and by taking pictures that they (disney) cannot sell, it takes money away from the company. If they take 2 pictures for you, then thats two pictures they could have taken on their camera with someone else who might have possibly bought them.
First, Disney allows it. They make the rules. They obviously have decided it makes good sense for them to do this. They cannot encourage or even allow cast members to do this and then blame them for doing it. And it doesn't take money
away from the company -- it just keeps them from making as much as they theoretically might have made. You may think that's splitting hairs, but there's a difference between taking a loss and making slightly less profit.
MonoManBlue said:
i'd say at least 80% of people at disney have a camera
Based on what?
MonoManBlue said:
so if its as simple as "hey take my picture and save me money" then why wouldn't everyone do that? Why even have photopass? A D70 on auto mode is practically a fancy point and shoot anyway right? If they were encouraged to take guests photos for free with the guests camera, nobody would use photopass.
You do realize you're actually making my point for me, right? this hypothetical would be a good counter-argument, except for the fact that for for whatever reason, Disney has continued (even expanded, IIRC) the PhotoPass system. Now why would they do that if they're not making money from it?
Why indeed? Yet this doesn't happen. There are people who don't bother bringing their own cameras because they know Disney will do it. Maybe they like the special effects, or maybe they think they'll get better photos, or maybe they'd rather not carry a camera around the parks. All of those are reasons I could understand, even if I don't feel the same -- I'm sure there are other reasons.
As long as Disney allows it, I'll have PhotoPass photographers take a few shots with my camera. I could understand some concern if a guest tries to monopolize a PhotoPass photographer's time and tries to make him into a personal photographer, demanding hundreds of photos at a time. I'd daresay that wouldn't be fair to other guests (
if other guests are waiting ... as they usually are), whether they're doing it with Disney's camera or the guest's.
But for the 8-10 photos I have them shoot for me on a typical three or four day trip, I don't feel bad at all. In addition to the convenience, I'm more comfortable having a cast member shoot my photos. I'm pretty confident a CM isn't going to run off with the camera -- with a random guest, I have no such guarantee. If the cast members don't like it, tough. If Disney decides that too many people are doing this and change the policy, I'll make other arrangements. It wouldn't kill me. If they decide they aren't making enough money and discontinue PhotoPass completely, then again, I'll make other arrangements. At that point, it will be Disney's fault for coming up with a system that ultimately didn't work, not mine for using a system they designed. What's next -- shall we be urged not to ride PotC, because otherwise it will wear out faster? Disney doesn't charge me a fee directly to ride it, either. Don't forget that very few guests get in the gate without laying out a substantial amount of money first. Silly analogy? Not at all; the rides are a much bigger draw in general, but the difference is one of degrees.
Again, I have spoken at length with PhotoPass photographers. I have no doubt some would rather not use my camera -- I have no doubt that some would rather not have to do anything, for that matter. But some were enthusiastic. Some have made unsolicited offers to use my camera; in other words, without my asking. As for the one you dated who purports to don a fake smile -- well, maybe she was a grump. Maybe she puts on a fake smile for everyone; or maybe she represents the typical PhotoPass cast member. I cannot say. I would love to think that the cast members I encounter like or even love their jobs, and I hope they do. I try to be respectful, polite and appreciative toward cast members, especially those who go above and beyond. They truly make the whole thing work. But when I go out to the parks, it isn't my job or my purpose to make the cast members feel good.
I can think of one reason why a PhotoPass photographer might prefer not use a guest's camera -- maybe they aren't comfortable handling a camera with which they're unfamiliar. That's understandable, but I imagine they'll get over that pretty quickly. I took a job as a delivery driver once, knowing I'd have to drive a truck with a manual transmission -- which I didn't know how to do. I took the job because I
really needed a job. It took me a day or two to get comfortable driving the truck -- but I did it. I could have chosen not to do it. I could have quit at the first opportunity ... but that job was with a printing company, and I eventually used it as a springboard to better things I really wanted to do.
SSB
) and it still wont change a thing. It's their job, they have to do it. Same as me - I dont like my job but I have to do it or get a new job. End of story.
) and they come back and spend more money. To quote a beer commercial.... "BRILLIANT!!"
