Could I have asked for something more?

[ses1230]

I agree that people are being way too harsh with the OP, but OP was doing fine until she blatantly disrespected adults AND babies, so I can see why this thread ended up this way.

As for Photopass, when it was introduced, it WAS marketed as a way to get your entire family in your vacation photos. Not sure if that particular sentence is on the Photopass site, but this one is...

"And don't forget your camera"

Yes, it was a series of unfortunate events for the OP, but one tht could have been avoided had she been better prepared, but to come here and claim adults and babies should not "clogging" character lines gained her no sympathy and made people angry. If someone can't handle the opinions of strangers, maybe public message boards are not for them. Again, not saying some of these comments aren't harsh, but people here have their opinions and they are allowed to give them just like you and I have.

ITA smitch. Some responses are harsh, yes, agreed. But with the title of the thread and the subsequent posts by the OP, I think it was easy to surmise what direction this thread was headed.

 

[Nancyg56]

I agree that people are being way too harsh with the OP, but OP was doing fine until she blatantly disrespected adults AND babies, so I can see why this thread ended up this way.

As for Photopass, when it was introduced, it WAS marketed as a way to get your entire family in your vacation photos. Not sure if that particular sentence is on the Photopass site, but this one is...

"And don't forget your camera"

Yes, it was a series of unfortunate events for the OP, but one tht could have been avoided had she been better prepared, but to come here and claim adults and babies should not be "clogging" character lines gained her no sympathy and made people angry. If someone can't handle the opinions of strangers, maybe public message boards are not for them. Again, not saying some of these comments aren't harsh, but people here have their opinions and they are allowed to give them just like you and I have.

I think that most people reacted to the OP's commentary, not to her frustration in regards to not getting that picture. I agree that if you post on a message board you should be prepared to have people have differing viewpoints. Also, if you post critical comments that strike a nerve on some people you have to be ready for those folks to be frustrated as well. And to tell you about it

 

[GreenCntryGirl]

I agree that people are being way too harsh with the OP, but OP was doing fine until she blatantly disrespected adults AND babies, so I can see why this thread ended up this way.

As for Photopass, when it was introduced, it WAS marketed as a way to get your entire family in your vacation photos. Not sure if that particular sentence is on the Photopass site, but this one is...

"And don't forget your camera"

Yes, it was a series of unfortunate events for the OP, but one tht could have been avoided had she been better prepared, but to come here and claim adults and babies should not be "clogging" character lines gained her no sympathy and made people angry. If someone can't handle the opinions of strangers, maybe public message boards are not for them. Again, not saying some of these comments aren't harsh, but people here have their opinions and they are allowed to give them just like you and I have.

Yep. Her calling those of us without children "horrific" for wanting to see characters is where she lost my sympathy.

 

[ppony]

I don't blame her for not wanting to lug around her camera all day. It's a total PIA.

Yes, it IS a pain to lug around a bigger camera. That's why I don't bring my DSLR Nikon. I know people say "why have a nice camera if you don't use it there". My answer is I'm not good enough with it and it's heavy and bulky. I'm happy to have a point and shoot with me and even that is a pain in the rump. As she well knows, when you have kids with you ther are a LOT of thing you need to carry with you that are a pain, but you do becuase you have to.

If Disney advertised Photopass like "Leave your camera behind! Use our photographers!" then yeah, I could see counting on them being there. But I can't tell you how often I was looking around for one and didn't find one. You just need to make your own photos when they are important to you, as I'm sure they are for everyone. I know they have pre-pay PP now, but I've only ever paid for the photos I wanted. Given my experience w/ finding those people in teh ark, I'd never actually count on one being around enough to capture ALL moments. Experiences vary.

The extra ire the OP got was because it went far beyond just having a photographer missing in ONE shot. If there is ANYTHING I've learned about DIS, especially the last few years, you need to be darned sure if you have a gripe, and you want to voice it, you don't bear some of the blame or right or wrong, this board will tear you apart. I'm not condoning it at all. I hate it! Sadly, it's the internet. And as others said, she was EXCEPTIONALLY judgmental of others, so that was a flood gate opening.

 

[DebbieB]

Yep. Her calling those of us without children "horrific" for wanting to see characters is where she lost my sympathy.

My mom loved Chip & Dale. We have a nice picture of her with Dale that I have on my table. When she died, the funeral director asked for a picture to give the person who was going to style her hair & makeup for the viewing. I gave him that picture. I guess it's horrific that I have it sitting on my table.

 

[Suellen]

We take as many pictures as we need. Sorry if you think we "Clog up" the area..... we know what we want and are typically in and out in a shorter amount of time then others.

If you want multiple pictures then maybe consider ditching the autograph books all together OR have one for the whole family.

We do have two kids and it typically goes like this...

Hi and hugs for whoever we are visiting.

Picture with both girls
Picture with older DD
Picture with younger DD

move on.

Seriously... if you are organized and know what pictures you want and you prep your kids for what you are going to do this typically takes 1/2 the time that a single family with multiple autograph books and ONE picture takes.

I also stand behind the photopass photographer and take my own pictures. They seem to come out better anyway.

So three pictures... under three minutes and we typically have to wait for the next character/princess to be ready.

There is no reason that you can't be organized and do a family photo and then one with each kid. Give up the 5 autograph books and get the pictures.

Also... yeah I HATE to carry my camera too.... but I do. I also have all the pictures I want and can make sure right there that they are what I want. I've depended on photopass and had the picture be AWFUL!

When they used to (do they still?) give a picture away with the package purchase ~ I had 300 photopass pictures and struggled to find one worth printing...... my own pictures on the other hand.... were fine.

 

[Gorechick]

Our trip in August is the first trip for our twins who love the princesses and other characters. Just so you all know, we'll be clogging as many lines as possible getting autographs and taking multiple pics. Just wanted to give everyone a heads up.

 

[photo_chick]

I have never met a larger bunch of opinionated people in my life!!! The OP just felt frustrated and I don't blame her. Everytime we have gotten pictures taken with characters there has always been a photopass person there.

You must not post on many forums then. At least people on this forum are fairly nice about sharing their opinions.

 

[lorasmom]

if we're gonna go there...


I'm not saying don't ask for help when you need it, and I don't agree with the way the OP pulled this fact out here to make it seem like they want more sympathy because they're getting flamed a little. I totally think OP has no room to gripe when they were the ones who didn't take a camera. It was clearly stated that they expected photopass to meet their photography needs. But this issue... well, there may be more to not getting a GAC than simply not wanting help. More that the OP isn't saying about that particular issue.

Oh, good call, I did miss that. If that's the case, and she was using the GAC avoidance as a learning tool, then good for her.

Back on topic, I wouldn't leave my camera behind, ever.

 

[mmay60046]

To the OP - next time just ask the CM if it would be OK if you and your family waited to the side for the photographer to come back. Explain that your phone died and that was your only camera, and that you had hoped to have it on your photopass CD. In all probability, they will tell you that they do not know if the photographer will return before the character has to go, but they will most likely allow you to wait just in case. That is maybe something "more" that you could have asked (if you didn't), and I don't think anyone would begrudge you that.

Logic and reason don't seem to be appreciated on this message board. If you can't respond with an emotional outburst you should probably keep it to yourself.

 

[evnted]

You must not post on many forums then. At least people on this forum are fairly nice about sharing their opinions.

No they're not.

 

[Gorechick]

If pictures are that important then you'd better make sure you are prepared. Although I just pre-ordered Photopass +, DH and I will each have our iPhone and I'll have my camera. I haven't been to WDW in 8 years and as I said before this is our twins first trip. I'm not going to miss anything.

 

[LilyWDW]

No they're not.

Actually, people ARE really nice on these boards. The is one of the most polite boards I have ever spent time on. The issue is that some people will not accept anything except for other people agreeing with them.

It just gets really tiring to hear people complain about things that were their own issue or fault, but instead they want to blame everyone else. So yes, people will call them on it.

Also, if you want to call people who responded "rude"... then you need to call the OP the same due to their posts.

 

[LazyDaisy]

Is it just me who NEVER uses Photopass? Why pay money for shots you can take yourself? I just have a regular point and click camera and have taken so many great photos with it... Even if there is a Photopass person there, I have never paid for their service. I just take my own photos... Yeah, that means I'm not in a lot of the pics, but oh well.

 

[smitch425]

Yeah, that means I'm not in a lot of the pics, but oh well.

That is the sole reason we do Photopass. I took over 600 photos on our kids' first trip, and I was in 1 of them. I still take several hundred myself, but now that we do Photopass, I get to be in 200+ photos every trip. We won't do Disney without it.

 

[mom2rtk]

Is it just me who NEVER uses Photopass? Why pay money for shots you can take yourself? I just have a regular point and click camera and have taken so many great photos with it... Even if there is a Photopass person there, I have never paid for their service. I just take my own photos... Yeah, that means I'm not in a lot of the pics, but oh well.

There's an awful lot of people out there who look back at photos from various family vacations and find out it's like they never existed. I know I can ask someone else to take them with my camera, but it's just so much easier to use photopass.

I also like to add the Disney borders to the photos.

But mostly I like having photos from both my camera AND photopass. Sometimes if some of mine don't turn out, it's nice to have those to fill in, and vice versa.

I also like how they have their tripods set up for the beautiful night shots in front of the castle.

And honestly, I figure I'm all in or all out. Buy more than a handful of their shots and you might as well have pre-ordered the CD. So we just go all in, and seek out as many as we can.

But I still don't count on them being everywhere.

Heck, we did the Halloween party in 09 and the biggest character photo op of the night (Snow White with 7 Dwarfs) didn't even have photopass.

 

[evnted]

Actually, people ARE really nice on these boards. The is one of the most polite boards I have ever spent time on. The issue is that some people will not accept anything except for other people agreeing with them.

It just gets really tiring to hear people complain about things that were their own issue or fault, but instead they want to blame everyone else. So yes, people will call them on it.

Also, if you want to call people who responded "rude"... then you need to call the OP the same due to their posts.

I understand but this wasn't the main thread I was referring to. Look around at some of the other popular threads and you'll see some really aren't accept of other opinions. And I hold the OP in the same boat, their initial post wasn't bad but from what I hear they called people waiting in line for characters with kids "horrific" so I keep watch. I do my best though to ignore comments that are designed to pissed people off like that, though, because it does no good responding to them.

 

[LazyDaisy]

I guess I'm funny that way - I hate having my picture taken. So it doesn't bother me that I'm not IN the pics! I'd rather take photos of the scenery, of the little detail things. Most of my pics don't even have people in it, so PhotoPass wouldn't work for us.

Plus usually we go for a couple days at a time, all spread out. Not worth the price. I do get why others get it... But I've never been a fan. The one time we used it (that I can remember) was in front of the HM with the invisible horses. DH looked great, DD had a funny look, and I had a terrified look because DS chose that moment to lift up my skirt for some very odd reason. (Maybe he tripped?) It was absolutely horrible! Yep, not a fan of PhotoPass.

 

[ppony]

I guess I'm funny that way - I hate having my picture taken.

Same here. HATE it. Most trips we don't have any photos of me. My family isn't happy w/ it but... that's that. To placate them, I submit to a few PhotoPass options every other trip just to show them I was there.

 

[Olivejuicy]

I opted to get a high quality new camera inztead of doing photopass.