Officially Freaked Out by Photopass

[gtpoohbear]

I'm curious why people feel they are entitled to privacy when they are on someone else's property. Buying a ticket to WDW gives you access for the day, it doesn't mean you own the place. Disney does. If they want to know exactly where on their property their customers are at any given moment, that's their right. As long as you aren't someplace you shouldn't be, I don't see why anyone would care.

As for pictures, if it bothers you to be in others' photos, there's really no choice but to stay locked up in your house forever. This is going to happen everywhere.

Personally I loved that our photos showed up automatically, so much easier than standing in line to scan my MB, or having to keep up with an additional card from every ride. Sometimes the timing isn't exact enough and you get some extra pictures, but they are easy enough to delete

 

[aaarcher86]

I only had this issue with Jedi Training and ETWB since you get a photopass card with all the photos taken.

Who cares?!

 

[melidy]

but each picture was time stamped with the date, location and time.

Time stamping happens with EVERY camera, it has little to do with a 'Big Brother' aspect. Heck pick up your cell phone, go to your gallery, select a photo and click properties.... Guaranteed the time and date with be there. Even pre-digital all of my photo's from the 90's have the times stamped in the corner. I guess I don't see why you'd expect the cameras/photos in Disney to not register the time. As previously mentioned it makes the CM's find missing photos easier...

I will now feel like I am being tracked every second of the day.

Well yes and no... Disney has no interest in Joe Blogs from Idaho and watching their family to track them and see what they do... Disney has interest in How many people managed to ride Haunted Mansion today and of those how many went on to make purchases in Memento Mori. Or out of all the people at the Epcot how many are eating in the park and where. Or which areas are being utilized and which areas require improvements/ impromptu entertainment to ease congestion and get people better dispersed within the parks....

The only time the magic bands are used to track a person (rather than a number in a system) would be if they suspected a person of wrongdoing. And since I am not a rule breaker, I personally have nothing to worry about... I for one am very grateful that Dsiney have the capabilities to 'track' anyone that they suspect could potentially harm me or my family.

 

[gunderda]

This is THE reason I wanted to get magic bands because we aren't staying at a disney resort! I think it's the most amazing thing ever.

I'm not sure I believe that they can track you step by step within the park while wearing them, but if they could I honestly thing it would be fantastic. What if someone had an emergency back at home and someone back home was trying to contact WDW to contact them? Rather than paging them (do they do that?) they could just track them down by their MB and find them within minutes.

I really don't care if someone knows I'm using the restroom. I just don't want a photo of video of it lol

 

[DisneyHardin]

The only time I had several other families in with my pictures was the last time we used the physical card for photo pass the year before magic bands were rolled out.

 

[Karin1984]

With linking your CC to your Key to the World card, Disney already knew which shop or restaurant you visited?

Besides personalized ads after using Google, also your credit card company (among many other companies) looks at your expenses and puts you on marketing lists to send you personalized offers as well. How about Amazon?

I'm still in doubt about getting Memory Maker, because of the stories of getting the pics of other people. Not that I care about getting their pictures, or they getting my pictures. More because it's not a flawless system and I will need to keep track of rides & character meets and other photo ops (+ times) to make sure I get all pictures.

For picture stalking old-school-style, anyone every seen Robin Williams' movie 'One Hour Photo'? ;-)

 

[CampbellzSoup]

I'm not understanding the concern of the OP do you really think other people want photos of your family? Theirs nothing to process - the auto photopass sensor made some mistake and you accidenrly got some other photos.

Same when I did enchanted tales with Belle I was the suit of armor but they have me a bookmark with everyone's photos - and they were promptly trashed.

 

[CampbellzSoup]

I agree! I too was freaked out that pictures showed up for rides we did not fast pass or use our bands to get on.

It honestly felt very divergent like to me. Disney knows what you are doing every second. I am sorry but I did not like or what they could do with the info.

Glad I was not alone thinking it was a little like the book 1983.

You tell me what COULD they do with the info?

I understand safety and privacy but I think people are blowing this up - why do you think they care about you that much

 

[t-roy]

I understand being a little shocked to see another family on your MM but this has happened to us quite a bit before MM with the regular photopass. We just delete them and move on. For all I know, and you know, I've had pictures of your family on previous trips. This is not new and will continue. The only new thing is your knowledge of it.

As far as feeling a certain way about the invasiveness of RFID technology, they do not hide the fact they are tracking you. They just camouflage it in great marketing. So I'm a little surprised when people feel like Big Brother's watching. He's watching AND he told you he'd be watching.

 

[UncleMike101]

The next time you step outside of your house look up, smile, and wave.
Chances are you're being photographed by Google, the CIA, NASA, the KGB, or any other of a number of organizations and countries that have "spy" satellites circling the globe.
As has been stated earlier, any time you're on Disney property you're on camera.
The sole exceptions are the bathroom stalls in the common areas and your resort room.

 

[JanaDee]

Besides personalized ads after using Google, also your credit card company (among many other companies) looks at your expenses and puts you on marketing lists to send you personalized offers as well. How about Amazon?

I use ad-blocker online and we receive very little junk mail (maybe 1 piece a week). People are easily able to opt-out of being put on marketing lists.

 

[verleniahall]

They can follow me all they want to. What are they going to find out that is not already out there?

I work for the Chamber of Commerce

DH is in the military, so my info is attached to his anyway

I have a cat, 13 angel babies, and i go to work, and go home. Oh, and that I have an annual pass to the zoo and botanical gardens.

If they really want to track me (and aren't already) then they can have at it.

I personally loved the ease of magic bands - i never had an extra photo other than ETWB just like everyone else. I don't think you need to worry so much OP and others - just relax.

 

[CampbellzSoup]

They can follow me all they want to. What are they going to find out that is not already out there?

I work for the Chamber of Commerce

DH is in the military, so my info is attached to his anyway

I have a cat, 13 angel babies, and i go to work, and go home. Oh, and that I have an annual pass to the zoo and botanical gardens.

If they really want to track me (and aren't already) then they can have at it.

I personally loved the ease of magic bands - i never had an extra photo other than ETWB just like everyone else. I don't think you need to worry so much OP and others - just relax.

Thanks for sharing - and from this police man tell your husband thanks so much for defending our country.

The people who are concerned about privacy better not be the ones posting every breathe they take on Facebook

 

[Doug M]

The people who are concerned about privacy better not be the ones posting every breathe they take on Facebook

Oh they usually are the ones doing that.

 

[verleniahall]

Thanks for sharing - and from this police man tell your husband thanks so much for defending our country.

The people who are concerned about privacy better not be the ones posting every breathe they take on Facebook

DH says back at ya

and AGREED!!! They are SURE to be the ones ever 5 minutes updating their fb postings with pictures of EXACTLY where they are at!!

 

[JanaDee]

Thanks for sharing - and from this police man tell your husband thanks so much for defending our country.

The people who are concerned about privacy better not be the ones posting every breathe they take on Facebook

Nope, not me.

 

[MainMom]

Cameras are a fact of life and have been for quite some time. Having a picture of me out there in no way ties to any personal identifying info, other than my face.

What bothers me is the ability to link you and your location via the MagicBand. You are now tied together with a picture and location and all the other info Disney has on you. Of course, Disney says they aren't tracking you and others say they are only interested in crowd movement/data in the abstract, but that can change at any time.

So your picture has the location? You're standing in front of the castle, isn't it kind of obvious? Unless you pay cash for everything, they know when & where you eat especially if you made an ADR for it & kept it. This just makes it easier for them to have all of the info in one place. What do you think they are going to do with this info?

 

[ZephyrHawk]

I personally think the fact that the Magic Bands tell rides when to take your photo, and then automatically upload those to your "account", is among one of the coolest things that Disney has done in a long time. I will get videos of my entire family riding the Seven Dwarves Mine Train for the first time, and I don't even have to lift a finger (I will have to pay through the nose for Memory Maker, but that's another story)! How awesome is that?! I am not concerned about anyone taking my photo in public. I do not care if Disney is tracking me, as I already know what they want (more of my money).

 

[Terra Nova guy]

The only time I had several other families in with my pictures was the last time we used the physical card for photo pass the year before magic bands were rolled out.

This exactly what I was going to say, same experience I had. I really liked the ease of MagicBands and the ride photos & videos that just showed up without me having to do anything.

I really don't understand the concern. I have pictures of other families and kids in a photo album taken during my WDW vacation in 1983. Definitely no MagicBands then!

As pointed out by others, in WDW we are on private property and Disney has an interest in tracking us, particularly from the point of view of "how many people rode this attraction in an hour" or "much popcorn did well sell at the 3:00 parade"

 

[Chitownpeeps91]

Since I am in the minority here I will not be posting to this thread again. Sorry it is a little freaky that Disney knows where you are at every second. Last time I checked we are still able to voice on this board the good and the bad.

For the record I don't do Facebook either. Not interesting to me to post or read Facebook.

I could careless about other people's pictures being in my account that is not what I or the OP was saying.