Photopass or no photopass???

[joe-aka-papabear]

O.K. I need to decide tonight because prices are going up tomorrow. Should I drop the $100 on photopass or drop a $100 on a new digital camera and take our own pics. There are just 4 of us..myself, DW and 2 DS (2,9).

I'm on the fence as I have used photopass in the past and got some really good pics but not sure if I want to do it again.

What are your thoughts?

 

[lindsmom]

JMO, but I just bought the photopass for our trip in October. So glad I noticed this before prices go up tomorrow!

When we went last time, we did the photopass preorder (it was the same price, 4 years ago! - That makes it a bargain already) and I have always said that the dozen pictures that I approved of myself with my whole family made the hundred dollars worth it.

If you're lucky enough to have someone who can take the pictures for you, I'm sure the camera would be worth it. However, personally, we don't have too many pix of our whole family together and our Disney ones are very special for us. FWIW, our trip in October will be myself and DH, and DD (11) and DS (3).

 

[Sugar Jones]

I loved the photo pass. I've never been in so many family pictures , it was great. You could always pre order it and decide after if you want to use it.

 

[IndianaPrincess]

Join a photopass share - find one on facebook. It's totally worth the $10-20 it will cost in a group. Then get a $80 camera!

 

[Halloween Baby]

I bought it for our trip and my boys are going to be the same age for our trip! I figure it's so hard to get everyone to sit down and take a nice picture and we hardly ever stop to take group shots on vacation. This way, we'll go out of our way to get some great pictures.

Last time we went, I didn't buy the CD and I regretted it. There were so many good shots but it was so expensive!! I still wish I had some of the pictures that we didn't order...

I say go for it. What $100 going to do for you 10 years from now versus a slew of nice, semi-professional pictures from your trip. Definitely worth it.

 

[stephgles]

I bought it the past 2 years and I am kicking myself for not doing it sooner. There were so many good pictures. It is a great investment cause everyone will be in the pictures.

 

[AlwaysMoving]

If you're lucky enough to have someone who can take the pictures for you, I'm sure the camera would be worth it. However, personally, we don't have too many pix of our whole family together and our Disney ones are very special for us. FWIW, our trip in October will be myself and DH, and DD (11) and DS (3).

You don't need photopass to get family photos. Walk up to a CM, show them your camera and say "Would you be willing to take our picture?" They will say "Of course".

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

I have really loved Photopass, but if buying Photopass meant I would not have my own camera, I'd skip it. With a few exceptions (Jedi Training Academy comes to mind), the photopass photographers will take a pic with your own camera for you, and then there are all the shots where there is no Photopass guy. Once the price goes up, we are likely to skip it anyway.

 

[mommyrosa2]

We have used Photopass since our trip in 2007 and think it's worth every cent. Some of the pics we've gotten over the years have been great and I know with a regular camera, we wouldn't have taken nearly as many family shots...Plus I hate having to carry my camera around and I almost always tend to forget in the hotel room.

 

[iheartpeterpan]

I actually don't find photopass to be worth the money. We do get the card and have photopass photographers take our picture, but I also hand that same photographer my camera and they take the same picture with my camera, so I get the same picture with me in it for free. If I see something I like on the photopass site I will just get it as a 1-off, but I find their photopass product to be very expensive for the quality of the shots. The only thing I can't get with my camera is the cool disney effects on the picture (border, etc.) and those shots where they stick Tinkerbill in your hand etc.

 

[Natalie's Mommy]

Join a photopass share - find one on facebook. It's totally worth the $10-20 it will cost in a group. Then get a $80 camera!

this!

 

[Ayla]

You don't need photopass to get family photos. Walk up to a CM, show them your camera and say "Would you be willing to take our picture?" They will say "Of course".

That CM can also be a photopass photographer! LOL It amazes me that people think they won't get any family photos if they don't buy photopass.

Even though it's a moot point now, since the date has passed for the price increase, spend that money on a decent digital camera and take your own photos.

Photopass is not worth the $$$ Disney charges. If you like one or two photos, buy them individually. Photopass is very expensive, not to mention the photopass site, like most Disney websites, is slower than molasses and an exercise in frustration.

 

[zoie101]

I per ordered mine this am. And it was still $99.00

 

[zoie101]

I per ordered mine this am. And it was still $99.00

I'm going in may

 

[mommy2twinprincesses]

Honestly, I would do both. In the grand scheme of a Disney vacation, I would not worry about an extra 100 on photos. Cut costs elsewhere in order to make this work. One other option (in place of the digital camera) is to buy the Kodak playsport video camera (similar to a Flip camera and around 100 on amazon last I checked) which will take videos and still photographs and can take video underwater!) My girls LOVE to watch some of the rides and shows I videotaped. Photopass is totally worth the 100 pre pay price. Especially since if you aren't happy with it in the end, they will give you a full refund.It's win, win. Enjoy your trip!

 

[lulu0506]

The prepay price is still $99 as of this morning. I think the price for the CD POST trip went up. ??? Is that right?

 

[Ayla]

The prepay price is still $99 as of this morning. I think the price for the CD POST trip went up. ??? Is that right?

Pre order as of today is going up to $129 or $130. If you order it once you get home, I believe the cost is going up to $160. I'm not sure if that price goes into effect today or at a later date.

 

[thelittlemermaid]

I ordered the Photopass last night before I went to bed for our trip in Nov.

Call me a camera snob, but I don't like others touching my camera. Not even my husband. Other then my real children, my camera is my baby. So the Photopass is totally worth it in my eyes.

On our last trip we had quite a few pictures taken. When my daughter met Mulan, the photographer went wild. Besides my own pictures I took, those were some of the best on our trip. Not only did the photographer go wild with pictures, but Mulan spent quite along time chatting and hugging with my daughter then some other kids. I noticed alot of the face charactors did this with her. She has Down Syndrome, so I'm not sure if this had something to do with it or not. But I sure was grateful for them doing this with her. After they were done and my daughter was running off to Dad all excited, I thanked each and everyone of them for their time with her. They could have just said Hello, took a picture, and sent her on her way. All of them made her trip even more special. So the photopass is well worth it to me. During those times, they caught expressions that I missed. And I couldn't imagine buying all those pictures one by one. I'm sure I would have had more money wrapped up in photos then what I spent on the preorder CD.

 

[sharon_wv]

I just ordered the pre-order CD last night for our trip in June. I love this stuff. Although there aren't a lot of borders to choose from on the photopass page, I love playing with them. I add the autographs and the dates and such on the pictures that are with PhotoPass.

I wish I had thought of doing a share... I just read about the price of it going up today and didn't want to pay an extra $30 so I just did it.

When we went 2 years ago, my daughter's band marched in the Easter Parade. We were able to get all the pictures that the photographers took of them along the parade route on our CD. And the kids all got individual cards and we added their numbers to our account. I then added the little touches, like the years, and the park logos, etc. I made CDs for all the kids with the pictures on them that were handed out at the Spring Banquet. During the dinner, the band director had a slide show with all the pictures on it too.

In addition, my very favorite pictures were taken by Photopass photographers when my then 4-year old met the Fairies. They were on the floor taking pictures and I swear the magic extended to the photos. Then with the borders and all I played with, it made it even better.

Another thing I did with the pictures.... for each character meet my kids had, the photopass photographers took pictures. Of course their's are right in the front-center (where I'm off to the side a bit). I printed those pictures in wallet sizes (on my own printer of course) and put them on the left hand-side of the autograph book right next to the character's autograph.

So, to wrap it up... I would recommend spending the $; it's worth it!