problem getting Walmart to print PhotoPass photographs!!!

[disney dumbo]

I've been through an act of Congress to get Walmart to print from my PhotoPass CD...
and thought you need to know...
as well as anyone else having problems... please post here.

I took them a copy of the CD sales agreement... spelling out the rights and restrictions of use. Keep in mind... this was written by a high priced lawyer... and I'm taking it to a local Walmart employee. (Disney could help by putting things in extremely SIMPLE english)

I ordered the pictures online... and choose the 1 hour store pick up. (maybe if they were mailed to me... I wouldn't have gotten the grief!)

They had to call their legal department... as well as Disney's legal department (I think they just heard a recorded message here).

They now tell me... I have to fill out a separate form for each picture that I order and include a copy of the CD sales agreement.

I don't think that was Disney's intent... not the way I read it either.

I like to use someone local... but I don't like aggrevation either! I just don't like printing photos myself either.

Anyone else have success or problems getting theirs printed?

 

[rrkman]

I had similar problems with Wal-Mart but it wasn't with the Disney Photos. A little over a year ago, I used the 1 hour online deal for a picture with my son on santa's lap...when I got there (after driving in a blizzard), the only way I could get the picture from them is if I took THEIR form and went back to where I had the picture taken and have the photographer sign it. So, I stopped at Giant Eagle, put the disk in, and the pictures came out. All you need is a charge card and the price wasn't that far off. Needless to say, I try to avoid Wal-Mart unless total necessary. I understand their stance on this but certainly not customer friendly.

 

[disneynewbee]

I had a problem with photos at walmart too but not with a disney cd. I had my wedding cd along with a copyright form saying that I owned them and had a right to print them. They still gave me a hard time. I'm not sure why they are not properly trained to deal with these type of things but it is frustrating. I've had other problems with them at the photo department too but I won't go into the long story, I don't get my pictures done there any more even if they are cheaper than some other places it's not worth the stress.

 

[loopner67]

I haven't tried to get print made yet, but after reading this, I'll be prepared for them to give me a hard time. What a pain in the rump. Maybe this is all because it's so new? I'll try to post back and let you know if my WalMart gives me a hard time. I really hope not!

 

[Molly K]

Just a thought but have any one of you thought about uploading them to an online printing site and doing it that way. I had a photo of my son on santas lap taken at the mall one year. It came out so good (and so expensive) that I brougth home the 5x7 I bought from them, scanned it in, uploaded it and bought wallets for the family. I did not have any problem at all. I used to use winkflash.com, i have also used shutterfly.com. Right now I have been very happy with yorkphoto.com. Maybe doing this will help with all the pain in the rump stuff.

 

[stacy6552]

Hated Walmart already. Just one more reason. I got mine printed at Target without issue.

 

[we3disneygo]

we had trouble at wal-mart printing a picture of dd12 at a figure skating competition, the picture was on a disk taken from our camera and the clerk keep looking at the pictures really closely and them the 20 questions started

 

[bveater]

has anyone ever tried costco for printing pictures from photopass? up in ak, they're much cheaper. has anyone ever had a problem w/ costco printing them though?

 

[rparmfamily]

I've had issues printing my OWN pictures. I have a nice camera and took some B&W pics of my kids at the beach.

I don't shop there anymore.

 

[Fies4]

I haven't used PhotoPass yet (we are headed to WDW in about three weeks) but we will be using it when we get there.
I assumed that I could put the Disney PhotoPass CD into my own Personal Computer and print the photos out from home?? Am I wrong?

 

[linda0706]

I had no problem doing this at my Walmart.

I just picked up some Photopass CD pictures today that I ordered online & had shipped to my local store (they don't charge shipping if you p/u at the store.) After reading this thread last week I was concerned they'd give me a hard time, but they did not say one word about copywrite. No problem whatsoever! Whew.

 

[abbie13_15]

I have been to some Walmarts that don't even look at your pictures and could care less what you are coping. But then I have been to others that look at every single picture. I just think they are being really nosy and want to think that they are special!

 

[lilprincessnbuzz]

I was trying to make a gift for mom for Christmas which included a small black white picture of her mom when she was a little girl. This photo had to be taken at least 74 years ago. I was using the scanner because I wanted the photo to be a 5x7. They would NOT print it for me. Nowhere on the photo was there a name of a photographer or studio, they assumed by the look of the photo that it was professional. Now granted it probably was because I don't think everyone had cameras then and it was usually a special occasion to get a picture taken, but how am I supposed to get permission from the photographer....there wasn't one listed AND they probably aren't even around anymore. I was very frusterated!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now I'm mad all over again thinking about it I don't use Walmart anymore!

 

[sulleyfan]

I haven't used PhotoPass yet (we are headed to WDW in about three weeks) but we will be using it when we get there.
I assumed that I could put the Disney PhotoPass CD into my own Personal Computer and print the photos out from home?? Am I wrong?

You can do it this way if you want, but its also just as easy and sometimes cheaper to get prints done. Most places you can get 4x6 prints for 15-25 cents a piece. And they are just like standard film photograph prints, which personally I think looks better than printed from my printer.

 

[cfrith]

Another reason not to go to Walmart!!!!

 

[Boston5602]

I prefer WALGREENS for the simple reasons of easy upload from computer , CD , or camera memory . You upload them to the walgreens photo center let them know which walgreens you could get copys at local store for your own use and have them done at a store cross country near mom and dad ( or someone else) an hour later you go get them EASY and sometimes if they have a sale its cheaper than printing them on your own printer

 

[rhiannonwales]

Ok i have to chime in here.Up until very recently i worked in the photo industry and i can tell you a few things.

As frustrating as it is i understand why everyone is have a hard time.Even though the photopass says you can print from it most companies are very loathe to do so because of lawsuits.Photo techs are trained to not print anything that is even possibly professional, beacause the penalties are extreme.Yes there are "secret shoppers" that go around and try it to see if youll do it and if you do its up 10,000.00 to the TECH, not the store.For the 7.00/hr they are probably making its just not worth taking the chance.Yes its inconvienient to you but try to look at it from their standpoint.

As to the poster who had a problem with a B&W photo thats 75 years old, i'm sorry but there is no guarantee that its still not protected.Photographic copyrights can last up to 150 years even if the original photographer/studio is deceased or out of buisness.People can pass the copyright to their heirs, and about 5 years ago, Kmart Corp. was sued when it was discovered that they had printed copyrighted photos that were 60 years old.The heirs caught them and won a large settlement.

FYI, next time you go to a portrait studio, if the pictures are that important that you want to be able to reproduce them most places will sell you the copyrights for about 60 70 dollars.
HTH,
Sherrie

 

[disneynewbee]

I still think that is not only bad customer service but not doing your job if a person is standing there with a copyright and you still will not print the pictures. It is there job to do so as long as that person is within there rights. To not print pictures which are legally theres because they are scared is inexcusable. If the person does not have the copyright fine don't take the chance but if they do they need to print there pictures. That is there job.

 

[disney dumbo]

Exactly my frustration, Disneynewbee!

Especially when you pay $100 for that right... and hear the Disney person say... go to Walmart and get your prints made!

I'm sorry the world has gotten so "law suit" crazy... I can understand their fears as well... but someone from Walmart needs to educate their photo centers about this program. We own the rights for personal use!

 

[rhiannonwales]

I agree they need to review the criteria with Disney's new program.When i was a manager, we were told summarily that NO Disney photo was reproducable because Disney never sells copyrights.This was NOT Walmart, so its not just a Walmart problem.They may have thought that the paper was a fake.

Disneynewbee, i hate to correct you but youre wrong about one thing:
Photo technicians are not required to print anything that they are not 100% comfortable meets guidelines.So if they thought the release was a fake (since until now Disney never sold copyrights) they are not required to print it.You can ask for a higher up who can override them, (the higher up then assumes culpability)but you can't make them do it.Incidentally the cute photos most of us parents take of our kids in the bath or without diapers can technically be refused too.