Price Increase for hi-res MK Photo CD

[lurkyloo]

It used to be that if you didn't want to pay $1,000 for the CD of digital images from your wedding, the Magic Kingdom Photo Shoot, etc. you could wait three years and then buy it for $99. I just heard from Disney Photographic that as of 8/1 they've increased the after-3-years price to $500!

You'd think they'd notice the droves of brides who are using Randy Chapman and other photographers and *drop* the price, but instead they're going to drive the rest of us away!

Edited to add: Intimate weddings now pay $350 for the CD, not $500, after 3 years, and this only affects people who got married after 8/1/07.

 

[hiwaygal]

Wow...that is frustrating news!

I wonder how many other changes they are considering...I have heard they are no longer giving "credit" toward the honeymoon shoot if you choose an outside photographer...I wonder if they are going to make other changes to make it "harder" to use an outside photographer (i.e. reinstating the "escort fees" etc.)

Disney is shooting itself in the foot with these increases. Yes they do quality work; yes, they have some "exclusive" rights (MK photo shoot)...but they do need to take a good long look at the other photography packages in the area and make some adjustments to how they do things.

ETA: Don't you sometimes wish you could be a fly on the wall of some of these 'decision making' meetings?!?!?!

 

[tchan03]

I definitely hope it's not true. From $99 to $500! That's ridiculus

 

[osxgirl]

So here's a question -

How does this affect those of us who have already been told that we could wait three years and get the cd for $99?

We basically have three groups of people here -

Those who have already had their weddings, for whom the three year counter has already started. How will this affect them?

And there are those who are just starting to plan, who have heard about the $99 cd, but haven't done anything yet. I think it really stinks, but likely, they are just out of luck.

Then there are those of us that were told this and did all our planning and put down non-refundable deposits based on this. I'm one of those. I based getting my Magic Kingdom Portrait Session on this. We are using an outside photographer. We are still doing the MKS PS. I do want the cd for the MKS PS, but after paying $800 for the PS, I certainly didn't want to pay another $750 to get just those pictures, so we planned to wait the three years and get them for $99. Sorry, but $500 for the digital rights to just those pictures seems like way too much too, after we already paid that much for the shoot itself. It's just outrageous. I MIGHT consider it if I had other pictures on it too - though even then, considering the price we are paying for our outside photographer, getting 6 hours of photography, AND getting the digital rights to our photos, that's still quite steep.

But when you add to it the fact that all our planning and the money we've already paid out, the plans we've already made that really can't be changed now, were all made based at least in part on the fact that they told us we could buy that cd in three years for $99..... this hardly seems fair!!!! Yet I suspect that if we haven't had our wedding before the price change goes into effect, we will also be out of luck. This really stinks!!!!!!!

GRRRRRRR...... I am happy I am having a Disney FTW, I am really looking forward to it. But the photography and the issues with it have been the one thing that have been a problem consistantly since we started all this.

 

[lurkyloo]

I definitely hope it's not true. From $99 to $500! That's ridiculus

Unfortunately, it is true - I got an email from a staffer at Disney Photographic an hour ago.

However, I am having a Wishes/Custom wedding. Maybe there is a chance this policy is different for Intimate/Escape weddings: Custom brides pay $1,000 to get the CD right away, while Intimate brides "only" pay $750. So maybe only Custom brides have to pay $500 after three years?

Oxsgirl - maybe you could check with your contact at Disney Photographic and find out. It could be that the Intimate price is still $99. For what it's worth, I really think they should honor the old price for you since you signed your contract and paid your deposit before the change.

 

[Skylarr29]

So here's a question -

How does this affect those of us who have already been told that we could wait three years and get the cd for $99?

We basically have three groups of people here -

Those who have already had their weddings, for whom the three year counter has already started. How will this affect them?

And there are those who are just starting to plan, who have heard about the $99 cd, but haven't done anything yet. I think it really stinks, but likely, they are just out of luck.

Then there are those of us that were told this and did all our planning and put down non-refundable deposits based on this. I'm one of those. I based getting my Magic Kingdom Portrait Session on this. We are using an outside photographer. We are still doing the MKS PS. I do want the cd for the MKS PS, but after paying $800 for the PS, I certainly didn't want to pay another $750 to get just those pictures, so we planned to wait the three years and get them for $99. Sorry, but $500 for the digital rights to just those pictures seems like way too much too, after we already paid that much for the shoot itself. It's just outrageous. I MIGHT consider it if I had other pictures on it too - though even then, considering the price we are paying for our outside photographer, getting 6 hours of photography, AND getting the digital rights to our photos, that's still quite steep.

But when you add to it the fact that all our planning and the money we've already paid out, the plans we've already made that really can't be changed now, were all made based at least in part on the fact that they told us we could buy that cd in three years for $99..... this hardly seems fair!!!! Yet I suspect that if we haven't had our wedding before the price change goes into effect, we will also be out of luck. This really stinks!!!!!!!

GRRRRRRR...... I am happy I am having a Disney FTW, I am really looking forward to it. But the photography and the issues with it have been the one thing that have been a problem consistantly since we started all this.

A price increase is a price increase. It doesn't matter when you had your wedding, once the price is changed I don't think they will honor the old price. I think anyone who hasn't already purchased is SOL. It really sucks but like everything Disney there is always a 'price subject to change' clause.

 

[Maggimus]

Although they are trying to make it harder for people to use outside photographers like Randy. I do believe like hiwaygal said- they are shooting themselves in the foot. Who will want to pay that much for the CD after 3 years? At that point you will just pay the extra $500 and get the CD up front. They are really driving people away instead of drawing them in.

Yay for good outside photographers like Randy

 

[osxgirl]

No - they'll lose even more business.

I'm paying $800 for my MK PS. At this point, we're already committed. Things are too set, and we've given deposits and made arrangements based on the times for the MK PS... we've already paid for part of the wedding, and they are in the process of making up the BEO to send us for the rest. The remainder of the payment is due in a couple of weeks. Changing now would be a major headache, and a major disappointment.

But if it had been $1000, or even more for the MK PS. And then another $500 at least to get the cd, after waiting 3 years? I would not even have considered doing the shoot at all at that point. I almost cancelled the shoot when my price was supposed to go up to $1000, until we were able to work it out with Disney. And had I found out about this increase earlier, I think I would have cancelled the shoot too. This is getting to be way too expensive for way too few pictures. The outside photographers are a much better deal.

My DF kept teasing me, telling me that what we needed was just some good shots of the castle, and some good shots of us, and he'd just Photoshop all the pictures we could want. I kept telling him it's not the same. And it's not.

But I'm starting to think it's the only way to go.

 

[lurkyloo]

OK, my Disney Photographic contact must be on to me - she just emailed to let me know that if I *happen* to know any Intimate/Escape Disney brides rotfl their CD price after 3 years is now $350, not $500.... and that the price increase doesn't affect anyone whose wedding was before 8/1/07.

 

[osxgirl]

Thanks Lurky...

And while that's better, still.....

That's a 250% increase, all at once. And I'll have to pay $350 to get what... about 30 digital images, if that. For a shoot I already paid $800 for.

It's still ridiculous.

 

[hiwaygal]

OK, my Disney Photographic contact must be on to me - she just emailed to let me know that if I *happen* to know any Intimate/Escape Disney brides rotfl their CD price after 3 years is now $350, not $500.... and that the price increase doesn't affect anyone whose wedding was before 8/1/07.

I'm not arguing with what they told you (although it's going to sound like I am )...but osxgirl...I would confirm your prices with your planner/coordinator.

I believe they may have given lurkyloo "incorrect" information in the sense that I'm guessing anything that was booked and a contract was issued prior to 8/1/07 would still use the old prices (or the ones you agreed to when making your plans).

It is frustrating. Those of us who have been around for awhile and have seen changes every year for about 3 years now know that this is kinda "status quo" for Disney. They continually make changes and the way they disperse information is not always clear and CAN depend on the CM you are talking to.

 

[osxgirl]

Oh, we will check with our coordinator... once we actually talk to her. We were one of the couples that were assigned to Juliana Acosta. No one ever bothered to send us anything telling us that Juliana had moved on - the only reason I knew it was from the boards here. So we got first notice of our new coordinator a few days ago when we had our phone planning session with Rosie - who seemed quite surprised that we had no idea who our coordinator was. Rosie told us we now have Karen Serrette, but we've yet to have any contact with her. We will be sending our final paperwork to her the beginning of next week, so we'll see how that goes.

But to be honest, I won't be surprised at all to get the answer that Lurkyloo gave. Because after all, the cd isn't something you sign a contract to buy in three years, you're just kind of taking it on good faith that Disney will do what they said they would do.... sell it to you for $99 in three years. That's what we were doing. And after all, they say their prices are subject to change.

Do I think it's right? Nope. Do I think it's fair? Nope. But I can absolutely see Disney, as a corporation, feeling they have no obligation to honor it. To me, it's at least a verbal contract. But in today's world, a verbal contract isn't worth the paper it's written on.

 

[hiwaygal]

I do understand how you feel osxgirl. And I hope that somehow it works out in your favor.

I'm one of the brides still waiting to purchase my CD. I think I'll be safe because my wedding was nearly two years ago (just nineteen more days!). But I know there was some confusion and "miscommunication" a couple of times with my wedding planning.

Good luck with everything!

 

[hmgolden]

I do understand how you feel osxgirl. And I hope that somehow it works out in your favor.

I'm one of the brides still waiting to purchase my CD. I think I'll be safe because my wedding was nearly two years ago (just nineteen more days!). But I know there was some confusion and "miscommunication" a couple of times with my wedding planning.

Good luck with everything!

Denise - Walter just purchased our CD yesterday, and he was charged $100, so I imagine you'll be fine.

It is a shame that Disney is making it harder, moneywise, for brides to get their pictures. I wonder if the CD has become more popular lately and that's why they raised the price? Either way, as long as you are an informed consumer, you can make the right choice for you. Perhaps that will mean using an outside vendor (I do love that I have had my CD's from Randy since shorty after our wedding, it was one of the reasons we chose him) or not having a MK photo shoot.

 

[JonetteA]

Helen I hope this still holds true! I am waiting anxiously to get mine.

 

[952LisaR]

Hi all,
I am hoping you can help me.

I am a VR bride from 2005 who did a MK photo shoot and want to purchase the hr-res cd (if its still $100, which it should be since it was in 2005). I can't find any contact info - can someone provide the contact infor email/phone of who I can contact.

Post it here or PM me, Thanks so much.

 

[lurkyloo]

Hi! It should still be $100 for you because you had the shoot before August 2007. I'll PM you the contact info.

 

[Swmhc]

But know that they only keep your images for five years, so don't wait too long. Randy does keep your images forever. I checked this with both sources before we got married.