MYW tickets to AP - Memory Maker?

[merina888]

Hello,

My family has been to WDW many times. This year we have 2 trips planned for WDW (one in February and one in April) and in the summer, we are going to DLR (we've been before). I'm trying to wrap my mind around a few things. Here's the plan:

1. Purchase 10 Day Park Hoppers from AAA (slightly cheaper than Disney), then upgrade to a WDW Platinum Plus Pass when we get to WDW. That way we can spread out the cost over a few months rather than giving it all to Disney at once.
2. Take our WDW Platinum Plus Pass and upgrade to a Premier Passport when we go to DLR.

Now here's my question: We always get Memory Maker/Photopass when we go to both resorts. Now Memory Maker requires that you buy the pass at least 3 days before first use in order to get all your pictures. Should I buy Memory Maker prior to going to WDW so I am assured of getting those photos? Has anyone had any luck with having the cost of Memory Maker applied to their AP since it's part of APs now? Would we have access to Memory Maker immediately on upgrading to an AP? Or is it better to hedge our bets by buying in advance? Thanks for the help!

 

[Wubar]

I was in the same boat. I was told to not get MM in advance and upgrade to AP immediately on day 1 before entering the park at Guest Relations. Then Photopass would be automatically included and be activated immediately upon upgrade. You could do this even with just one member of your party, and as long as all party members are linked in MDE, then all pictures taken from all would be included.

I have heard some stories about MM being refunded after upgrade to AP, although official Disney policy is to NOT refund it. But, as always, pixie dust and your situation varies depending on the CM.

 

[merina888]

Thank you. I'm guessing that your MM worked as soon as you upgraded?

 

[Wubar]

I head to WDW in 2 weeks. Decided to buy MM in advance (save $30), to give us a little more time to think about whether upgrading to APs will be worth it for the family for the upcoming year. If we decide not to upgrade, we'll have MM for our trip. If we do want to upgrade, I'll head to GS before heading into Epcot on Day 1 to upgrade and hope they will refund MM, since technically it hasn't been used yet (as opposed to getting MM and using it all week and then requesting that it be refunded if upgrading to APs at the end of our trip).

 

[CarolynFH]

Thank you. I'm guessing that your MM worked as soon as you upgraded?

We’ve upgraded from MYW to AP, and all our PhotoPass photos from the previous 365 days appeared in our account pretty much immediately!

So if you’re sure you’ll upgrade, don’t buy MM. And remember, only one person needs to have an AP in order to get photos of everyone linked to them in MDE (as long as each person is set to share photos with the AP holder).

 

[mountdew1]

...Now Memory Maker requires that you buy the pass at least 3 days before first use in order to get all your pictures...

This is only for the discounted Memory Maker purchase. If you pay full price you can buy it at any time.

But when you get the AP any photos that are still active in your Photopass account should become eligible for download, even if they were taken prior to the AP being active. I can't recall if they got the same 1yr expiration or if they still expired on the shorter schedule or not.

 

[CarolynFH]

....But when you get the AP any photos that are still active in your Photopass account should become eligible for download, even if they were taken prior to the AP being active. I can't recall if they got the same 1yr expiration or if they still expired on the shorter schedule or not.

I think they expire a year after being taken. I know that when we bought our first APs that had “MM privileges” all the photos we had taken in the previous year showed up in my account!

I’m now noticing expiration dates on our PhotoPass pics that are one year and one month after they were taken (for example, photos taken this past 11/9/17 have expiration date of 12/9/18).

 

[NeedMoreMickey]

I have an AP and I can see anyone I have set up as a Friend on my Disney account. I’m not exactly sure of the name but my sister and her family are there now and I can see all their pictures. I can also see the pictures from the trip last year between Christmas and New Year that expire January 2018

 

[Ciandella915]

It probably depends on the CM upgrading you. When we upgraded, our CM was talking out loud through the process and was about to refund our Memory Maker and realized I was looking at him funny... because we hadn’t purchased Memory Maker. So for him it was automatic to do it.

 

[Robo]

If we do want to upgrade, I'll head to GS before heading into Epcot on Day 1 to upgrade and hope they will refund MM, since technically it hasn't been used yet (as opposed to getting MM and using it all week and then requesting that it be refunded if upgrading to APs at the end of our trip).

That shouldn't really matter, as a WDW ticket upgrade procedure is designed to make the situation as though the guest had
purchased the ticket/AP to which the upgrade was made WAS the ticket that the guest had originally purchased.
(A principle reason that an upgraded ticket/AP is back-dated to the day that the original ticket was first used.)

So, that would mean that the "perks" associated with the final upgrade should be as though the original ticket
would have been the upgraded ticket.

That doesn't account for untrained or careless CMs that can gum up the transaction.
But, even then, if the guest will pursue an upgrading error with a more competent CM, the situation can be made right in the final outcome.

 

[Wubar]

That shouldn't really matter, as a WDW ticket upgrade procedure is designed to make the situation as though the guest had
purchased the ticket/AP to which the upgrade was made WAS the ticket that the guest had originally purchased.
(A principle reason that an upgraded ticket/AP is back-dated to the day that the original ticket was first used.)

So, that would mean that the "perks" associated with the final upgrade should be as though the original ticket
would had been the upgraded ticket.

That doesn't account for untrained or careless CMs that can gum up the transaction.
But, even then, if the guest will pursue an upgrading error with a more competent CM, the situation can be made right in the final outcome.

ThanKS Robo! Will make sure to report back with updates, including any issues if they pop up.

 

[itutorfortravel]

Thanks everyone! We are DVC members and eligible for discounted AP's through Jan 3rd, so I need to make up my mind about AP in the next few days. I'm not sure we will visit WDW again within the year, so if I can just get one AP in order to get MM, free parking, park discounts, that is likely what I will do. I've run the numbers and it's around $20 more to get the one AP + 4 non PH as it is to get 4 non PH + MM. The $20 will be saved through park discounts and parking.

 

[Wubar]

Thanks everyone! We are DVC members and eligible for discounted AP's through Jan 3rd, so I need to make up my mind about AP in the next few days. I'm not sure we will visit WDW again within the year, so if I can just get one AP in order to get MM, free parking, park discounts, that is likely what I will do. I've run the numbers and it's around $20 more to get the one AP + 4 non PH as it is to get 4 non PH + MM. The $20 will be saved through park discounts and parking.

Awesome! Do you happen to have a party of 4? If so, make sure you are comparing 4 base tickets to 3 base tickets + 1 AP. Your post above looks like the first grouping would be for 5 guests?

 

[itutorfortravel]

We have a party of 4. I'm thinking either 1 PAP + 3 DVC Non PH or 1 PAP + 3 DVC PH. We usually only do 1 park per day when we go to WDW, so I'm wondering if those DVC tix can be upgraded to PH when we get there, or if I should just spend the extra $200 and get the PH now.

 

[Robo]

We have a party of 4. I'm thinking either 1 PAP + 3 DVC Non PH or 1 PAP + 3 DVC PH. We usually only do 1 park per day when we go to WDW, so
1. I'm wondering if those DVC tix can be upgraded to PH when we get there,
2. or if I should just spend the extra $200 and get the PH now.

1. Yes. (Same cost, either way.)
2. You can, but if you wait until you decide you WANT to hop, you can save the money until that time.
If you decide you don't really need to hop, you can use the money for something else.

 

[Wubar]

This is only for the discounted Memory Maker purchase. If you pay full price you can buy it at any time.

But when you get the AP any photos that are still active in your Photopass account should become eligible for download, even if they were taken prior to the AP being active. I can't recall if they got the same 1yr expiration or if they still expired on the shorter schedule or not.

Does anyone know if it takes a few days for photos taken before an AP upgrade to appear in MDE without the Photopass watermark? Are they good for the life of the AP or the 45 days under Memory Maker?

Thanks!

 

[Robo]

Does anyone know if it takes a few days for photos taken before an AP upgrade to appear in MDE without the Photopass watermark? Are they good for the life of the AP or the 45 days under Memory Maker?

You get over a full year of photos.
Including those taken before the AP was activated.