Is photopass+ worth it anymore?

[BensWife]

We will be visiting Sept 23-28. DH and I just got back from an adults only trip in July. While we were there we hardly saw any photopass photographers around. Where are they? We got annual passes and had a terrible time finding a photographer to take our pictures. We finally found one in DCA to take our pic, but never saw one in DL. I am wondering if it is worth it if there is never anyone around. Just not sure if it is worth it if we get there and hardly get any pics because no photographers are around. Thoughts?

 

[crystal1313]

We were there in July too and tried PP+ for the first time. I was skeptical I would get my money's worth, but I LOVED it!

Yes, at DL I hardly saw any PP photographers. The only photos we got at DL were the ride photos, one in front of the castle (which the photographer did not have a tripod which I found odd-and she cut off the top of the castle) and one at night near where the Christmas tree is located with the castle in the background. There were a ton at DCA though. For a three day trip we got 69 photos. And we skipped some photographers we saw, so we could have gotten more.

If going at least 3 days, I would totally do PP+ again. Hope that helps!

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

We wondered the same thing over the weekend. The only PP photographers we saw in DL were at the Partners statue and--only sometimes--in Town Square or at the north end of Main Street. There are always many more of them in DCA. At this point, we basically get PP+ for the ride photos. From our experience last year, there are many more photographers in the WDW parks.

 

[crystal1313]

I wonder why? There's so many wonderful places for a photo at DL

 

[perlster]

I've seen this complaint several times recently. Concentrating on Disneyland Park, Photopass photographers are not exclusively for "in front of" photos. The primary three such opportunities are the floral Mickey, the partners statue, and the castle. There really aren't any roving PpPs. The others can be found at meet 'n greets: Thor & Captain America in Innoventions, at Pixie Hollow, in the Royal Hall, at the outside spot in Fantasy Faire, and - when applicable - in Big Thunder Ranch Jamboree.

 

[NiceOneSimba]

While there aren't as many PP+ photographers standing around in DL as there are in DCA, they are there. I think most of the PP+ photographs in DL are all at set events, so there aren't as many roaming.

If you do Jedi Training, there is a photopass photographer who shoots the event. You get a card from the photographer after the show. You do have to go through a lot of photos to find your kid(s), but there were some great shots that I wasn't at the right angle to get.

Also, there are PP+ photogs at most of the meet and greets (At least the ones with the set locations). There is definitely one (or more) with the princesses in Fantasy Faire. There is also one at Pixie Hollow. I'm pretty sure there's one at the Frozen M&G, as well several in Toontown (Mickey's house, Minnie's house and one with Goofy in front of his house when we were there last). When they were doing the long lost characters thing at the Big Thunder Jamboree, there were photogs there, too. Sometimes in Town Square with Mickey, or in front of the big HalloweenTime pumpkin, but not always.

So, yes, there are PP+ photographers in DL proper--just not roaming around out in the open.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

We actually found a lot of PP photographers roaming around while we were there in June. It was a roaming in FL who stopped us for all the magic shots. We were there 3.5 days and had over 100 pictures taken.

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

We actually found a lot of PP photographers roaming around while we were there in June. It was a roaming in FL who stopped us for all the magic shots. We were there 3.5 days and had over 100 pictures taken.

That's good to know! Maybe they were hiding last weekend? It was so freakishly humid, most of the CMs I asked were unhappy with the weather. It made the parks kind of edgy. I did see a couple of PP CMs look around and then walk backstage in DCA with no backups taking their place. Maybe they were just temporarily wilting.

 

[BriannaRuth]

We were there this past week -- I also felt I didn't see as many as I normally do. We did see them near the Partners statue, in front of the castle, and on the side of the castle during the day. I had heard they were supposed to be around the sword in the stone, but I never saw one there. And I was looking. I asked and one was told they showed up around 10:30; another time I was told they showed up around noon.

The only one I saw consistently was the one on the side of the castle. When we went in the early evening, I couldn't even find the one in front of the castle or the one at Partners.

One thing I did find out is that they can't do magic shots once it starts to get dark. Had no idea about this.

My advice is if you see a PP photographer, get the picture taken right away ... don't wait thinking you'll see them in the same spot later!

We also mainly buy them for the rides, though.

 

[rms123]

Funny - we saw the one at the Sword in the Stone and he took us all around FL taking photos and magic shots. Haven't looked at the online yet.

 

[starshine514]

I must agree, in general, the PP photographer in DL are at the castle, with characters, floral Mickey and partners. However, last August, we were at Toontown for opening. After we met characters, my girls we playing around Toontown and I was taking their pictures. There was a Photopass rover. We asked her to take a family photo, then, she offered to follow my girls around and take picts of the playing in Toontown. It was really neat. A little later, we saw that same photographer at the Merida M & G. If you see a rover, ask them and I betcha they'll be happy to photograph you!

 

[madasax12]

I read that you can hand your camera to a PP person or CM and they will take a picture for you correct?

 

[starshine514]

I read that you can hand your camera to a PP person or CM and they will take a picture for you correct?

Yes, more than once I've actually gone to have our picts taken by a PP photographer and (if I had my camera out) have them insist on taking picts w/my camera as well. Oddly enough, some picts from last September came out better exposure wise from my little point and shoot than they did from their professional camera.

 

[lucysmom]

Two Christmases ago I thought PP+ was the best thing. But, last Christmas, there was a marked decrease in photographers available. It was surprising. I am not sure we will do it again this year.

 

[kemanm]

On the ride photos is there an extra fee to get them... and how do you get them downloaded to your card?

 

[GrandBob]

On the ride photos is there an extra fee to get them... and how do you get them downloaded to your card?

No extra fee for PP+. Indeed, ride photos and character meal photos are the entire difference between PP and PP+.

To get the photo added, go to the ride photo booth where you would normally order and pay for the ride photo. Hand them your PP+ card, and they'll add it for you right there.

HTH,
Bob

 

[PixiDustDears]

I just want to make sure I'm right about this. (I should since I've used PP+ before but I'm a bit confused.) If I purchase PP+ (in advance) and I pick it up on 10/31, I have 30 days to add pictures to it correct? So I could get one and it could cover our Halloween trip (and party) as well as our Thanksgiving trip (25-29) as long as I uploaded and ordered them as soon as I got home? Or once I upload them, do I have another 30 days (so into December) to edit and order them? Thanks!

 

[NiceOneSimba]

Photopass+ cards are only good for 14 days from the day of activation. They do punch the card on the lanyard with the date it's good until. So, you can't activate one on your first trip and use it on the second, as it will expire before then.

In January, I took two trips within a two-week period. I didn't activate my Photopass+ until my second trip, but had no problem adding photos from my first trip once the account had been activated. Mind you, these were just regular Photopass photos--no ride photos or character meals--just standard "in front of the castle" pictures. I kept the cards from those photos and added them to my Photopass+ account the day I activated it on my second trip, two weeks later. Worked like a charm and no problems.

So, in theory, I think it would work, at least sort of. You wouldn't be able to get any ride photos or character meal prints from your first trip--just regular Photopass photos. You'd keep the cards. Then, you'd activate the Photopass+ on your SECOND trip, add the cards from the first trip, and you'd be good to go. As long as the second trip is within 30 days from your first trip (while the photos are still stored in the system), it should work. Since your trips appear to be almost exactly a month apart, you will probably have to pay the $15 to get the extra time on the first sets of photos, though, so you'd have time to edit them after your second trip.

You would have to decide, of course, whether not getting ride photos or character meal prints from the first trip is worth the savings.