private photo sessions at AKL

[dizzyhead]

Has anyone had recently the private photo sessions they do in the resorts, l am going to AKL in 6 weeks and l was looking for the price and how good the photos are. I know l have to ring to book it was wondering first how much it was.

 

[2Tiggies]

We had one done at the Polynesian last year and have one booked at the Grand Floridian for later in the month.

There are various sessions available, starting with a 'basic' 20 minute session for $150 plus tax. You get to keep all the images on CD and get a copyright release. Last year when we did this it was still done by the Photopass Photographers so you could add all the pictures to your Photopass CD and add borders if you wished to do so. However it is now being done by Disney Fine Photography and they have been keen to point out that this is not photopass.

I felt it was absolutely worth every penny spent. How many images you get on your CD depends on the size of your party and how quickly you move. We got 79 last year although I understand that the average is more around 40 or so, which I am quite prepared for.

The pictures in my signature are from the Poly photo session. You don't have to have the pictures taken at the resort you stay at, which you probably know, but obviously it is a whole lot more convenient. I was heavily persuaded toward AKL this year, since they no longer do the sessions at WL, but my DD had her heart set on GF this year. Please feel free to ask if you need any further info

 

[dizzyhead]

Many thanks that was really helpful.as it will be are last trip to disney, as my husband find the travelling to much and my son will be starting work away from home, and going off by himself, l thought that it would be good to have something to remember or trip.

 

[2Tiggies]

Do you have the contact number to book it? I only did my booking last weekend for later this month and had no problem with a choice of any of the times and dates I asked about before settling on one in the end. They also have a website which I can look up and post a link for, if you haven't already seen it.

I was in two minds as to whether to book another one since we had one done last October, but you can't put a price on memories and I think aside from some at my sister's wedding 6 years ago, these are almost the only pictures of myself and my daughter together. Have you seen the threads on the Resorts Board?

 

[chocolateMinnie]

You might want to check over on the resort photo thread as there have been reports of it changing big time since we had our last one done at the Poly last October. Prices have sky rocketed and there are some good and not so good reports of the changes.

 

[chocolateMinnie]

The DIS Discussion Forums - DISboards.com > Disney Trip Planning Forums > Disney Resorts > Resort Photos & Video
Disney Photo Session PART II

the link hope this helps

 

[dizzyhead]

Thanks l have the phone number and seen the web site, l think l will go ahead and ring this week just need to sort what day and time to book, thinking of maybe towards the end of the holiday, when everyone has relaxed a bit.
I really want to go ahead and do it,as you say pictures are there to keep and we will not be returning so ( really sad about that) it is our only chance of getting everyone together.
Hope you enjoy your trip

 

[dizzyhead]

Thanks chocolateminnie, l see what you mean, know l am in total turmoil l don't know which way to go $150 is a lot if it does not work out, we only have one go at this, l will have to give it a bit of thought, thanks for the advise

 

[2Tiggies]

Thanks l have the phone number and seen the web site, l think l will go ahead and ring this week just need to sort what day and time to book, thinking of maybe towards the end of the holiday, when everyone has relaxed a bit.
I really want to go ahead and do it,as you say pictures are there to keep and we will not be returning so ( really sad about that) it is our only chance of getting everyone together.
Hope you enjoy your trip

Thanks Can I just say that there are two threads on the resorts board. The one posted above is the current one and the correct one to be on for updated information. Right at the top of the page is a sticky, which is the old one. If you go to the last 10 or so pages, you will find sample photos and reviews of the sessions as they were when Photopass did them. You really want to look at both threads and here is why:

The new photographers having taken over the sessions is fairly recent, as you will have seen. People do (although there is no need to) book these quite far out. It is human nature for most folk to resist any kind of change. The criticisms are there on both threads as well as the rave reviews. There is not much that has been reported on the new sessions as yet as only now are people who originally posted on the new thread starting to book their sessions.

The big crunch point for me was the price hike which was quite significant from what we paid last year, but I went ahead and booked anyway because if there is one thing I have learned from public discussion boards, it's that people love a bit of hype. Everything seems so dramatic when you read it in text

You said you leave in 6 weeks. We leave in two and a half weeks and will be back at least 10 days before you leave. I doubt that you need to book too much earlier and if you would like a review I would be more than happy to give you an overview on our experience. Or you could book and if you get 'cold feet' about it, you can forfeit your $25 deposit and cancel.

I booked ours with some time to spare before the end of the trip because if you are not happy and you approach them while you are there, at least there is time for them to reschedule and they will if you are really unhappy about it. Bottom line is that if you don't book it, you may always wish that you did. I am not trying to persuade you that you should go and book if you are having second thoughts, but I do think it would be nice for you to have some additional options when considering what to do. It is a lot of money, but you won't get professional photos in the UK for that price. We paid the same equivalent 7 years ago for ONE framed professional shot (8x10) and got no rights to the images. The rest of the shots taken were deleted a couple of weeks afterwards according to their terms and conditions.

Hope that helps a bit and doesn't serve to add to your dilemma

 

[wilma-bride]

Just wanted to add to this that when we stayed at AKV in October 09, we went to the AKL one night to look around and eat. There was a photopass photographer in the lobby who took several group shots of our families (spending about 15-20 minutes with each family). Now the shots were all taken in the same place and it wasn't really a professional photoshoot but we got some great pictures from that session and they were all included on our photopass - no extra charge!

I don't know if they are still doing that but that might be worth considering as a (much) cheaper alternative.

 

[buzz for boys]

Another cheaper alternative is the photopass location at Downtown Disney they have a number of backdrops and props and are happy to take family photos and the best bit is it is completly free and no need to book!!

My friend went last month and has some fab photos. Its not the same as on location at the hotels but did she get a 20 minute photo session with a photopass photographer and she has at least 10 good shots!! All were just popped onto the photopass card!

We are hoping to give this a try in a couple of weeks so im happy to report back when we have actually tried it for ourselves!

 

[dizzyhead]

Thanks for all your feedback, l think the price hike is the one that is getting in the way of my decision, l am not bothered if you only get a CD, l am happy to come home with it.
If buzz for boys and 2tiggies can give me some feedback on your return l would be grateful especially the downtown disney as l have never seen any photographers there, must of missed the.

Hope you all have a great holiday

 

[2Tiggies]

No problem But PLEASE send me a PM to remind me around 10th October when we are back as I will probably have my head full of Disney and be mourning the sunshine and have forgotten who was asking for the info

 

[dizzyhead]

Will do thanks very much.

 

[leonix8238]

Another option is to book a local photographer to take your photographs. This usually offers WAY better value for money. The only issue is that outside photographer are NOT allowed in the parks just the resorts. Randy Chapman is a favourite over on the wedding forum: http://chapmanphotography.com/wedmain.html

 

[Pegasus928]

Another option is to book a local photographer to take your photographs. This usually offers WAY better value for money. The only issue is that outside photographer are NOT allowed in the parks just the resorts. Randy Chapman is a favourite over on the wedding forum: http://chapmanphotography.com/wedmain.html

Now there is something I would never have thought of

To add my 2 cents worth I would say this is one of those things that you get what you pay for. The photopass photographers, as far as I know, are not professional photographers so probably don't have the same knowledge and skills with regards to lighting, positioning and how to get the best from your family to make the shoot more of an experience for you all.
You only have to look at the difference between the proper photo shoots and the photopass photos to see what I mean.
We had some photopass ones done at AKL on the bridge in the lobby, possibly the same ones that wilmabride had done, and we were thrilled with how they turned out. But if we had paid $150 for them we would have expected a lot more.

 

[dizzyhead]

It's the cost that was putting us off we had no problem with it before the price hike, but still undecided since we found out the price had gone up

 

[Pegasus928]

I guess it depends on how much enjoyment you think you will get out of them once you get back to the cold, grey climate of this country.
I know the way I think and if I was in two minds about something like that I just know that I would regret not having it done once I got back and the holiday was all over - especially the very next time I go out with the family for a meal, or go to fill up the car with petrol, and realised it had cost me almost as much as I would have spent on the photo session

 

[2Tiggies]

The cost was a factor for me in deciding whether to book again this year. not because I felt it wasn't worth it- I did, based on a good exprience last year. I think it was more to do with having paid a certain price last year and now paying more for the same thing. The difference is that they are promising more "professional" photographers.

I made my decision to book again based on the following:

You very rarely get the rights to the digital images. To me this has enormous value as I was able to print my own, make photobooks, gifts and copies at will.
Looking back on what we had done last year, had it been $150 to begin with, I would still have booked it and would still have felt it to be good value for money.
These are different to the usual park photos you get on Photopass. They are not as much Disney holiday photos as they are 'proper' family/group pictures.
If I didnt book it, I KNOW I would come home and regret it - or more likely, I would have booked one shortly after arrival.

I know the price has gone up significantly, but last year's price was a steal. Now it's just a good deal.

If you only want one or two really nice photos, then the suggestion made to look into a private photographer may be worth considering to see how it compares and what you would get. I don't think the fact that they are not in the parks is an issue. The resort sessions aren't in the parks anyway and you have Photopass for those. I strongly suspect however that an independent off site photographer will cost you far more, so again, if the decision is cost based you would have to think about it very carefully.

It's a difficult decision. I'll keep you posted when I come back and hopefully that will help you somewhat

 

[kieras nana]

can i ask,where you had your session last time 2tiggies & where you have booked for this time.we had ours done,at the poly last time,but i am thinking of the beach club,in oct.
i really can't decide.also have you got the phone number,to book,as i have mis-placed it.
thanks in advance
tracy x