Disneyland Photopass Reviews

[Tigger Trainer]

I have read through the Photopass Master Thread, but I was wondering has anyone had any recent experiances with the Photopass program at the Disneyland Resort? Any tips and trick to get

 

[figment_jii]

I used PP+ for the first time in mid-November and found it to be very easy. The PP+ photographers were pretty easy to find and seemed happy to take lots of photos. We did one character meal, so the photo package was included. We also did lots of character meet and greets, so having the PP+ option meant that the whole family could be in the pictures. We did make pretty good use of the attraction photo portion of the package also (we rode RSR a lot!). We also asked about Magic Shots, which the kids thought were weird until they saw what was added to the photo. As with almost anything, some of the photos came out better than others, but in general, they were fine. Overall, if you do a lot of attractions that have ride photos, character meet and greets, and/or character meals, PP+ seems like a pretty good deal.

 

[taffy]

We used it in October. We really liked how easy it was and generally didn't get our camera out. We got a lot of photos over 4 days and loved the MS we got especially Olaf. My only warning is the quality of photos can vary wildly depending on the photographer. We had enough good ones to make it worth it but there were several photos that were poorly framed or out of focus.

We are off to WDW next week and have ordered the magic maker for the trip.

 

[Canuck16]

We have always gotten the Photo Pass and love the photos that we get with them. The photographers are quite easy to find and are more than willing to take any kind of picture that you would like

 

[Speechphi]

Love it! We've gotten it 4x. Besides that you get a TON of photos, you can add cute borders to a copy of each one (so the original is untouched).

 

[ImarriedGrumpy]

We had a great experience with PP+, and found that the majority of the photographers went above and beyond with photos for us. We had several who took "non-traditional" photos of us. Like one time when DS (4 at the time) was done cooperating with picture taking, and the photographer played peek-a-boo with him around a statue and got some adorable shots of him peeking out from behind the statue. A lot of the time they'd ask us if there were any other pictures we wanted to get, or would suggest getting every combination of us in the picture possible - DS by himself, DH and I together, DH & DS, me & DS, all of us together - it was great! Plus the ride photos and the character meal photos, and it was quite a bit. Then when we got home, I saved every photo in several sizes, added borders in various sizes, and ended up with over 300 photos on a CD. Since then I've been able to print them off for framing, cards, scrapbooks, and a photo album for DS. I love that we're all in the photos (usually I'm the one taking the picture), and the great shots the photographers got for us.

 

[mckennakendall]

If you have a smart phone, take a picture of your attraction ride photo. Go to the attraction photo place, hand them your pp+ card and then the photos will be put on your pp+ card. This was super easy and efficient. One time we rode Splash Mountain three consecutive times and I had all three attraction ride photos added at once.

Be aware that if you wait too long to add your attraction photos, it could be difficult to find the photos. I believe the camera stores in both parks aren't linked to the attraction ride photos and can't access those. Make sure to have the attraction photos added to pp+ at that particular attraction photo area.

 

[letsgoreds]

We are super excited to try DL version...have been buying PP+ for the last couple of trips, and LOVED it. We slow down and take way more pictures than before buying the pass. I am pleased with the price as well : ) My boys enjoy the magic shots...the frog and the balloons are their favorites. I love the ride photos and night photos.

ANYONE know if they take pictures during JTA? At WDW, following JTA, and also Enchanted Tales with Belle, the PP photographer passes out a card with the PP session number to load the photos at a PP+ desk afterwards.

 

[nikkislaght]

yup, would recommend it to people , we get it and I get to be in the photo for a change... as the photographer in my group... I never get i the photo. I also only save as the original as I can do all the boarders etc at home...
At one point people were complaining that C/A had More photo togs than D/L. but I have always found it to be pretty even.. we had a photo session in front of the castle one year.. and some people got behind us. the photo tog kindly asked them to move.. they said they were waiting for their turn.. he said he wouldnt take any more photos until they moved out of our shot,. they got annoyed.. I said the the people... thats ok dont more.. I have all day to stand here under the castle and get as many photos as this man will take... they moved... so they will look after you... and of course if you buy it early enough you get the lower price..

 

[whoever]

I liked PP+ for the ride photos alone. The actual PP photographers while good, I preferred them taking pics with my camera as I could better adjust the composition and settings.

 

[HopLow1968]

We did one character meal, so the photo package was included.

Photopass is included with character meals?

Personally I'm skipping the photopass because it seems that a lot of what they offer can be done for free elsewhere. Borders, characters, effects, etc is something I would normally be adding in post anyway. I seem to rememeber plenty of people being willing to take pictures for you, and the whole rumor about facial search and recognition strikes me as a bit creepy. But mostly importantly, I'm deciding to skip it because I have to control my add on spending somewhere!

But we are doing a character meal, and if its included - hmmm.

 

[GatorChris]

For a good long trip, it's worth it. You find yourself looking for the photopass people to take your photos. And character meet&greets are easy when you just hand them a PP+card instead of the awkward feeling of asking the CM to take a photo with your camera. I'll admit that I like this PP+ more at WDW because of the many parks and photo locations (even though they just destroyed my favorite photo pass spot), but DL still has plenty of good areas. Just make sure you're not going when the castle is tarped off. PP+would be a waste of money if you can't get that shot.

 

[Nevada Jen]

We used Photopass plus at WDW and absolutely loved it. I would have to say that unless you are going to want the ride photos for the DL version I did not think it was worth it. We just got back and in DL we found exactly one place with a photographer. Right when you walk in in front to the train station. That was literally it and we were in DL 3 days. And we were really looking for the photographers because of the great pictures we got from them at WDW. Even the character meetings did not have a photographer (perhaps Mickey and Minnie at their houses did, we did not doe that). But the all the characters that are set up at random places in the park did not have a photographer. At the character breakfast we went to (Surf's Up Mickey), the only photographer was when you walk in and pose with Mickey. There was none with the rest of the characters as the roamed from table to table. DCA was slightly better in terms of finding photographers. There were a few in Carsland and a couple right when you enter. Still none with the "roaming" characters. I really lean towards saying was not worth it. After the firs day at DL, I was planning on writing a letter saying that the PP+ was a complete rip off. But it did get slightly better at DCA. But if you are expecting the same thing as Disney World, you will be severely disappointed.

 

[figment_jii]

Photopass is included with character meals?

According to the photopass website, the photo packages are included at Goofy's Kitchen, Surf's Up (this one for sure, because I did this one), Ariel's Grotto, and Minnie and Friends at the Plaza Inn. It included the printed photo package given to you at the restaurant, plus any other shots the PP photographer took.
http://www.disneyphotopass.com/aboutdpp_map_other.aspx

We just got back and in DL we found exactly one place with a photographer.

Yikes...that much different from when I went in mid-November. There were PP+ photographers at the entrance, along Main Street (several from Town Square to the Partners Statue), and in front of the castle. That being said, I don't recall seeing very many non-character meet and greet based PP photographers in the other parts of the park.

 

[ImarriedGrumpy]

This link has a list of the photopass photographer locations and the magic shots available: http://allears.net/dlr/tp/dl-ppass.htm#maps

I've done PP+ a few times now, and I'd say the list is pretty accurate to our experience, although we've gotten some different magic shots than the ones they list. Our favorite photos were by the partners statue, to the side of the castle, frontierland, and in CarsLand. We have shots sitting on a bench near the castle with Minnie in one, and Mickey in another, and had one by Big Thunder Ranch with Mickey as well. The Cars shots were very fun, and there were photographers in at least 6 different locations there that we bumped into.

There are usually PP photographers near the "formal" character m&g sites (Mickey's house, Pooh & friends in critter country, etc.), but at DLR there are a lot of informal character m&g times where the characters just show up, and we've rarely seen photographers for those.

 

[lindyv321]

We got our photos for JTA added to our PP+. We got our money's worth in ride photos alone on our last trip and I already ordered it for our next trip.