CM's taking pics with YOUR camera?

[disney world dreamer]

in the last few times i've gone we've had the photopass photographers take pics with their camera and then we take pics of each other with our camera (for example last trip it was me, my sister, my niece, and her friend so usually the pics were either of me and my sister taken by my niece or my niece and her friend taken by my sister).

i'm going solo in april and i plan on taking pics with characters but i'd prefer not to purchase them. when booking the CM was pushing MM on me which i know is their job cuz they are trying to up-sell as much as they can but i respectfully declined.
she then pushed once more asking what i'm gonna do if i want a pic with a character cuz i'm going solo.
i just wanted to hurry up and get my trip booked so i just said something about having enough pics with the characters.

NOW i'm wondering was she really just trying to up-sell or do the CM's at the character meet n greets really not take pics of you with your own camera anymore?

or will they but its discouraged?

or are they fine with it?

i'm not a good selfie taker lol so if they really aren't going to be happy about taking a pic of me with my own camera i may just have to add MM.

 

[disney world dreamer]

and i guess another question would be if they are willing to take your pic with your own camera do you think i should save the money and go that route and that way i can also post pics on social media right away or do you think i should pay the price of MM when i'm going to be the only one in the pics?

 

[mesaboy2]

I've never had a CM give me any trouble when I ask to take a photo with my camera.

 

[DisneyHardin]

When we were there in November, the PP photographers were more than happy to use your camera. We had purchased Memory Maker, so we didn't have them do it, but we saw lots of other people.

 

[meggiemouse]

When we were there in May/June 2013, they had no problem taking pictures with our phones and my dslr. I always had them scan my photo pass card just to be polite.

I'm interested if they still allow this!

 

[meggiemouse]

and i guess another question would be if they are willing to take your pic with your own camera do you think i should save the money and go that route and that way i can also post pics on social media right away or do you think i should pay the price of MM when i'm going to be the only one in the pics?

When we went in 2013, my photo pass pictures and camera pictures looked exactly the same. I think the trip I am going to forgo the photo package. I think.

 

[broberts]

No problems in December either. They have always been very accomodating.

 

[MOpGrad2013]

I've never had a CM give me any trouble when I ask to take a photo with my camera.

Same here. And not just the CM with the characters or PhotoPass spots. We were near City Hall and had spoken with the CM who did surveys...She offered to take our picture together. It came out great!

 

[HopperFan]

They absolutely will use your camera. You can ask any CM on the streets to take your picture as well even if no character. I travel often with my DS and take pics of him alone - there is always a CM walking or at the character asking if I want to get in the picture as well.

 

[tinkfan160]

They will always do it, sometimes you have to ask and other times they will offer. Goofy once forced my dad to give his camera, which he was holding to the cast member. We had PP+ so it wasn't an issue, but it was kind of funny! However, I do have to say that the pictures don't always look the same. The main example I can think of is in the Big Top meet and greet spot at Magic Kingdom. When comparing the Photopass pictures to our pictures, there was a noticeable difference. It may have just been that cast member, but the photos on our camera were very blurry and would have been disappointing if we wouldn't have had the Photopass pictures also. However that being said cast members have taken excellent pictures on our camera and even on my cell phone. Enjoy your trip!

 

[Cando86]

I've been here for the past week and we have asked multiple Photopass photographers to use our camera as well. Everyone has been happy to and in some cases (ie meeting Mickey at Town Square) the cast member even asked us if we wanted him to take some pictures with our own camera before we could even ask.

 

[Kirby]

During our trip in December we had a number of CM's ask if we wanted an additional picture on our camera or cell phone. Even the character handlers helped out by taking pictures.

When we were getting pictures with Tinkerbell the handler took a selfie of herself and pictures of me taking pictures of Tink and my daughter. It was so fun to find those pictures later.

We only came across one CM who grudgingly also took a picture with my daughter's cell phone.

One CM made a game out of it by giving us the wrong cell phone. I don't know how many phones he had in his pocket but we got ours back after three.

 

[Minniekins]

They will always do it, sometimes you have to ask and other times they will offer. Goofy once forced my dad to give his camera, which he was holding to the cast member. We had PP+ so it wasn't an issue, but it was kind of funny! However, I do have to say that the pictures don't always look the same. The main example I can think of is in the Big Top meet and greet spot at Magic Kingdom. When comparing the Photopass pictures to our pictures, there was a noticeable difference. It may have just been that cast member, but the photos on our camera were very blurry and would have been disappointing if we wouldn't have had the Photopass pictures also. However that being said cast members have taken excellent pictures on our camera and even on my cell phone. Enjoy your trip!

We don't have MM or anything, so just take our own photos. We were at the Xmas party and got lucky in the standby line to see the Seven Dwarves! So, they took a pic with my iphone, and also with their cameras. I noticed that the ones on my camera had a shadow over one of the dwarves in the back row, but no shadow in the pics with their camera, that I think I can buy. I figured they were able to adjust and fix for the professional ones.

 

[BrdwayBoy]

I've only ever had one PP photographer refuse to use my camera to take a photo with my camera - It was in Hollywood Studios, and her reasoning was Ebola. True Story.

 

[FelisLachesis]

When my family went over New Years, and when we went to see Anna and Elsa, I was perfectly content to just take pictures of the rest of my family and the characters. Both PP photographers were having none of that. After taking their official PP pictures, they both offered to take my camera off of my hands, and told me to get in the shot. They took a couple with their own camera, and then took a couple with my camera before handing my camera back to me.

Made my day, though I'll admit that I look like a dork in those pictures. :-D

 

[disndatworld]

I've only ever had one PP photographer refuse to use my camera to take a photo with my camera - It was in Hollywood Studios, and her reasoning was Ebola. True Story.

Funny. Not the virus... but just the story.

 

[MaleficentRN]

In December, I had a CM offer to take a photo of my son and me with Jack Skellington with my phone. I didn't have a MM package, but still scanned my band. I was surprised later when I was able to still view the photos. I ended up buying a photo ornament of my son and Jack.

 

[CariCloud]

I haven't been in a few years. I think my last trip was 2010 but when I was there the CMs at Disney and the TMs at Universal always asked if we wanted them to take an additional photo with our phones. So unless the policy has changed dramatically I think you should be more than fine.

 

[ConnieB]

I've only ever had one PP photographer refuse to use my camera to take a photo with my camera - It was in Hollywood Studios, and her reasoning was Ebola. True Story.

Dude, your camera has Ebola. So sorry to hear that. Hope it recovers. LOL







(and no, I'm not making fun of Ebola, I do know it's serious and I do know thousands have died. Just being funny at 4am ok all you haters, just hate).

 

[msmama]

Another option is to start chatting with the people around you in line. I know if I am ever behind a solo person in a character line I'll offer to take pics for them - even more likely to offer if they're friendly!

But yes, CM's will do it too.

Don't know if you're doing solo character meals, but I've had servers offer to take pictures, too (I've never been solo, but it's usually just my son and I and he's not the best picture taker. He's fine if you don't want any heads in the picture, but...)