MK Photo Shoots Moving Back to 6:30 a.m.

[pixie921]

Just an FYI ... we talked to Dara at DPS today and we were told our MK shoot is now at 6:30 a.m. instead of 7:30 and they're moving all the shoots back to that time because they've received so many complaints.

I'm also really, really angry at DFTW right now because our VR is on a Thursday and they don't allow MK shoots on Thursdays (so we have to do Tuesday) and so our MK shoot doesn't count towards our minimum unless we pay high DPS prices and only use their photography. It's not our choice not to have the MK shoot on our VR day -- it's DISNEY'S. But we are being penalized anyway.

I am beyond livid and so is dh. We are seriously considering eating the $1K of our deposit and downgrading from a Wishes to an Escape so we can use a photographer of our own choosing. Yes, we'd be losing money, but DFTW will lose a lot more of the money we'd be spending by enforcing this ridiculous decision on us.

 

[Dr.Cinderella]

If they are changing to 6:30 why cant they shoot on Thursdays now? Since Extra Magic Hours begin at 8:00 and you would be done by then. I want a Thursday too!

 

[pixie921]

If they are changing to 6:30 why cant they shoot on Thursdays now? Since Extra Magic Hours begin at 8:00 and you would be done by then. I want a Thursday too!

I know! I am completely baffled by that. If you have a 6:30 a.m. shoot, then you'd be out before EMH starts!

 

[sambycat]

We are seriously considering eating the $1K of our deposit and downgrading from a Wishes to an Escape so we can use a photographer of our own choosing. Yes, we'd be losing money, but DFTW will lose a lot more of the money we'd be spending by enforcing this ridiculous decision on us.

why would changing from wishes to escape allow you to use an outside photographer? we only used DFAP for the MK shoot, and we were in the same boat considering we had a morning ceremony and didn't want to see each other beforehand, so it didn't count towards the minimum since we did it the next morning ********!!! on top of that, even though i was pleasantly suprised by the pictures we got, there really are LOTS of people streaming through the castle after 730am. and we were told we could pay MORE money to have the interlopers photoshopped out of the (thankfully!!! ONLY) one picture that they were super visible in!!! i was going to.... but then that left a taste in my mouth.... also, i had wanted to do 2 parks, but this wasn't possible because of the MK issues for the day we were shooting....


******i'm rephrasing this - i find some of the policies around the whole time change issue (due to park circumstances that can't be changed) and the whole "what counts towards one's minimum" issue to not be what i feel they could or should be. i also don't think that a couple should be "penalized" by not having their large expenditures count towards their minimums when they do not (or can't due to time constraints) to see each other before a ceremony.

that said, i am indeed glad they have finished whatever work was being done in the park that caused them to move the shoot time in the first place so the times can fall back and i am glad we did the shoot. the people we dealt with were all very courteous and doing their best!! still, i think the larger policies guiding some of the costs surrounding the shoots could really stand some looking at by the powers that be!

 

[PinkSleepingBeauty]

Thanks for the update! I wish they would make up their minds! Is everyone going to be contacted? Amy, how did you get to speak to someone at DPS? Were you given a contact? My MK session has been booked for ages but I've only ever spoken with my planner. We originally requested a Thursday too!

 

[pixie921]

why would changing from wishes to escape allow you to use an outside photographer? we only used DFAP for the MK shoot, and we were in the same boat considering we had a morning ceremony and didn't want to see each other beforehand, so it didn't count towards the minimum since we did it the next morning - REALLY BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE if you ask me!!! on top of that, even though i was pleasantly suprised by the pictures we got, there really are LOTS of people streaming through the castle after 730am. and we were told we could pay MORE money to have the interlopers photoshopped out of the (thankfully!!! ONLY) one picture that they were super visible in!!! i was going to.... but then that left a bad taste in my mouth.... also, i had wanted to do 2 parks, but this wasn't possible because of the MK issues for the day we were shooting....

Doing an Escape would allow us to use an outside photographer because if we stick with a Wishes, we'd need the photo session to count towards our $10K minimum (or else use DPS for photos and they are over $2K more than the photographer we're looking at using). If the shoot doesn't count, then we still have to hit that $10K minimum PLUS pay for the photo shoot on top of it.

If we do an Escape, there's no minimum that we have to meet (just the $5750 for the package), and we can add an outside photographer to the one included with the package and just pay for the MK photo session as an add-on.

Plus, we'd be able to get the high-res CD for $395 because we'd give up our Escape prints to have our ceremony prints and MK session on the CD. If we do Wishes and use an outside photographer, we'd have to pay $1K for our MK CD.

 

[sambycat]

Doing an Escape would allow us to use an outside photographer because if we stick with a Wishes, we'd need the photo session to count towards our $10K minimum (or else use DPS for photos and they are over $2K more than the photographer we're looking at using). If the shoot doesn't count, then we still have to hit that $10K minimum PLUS pay for the photo shoot on top of it.

If we do an Escape, there's no minimum that we have to meet (just the $5750 for the package), and we can add an outside photographer to the one included with the package and just pay for the MK photo session as an add-on.

Plus, we'd be able to get the high-res CD for $395 because we'd give up our Escape prints to have our ceremony prints and MK session on the CD. If we do Wishes and use an outside photographer, we'd have to pay $1K for our MK CD.

gee - thats a tough one. i see where you are coming from.... this is the other item (didn't affect us) that it would seem they would make an exception. i know people would go insane with "they didn't do it the same day but they still got credit" cr@p, but really, that could be contractually indicated to not penalize people for something they would be willing to do!

i don't know.... i know the people there i am sure would be happy to accomodate you in some way if they could, just seems like another area that needs some reconsideration. but also, how many shoots per day are there and all that?!?

it makes my head hurt a little! sorry you have to deal with the quandry - little things like this make me glad all those decisions are now behind us!

 

[pixie921]

gee - thats a tough one. i see where you are coming from.... this is the other item (didn't affect us) that it would seem they would make an exception. i know people would go insane with "they didn't do it the same day but they still got credit" cr@p, but really, that could be contractually indicated to not penalize people for something they would be willing to do!

i don't know.... i know the people there i am sure would be happy to accomodate you in some way if they could, just seems like another area that needs some reconsideration. but also, how many shoots per day are there and all that?!?

it makes my head hurt a little! sorry you have to deal with the quandry - little things like this make me glad all those decisions are now behind us!

It makes my head hurt a LOT! LOL I just feel like we're not getting that "fairytale" experience that they promise. "Whatever you can dream, we'll make happen". Not so much. They were much more accommodating a couple of years ago (when you could use outside photographers in the parks, or outside florists, or even do your own, for example). Now there are so many rules in place it's just difficult to get anything out of them but "We don't do that". It's so disheartening. This isn't the first issue we've faced, but it might be the straw that breaks the camel's back.

 

[PrincessTinker11]

Just an FYI ... we talked to Dara at DPS today and we were told our MK shoot is now at 6:30 a.m. instead of 7:30 and they're moving all the shoots back to that time because they've received so many complaints.

I'm also really, really angry at DFTW right now because our VR is on a Thursday and they don't allow MK shoots on Thursdays (so we have to do Tuesday) and so our MK shoot doesn't count towards our minimum unless we pay high DPS prices and only use their photography. It's not our choice not to have the MK shoot on our VR day -- it's DISNEY'S. But we are being penalized anyway.

I am beyond livid and so is dh. We are seriously considering eating the $1K of our deposit and downgrading from a Wishes to an Escape so we can use a photographer of our own choosing. Yes, we'd be losing money, but DFTW will lose a lot more of the money we'd be spending by enforcing this ridiculous decision on us.

Will they be contacting everyone as I booked a month ago and they said it was 7:30 AM as well...this is great if it is 6:30 AM but I also agree they should make up their minds!

 

[Izzy Pooh]

Just an FYI ... we talked to Dara at DPS today and we were told our MK shoot is now at 6:30 a.m. instead of 7:30 and they're moving all the shoots back to that time because they've received so many complaints.

Thank You for the update. Is the 6:30am time slot already in effect?

 

[pixie921]

Will they be contacting everyone as I booked a month ago and they said it was 7:30 AM as well...this is great if it is 6:30 AM but I also agree they should make up their minds!

ITA! Hair and makeup appointments will have to be rescheduled, too -- this is a big deal! They really need to improve their communication there.

 

[pixie921]

Thank You for the update. Is the 6:30am time slot already in effect?

I don't know. Our shoot isn't 'til October, so there was apparently plenty of time to move us. I don't see how they could make the change immediate if people already have appointments booked for hair and makeup ... they must have a date that is a "cutoff" or something like that, but I have no idea what it might be.

 

[PrincessTinker11]

I don't know. Our shoot isn't 'til October, so there was apparently plenty of time to move us. I don't see how they could make the change immediate if people already have appointments booked for hair and makeup ... they must have a date that is a "cutoff" or something like that, but I have no idea what it might be.

I really wanted the night shots so this is wonderful for me, but I will contact Karen tomorrow to confirm...will let you all know what she tells me!

 

[PrincessTinker11]

I don't know. Our shoot isn't 'til October, so there was apparently plenty of time to move us. I don't see how they could make the change immediate if people already have appointments booked for hair and makeup ... they must have a date that is a "cutoff" or something like that, but I have no idea what it might be.

I was thinking the same thing about hair/make up LOL They are gonna make me a bridezilla if they do this more than once

 

[Izzy Pooh]

I don't know. Our shoot isn't 'til October, so there was apparently plenty of time to move us. I don't see how they could make the change immediate if people already have appointments booked for hair and makeup ... they must have a date that is a "cutoff" or something like that, but I have no idea what it might be.

I'm assuming they do have a "cutoff" date, hopefully. That's one of my problems since I've already booked for hair and makeup so hopefully my planner will be able to let me know soonish. Thank You again

 

[sambycat]

i know when our time ended up being changed to the 730 slot, we read it here first!

 

[belle2211]

Hmm..I just booked mine yesterday and was told it had to be 7:30. I am going to email my coordinator now and find out!

 

[DisneyBrittany]

I booked mine this morning and she told me 6:30 and never even mentioned 7:30

 

[PinkSleepingBeauty]

I've already booked hair and makeup for the 7.30 slot! I hope this change isn't going to cause problems!

 

[lea007]

Just thought i'd let you know our MK shoot in may is on a thursday. We have to be ready for 5.45 due to them opening mk early. Might be worth checking with them again.