Memory Maker value?

[J-Dog]

Just had two quick noob questions regarding the Memory Maker:

1) What kind of opportunities are there for pictures? i.e. How many people taking photos are there? Do we have to stand in a big, time-consuming queue at a couple of different spots per park to get these pics, or are there CM's snapping pics all over the place?

2) There is a note on the Memory Maker website that says something about "A MagicBand is required to receive certain attraction photos and other digital content" - we are staying off-site, and are only going for two days, so I didn't plan on buying Magic Bands, so will this limit the value of the Memory Maker?

Thanks for any help!

 

[hiroMYhero]

1. Some families on lengthy trips end up with hundreds of photos. There are Photopass photogs throughout the parks and Disney Springs.

2. The only rides where you won't receive the ride video are 7DMT and ToT. The ride photos you'll miss are 7DMT and FEA.

After you have had photos taken and they have linked to your MDE account, you'll have the option to purchase photos from one-day ($59) rather than MM for your complete trip.

@Accident explains PhotoPass and Memory Maker here:
Photopass vs. Memory Maker

 

[Accident]

2. The only rides where you won't receive the ride video are 7DMT and ToT. The ride photos you'll miss are 7DMT and Expedition Everest.

Did everest turn off the screens at the end? I know FEA requires the magicband.

 

[erionm]

Did everest turn off the screens at the end?

They were still in use on 9/27.

 

[hiroMYhero]

Did everest turn off the screens at the end? I know FEA requires the magicband.

They were still in use on 9/27.

I already edited my post. I was looking at my photopass photos which consisted of only 7D, Splash (3 of 4 incorrect), and EE. Sorry!

 

[Accident]

I already edited my post. I was looking at my photopass photos which consisted of only 7D, Splash (3 of 4 incorrect), and EE. Sorry!

you can edit it again to add FEA, that you must have a band for the photo on it.

 

[hiroMYhero]

you can edit it again to add FEA, that you must have a band for the photo on it.

Is there a video, too?

 

[Accident]

Is there a video, too?

no video, just a photo.

 

[hiroMYhero]

no video, just a photo.

Thanks!

 

[Klayfish]

hiroMYhero summed it up well. If you're only going for two days, maybe you'd want to purchase photos on a per day basis (I presume you can buy individual photos if you want too). Memory Maker is better, in my opinion for longer trips. We had a 2+ week trip this past summer and had something like 325 pictures.

Yes, there are plenty of photo opportunities. Not only automatically on many rides, but there are photographers in all the parks. On Main Street in Magic Kingdom, you'll literally walk past a half dozen of them, if not more. They are also scattered at different areas of the parks. You typically either don't have any wait, or just a few minutes at the most. On a really crowded day, you may have a wait, but that's more the exception than the rule. We got tons of photos, especially when we passed by a photographer who wasn't doing anything anyway. Takes one minute, but makes memories you keep forever.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

We were there a week this last trip and ended up with 700+ pictures even after I deleted a bunch of stuff that didn't include our family:

Keys to the volume:

• BBB photos and photosession
• Jedi Training Academy (deleted most pics not of my own kid, save the cool shots of Vader)
• Enchanted Tales with Belle (deleted most pics on the card)

I'm sure it depends on your plans, but if you have certain things planned, volume happens.

 

[Duck143]

I got the Memory Maker and we got a ton of photos, probably 600. I'm not sure I would buy it for 2 days though. You're going to be busy doing other things and there are lines for photographers, especially in Prime locations.

 

[J-Dog]

Thanks very much to all of you. Very helpful. Judging by the advice here and on the "Memory Maker vs. Photopass" thread, and for our situation, it sounds like it's probably more cost-effective to buy pictures "a la cart" using the Photopass after we get back.

 

[John Marecek]

4 days, 402 pictures. We also had Jedi Training, Enchanted Tales with Belle and BBB. The candid shots with the characters are some of my favorite. You don't just get the one shot with everyone looking, but the 4 or 5 others when they meet, the hugs and smiles, worth every penny.

If you do a bunch of character meet and greets, and stop for 20 seconds when you see a tan vest with a camera, I beleive you'll get your money's worth. It's all about how much you take advantage of it.

 

[boomgoesthemickey]

On our recent 10 day trip we ended up with 690 photos and out of them I would say 80% are very good/great shots which we plan on downloading and printing out. This was our first time doing memory maker and we both have decided we are not doing another trip without it. It really takes the pressure off of having to take out our camera or phone and just enjoy the moment together.

 

[moesy4]

Thanks very much to all of you. Very helpful. Judging by the advice here and on the "Memory Maker vs. Photopass" thread, and for our situation, it sounds like it's probably more cost-effective to buy pictures "a la cart" using the Photopass after we get back.

It would honestly take only 4 pictures to add up to the cost of a 1 day Memory Maker. Assuming you will be in Magic Kingdom one day, I would purchaes MM for the one day cost (I believe $59?) and make a point to visit characters/photographers that day. It really shouldn't add any time if you were going to do characters anyway, the photographers in the popular areas are everywhere and you shouldn't have to wait long at all enough to slow your day. You could easily get 60+ pictures on 1 day just doing that.

 

[Piglet77]

We just got back today and I'm going though all our pics. I thought memory maker was very worth it. Just knowing that I had purchased in advance encouraged us to take pics every time we saw a photographer. We got the video on mine train and pics on space mountain, mine train, buzz, and fea.

 

[Accident]

Thanks very much to all of you. Very helpful. Judging by the advice here and on the "Memory Maker vs. Photopass" thread, and for our situation, it sounds like it's probably more cost-effective to buy pictures "a la cart" using the Photopass after we get back.

The worse case scenario is you pay the unlimited memory maker price which I think is currently $169 instead of the pre-trip price of $149. If your really not sure if you'll take that many photos, it's only an extra $20. In the scheme of your vacation, it's only $20 more but it's also only $20 less to get it now. for me, $20 more later isn't going to hurt me getting it after the trip but the catch22 with anything disney, generally you can't get a refund if you don't need it so sometimes it's better to gamble that you may not want any photo because that trip where you don't need it, is when you just saved a lot more money than always having it pre-trip priced.

It really comes down to how you take photos. 1 photo in every park is only $60 al-la cart. only photos from MVMCP is $59 because they all happened on the same day. Now when you start to add in 3-5 pictures on the rides, a few more in different places in the park, maybe some at a character meal it's quickly up to the I should have purchased it before the trip price

note: unlimited al la carte price for that photo also includes the 5000 edits you can make for it.. it's not just download the original only. same with 1 day.

 

[hiroMYhero]

But at the same time, @J-Dog could purchase photos for Park Day #1 for $59. Then, if Park Day #2 was added later, it would only be $59 for a total of $118. No one has reported doing this, but, it would save money over purchasing the full MM.

 

[Accident]

But at the same time, @J-Dog could purchase photos for Park Day #1 for $59. Then, if Park Day #2 was added later, it would only be $59 for a total of $118. No one has reported doing this, but, it would save money over purchasing the full MM.

good point, I keep saying mix and match but I never really point out you can mix 2 1 day memory makers