What's wrong with Shutters?

[bumbershoot]

I request them to resize my pictures to 5x7 rather than the 8x10. The price drops form 19.95 down to 12.95. Give them a day to get them for you, you will pick them up a the shutters desk. very easy and no hasles.

Good to know.

The guy on the Dream simply told me that they don't do that, that I had to accept what they had printed.

Now, it was the last morning, so there was no time to get them the next day, BUT he didn't give me full info, if what you are saying is possible on the Dream. (or was possible in February)

So, pay for the pictures if you like them and want to, and if you think they are too expensive, or don't like the borders, don't buy them. Like someone said before, they feel pretty expensive until you have to get your kids senior picutres!

I felt they were too expensive, I didn't like the borders, and I didn' tlike the options. I bought them because they were good pictures, however. (the ones I bought, that is) I didn't feel pressured. I paid more than I wanted to, though, for pictures that weren't in the sizes I wanted.

Anyone who had a typical wedding photographer in the last 10 years or so shouldn't even blink at the costs of Disney photos... I blinked because I wanted the plain photos in the sizes I wanted. But the actual photos were decent. I'm just bummed we got to our third dining too late to get pictures (OK we weren't *there* late, but were trying to work something out at the podium and we were seated late); would have been a nice trifecta, sniffle sniffle.

My only guess as to why they print out all of the pictures is because people are more likely to buy a picture that has already been printed than one they see on a screen. Something about the thought of your family being tossed in the trash bothers a lot of people and in a way they are "saving" that picture. Or at least that would be my guess.

I believe you are right! It's why Picture People does it; they even FRAME some of them, hoping you'll fall so in love with the thing that you'll buy it.

 

[MinnesotaMouseketeers]

I don't mind Shutters. Would I like for them to be less expensive, sure but oh well...

Alex

Just agreeing with Alex, except for the cost I don't have any issues with them. Every cruise we leave the ship with a small fortune of photos from Shutters in our luggage.

 

[GWS]

Did the cost of purchasing the CD increase from last year?

We purchased the CD last year and if I remember correctly it was $175 however I could be way off. I never found any of the pictures to be horrible in quality and I am a photographer on the side (not a true professional photographer but not an amateur).
I like getting these because since I take the pictures in the family I am in so few pictures so for me it is a good deal.

I don’t like plastering my walls with lots of individual pictures so I have 3 digital 12” frames mounted on my walls of our house and each frame is a theme. I will transfer all the pictures I like to the Vacation Digital Frame from our WDW & DC. Our family/friends love looking at the pictures as they rotate through.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Did the cost of purchasing the CD increase from last year?

We purchased the CD last year and if I remember correctly it was $175 however I could be way off. I never found any of the pictures to be horrible in quality and I am a photographer on the side (not a true professional photographer but not an amateur).
I like getting these because since I take the pictures in the family I am in so few pictures so for me it is a good deal.

I don’t like plastering my walls with lots of individual pictures so I have 3 digital 12” frames mounted on my walls of our house and each frame is a theme. I will transfer all the pictures I like to the Vacation Digital Frame from our WDW & DC. Our family/friends love looking at the pictures as they rotate through.

The price of the CD varies depending on the length of the cruise.

AFAIK, a 7 night cruise CD is $349.95; a 4 night - $299.95; and a 3 night - $249.95. For an additional $50.00 you can also get all the photos on the CD printed.

 

[Lori1960]

I thought the shutters photo people did a better job when I went on the dream May 2012 than the photopass photo people did when I went to WDW in May 2008

 

[Queen2]

I bought most of the pictures on a Disney cruise in 2006, I thought they looked great. That is when they had some kind of package deal.

 

[Meghatron]

I thought the shutters photo people did a better job when I went on the dream May 2012 than the photopass photo people did when I went to WDW in May 2008

This has consistently been true for us as well. I have yet to get a Photopass picture that I think is better than what we get from Shutters. The only reason I even give the Photopass photographers my card anymore is so I can either be in the picture myself or watch my kids enjoy the experience as opposed to having my eyes on the screen of my phone trying to get pictures.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[suziesas]

Just on the magic a few weeks ago and they would not resize them for me.

Got some good pictures but for $150 for 10 pictures that I can't resize or remove the border in this day and age is a little frustrating!

Quality was good and the photographers were nice.

 

[cris0809]

Statement after statement it comes back down to these points:

1 - Limited options, decisions made for you.
2 - Inconsistent photograph quality
3 - Inconsistent customer service
4 - Ridiculous pricing

If you are one of the lucky ones that get 1-3 to work for you and have enough money for 4 then great.

The OP asked why some people complain about Shutters. We have answered the question.

It does not feel that the Shutters experience matches the quality and consistency of the rest of my (lifelong) Disney experiences.

 

[cris0809]

Will the Shutters photographers use your personal camera to take a picture also, like the Photopass ones will, if you ask?

No, and when asked they have been known to be everything from polite to snooty to nasty about it.

The photographers don't seem to understand that it is an inconsistency after dealing with PP at the parks. Most people just don't know until they are told no.

 

[nanaoften]

We will be going on our first cruise ever in September on the Dream so we're budgeting for the CD. However, have a question that if it's been answered I missed it.
In purchasing the PhotoPass CD at WDW you get a release so that you can take the CD somewhere to "pick and choose" your sizes, etc. Do you get the same type of release from Shutters?

 

[Lorilais_mommie]

Statement after statement it comes back down to these points:

1 - Limited options, decisions made for you.
2 - Inconsistent photograph quality
3 - Inconsistent customer service
4 - Ridiculous pricing

If you are one of the lucky ones that get 1-3 to work for you and have enough money for 4 then great.

The OP asked why some people complain about Shutters. We have answered the question.

It does not feel that the Shutters experience matches the quality and consistency of the rest of my (lifelong) Disney experiences.

I completely agree.. I wish DCL would do something about it!

 

[michellekcm]

Do they do any of the "Hold your Hand up and Tinkerbell will magically appear in your hand" pictures?

Yes. I did a whole maternity session with Tinker Bell. They also have Captain Hook to add it now as well.

They did when we cruised in 2011. Last year they said they couldn't do the magic shots anymore (this was on the Magic).

 

[Shelley Chiarats]

We have enjoyed the Shutters photos and the photographers. One of the posts mentioned there being a time factor involved in order to get a lot of shots. That is true but not necessarily a bad thing if you are enjoying it.

My husband and I do not really do the sit by the pool and do nothing thing. But we enjoyed going around together from photo shoot to photo shoot getting our pics taken and with even just the two of us can get near 200 shots on a 7day cruise.

I am happy with the CD (though like the USB better as newer laptops don't always have a CD spot). And with the printed photos to take home. We don't wallpaper our walls. We usually put them all in a notebook to look back on from time to time. I am also in the group that enjoys the borders.

And I really like when they come around at supper and wish they did it every night and not just once for each dining room.

Michelle