Is Memory Maker worth purchasing???

[wekiser]

I am seriously considering purchasing the Memory Maker option for our up coming trip.

IS THIS WORTH PURCHASING? SHOULD WE DO IT?

I would like to get everyone's thoughts on this. Thanks!!

 

[morethananyonex]

Are you going for longer than a couple days? Do you do lots of character meets? Do you want ride photos? Do you eat at meals that have photos? Is $150 an affordable amount to you?

If you can answer yes to most of those questions, I think it's worth it.

 

[KariLynnL]

I just got back and pre purchased Memory Maker before I went. I am on the fence on whether it was worth it. I got in the end 145 photos, most of those are character encounters. I found that most of the photographers only took two photos at a time. We only had one amazing photographer at Animal Kingdom who did a ton of shots including the magic shots, the rest couldn't get rid of us fast enough. The majority of them that I ran across were very young and probably not very experienced. The way a lot of them framed the photos I wasn't thrilled about, maybe because I am an avid photo and took 3200 during our 8 day trip. I liked having the ride photos on, but a few were missing from my account and so I had to contact them to get them put on, they did find them which was good and thank goodness I took a picture with my phone so I had a record of the number. I think if the cost is a lot of money to you I would probably pass on getting it. You definitely have to keep your eye out for them, I found the most to be at Magic Kingdom on main street. They only do the watermark photos from May to September, so keep that in mind if you are interested in those.

 

[dc1969]

Agree with the pp. We got it because I'm never in photos, I'm always the one taking them. We're going to all the parks, numerous days and we all know that the photos you can get on the rides alone are crazy expensive. We're also splitting up and it enables our older kids to still get photos when they're not with us. Very worth it for us!

 

[wekiser]

We will be there for 5 days and have planned a fair amount of character meals and yes if we would have it we would do the ride pictures. If we do not get it...the ride pictures would not be purchased.

I am normally the picture take and rarely in the pictures. I thought this would be a good way to have more good family pictures (wife, 8 yr. and 5 yr. sons).

I just think it is extremely high price. For me....if we get it my focus would be to somewhat seek out these photo people to get them to take our pictures. Basically, try and get my money's worth.

 

[morethananyonex]

We will be there for 5 days and have planned a fair amount of character meals and yes if we would have it we would do the ride pictures. If we do not get it...the ride pictures would not be purchased.

I am normally the picture take and rarely in the pictures. I thought this would be a good way to have more good family pictures (wife, 8 yr. and 5 yr. sons).

I just think it is extremely high price. For me....if we get it my focus would be to somewhat seek out these photo people to get them to take our pictures. Basically, try and get my money's worth.

Be aware that there are not tons of Photopass photographers that roam the parks aside from at the entrances and main park icons. There are quite a few there, but otherwise not too many. That was one of our only complaints. Looking at our pictures, the only ones we ran into (that were not in the previously mentioned areas) were in World Showcase, Prince Eric's castle, AK with EE in the background and Sunset Boulevard. We were in the parks 10 days, but in all fairness there's 3 or 4 different countries represented in the World Showcase pictures. We did make a point to stop at the majority of photographers we found. We have TONS of pictures with the park icons in the background, from lots of different angles. Also lots of character pictures and ride pictures. A few of our pictures are from the restaurants that take pre-meal pictures, but there aren't tons of those.

We really liked it because like you said it got us all in the picture together. For us, the cost spread out per day of our trip was reasonable, which is part of the reason we enjoyed it. We ended up with almost 350 photos.

 

[KimK2006]

This may be a dumb questions, but is MM linked to your Magic Bands? And everyone in your party can have pictures linked? Or, is it like PhotoPass + like I had a year ago where one personal on the party had the "official" card and was the only one would could get the pictures linked to PP+?

 

[UncleMike101]

Agree with the pp. We got it because I'm never in photos, I'm always the one taking them. We're going to all the parks, numerous days and we all know that the photos you can get on the rides alone are crazy expensive. We're also splitting up and it enables our older kids to still get photos when they're not with us. Very worth it for us!

Yup......
We got it because I didn't want my Great Grandkids to ask their parents what I looked like. After more than forty years of vacations, family get togethers, and Christmas celebrations and I'm only in a half dozen pictures.
And I don't do selfies.....

 

[cruisingmom1977]

We are doing it because we took a cruise in March where I took all if the photos on my phone. My phone broke the last day of the cruise and I lost all of my photos. Also, I'm tired if spending my entire vacation taking pics and not just "enjoying the moment". This way, we will get photos taken whenever we see a photo pass photog and be happy with it. I figure it costs a least $100 to get family photos taken so it's worth it to me.

 

[mlktwins]

They only do the watermark photos from May to September, so keep that in mind if you are interested in those.

What are watermark photos?

 

[Winnowill]

We bought PhotoPass+ last year for four days at DLR at a low crowd time when there were few photographers in the parks, and I think it was the best money we spent on the vacation. Four days, and our final CD came back with 308 pictures on it, and it was worth it just for seeing the change of my DD-then 4's facial expression on Splash Mountain, from sheer, unadulterated terror to joy. Those six pictures would have been $90 just in themselves. So getting MM was a no-brainer for eight days at WDW. We do lots of character meets, plus the ride photos - even if we never see a park photographer, we'll get plenty out of it.

 

[Tarheel girl 1975]

Be aware that there are not tons of Photopass photographers that roam the parks aside from at the entrances and main park icons. There are quite a few there, but otherwise not too many. That was one of our only complaints. Looking at our pictures, the only ones we ran into (that were not in the previously mentioned areas) were in World Showcase, Prince Eric's castle, AK with EE in the background and Sunset Boulevard. We were in the parks 10 days, but in all fairness there's 3 or 4 different countries represented in the World Showcase pictures. We did make a point to stop at the majority of photographers we found. We have TONS of pictures with the park icons in the background, from lots of different angles. Also lots of character pictures and ride pictures. A few of our pictures are from the restaurants that take pre-meal pictures, but there aren't tons of those.

We really liked it because like you said it got us all in the picture together. For us, the cost spread out per day of our trip was reasonable, which is part of the reason we enjoyed it. We ended up with almost 350 photos.

We were really dispapointed with the number of photographers we saw in the park last year. Now that my kids are older, they more into rides than characters. If we weren't planning to do BBB, Pirates' League and MNSSSHP this year, I don't think we would get it. I think we'll get enough pictures from those to make it worth it. I would think about whay you will be doing and how many photo opportunties you may have.

 

[GreenAcres]

Yup...... We got it because I didn't want my Great Grandkids to ask their parents what I looked like. After more than forty years of vacations, family get togethers, and Christmas celebrations and I'm only in a half dozen pictures. And I don't do selfies.....

Yes! This is exactly what I was thinking when we pre purchased MM for our upcoming trip. I do have an occasional picture of my own shadow which I guess is as close to a selfie as I'm willing to take. Oh, and I have some pictures of my feet. Sigh.

 

[momandseandodisney]

can you decide to buy it when you get home, and you see what is all on there? What is the difference in pricing? Its just my DS and myself, was hoping to use it so we could both get in all of the pics, but I rarely like pics of myself, so i am not sure, or I may just buy 2 or 3 of my faves (that is $15 ea right)

 

[TheGreatGafsby]

I thought it was too much 2 years ago, but will probably pay for it this time - especially if we can get attraction pictures included. The shots from my own camera on the last trip were lacking (grainy when blown up), so I wish I had splurged on that. I can't remember how many pictures we had, but it wasn't much more than 100 after 7 days, and we hit all the photographers we saw. Most pictures were meet-and-greets with the kids. If our own pictures were OK I'd be fine with skipping it, but given what we went through last time...

I'm curious about how its tied to MB as well (one master band, or can all users tied to res use their band. Not that it matters too much as we're always together, but curious).

 

[disneyshea]

I purchased it for our upcoming trip and similar to pp I'm looking forward to actually being in some of the pictures. I am ALWAYS the photographer. Also, all of the shots that I see posted on various threads are really cute. I hope to get at least 1-2 great shots at each park. The rids shots will just be a bonus!

 

[Feberin]

can you decide to buy it when you get home, and you see what is all on there? What is the difference in pricing? Its just my DS and myself, was hoping to use it so we could both get in all of the pics, but I rarely like pics of myself, so i am not sure, or I may just buy 2 or 3 of my faves (that is $15 ea right)

I hope this is right. That's what we're planning on doing seeing the photos afterwards and decide if we like any or not. At $15 apiece they're expensive but we might buy one or two of the whole family. I also typically hate my face in ride photos so I would hate to spend all that money for ride photos and then dislike them.

 

[Missyrose]

can you decide to buy it when you get home, and you see what is all on there? What is the difference in pricing? Its just my DS and myself, was hoping to use it so we could both get in all of the pics, but I rarely like pics of myself, so i am not sure, or I may just buy 2 or 3 of my faves (that is $15 ea right)

You lose ride photos if you wait to purchase when you get home. If you don't have MM, then you'd have to pay for each ride photo to be attached to your account. The rest of the park photos could be purchased after the fact.

 

[Cadets74]

I was glad we purchased it... Although I took many pictures with my camera... We got some great family shots at all the parks, plus the kids loved getting all the ride photos (which I most likely wouldn't buy without)... We have a family of 9 so like when we went on Buzz Lightyear It was 4 different pics... IMO, the trip always ends and all your left with is memories and a few souvenirs... I cherish every picture from the trip...

 

[mmouse50]

Can you put the borders and the year on the pictures like you can with PP+