I have a large group going to WDW in 2 weeks and would like to purchase the $99 photopass cd. So someone please help me clarify some things:
We are going to the MK first day..so we get multiple photopasses from a photopass CM who is taking pics....so say I have 20 of them (the kids will be splitting up into groups and I'd like them to be able to use the system)....can I combine them all on the one $99 cd? Is there a limit ofrhow many photopass cards we can put on one cd as long as we don't reach the maximum number of pics per cd (300?)???
On our last evening we will be at the MK for the evening EMH until closing (1 AMish)....will I be able to purchase the CD late that evening or do I have to do it before normal park hours are over?
So once I get that CD the photos are ours...so I can have them log onto a website and chose what pics they want and they can print them/order them as long as they have some sort of key to log in? Also, we have the rights to the CD....so can I take pics from the CD and email them/upload them for the kid to do with them what they'd like (print/save/email)?
Thanks everyone!!!
Thanks so much!!!
Well, I'm definitely no expert since our first trip to WDW isn't until January.....but I've definitely been reading a LOT about this product....here's my knowledge of it.....
To get the $99 price you HAVE to pre-purchase it.....otherwise it's $124.99.
There doesn't seem to be a limit to how many photos you can do....300 fit on one CD, but many many many people speak of getting multiple CDs for the same price. If you have 301 photos, they'll put the 1 last photo on a CD apparently.
The timing to remember seems to be 30 days......you must "Claim" your photos within 30 days of their being taken....you must complete your CD within 30 days of the first Photopass being claimed (which confirms that multiple Photopasses can be used). I've also read enough about grand gathering families each having their own Pass and combining.....and even about "oops I left it at the hotel" and just getting another, so it's obviously not a problem.
So...if I'm understanding the 30 day thing right (and it makes a difference to me because we'll be at WDW for 27 days).....let's say you get your first Photopass picture taken on January 1.....you have until January 30 to "claim" it...that is, to log into your account at disneyphotopass.com, which you would have created when you pre-paid your $99....or which you create now if you didn't pre-pay. Then 30 days after January 30 is your cut off to edit and complete your order. My math says it's March 1...i.e. 1 day left of January, 29 in leap year Feb 2008, then the 30th day is March 1st....I'd probably NOT wait to the last minute though to be safe.
When you log on you then enter the number off the Photopass(es) and it finds your photos and puts them into your account. You can then edit them, adding in things like borders and characters and all those marvelous things. WHen you're done, you order your CD, they burn it and ship it to you. Once you have the CD in your hands, it includes a copyright waiver, which gives you full rights to use the photos as you see fit....print them on your home printer, have
Walmart/Sams/your local photo store print copies of them (the stores are likely to want to see the copyright waiver so take a copy with you just to save a possible return trip). Send copies of individual pictures, or copy of the whole dern CD to family and friends...via email, via websites where they can download the photos, snail mail.....however you want.
Something I've not yet read much about, but that IS specified as "new" on the photopass website....apparently now you can upload your OWN photos...I'm not sure if that means you can do the borders and characters on your own photos, because it only mentions "create some incredible Disney photo keepsakes including Disney's PhotoMovie, PhotoBook, and PhotoCards." Hopefully by the time I go in January others will have figured out whether this means you can border/character or if it's only that you can use YOUR photos on purchased items.
A couple of tips I've gleaned....
Be sure to add borders and characters to everything.....your originals are still intact, but you can NOT add borders/characters etc AFTER your CD is sent to you. My plan is to do multiple borders/chracters to most of them....that way when it's time to scrapbook or print out for framing I'll have choices, instead of having to decide everything while I'm editing. Until I sit down to scrapbook I only have a vague idea of what I want for most layouts. I'm thinking I'll rotate framed photos....that way we don't get bored with the same couple of photos....and it makes it different every few weeks for a long long time.
Apparently if you ask nicely most of the Photopass people will take multiple photos....they snap one and then usually move on, but if you ask them for one of just the kids, everyone, serious, posed, funny, whatever you want, then you'll have more on your photopass thus making the value better, and of course more pictures!
I've also read some scary posts about filling up a Photopass during many days and then either losing the Photopass or on occasion their photopass number comes up with nothing on it! So several people have advised PURPOSELY using multiple Photopasses so that you don't have this problem. If you lose one it'll be sad to miss out on the pictures of that day....but if you have multiple passes then you don't lose the whole trip! Or, if something is defective about one pass, again, you don't lose everything. I plan to do one a day I think, and for the week DH joins us, I'll probably have him get one since he's bound to take one or both of the girls off on his own (different tastes in doing rides and shows), that way if the opportunity arises we each have our own Pass. I'll find a specific place to keep all the passes so I don't have them everywhere....probably even bring along a special envelope to keep them in so I don't leave them behind by mistake!
Everyone seems to agree that it's best to wait until you return home to do the borders and such.....that it's not something you want to rush through, and if you've been at the park all day you'll be tired...or in the morning be rushed wanting to get back, etc. We're probably the odd ones in that we won't be home within the 30 days, so we'll have to at least "claim" them into our account before we get home, but the average visitor probably can wait to do the whole process at home. I think it sounds like a fun way to get over the "our vacation is over" doldrums.
There are threads on DIS about people (who don't know each other, didn't vacation together, etc) sharing Photopasses. One person opens the account, gives the password to those in the share group who deposit and edit their photos, then the leader purchases the CD and mails copies of them to the others in the group. I'm still on the fence about the ethics and/or safety of doing that (once you deposit your photos into an account the card is dead, you can't put them in a second account, so if the leader doesn't follow through, you're out money AND your precious photos, but I haven't yet read that happening, just my paranoia), The lure of paying 1/4 of the cost is definitely appealing, and it's been said that Disney reads/monitors these boards, so they must know it's happening, but haven't put in any safeguards to stop it....but I'm still waffling if that makes it right even though. (Don't flame me, I'm not calling anyone who does it bad....just not sure how "I" feel about it, we all have our own comfort level on these gray areas).
Hope something in this long post is helpful.....
