CHANGES TO PHOTOPASS & CD - disappointing

[PrincessNED]

Just returned from 10 days and what rotten luck!!

Photopass just updated its software evidently about a week ago and it no longer allows for additions of the borders and signatures etc to be saved to the CD or system.

We still burned a cd with our pics ( 90) but it was disapointing that we could not add borders and sigs as other have previously.

I thought the deal for the CD for $99 was too good to be true and now I guess someone at Disney thought so too.

 

[tmt martins]

That was reported a while ago on another thread.

I think the problem is that it ties up the computer and sometimes a CM to do it to all the photos on someones photopass card.

I just wished they would include them so we could Photoshop them in if we wanted.

We will still get the CD for our June trip I'm sure but it does stink a bit.

 

[newchic99]

Last week when I went to get the CD I found out about the change. The CM that was waiting on me said that she didn't work one day, came in the next and they had made the change. She kept saying how sorry she was when she saw my disappointment.
She then told me to pick 2 pictures from my CD and she printed them as 5x7's with the embellishments. I was having trouble deciding so she did 3 pictures. The guy working with her was none to pleased but I guess she outranked him and told him that is what she has been doing .They only do it if you already know about the embellishments.

 

[STEAMBOAT209]

I too was looking forward to the borders for the CD. I'll still buy the CD for our trip, I'll be searching for a photo program to see if there is anything that I can do. If anyone knows of or where to get a program to attach Disney borders please post your replies. Thanks,

 

[DisneyDadof3]

Not sure why I would want the CD now - I can hand my camera to someone else and still get family pictures. The borders, autographs, etc. were what made the photopass special.

 

[lorli]

We don't go until August and I was already planning to buy the CD to add the embellishments. Without them my pictures have always been as good or better. Maybe they will figure a way to make it easy and still offer the embellishments. Guess I won't hold my breath though.

 

[disneyjunkie]

Can still get the embellishments if you order the photos from the photpass web site?

 

[disneydoula]

I personally was very unhappy with the photos taken by Photopass. Unless they can remove the person in the background who is standing just behind my left shoulder and looking straight at the camera, I will not be making a purchase. This person just happens to be in 4 photos that were taken.

 

[sticker231]

Without the enhancements it really isn't worth the $99. You can get a cd of your photos for like 8 bucks at Costco. Don't think we will use photopass in October unless the enhancements are back. Doesn't seem like they thought it out before they started the program. Hoping the get it straightened out.

 

[daisyduck123]

Can still get the embellishments if you order the photos from the photpass web site?

Yes, we just returned last Sunday from our trip. Our Photopass pics are online & the embellishments are available.

When we were in Disney at the end of our trip on Sat. May 20th, we went to get our Photopass CD made & we, too, were sooo disappointed to learn of the changes. The CM said they had just been put in place that week.

We purchased 3 different 5X7s with borders/extras & then bought the cd because out of the 84 pics on it, most are very good.

 

[akalittleeva]

What would be the advantage of buying the CD at the park, if the embellishments are no longer available - you can buy it online, can't you? I think I'd rather wait until I get home to make the decision, then I could really look at the pics and decide if it was worth it and not have to take the time at the parks. Too bad they couldn't offer something where you could do the embellishments to the CD yourself online...then they wouldn't have to worry about tying up there computers and CMs...

 

[keishashadow]

Just wondering...

we've never had more than 20 pics available for photopass, have only noticed the photographers when we enter the park. Are they lurking somewhere else? IMO, it's not worth it for so few pics.

Has anyone tried the new DVD/movie for $50 they're offering?

 

[makinorlando]

What would be the advantage of buying the CD at the park, if the embellishments are no longer available - you can buy it online, can't you? I think I'd rather wait until I get home to make the decision, then I could really look at the pics and decide if it was worth it and not have to take the time at the parks. Too bad they couldn't offer something where you could do the embellishments to the CD yourself online...then they wouldn't have to worry about tying up there computers and CMs...

I don't believe you can by the CD on line - that has to be done before you leave the parks Only the photos themselves can be purchased on line, so by having the CD you have the "rights" to the pictures and can print and re-print as you please. I don't see anything on the normal photo pass site that allows you to purchase a CD.

Being local, even though every opportunity I give them my photo pass card each visit, I normally would not have enough to ever make a CD worthwhile - so maybe I'm missing something.

Right now I have about 60 photos as they have not cleared out some that I had taken in early April while we had guests (usually they are only good for 30 days from when they were claimed)- good for me since I didn't get a chance to order some of them!!! Maybe they are waiting for 30 days from the latest ones.

 

[texnmickey]

 

[beattyfamily]

I don't believe you can by the CD on line - that has to be done before you leave the parks Only the photos themselves can be purchased on line, so by having the CD you have the "rights" to the pictures and can print and re-print as you please. I don't see anything on the normal photo pass site that allows you to purchase a CD.

Here's a link to PHOTOPASS CD online.

So I would certainly wait now and buy the CD at home (if I decide its worth it) after looking at all the pictures from the comfort of my home. I could then put the borders/special things on the ones I want and get the CD for the rest if I want to that is.

You would still need to have Disney put Tink or Stitch on the photos and buy them at home (not on the CD).

 

[makinorlando]

Thanks. You know now I remember finding that before. I should not DIS before coffee!

Here's a link to PHOTOPASS CD online.

So I would certainly wait now and buy the CD at home (if I decide its worth it) after looking at all the pictures from the comfort of my home. I could then put the borders/special things on the ones I want and get the CD for the rest if I want to that is.

You would still need to have Disney put Tink or Stitch on the photos and buy them at home (not on the CD).

 

[shyjade]

Maybe with any luck the Photopass CD sales will drop so dramatically now that they removed the embellishments that they'll have a "change of heart"?? I'm crossing my fingers for my September trip...

 

[Brian Noble]

Doubtful---some folks spend an enormous amount of time going through each photo, cropping, adding borders, placing signatures, etc. But, there is only one fixed cost for the disc. So, each new border ties up more CM time, reducing profit at that location, and increasing the wait time for the other folks at County Bounty, trying to buy the 3 picture package of their little princess with the Princesses.

I *can* imagine a self-serve model (either kiosks or online at home after the trip) where lines for "regular" photo purchases aren't lengthened, or an "extra charge" model where embellishments can be added for a very modest per-picture fee, but this change is clearly in response to a program that wasn't working from WDW's perspective.

 

[grimley1968]

But, there is only one fixed cost for the disc.

Yes, about 25 cents per CD.

Sorry, but $99 for a 25-cent CD full of photos, that really aren't that expensive to take when those photogs are probably making minimum wage or not much above it, is simply unbelievable to me. I think a fair profit would be about $10. $99 is off the charts for a profit margin, even if you fill it with 100 pics or more. Those 100 pics are yours for the price of your camera if you do it yourself.

I personally would rather Photoshop my own pictures, but to take even this feature away from an already overpriced Photopass CD system is getting a bit cheap for Disney, IMHO.

 

[myprinceandprincess]

I'm seeing alot of mixed reviews...but for me $99 for a CD with pictures I could take with my own camera seems like alot. I was planning on buying it for our upcoming July trip, but with no embellishments I am not planning on getting it now.