Photopass+ for 2 day trip?

[TheSpooph]

First, Happy 4th of July everyone!!

Second, sorry for the double post - my 14 day window is coming and the photopass super thread hasn't replied yet...

I am trying to decide if a 2 day trip to both parks is worth PP+. We will be doing Minnie and Friends one morning (I've heard the photo there is less than average since its without Minnie) and we will hit Pixie Hollow and FF. I believe photographers should be at both M&Gs.

But, we will have a 4 year old that will be picking most rides. Other than RSR, I'm not sure there will be too many attraction photos. Hopefully I will get to sneak onto ToT - my fav - but who knows!!

For only two days, is it worth it or should I just being my own DSLR?

14 days is almost here so I have started a combination panic and excited dance!!

 

[wenrob]

Well, if you look at it as the photo package for dining is $35 and a photo w/Tink is $16.95 (?), each of the Princesses $16.95 you'd be well ahead of the game preordering PP+ for $69.95. Throw in a couple ride pics and it's well worth it. Don't forget all the scenery pics as well, Mickey Flowers, Castle, The Hub, Carthay Circle, Route 66 sign, Flo's plus many characters have PP. If you decide you want even just a few of these then definitely get it. The Photpass photogs go out of their way to take extra pics when they see that PP+ lanyard. Some if they're not busy will even take you spot to spot and do little mini shoots. I get one every trip since it came out and now it looks like I was on the vacation too!

As to sneaking on ToT, you know about Rider Swap don't you? Just take the little one up to the standby line and tell them you'd like a rider swap. In DCA they give you a lanyard to give the CM at the top and they'll give you a pass. In DLR they just tell you to tell the CM towards the end of the line. When you get done just give the pass to the other rider and they can walk right on.

 

[crystal1313]

I was wondering the same thing for our three day trip. I've heard so many wonderful things about it on here I finally ordered mine Wednesday. I think it will be great and am planning on making a game out of spotting the pp photographers with my kids! We aren't even planning on doing all the meet n greets and breakfast you are so I think that will even be better for you.

 

[TheSpooph]

Thanks for the help. I was leaning that way but I needed a little encouragement.

And, I like the idea of making a fame out of spot the camera person! My DD is getting to the age where she loves to have her picture taken - with silly faces too!

 

[smiles33]

We usually take short trips (1 full day and 1/2 days on arrival and departure day) and PP+ is totally worth it for us. On our first trip, I stopped at every PP I saw and got 100+ photos even though we were only in the parks for 14 hours total at most.

Even though we didn't go on a ton of rides as a family on our first trip with PP+ since DD3 was too short, we got some great ride photos on RSR, Splash and Space. My DDs went to a bunch of Meet & Greets (Pixie Hollow, PFF, Toontown, etc.) and we had 2 character meals so it was totally worth it.

Hope that helps you feel confident it could still be very worthwhile even for very short trips!

 

[TheSpooph]

Since we are back, I thought I would give a little update/impression on how it went with PP+.

With a 4 yo calling the shots, we didn't make as much ground as I wanted. I figured we only had mornings for the parks plus some late afternoons, but we actually ended up with less due to our nap/meal schedule. In total, we only had 11 pics over the two days.

I thought for sure we would do FF and Pixie Hollow, but we didn't make it to either. And, no one was really in the mood for park shots (castle, Carsland, etc). I took some pics by myself in DCA after a fastpass run... The photog egged me on to do sone silly poses which I happily did. I'm goofy that way.

We did eventually make it to RSR and ToT so I have those shots. Both turned out well so I can't complain there.

All in all, I think I lost money this go round. The dynamics of the group wasn't good for lots of pics and we weren't there enough days to get lots of ride photos. I still love the service and will probably do it again - assuming we have more time in the parks. If we repeat this type if trip again, I would probably pass.

Hope that helps!

 

[Tyggress]

Since we are back, I thought I would give a little update/impression on how it went with PP+.

With a 4 yo calling the shots, we didn't make as much ground as I wanted. I figured we only had mornings for the parks plus some late afternoons, but we actually ended up with less due to our nap/meal schedule. In total, we only had 11 pics over the two days.

I thought for sure we would do FF and Pixie Hollow, but we didn't make it to either. And, no one was really in the mood for park shots (castle, Carsland, etc). I took some pics by myself in DCA after a fastpass run... The photog egged me on to do sone silly poses which I happily did. I'm goofy that way.

We did eventually make it to RSR and ToT so I have those shots. Both turned out well so I can't complain there.

All in all, I think I lost money this go round. The dynamics of the group wasn't good for lots of pics and we weren't there enough days to get lots of ride photos. I still love the service and will probably do it again - assuming we have more time in the parks. If we repeat this type if trip again, I would probably pass.

Hope that helps!

That's a bummer! My family are total picture-takers...but yes, if people just aren't into it, it would be hard to get your money's worth.

 

[crystal1313]

Total bummer! That was my main worry. I think if you go 3 days or more, it will be worth it to try again. We used bribes with my boys! Sometimes they worked and sometimes they didn't. Depending on their moods. My DS6 was especially being difficult and is in his "I'm going to make a silly face" phase.

I was pleased how much we used ours, although the goal was to get photos with all 6 of us and that NEVER happened. Either one of my kiddos wasn't in a picture taking mood, or someone had gone back for a nap, we don't have ONE photo with all 6 of us. Over three days, we got 69 photos. So I figure a dollar a photo. Not too bad. The PP photographers were great and we got some wonderful and silly shots. I especially like the ones where they had DS6 pretend he was driving in Cars Land and have us pretend he was a crazy driver. LOL. I'm having fun editing them right now. Pretty sure we got our Christmas card photo done now. There are a couple I wish that the photographer had centered us better, and some where the top of the castle are completely cut off, but they are still really nice photos.

 

[aliceindisneyland]

With only 2 days I would not want to have to try to hit all of the photopass spots in addition to enjoying the parks.

We did use it in Feb when we thought it would be our last DL trip for a couple years and not one of the photopass pics look as good as the same poses the same photographers took with my husband's iPhone. The ride photos we got from photopass also were not much, if any, better quality than taking a pic of the pic which we do sometimes. Our Goofy's shot (and huge package) was hilariously awful. Again, it was lucky that we always asked to have a pic taken with our phones!

So we could have gotten everything (except for the magic shots and character decoration frames which don't thrill me) for free.

Had I viewed the photopass pics at DL I would not have ordered them there, so for us it was a waste of money - and effort as well since we already have our favorite photo taking spots that require no wait.