Recommend a Disney Photographer for my Engagement!

[OneLittleSpark7]

DF and I just got engaged at Animal Kingdom a few weeks ago. The wedding planning has already started and I thought it'd be nice to do our engagement photo shoot at Disney for our Save the Dates, Announcements, etc.

We're moving to Orlando permanently in April (DF works for Disney now!) and I don't even know where to start looking for a photographer in the area that would just do an engagement shoot in Disney (we're getting married back in my hometown so we don't need this photographer for our wedding). Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks so much!

 

[sambycat]

our wedding photographers were david and vicki arndt and i can’t say enough great things about them. they (no longer) work for DFTW, so they can’t do in park shoots (not sure if thats what you are looking for only?) but they did our engagement pics, wedding and family pictures last summer. many here will give you recommendations, and there are many great pics to be had, but david and vicki truly made the wedding - and we count them as friends today!

and an engagement shot -

 

[herb102211]

Randy Chapman!! He did our honeymoon shoot and he was amazing. I know he photographs a lot of Disney weddings/engagements too. Here's his site-

http://chapmanphotography.com/

His prices were very reasonable too. For $200 we got a hour (ended up being almost 2) photo shoot time and 2 DVD's of all of the photos to print wherever you want. We ended up with almost 1000 photos. He was really down to earth too! GL!

 

[Sccrmnky2005]

I second the David and Vicki Ardnt suggestion!!!!

They are AMAZING!!! You can click on my part 2 PJ and see both engagement and family pictures they have done for us so far.

 

[Jilian]

We're using Randy Chapman. Others also seem to love Misty Miotto (not sure if I spelled that right). She was actually my first choice but the price was so much higher than what Randy charges that I couldn't justify the cost. Another one that I hear often is Jason Angelini. All 3 plus the Arndt's do amazing work so you can't go wrong with one of them.

 

[acurry417]

Another vote for Randy Chapman. We wanted him to shoot our wedding but he wasn't available. But we just had him do family photos last November. We had him for 4 hours and got lots of great shots around the Grand Floridian and we went around Magic Kingdom with him too. He is sooooo great to work with!

The pics in my signature are Randy's.

 

[princesswendy720]

our wedding photographers were david and vicki arndt and i can’t say enough great things about them. they (no longer) work for DFTW, so they can’t do in park shoots (not sure if thats what you are looking for only?) but they did our engagement pics, wedding and family pictures last summer. many here will give you recommendations, and there are many great pics to be had, but david and vicki truly made the wedding - and we count them as friends today!

and an engagement shot -

You really had a great looking alice at your reception! I've seen some questionable ones lol

 

[OneLittleSpark7]

Thank you so much for the recommendations! Seems like Randy Chapman and the Arndts are definitely the favored two acurry417, you mentioned that you went around MK during your photoshoot. Can you go into the parks for an engagement shoot? I'd love to get some shots where we got engaged at AK. Do both Randy and the Arndts go into the parks or is that something you have to pay extra for (like for their park pass)? Thank you everyone for the responses :hugs:

 

[sarahjs84]

Vote for David and Vicki!

 

[sambycat]

No reputable "outside" photographer can or would do park pictures as its not allowed. You have to use Disney photographers and I don't know too much about that. Disneyland does have different rules to my knowledge.

 

[acurry417]

I don't want to speak for Randy but he did go with us to the Magic Kingdom and took photos of us in front of the castle and all around the park. We were ready to pay for his park ticket but he said he had an annual pass because he was trying to do more family photography around Disney. It was a lot of fun and we got some really great shots. I don't think it would be against the rules, I mean ANY professional photographer can take a vacation there, would they be asked not to take pictures just because that is their profession?? We were there with him for over 2 hours and not one person said anything to us. Just my opinion, not trying to start any flames.

I would call both photographers and see what they are comfortable doing. Again I will say Randy is so great, fun to work with and super down to earth! Oh and I didn't say congratulations on your engagement....CONGRATULATIONS!!

 

[sambycat]

Though I'm sure it happens, I stand by my previous post as its "against the rules".

 

[Cinderellastory]

I second Randy Chapman! We had our engagement pictures taken yesterday, and he was amazing to work with and reasonably priced. I'm so excited to see the preview next week!

 

[belle2211]

I vote for Regina Hyman! She is amazing! Right now she is a Disney photographer and can shoot in the parks (I think until July). You're not guaranteed your photographer, but you can request one. She also has her own business now too!

 

[halloween12]

I LOVE that you had Alice and the mad hatter there... 2 of my all time fave characters