Engagement Pics at WDW?!?

[belleincanada]

I'm engaged!!!

I'm still going between shock, disbelief, elation, giddiness, and excitement every 10 minutes, as this just happened two days ago.

My fiance (!!!) and I are heading to WDW in February 2015. He wanted to propose there (at Beast's castle) but knew I was probably expecting that and wanted it to be a surprise.

So, instead, we are thinking about the possibility of engagement photos in Disney! But I honestly don't know the first place to start. Or really, if we can afford it. I'm assuming you need some kind of permit to do engagement pics in WDW??

Does anyone have experience with this? How did you find your photographer? Where did you get the photos done? Any advice would be so appreciated. Thank you!

 

[TigersLions]

Oh my gosh! Congratulations! I can't tell you how many times I've thought about what a great venue any of the Disney Parks would be to take formal photos. I am a hand held/natural light photographer and I honestly doubt you'd have to have a permit if it is just the two of you and there isn't a ton of equipment involved. IMO, you don't need to get too crazy with the equipment because the surroundings are sooooo beautiful and such a huge variety of places to go.

The one downside is how hard it is to make sure there aren't other people in the background. I think your photog could for the most part work around it because there are so many nooks and crannys where there isn't a huge crowd. And honestly, a picture of you two with the setting of the park in the background and people walking around would be really cool. Think about that 1940's picture of the sailor dipping his girlfriend and kissing her when he came back from the war.

Your photographer will either know of some places in the park you can go to for photos but if it were me, I'd just walk through it with you and when something caught my eye, I'd have you pose. But I'd definitely find out from you what is special to you about the park to kind of determine where to focus our time.

For the park, it is really the one that you like best and represents you as a couple! I think each park has great opportunities for photos. You can't go wrong with any of them. And honestly, you could even just go to a resort and do it. Again, if your photographer is travelling light, I am sure that no one would bat an eye.

One thing to keep in mind is most wedding photographers offer an engagement shoot as part of their package so you might want to determine who you want to shoot your wedding first. Engagement shoots are a great way to get to know the couple before the big day.

I so wish I lived in Orlando! Congratulations again!

 

[Seia]

Congratulations on your engagement!

There are several ways to take engagement photos at Disney. The first is to go directly through Disney Photography. You can take pictures in any park but Magic Kingdom. I've heard of couples taking their pictures in the Epcot world showcase before that part of the park opens, but I don't know 100% if you are able to take pictures prior to opening in the other parks.

The second way, which is what most couples I've seen do, is to hire an outside photographer to take their photos on property. Many photographers will not take pictures inside the parks because it used to be banned and is now kind of a gray area. Some frequently used WDW photographers will -- you just have to ask. Any photographer is allowed to take photos at any of the Disney resorts and Downtown Disney, though.

 

[Giniapup]

Congratulations! I took engagement photos inside the Magic Kingdom with an outside photography. She called customer service ahead of time and they said as long as we didn't ruin any other guest park experience (meaning asking people to move out of the way) it was ok to take picture. If you get an early breakfast reservation at the crystal palaces you get in before the park opens so there's really no crowed. Only other people who have breakfast reservation.

 

[huskies90]

We are getting married in June 2015 and did an engagement shoot when we were down for our site visit in July. We are going with outside photography and the engagement shoot was included in our package. It was a great way to meet our photographer in person and get to work with her ahead of our wedding.

We were staying at Bay Lake Tower and did the shoot around the resort (unfortunately during a torrential rainstorm). We got some great shots with castle in the background. The pics we took inside had several guests in the picture and our photographer simply edited them out so I wouldn’t worry about guests in the parks.