Disney Photo Session PART II

[wdwmaw]

OK, I called Resort Photo Session today and I now have an email to send a formal complaint to. The very nice lady informed me that they actually don't have an email but I could email her my complaint and she would get it to a supervisor. I also found out that the mini session does not include a professional photographer, only the big expensive package comes with a Disney Professional Photographer. The mini session still includes a Photopass Photographer.

I will update if I hear back from the email I will send this weekend. I am not a good writer, tend to ramble on, so will take time to write a good one. I never complain and really hate this but our photo session was awful.

Thanks for the support everyone.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

OK, I called Resort Photo Session today and I now have an email to send a formal complaint to. The very nice lady informed me that they actually don't have an email but I could email her my complaint and she would get it to a supervisor. I also found out that the mini session does not include a professional photographer, only the big expensive package comes with a Disney Professional Photographer. The mini session still includes a Photopass Photographer.

I will update if I hear back from the email I will send this weekend. I am not a good writer, tend to ramble on, so will take time to write a good one. I never complain and really hate this but our photo session was awful.

Thanks for the support everyone.

That's interesting. They're both listed on the Fine Arts Photography website. You'd think if it's listed under a "Fine Arts" website it'd be a "Fine Arts" quality session regardless of cost or time. You know? Keep us posted. I'll be sure to do the same when our sitting arrives in September.



On a side note, I called a couple weeks ago and asked that the balance of our sitting & cd above the deposit go ahead and be charged to my Discover card. Within a week the charge was there. So far so good on the payment part.

 

[wdwmaw]

That's interesting. They're both listed on the Fine Arts Photography website. You'd think if it's listed under a "Fine Arts" website it'd be a "Fine Arts" quality session regardless of cost or time. You know? Keep us posted. I'll be sure to do the same when our sitting arrives in September.



On a side note, I called a couple weeks ago and asked that the balance of our sitting & cd above the deposit go ahead and be charged to my Discover card. Within a week the charge was there. So far so good on the payment part.

I also pointed this point out in my email. I have nothing against Photopass photographers and have enjoyed our pictures every year since they began the photopass CD option. This is very misleading as when I did call about my complaints the photographers ability was shot down quickly as she informed me that I did not have a professional but just a photographer.

This should be noted and pointed out.

 

[LittleStinkerbelle]

OK, I called Resort Photo Session today and I now have an email to send a formal complaint to. The very nice lady informed me that they actually don't have an email but I could email her my complaint and she would get it to a supervisor. I also found out that the mini session does not include a professional photographer, only the big expensive package comes with a Disney Professional Photographer. The mini session still includes a Photopass Photographer.
I will update if I hear back from the email I will send this weekend. I am not a good writer, tend to ramble on, so will take time to write a good one. I never complain and really hate this but our photo session was awful.

Thanks for the support everyone.

Interesting - thank you for sharing that info. That is not very clear seeing as this is featured on the Disney Fine Art Photography site, which to me implies it comes from that pool of photographers! We've had a session with DFAP before (part of our vow renewal) and there was a big difference between that photog and a PhotoPass photog. Thanks for keeping us posted on your situation and good luck.

 

[2Tiggies]

Interesting - thank you for sharing that info. That is not very clear seeing as this is featured on the Disney Fine Art Photography site, which to me implies it comes from that pool of photographers! We've had a session with DFAP before (part of our vow renewal) and there was a big difference between that photog and a PhotoPass photog. Thanks for keeping us posted on your situation and good luck.

I was relieved to see that I wasn't the only one who drew that conclusion when I saw the basic package shown as "one of" the Fine Photography packages.

Does this mean, if you still get PP Photographers for the $150 package, that you still get your photos on a photopass card so you can add borders?

 

[wdwmaw]

Ok everyone I heard back from the Photopass people about our photo shoot. The email had a warning attached to it that read:

This communication is confidential, intended only for the named recipient(s) above and may contain trade secrets or other information that is exempt from disclosure under applicable law. Any use, dissemination, distribution or copying of this communication by anyone other than the named recipient(s) is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please immediately notify us by calling 407.934.4044. Thank you.


I will not post what was said but basically they spoke with the photogapher
and she insisted I was just expecting way more than time allowed. They completely dismissed the fact that she was slower than snot and refused to take photos that we had previously had. They offered me to call back and book, at my expense, an hour long session. They thought I would be more satisfied and pleased if I did that. Whatever!

I really think I will respond back asking for a manager to contact me. I will then set up a way to get them copies of our previous 30 min session and our session from this June and let them judge. I really hate to be this way and honestly I never complain and have never had anything to complain about.

 

[wdwmaw]

I received a phone call today from a manager and he was very nice. He did apologize and I now feel so much better. He thanked me for calling and assured me that in no way should a cast member dismiss a complaint. He also said that our situation would be a training tool and that he would speak with the photographer. He has our currant photos and I will be sending him copies of our other photopass session we previously had at the Grand Floridian. In no way should 2 sessions be so different, I agreed with him totally. He did say that he had been with Disney Photography about 21 years so he knew the previous packages we have had and our experience. The other lady I spoke with had no idea about former resort photo sessions.

Thank you so much for everyones support and I am so thankful I called, emailed and followed up on our session. We were not pleased but are now walking away happy.

Ok everyone I heard back from the Photopass people about our photo shoot. The email had a warning attached to it that read:

This communication is confidential, intended only for the named recipient(s) above and may contain trade secrets or other information that is exempt from disclosure under applicable law. Any use, dissemination, distribution or copying of this communication by anyone other than the named recipient(s) is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please immediately notify us by calling 407.934.4044. Thank you.


I will not post what was said but basically they spoke with the photogapher
and she insisted I was just expecting way more than time allowed. They completely dismissed the fact that she was slower than snot and refused to take photos that we had previously had. They offered me to call back and book, at my expense, an hour long session. They thought I would be more satisfied and pleased if I did that. Whatever!

I really think I will respond back asking for a manager to contact me. I will then set up a way to get them copies of our previous 30 min session and our session from this June and let them judge. I really hate to be this way and honestly I never complain and have never had anything to complain about.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

I received a phone call today from a manager and he was very nice. He did apologize and I now feel so much better. He thanked me for calling and assured me that in no way should a cast member dismiss a complaint. He also said that our situation would be a training tool and that he would speak with the photographer. He has our currant photos and I will be sending him copies of our other photopass session we previously had at the Grand Floridian. In no way should 2 sessions be so different, I agreed with him totally. He did say that he had been with Disney Photography about 21 years so he knew the previous packages we have had and our experience. The other lady I spoke with had no idea about former resort photo sessions.

Thank you so much for everyones support and I am so thankful I called, emailed and followed up on our session. We were not pleased but are now walking away happy.

Oh my. I think you've absolutely done the right thing all the way thru. I applaud your willingness to be persistant. There really is no excuse for such a drastically diminished experience with the same product on 2 different occasions (particularly with the price increase). The key to any successful product or service is consistancy. Without it, consumers won't trust that they'll receive what they're paying for and will look elsewhere for what they want. You know, if Disney is going to make this big shift with these packages from what they previously were they really need to step up in every way or they're just gonna fall flat on their faces.

I hope I'm not being toooooo nosy in asking that you continue to keep us posted. Even tho I'm not doing the smaller session, I'm really interested to see what level of professionalism Disney will handle your situation. Whether you spend $100 or $1000, professionals would be consistant!

Big hugs to you! I'm really crossing my fingers for a positive outcome somehow.

 

[2Tiggies]

I hope I'm not being toooooo nosy in asking that you continue to keep us posted. Even tho I'm not doing the smaller session, I'm really interested to see what level of professionalism Disney will handle your situation. Whether you spend $100 or $1000, professionals would be consistant!

Big hugs to you! I'm really crossing my fingers for a positive outcome somehow.

I couldn't agree more with your point on consistency

Reports like this are incredibly helpful to all of us as it is almost guaranteed that someone else is going to wind up in a similar situation and this gives invaluable information on the process and options for recourse in the situation.

I have been watching this thread keenly for updates as I am still on the fence about booking again for this year. Having digested the shock of the price increase, I looked through my pictures from last year and still feel that it is worth the additional price .... if I get something similar to what I did last year. However having had first hand experience now with their somewhat vague and (dare I say it) partly misleading, website/contact link, I want to know what my options are if I am not happy.

I can see I am not the only one who is very grateful for the updates posted on here and I am hoping with you for a positive outcome for you

 

[wdwmaw]

Thanks everyone for the support. I agree with your opinions and the 2nd manager I spoke with did
follow up again. He did offer us another 30 minute session. He is going to mail me a voucher and I am to call him personally. He has been with Dianey 21 years and plans to be there for a while. He did reassure me that the merger of the two Resort Photo Session and Fine Art Photography will involve training and more permanent positions for the photographers. He again apologized and I can not wait to book another session. We travel yearly but as of now we have no idea of when that can happen. Our son is in college now and none of us have the same breaks, I hate to not be planning.

I hope others please post so we can all stay up to date as these sessions evolve, hopefully with our help. I really think I just got a bad photographer not a bad new program.

 

[GetGlowing]

Who was your photographer and who was the manager?

We had Tom at the Poly a couple years ago for our session (see avatar pic <== ). He was great. I would recommend him any time. He told us he had been with WDW more than I think 20 years and had done a lot of wedding photography there.

 

[DianeV]

I dont know if we can recommend a photographer or not..but I will! My daughter and her friend recently had senior portraits taken (her friend in May, ours in June) by a wonderful guy named Ty. Her friend's were at EPCOT and my daughters were at the Beach Club. He was super nice and also has been doing this a while with WDW and before. I would highly recommend him. We each had the hour session and he went 15 minutes over on hers and 1/2 over on ours.

 

[wdwmaw]

Who was your photographer and who was the manager?

We had Tom at the Poly a couple years ago for our session (see avatar pic <== ). He was great. I would recommend him any time. He told us he had been with WDW more than I think 20 years and had done a lot of wedding photography there.

Oh my I think we had Tom also a couple of years ago at the Poly. I am not good at names but he was so nice, had been with Disney forever and his wife worked in MK.

The manager I spoke with worked with Disney Fine Art Photography and had not done resort photos but weddings and such. He was so nice can't remember his name don't have an email from him.

I kind of wish we could ask for certain people, I would be willing to plan my trip based on their schedule. That said this was the only photo session I have every had anything to complain about. We have had nothing but great things for all our photopass photos for many years.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Oh my I think we had Tom also a couple of years ago at the Poly. I am not good at names but he was so nice, had been with Disney forever and his wife worked in MK.

The manager I spoke with worked with Disney Fine Art Photography and had not done resort photos but weddings and such. He was so nice can't remember his name don't have an email from him.

I kind of wish we could ask for certain people, I would be willing to plan my trip based on their schedule. That said this was the only photo session I have every had anything to complain about. We have had nothing but great things for all our photopass photos for many years.

Well, it sounds like the manager you spoke with is doing what he can to be proactive and helpful. I suppose with any change there's a certain amount of adjusting that has to take place. It's just a bummer the adjusting has to be with someone's pictures which, IMO, are something you can't really put a price on or replace. The most important part is that you are satisfied with the outcome. Doesn't matter what anyone else thinks.

I wish certain photogs could be requested, too. I was told that the only way they allow you to do that is if you're a DFW bride. **sigh** Never hurts to wish, tho.

I'll definitely stay in touch and report back on our experience with the extended session. We all need to keep the info flowing for the better of everyone.

 

[DisGirl819]

I'm interested in keeping tabs on this. I am interested in doing my kids portraits while we're there in December at the BC with the Christmas decor. Think they will use that as backdrops? We do Christmas portraits of the kids every year and I thought this would be great.

 

[IMACM]

We are planning on doing my daughters senior pics there in November...anyone have specific info they can share with us?? She thinks she wants the GF and I want MK!!! she will prob win!! She has a specific photo that she needs for the yearbook, will they do this??

Thanks!!!

 

[3pletprincesses]

I called today to book something for the end of the month and asked if it was still $99 for the 20 minutes. The CM said that no it had increased but since I mentionned the previous price, they could give a discount and charge $125 instead of $150. I guess it's worth a shot for anyone booking to mention the old price and possibly get a discount.

At the end of the call, I also asked about who did the photos as we had a not so great experience in May and she said it has been changed from photopass photographers and it was now done by fine art photographers. I Questionned her about it and she assured me it was not the same people taking the pictures as the photopass. Hopefully this is true as we will be really disappointed if our photoshot turn like a few months ago.

 

[Lisa S.]

I've got a 20-minute shoot booked for August 25 - I'm hoping that the news about the photographer switch is true! I'll report back when I get home.

 

[mommyrosa2]

I've got a 20-minute shoot booked for August 25 - I'm hoping that the news about the photographer switch is true! I'll report back when I get home.

Would love to hear about it as I've booked my daughter's senior pics at the end of October.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Oh yes! Keep us posted!