Photo pass?....can someone explain for me?

[r4blessings]

Hi! Photo pass is new since we've been to disney in 2003, and we are going back in August. Can someone please explain what it is exactly, and what it does so that I can decide if it worth it for us? I am a photo nut! But not so good with my computer and don't have any photoshop software.

Thanks! Have a great night!

 

[las3888]

I can share my recent experience with PhotoPass. We went last month and wanted to get the Disney Visa promotional free photo at EPCOT. With that, we got a photopass card (like a credit card). It doesn't matter if you don't do the promotional photo with Visa. Apparently, the Photopass photographers are posted throughout the parks and you can get a photopass card from any one of these photographers. We mostly saw the photographers at the park entrances (i.e. all over Main Street at MK or other park entrances where photos can be shot in front of the castle etc.). We also saw the photographers of course in line to see characters at their posted meet and greet sessions in the parks. We showed each photographer our photopass card and the photos got added to our account. We were able to look at our photos for 30 days online after our trip and purchase what we wanted. You can also email a link to friends and family. There is NO way to print them or move them to your own online photo collection though.

After 20 some days, I did end up buying 3 photos, but I found it expensive. It is $12.95 per 5x7 photo plus a nominal shipping fee. They are very nice professional photos and there are some nice (don't expect too much) special effects. It was nice to have a photo of all of us including me (as I usually take all the photos). The 3 I bought were 2 precious ones with my 13 month old son meeting Mickey Mouse and 1 of all 3 of us in front of the castle at MK. We bought them because they were really magical photos.

I didn't like that you can only purchase 5x7's or 8x10s. We usually frame and catalog 4x6's. We did learn that if you want, you can purchase a CD with all of the photos they took of your vacation b4 you leave WDW for I think it was $90 or $99 (if you are a DVC member I think you get 10% off). We did not do this, because we only collected only 30 or so photos and of course some were of people closing their eyes or not the best photos, etc. With the CD you can print the photos with photo type software.

I got home and debated for 20 plus days whether to spend the bucks for the photos, but ended up buying the 3 like I said. I was looking for discounts but little were to be found. The promo they had for May was 20% off if you purchase $75 or more (or 30% I think if you purchase $125). Again, this is for 5x7's or 8x10s or greeting cards basically.

It's an interesting program but on the expensive side. We plan on going back and having more photos taken though...we will probably just buy them sparingly due to the high cost. What I did like is that these are professional photographers and they take quite a few different photos of you with a few different poses. They are trying very hard to make very decent pictures so you will buy them.

(Sorry so long)!

 

[DisneyDadof3]

Photopass was awesome until a couple weeks ago when they eliminated the borders/autographs/etc from being added to the CD. We had 130 or so pics on the CD. With the $99 we were able to get all of us in pictures without asking for people to use our camera. Then we could add border etc. to make them look great. Now all you get are the photographs - which is fine, but I think we'll just pass our camera around now.

 

[adrien32]

I just got back and shelled out over $100 (including tax) for the Photopass CD. On it, you get a jpg file with all of the pictures taken during your vacation. I had a short trip, so this ended up costing me about $4.00 per photo, but I can now use them for online photo albums, making as many copies as I want, etc. I thought it was worth it for me.

 

[DisneyDadof3]

I just got back and shelled out over $100 (including tax) for the Photopass CD. On it, you get a jpg file with all of the pictures taken during your vacation. I had a short trip, so this ended up costing me about $4.00 per photo, but I can now use them for online photo albums, making as many copies as I want, etc. I thought it was worth it for me.

It might have been worth it for you, but in all likelihood it would have been SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much better with the options they had available up until a couple weeks ago.

 

[Dustmouse]

We went last month and wanted to get the Disney Visa promotional free photo at EPCOT. (Sorry so long)!

Quick sidebar....where in EPCOT does this take place?

 

[las3888]

It is in Innovations (East or West, can't remember, but it's the one that's closer to The Land, Living Seas etc.). You may have to ask to find it once you get inside. You show your Disney visa and they have a nice photo session. Ours was with Minnie Mouse and Goofy. There was nobody else in line and they spent probably 10 minutes with us and took about a dozen photos. The characters were very charming to us and our young DS. The photos are later available at the camera center up in the front of the park. You get 1 free 5x7 photo. It was really nice. I guess you can do this once a day. I think the hours were something like 1-3pm or maybe 3-5pm. It is posted on the Disney visa web site along with your account info (chase.com). Anyways, this is where we got our first photopass card and used it a few more times throughout the parks.

I hope this helps...

 

[Schachteles]

The Innovations Meet and Greet is from 1:30 to 4:30...a definite must do if you are a Chase Disney Visa cardholder...you get MUCH more personalized attention.

As for the Photopass changing...I am VERY upset about it...I am hoping that today I will be getting a call from someone at Disney to let them know what I think. By taking away the ability to change the photos they have made it totally a waste of money...I agree next time about handing my camera around. Had I known that they changed it and we wouldn't be able to get the enhancements I would have done it myself...unfortunately I didn't know and didn't take my own pictures so I had to buy it!

Hopefully Disney will change it...but I am sure they are looking at what they could be making if we bought the prints from them as a bigger money maker!

 

[myAAbatteries&aTD]

We always end up buying sooo many pictures (we just can't resist!) that I think the photopass will be worth it for us, even w/out the enhancements. I know on our last trip we spent well over $100 on their pics so $99 for all the pics they'll take seems like a good deal... and easier than having to pass our camera around or find someone to take our pic (I think last vacation we got ONE picture of our whole family...)