take myself to be plenty for us.

If this is a one and only trip, that's a bit different. Also if you have kids and MM= capturing their 'first' trip on many rides.

If you have a Disney CC, I think they still offer the free photo in Epcot- if you do the special stop.

 

[Rich M]

For what it is worth, for us, MM isn't really worth what WDW charges. It kind of depends how much value you put on ride photos and adding Disney 'borders' to your pictures, and maybe getting the whole family in the photo. I find the photos I take myself to be plenty for us.

If this is a one and only trip, that's a bit different. Also if you have kids and MM= capturing their 'first' trip on many rides.

If you have a Disney CC, I think they still offer the free photo in Epcot- if you do the special stop.

Do they still include the picture of the rides and all dining photos also?

 

[mickeyluv'r]

We didn't do any character meals, and I haven't kept up with the latest where they are concerned. Historically, guests were mostly on their own for character meal photos. A few places used to take/sell guests one pic before the meal. (later wrapped into MM)

I think new MM includes all ride photos.

Funny tidbit about 7D is that it is NOT a video of YOUR ride on 7D. Instead, it is a mishmash montage of stock images mixed with very short clips of your ride. Except the canned footage is all sunny daylight! If you ride 7D at night/rain, the jolting mishmash is very obvious and odd.

It is the kind of end-product Walt Disney absolutely hated! He hated anything that wasn't done with integrity and quality. Like WDW has completely forgotten their roots. Even Eisner didn't allow such sloppy work!

 

[MSPeeler]

Do they still include the picture of the rides and all dining photos also?

Quoting "The Mouse for Less"

"
Participating Attractions:

• • Space Mountain
  • Splash Mountain
  • Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
  • The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
  • Rock ‘n Roller Coaster
  • Expedition Everest
  • Dinosaur
  • Test Track
  • Photos captured during Storytime with Belle and Jedi Training Academy
  • When you visit Pirate’s League at the Walt Disney World Resort you will receive your photo Print Package for no additional charge when you present your Disney PhotoPass+ card.
  • Photos captured during a Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique transformation will be scanned to your Disney Memory Maker card for no additional charge. Please note that you will not receive prints but your Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique images will be included in your My Disney Experience app.

Participating Character Dining Locations:

• • 1900 Park Fare (Breakfast & Dinner)
  • ‘Ohana (Breakfast)
  • Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show
  • Chef Mickey’s (Breakfast & Dinner)
  • Cinderella’s Royal Table (B,L,D)*
  • Tusker House Restaurant (Breakfast & Lunch)
  • Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue
  • Princess Storybook Dining at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall (B,L,D)*

* Indicates these dining locations already include photo package as part of their inclusive price"

 

[Mikie]

Just a note about the character dining. The photos that are included are the posed shots taken with a character or backdrop prior to your meal. DURING the meal when characters come around to your table, there are no photographers and you need your own camera.

Also, I believe that's no longer true about Cinderella and Akershus (they used to give you printed photos with your meal, but now it only goes into your MM account and only if you bought MM can you download them without an extra charge).

Last, relatively new, there are a few photo booths in the parks whose photos are included, but I haven't used them so I don't have a location list.

 

[KarenAylwood]

We just got back after being at Disney from Tues-Sat. We were a group of 5 (my parents, my husband and I, and our 2 YO DS) and got memory maker ahead of time. My parents had their own room so were on a different reservation but I hooked them up to our DME account and bought the MM on the DME account so it was linked to all of our magic bands. I carry a dSLR in the parks but realized that a lot of PP's fumble with them (you'd think even though they use one, it would be easier). While they all would take one with our own cameras I liked having the pics that they took available. I also liked getting the ride pictures and we had pictures show up without touching our magic band at the end (Mine Train). The pictures showed up on our DME app almost immediately after they were taken so we knew if we wanted to get a group shot taken again later in the trip in front of the castle or whatever. I loved this feature- years ago it was a surprise at the end of the trip once you put your cards in.

I don't think I'd pay for it if I was strapped for cash but I hold a lot of value in pictures- I took probably 1000 myself and still am excited to download the MM ones to add to my photobook (I make one for each trip through Shutterfly).

To echo others- the photo that you get at a character meal is the one at the start before you see the characters (we did Chef Mickey's).

 

[SBWB48]

Silly question, but how do you 'activate' MM? Is it just upon when you get your first shot taken and MagicBand scanned by the PP Photography? We bought it as part of our package for September.

 

[Mikie]

Silly question, but how do you 'activate' MM? Is it just upon when you get your first shot taken and MagicBand scanned by the PP Photography? We bought it as part of our package for September.

You don't have to do anything to make it start capturing your photos. Even if you bought it 2 days in advance of your trip at the discount price, your photos would all be there, but the ones from the first day would require you to purchase the download separately because you had missed the 3-day requirement.

I think MM uses the word "activate" to mean when you first perform a download. This applies to multiple trips or very long trips because you can continue to get more photos taken for 30 days after activation (first download). Then You have 45 days from the date each picture was taken to download them before they expire (disappear from your account). This would allow a person with two close trips to use one MM for both.

 

[SBWB48]

You don't have to do anything to make it start capturing your photos. Even if you bought it 2 days in advance of your trip at the discount price, your photos would all be there, but the ones from the first day would require you to purchase the download separately because you had missed the 3-day requirement.

I think MM uses the word "activate" to mean when you first perform a download. This applies to multiple trips or very long trips because you can continue to get more photos taken for 30 days after activation (first download). Then You have 45 days from the date each picture was taken to download them before they expire (disappear from your account). This would allow a person with two close trips to use one MM for both.

 

[woodynjessiesmomma]

Just a note about the character dining. The photos that are included are the posed shots taken with a character or backdrop prior to your meal. DURING the meal when characters come around to your table, there are no photographers and you need your own camera.

Also, I believe that's no longer true about Cinderella and Akershus (they used to give you printed photos with your meal, but now it only goes into your MM account and only if you bought MM can you download them without an extra charge).

Last, relatively new, there are a few photo booths in the parks whose photos are included, but I haven't used them so I don't have a location list.

We did 1900 PF and CRT and there were not printed photos even offered for purchase. At CRT they told us it was just part of MM now.
The only booth we found was at Space Mountain. ODS had a blast taking silly pictures aw they did show up on our MM.

Another possible plus for MM are the Magic Shots. The kids love seeing a surprise character. I wouldn't buy it just for this, but its fun. I wasn't planning to get MM for our short trip this fall, but if my mom goes we might get it anyway so she can have it too. I wish there was a cheaper option for 1-3 days all the time like they've done in the past for MNSSHP.

 

[Mikie]

We did 1900 PF and CRT and there were not printed photos even offered for purchase. At CRT they told us it was just part of MM now.
The only booth we found was at Space Mountain. ODS had a blast taking silly pictures aw they did show up on our MM.

Another possible plus for MM are the Magic Shots. The kids love seeing a surprise character. I wouldn't buy it just for this, but its fun. I wasn't planning to get MM for our short trip this fall, but if my mom goes we might get it anyway so she can have it too. I wish there was a cheaper option for 1-3 days all the time like they've done in the past for MNSSHP.

I've seen some references to a 1- day MM for around $60 I think. I really can't remember the details, but maybe it's something you only see through the app (not web site) or only after you have done the trip and it's a checkout option? If you're really interested in that, I'd start a new thread about "one day MM" and see if someone can help.

 

[Ursula's Apprentice]

You don't have to do anything to make it start capturing your photos. Even if you bought it 2 days in advance of your trip at the discount price, your photos would all be there, but the ones from the first day would require you to purchase the download separately because you had missed the 3-day requirement.

I think MM uses the word "activate" to mean when you first perform a download. This applies to multiple trips or very long trips because you can continue to get more photos taken for 30 days after activation (first download). Then You have 45 days from the date each picture was taken to download them before they expire (disappear from your account). This would allow a person with two close trips to use one MM for both.

I did exactly this for my trip in October of '15 and was able to use it again in Dec. A special thank you to the CM who clued me in to this little tip!

 

[Ursula's Apprentice]

We did 1900 PF and CRT and there were not printed photos even offered for purchase. At CRT they told us it was just part of MM now.
The only booth we found was at Space Mountain. ODS had a blast taking silly pictures aw they did show up on our MM.

Another possible plus for MM are the Magic Shots. The kids love seeing a surprise character. I wouldn't buy it just for this, but its fun. I wasn't planning to get MM for our short trip this fall, but if my mom goes we might get it anyway so she can have it too. I wish there was a cheaper option for 1-3 days all the time like they've done in the past for MNSSHP.

There is an option for one day. I believe it's 60 bucks and can only be purchased through MDE app.

 

[Lori74]

I wish I would have known about the one day purchase. we just spent 149 for one day at the mk for our upcoming trip in august