Please help me understand PhotoKey...

[thatgirl23]

I keep reading conflicting information on PhotoKey. I was hoping someone with firsthand knowledge/experience could help.

Originally I thought this was like Photopass only without the cd but from what I'm reading on the PhotoKey website, I don't think it is. The PhotoKey site talks about watermarks on pics and the image size/quality on the the download pics isn't meant for printing, only sharing online. Under products, it also lists digital downloads starting at $16.99... huh?

Can anyone shed any light on this? What do you get exactly? I want to pay one price to get all my pics that I can then print in different sizes as the need arises (aka Photopass). It doesn't have to be on cd, but I don't want watermarks or crappy quality/resolution. Do you get this with PhotoKey? Is it like Photopass but without the cd?

Thank you for any and all help.

 

[hbisch]

A random selection of my photokey pics from different dates and locations:
386kb 2100x1400
559kb 1800x1200
87.8kb 437x328 (no, I'm not missing a digit in there...)
672kb 2100x1575

by contrast, a couple of WDW photopass pics:
2.08MB 2666x3999
2.83MB 6000x4000

The size of the photokey images is nowhere near the size of the photopass images. I have printed photokey pics at 4x6 and they look absolutely fine - they are clear and don't look 'pixelated'. I have not printed any of them larger than 4x6.

There isn't any watermark or SW logo on the photokey pics once you download them from the website, however they do randomly add a thin blue/yellow border and the date to some of the pics... there doesn't seem to be any consistency to what pictures get this border/date treatment, my Wild Arctic Tour pics all have the border/date, but my Dolphin Interaction pics do not. So there is a random chance the pics could have the border and the date.

You also have to download each pic individually from the photokey website, there is no "download all" option like photopass.

 

[919Florida]

I have no complaints with my photokey pictures. Quality is fine for me. I do not have any water mark on the pictures either.

As for the borders it depends on what team member is uploading the pictures. I personally like the border and date. I have some 50th borders, Christmas celebration borders, Halloween etc. Now all the tours I have done has no border but the general pictures from around the park does. I am very pleased with my photokey. I think its a great value. 145 pictures on it so far

 

[thatgirl23]

Thank you both for your replies. I'm assuming you're able to download/save them to your comp without having to pay anything extra? The digital downloads starting at $16.99 has me confused.

One more question... is there any way for a group to split up but still use the same PhotoKey? I'm thinking not since there's only one lanyard.

 

[hbisch]

Yes, you are able to download/save each of the pictures from your day without paying anything extra. I believe the download price on the website is for someone that did not purchase the daily or annual photokey and wants to just purchase that specific picture.

I know that at the end of the day I went to the photo desk and they were able to associate all the cards I had with my photokey purchase - so I believe the answer is yes, you can have multiple cards, but they have to be attached to your "green" card (the daily/annual photokey card has a green stripe on it) before you leave the park. Any pictures attached to a "blue" photokey card that are not associated to your photokey account are only available that day in the park, you cannot add them later on the photokey website.

And as to the group splitting up... there really aren't that many photokey photographers in the park, maybe half a dozen or less on a regular day plus the ride photos (more during the holidays and if you are doing one of the tours that has a photographer)...

 

[claire walsh]

I purchased a photokey at Busch gardens Tampa on 18th Feb. Tried to download photos that evening. Could not down load any and could only see some of them. My favourite one that prompted me to buy the pack was missing. Decided to return from vaction and re attemmpt then. Now none of photos appear. Empty album is downloaded. I have emailed and await reply. Phone number 1-800-368-6386 does not work outside USA it appears. I hve registered with photokeyonline as required.

 

[SanderMC]

I would like to make sure I understood something correctly. hbisch said the following:

my Wild Arctic Tour pics all have the border/date, but my Dolphin Interaction pics do not

So does that mean that if you take a tour all the pictures taken there will also be on your PhotoKey?

 

[NorthshoreTigerFan]

I plan on making a week out of DC, SW and Aquatica. Will I be able to have all pics from all locations for all days of the week on the same PhotoKey account? Or would I have to purchase a separate PhotoKey account for each day?

 

[919Florida]

I plan on making a week out of DC, SW and Aquatica. Will I be able to have all pics from all locations for all days of the week on the same PhotoKey account? Or would I have to purchase a separate PhotoKey account for each day?

If you buy the SeaWorld annual photo key it will include all the pictures for SeaWorld and Aquatica on the same card. Discovery Cove is handled differently and not included in the SeaWorld photo key

 

[NorthshoreTigerFan]

Thanks for the info!