Just Back -- Info on Photoconnect

[joshua4]

Hi all -- just back from a four day trip to Universal. Thanks for all of your collective insights on this board which helped us prepare. Will try to post a more detailed report later -- but with regard to photoconnect, here is the scoop. It is no longer $60. Now it is $42.55 (that is with tax). For that you get five days worth of pictures plus a lanyard to hold your card in plus a miniature of one picture that fits in lanyard plus one 5 X7. I have to say, in four days, we got about 50 pictures. That includes ride photos from the mummy, MIB, the water rides, the hulk, jurassic park, and the ET pictures on the bike and in the closet that you can take after you get off the ride. That also included the pictures taken by the universal photographers on the street. Did not include harry potter pics or ripit rocket pics. Different from photopass because you can't edit your pictures to change borders, etc. THey do all of that as you load pictures each day. So, you get your plastic photoconnect card and every time you ride a ride with a picture, you give the attendant your card and they add the picture to your account. For "on the street" pictures, they give you a paper bar code card and you have to bring that to any photo location for them to scan on to your card. I would collect those throughout the day and then give them to a photo person at a ride and they would scan them in for me. All in all, I think it is a pretty good deal. I mean they charge $24 for one 5 x 7 of a ride photo and I got a ton of ride photos for my $42. Now, not many universal photographers are roaming about (not like photopass) but enough to always be able to get a group shot at the front of the park.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Lauren

 

[Metro West]

Thanks for the information. You are the new expert on the boards regarding this subject.

 

[mumzie2three]

When/where do you sign up for this?

 

[JessicaR]

So all the photos get added to a card and then what? Do they print the photos? Give you a CD? Do the pictures have borders/backgrounds?

Thanks for letting us know - I am very interested in this! Will check it out in September.

 

[JessB320]

Awesome thanks for the info!!! I was just asking about this a couple of weeks ago. The fact that the price has gone DOWN is kind of exciting too!!!

 

[bumbershoot]

Now that DH and I actually *want* to have pictures taken (nearly 70 lbs lost between us and we're just getting started), this sounds interesting to me!

I too wish to know if you get the prints or a CD?

 

[Lynne G]

Where do you get the photo card? When do you pay? Can I use my AP for a discount? Does it cover everyone in my party or do my kids have to have their own card?

Are the pictures all you get or do you only get a CD or both?

Thanks so much! We will be there in less than 2 weeks!

 

[joshua4]

Some answers --

I got the card on my first day. As I went into US, there were photographers taking group shots. I asked about photoconnect and they sent me to the photo shop right in front ofthe park --- which is where I paid for it. You can buy photoconnect at any photo location though (photo shop or ride photo registers). I did it first thing though because I wanted to have the hard card to scan the ride photos on to. You give them an email address when you buy the package and that night I got an email from Amazing Pictures with a link to the site. I could go there and see the pictures each day. When you give them those little pieces of paper with a bar code, the operator chooses the border and gimmicky stuff (eg if the family is all holding their hands out, they might put woody woodpecker, a tarantula, a pot of gold, etc. in the hands). They pick the border for you and the date on the pictures border is the date that they upload on to your card. So, pictures I took on August 6 but did not bring in the pieces of paper to be scanned until August 7, now have August 7 in the frame of the border. There was apparently no way to adjust the date.

They do not give you a cd, instead, you go to the website and click down load below each picture and then you save each picture to your computer. There is also a button below each picture for facebook and twitter if you want to post from the site. I don't have an iphone but the photo guys told me that there is an app you can download which will let you see all of your photos from your phone as you collect them.

The pass is good for five days and I don't think they care how many people you have in your group. I actually forgot to ask them if I got an AP discount -- so you might want to try that when you get to the parks.

Also, to be honest, I bought this last Sunday and I think on Tuesday they changed the plan to add the free 5x7 -- I found out about it from one of the photo operators. I had two photo people tell me I could not get the free picture because it was not included when I paid the $42 -- but then I found a friendly person at the hulk ride who told me that they would give it to me.

I think that answers everything -- feel free to let me know if you have any more questions -- I would love to help where I can.

Lauren

 

[pixeegrl]

This sounds like an awesome deal. So you can download all your pics and print the ones you want. You don't have to order anything other than the package total? $42.55 and it includes all the ride photos correct? We leave next Saturday (woot) so I want to have all my info straight. BTW thanks for coming back with a report on it! Much appreciated!

 

[joshua4]

Pixeegrl --

Yes -- you just go to the site and click "download" and then save as whatever name you want on your computer. Then you can print the ones you want. Nothing else to buy. Remember to also pick a picture along the way for your free 5 by 7 print. If you are staying on site and have the FOTL pass -- you will be able to generate a ton of ride photos pretty quickly. Have a great trip -- and bring lots of tshirts -- it is so hot that we wanted to change a couple of times a day!

 

[Jenny3]

This is great info, thanks!

I wasn't sure how Universal's photos worked...sounds like a great deal! I just have to figure out if it would benefit us. We will only be there Friday night for a private event after the park closes, then all day Monday.

 

[Maytrix]

Great info!

Now all we need to know is whether or not there's any added benefit to the Annual Pass version of this.

 

[pixeegrl]

Pixeegrl --

Yes -- you just go to the site and click "download" and then save as whatever name you want on your computer. Then you can print the ones you want. Nothing else to buy. Remember to also pick a picture along the way for your free 5 by 7 print. If you are staying on site and have the FOTL pass -- you will be able to generate a ton of ride photos pretty quickly. Have a great trip -- and bring lots of tshirts -- it is so hot that we wanted to change a couple of times a day!

yep, we are staying at the HRH. Can't wait!!! I am definitely doing this!

 

[ericarachel]

Awesome post! I know it doesn't include the harry potter ride photo, but are there any photographers on the street in WWHP?

 

[macraven]

op, is there a time limit on how long the pictures are up and can be downloaded/printed?

 

[JessB320]

Op- I'd love to see what some of the backgrounds/graphics etc. look like, if you felt inclined to post some of your pics from the photo connect I'd love to see them!!!

 

[joshua4]

macraven -- they told me that the pictures are up for 90 days.

ericarachel -- we didn't see any photographers in WWOHP -- we only saw them right inside the front of the parks and then sometimes on the bridges right outside of the parks

JessB320 -- I have been on the disboards since 2000 and still don't know how to post a picture and also feel wierd about posting my kids pics. In any event, each ride has its own background and there are also a ton of other park specific backgrounds. When they scan your paper tickets, you will see your picture pop up on the screen facing you in front of the cash register after the operating has jazzed it up with a border and other doo dads.

 

[macraven]

macraven -- they told me that the pictures are up for 90 days.

thank you joshua.
i really appreciate that you are sharing this info with all of us.

my pictures are of food, drink and everything else in the parks since i go solo.
now i can get some 'me' pics.

i'll have my ipad with me on my trip but i still haven't gotten the hang of using it correctly....

90 days would work for me.

 

[JessB320]

macraven -- they told me that the pictures are up for 90 days.

ericarachel -- we didn't see any photographers in WWOHP -- we only saw them right inside the front of the parks and then sometimes on the bridges right outside of the parks

JessB320 -- I have been on the disboards since 2000 and still don't know how to post a picture and also feel wierd about posting my kids pics. In any event, each ride has its own background and there are also a ton of other park specific backgrounds. When they scan your paper tickets, you will see your picture pop up on the screen facing you in front of the cash register after the operating has jazzed it up with a border and other doo dads.

Awesome,thanks for the info and no worries I feel the same about pics and public sites!!!

 

[idgy]

Anyone know if there are picture takers at HHN or cameras in the houses that would be included in this program?