Can someone please explain Photopass & Memory Maker to me like I'm 2???

[PinkCupcakes]

I don't get It?!!!

I understand that Memory Maker is for WDW and PhotoPass+ is for DL. We are going to both at the end of October/November, so I don't have time to preorder.

I mainly just want to buy a photobook of my favourite photos at each park. We are not into hamming it up for the cameras so to speak, so won't be participating in magic shots!

I understand that the photopass photographer will give us a card that we reuse throughout the park and then I enter my code into my MDE account.

So...if I just want to order a photobook do I need to pay for Photopass+ and MM??

The on;y character dining we are doing is Akershus and Ariels Grotto which I think they include a photo package in the price? If we do another character meal - like Goofy's, can we just use our own camera?

Sorry...that got really long! Only a month before we leave and the nerves have kicked in!

 

[PrincessInOz]

PinkCupCakes - If I understand correctly, what you want is a photobook. If this is what you want, then there are other ways to get this rather than using Disney Photo services.


The benefit of using the Disney photo service and purchasing MM or PP is if you are seeking the magic shots, the shots from the rides and character pictures. The more pictures you take using the Disney photo service, the more value you'll get out of the product. Naturally prepaying for the product with the discount makes it even better value-wise if you are going to use the service and are seeking those pictures.

In many cases, if you are doing M&G, you can hand over your camera to the photographer. They will take the family shots for you using your camera. They will still take the character picture and hand you over the card. You don't have to view the pictures or even buy any of the pictures if you don't want to.


If you take your own pictures and are you happy with them, then you can come home and make your own photobook using your pictures when you get home. There are a number of us that do exactly that using online book printing services so you could ask around and find out which printers are commonly used.

 

[PinkCupcakes]

Thanks PrincessinOz!

So if I want to purchase any of the photo pass photographer photos, I need to pay for MM or PP+?

 

[PrincessInOz]

It depends on how many you want to get. You can always view them and buy individually. At least...I think you can.

(I've always bought the previous version of the MM (PP+) only because my trips end up being at least 8 days at WDW. And we go seek out the magic shots and the ride shots; so it works out for me.)

 

[zanzibar138]

I've just got back from DLR and I pre-purchased the PP+ package. I particularly wanted to get as many PP photos as possible, plus all our ride photos, and we were there there for about 10 days all up, so it really made sense for me to get the pre-purchase discount.

In your case it sounds like you're not particularly fussed about having the actual PP photos. PIO is right that there are plenty of great value photobook suppliers around. I personally use Snapfish and have always been very happy with the quality of their products.

I should mention that I have no idea how MM works at WDW, so I'll have to leave that for someone else to explain.

At DLR, you can go up to any PP photographer and have them take photos with their camera and/or your own. You can get a PP card, which you carry with you and use for any other PP photos you have taken. Then at the end of the trip you log on to the Disney PP website and enter your PP number (make sure you keep your card, because that's where the number is!). You are then free to browse the photos you've had taken and are able to purchase any, all or none of the photos. If you want to purchase any more than 2 photos, I think it works out about the same cost to purchase the whole CD anyway (which you can also buy as a download instead of a physical CD). Photos expire after 30 days, so make sure you do it sooner rather than later if you think you might want to purchase any.

Hope that helps!

 

[dabecs]

We get the MM (at a WDW) because I love the ride photos and the photographers always take good photos of the character meetings. I think you can still preorder - we collect ours at WDW, they don't send anything out anymore.

 

[PinkCupcakes]

Thanks everyone for your responses!

I have used snapfish before, so that is a great idea for all our photos!

Good to hear that I can still preorder at WDW. Hmmm...maybe I'll order MM for WDW and then if I like it, I can preorder for DL as we are going there on our way back.

More decisions to make lol!

 

[zanzibar138]

Thanks everyone for your responses!

I have used snapfish before, so that is a great idea for all our photos!

Good to hear that I can still preorder at WDW. Hmmm...maybe I'll order MM for WDW and then if I like it, I can preorder for DL as we are going there on our way back.

More decisions to make lol!

Just be aware that if you pre-order PP+ for DLR, they do send a package which you need to take with you to DLR, and it can take up to 6 weeks for delivery. I'm not sure how long you're away for, but it's probably not going to be an option to decide on the run.

You can buy it when you get there though - it's just an extra $10 or something.

 

[PrincessInOz]

It used to be that if you bought the old Photopass Plus from WDW, it would cover the Disneyland pictures as well; assuming that you were going within that 30 day period. I don't know if the new MM will do the same. I wonder if someone else on the boards knows?

Just remember that MM now only includes digital download pictures only. The old Photopass plus included a CD of all your pictures sent to you (international shipping applied). If you want the CD, it will cost extra. And for your character meals, I would double check if your Akershus breakfast still includes any free picture prints.

If you are set on the MM, the pre-order price is cheaper. It links in with your Magic Bands now and you no longer have to scan a card. In Oct 2013, half of the photographers were scanning my Magic Bands and the other half were scanning the PP+ card. Irrespective of which way they scanned, I got all my pictures on my account.

I would assume that when you get home, MM works the same as PP+. You will need to log in and make your edits/add borders etc within the 30 day period. I'll be interested to find out what you think of the experience and if the download pictures provided are high resolution pictures.

Have fun!

 

[zanzibar138]

Oh, I forgot to mention that I'm pretty sure none of the character meals at DLR have a photo package included in the price. Double-check if you're not sure though, because I have been known to be wrong The photo package is the photo they take when you enter, presented in a nice folder. You can choose to buy it or not. For all the character interactions, you just use your own camera, so you won't have any problems there.

If you're thinking of doing a couple of character meals, and think you may also purchase a PP photo, or a ride photo, it's probably worth pre-ordering the PP+ now if you still have time for the package to arrive.

 

[PinkCupcakes]

PIO - I think I read that MM doesn't cover DL anymore. I think Akershus does include a photo package but I will double check.

Zanzibar - thanks for the heads up on DL still sending a package! I think I will have to give the preorder a miss as we leave in 4 weeks ! Eek!

 

[ssour]

The printed Akershus photo packages finish up in Jan. The digital copy is available if you have MM. If you only want to make a photo book you can just get the PP photographers to scan your magicband even if you don't have MM and the photos will be in your account. You won't get ride photos or the Akershus photo this way though.