Memory Maker at WDW - worth it?

[ang79]

We are going to Disney for the first time in October with our two girls (will be 6 and 9). This is a big trip, not sure if we will do it again as a family, at least not at young ages. We are going with close friends and their two kids as well (seperate reservations but we are linked on My Disney Experience so we can see each other's plans and have tried to coordinate meals, etc. together).

When our TA told me the price of the memory maker at first, my imediate thought was "No, that's an outrageous price to pay for pictures!" But after reading more online about it, I can see why it would be nice to just enjoy watching me kids interact with the characters, rather than worry about trying to get good pictures of everything. And it looks like maybe I could share the Memory Maker package w/ my friend? It said you can download pics of anyone you choose to share media w/ in your travel party. So could we technically share since we are traveling together but have seperate reservations/accounts?

And, what all do I get w/ the package? Is it just access to online photos and then I can print those off myself? Can I upload them to places like Shutterfly (we make family photo calendars for gifts every year).

Thanks!

[keh602]

We've had it for all five of our trips, and we've always been very happy with it. We'll come home with hundreds of pictures, so we feel it's worth it. Since we preorder it, we'll make a conscious effort to get pictures taken. It's fun to come home with family photos from all over the place. As far as sharing, I'd think you'd be able to... I'm just not sure how it works with magic bands. If you are linked in MDE, that might be all it takes. It used to be that the photographers would give you a card with a code that you'd manually enter into the website. I'm sure the answer is somewhere on the DISboards.

PhotoPass photographers have managed to catch some ADORABLE moments for us. For instance, in December we were regrouping after breakfast one morning, and Anastasia (Cinderella's stepsister) grabbed our youngest and planted a big smooth on his forehead. She was on her way to her meet and greet spot, and she had a photographer with her who started shooting. I was very grateful, because our phone pictures were not nearly as cute. We've also had photographers take a picture of a kid in a stroller while the others were meeting a character or something... pictures that ended up being some of our favorites. You just never know where they're going to be or what will catch their eye.

If you do buy it, don't forget to ask different photographers around the parks to do magic shots! Some will offer, but definitely ask if they don't. You can get some neat ones that way.

I know that if you preorder the package you'll be offered the choice of pictures on a CD or the ability to download them. You'll get the photo release so you can do what you want with them for personal use. The "limited license" specifically states that you can have photo products made from a third-party retailer.

[anonomom]

You can definitely share with another family. Just link together on MM+ and when you go into photopass you'll see everyone's photos. The only pain in the rear is that either everyone needs to go through and download their own photos separately, or you can each download the whole thing then go through and delete what you don't want.

One thing to be aware of is that there usually aren't PP photographers at character meals. So if most of your character interactions are at meals, you'll be depending on your own photographs. And sometimes we feel like we spend more time than we should tracking down photographers in the parks, to make sure we get value out of our MM. But on the other hand, it makes it so easy to get whole-family shots that we normally wouldn't have. And the magic shots really are cool.

[ang79]

We do have a lot of character meals planned (almost 1 a day for our sit down meal), because we are going on the free dining package and we figured that was the best way to get to see some of their favorite characters. Are there select places in the parks to meet and greet the characters and then long lines to stand in for meeting and pics or do they just wander around and you try to keep an eye out for them? We are going the last week of Oct. into the first few days of Nov. so I'm hoping crowds aren't too bad, though I realize w/ the free dining deal and the Mickey's Halloween thing it may be slightly crowded.

What are magic shots?

I can take my small point and shoot camera, and all 4 adults going have iphones, though DH's and mine are only a 4 and 4S. I'd like enough nice photos to make a scrapbook or photobook of the trip for the girls, as well as use some in our family photo calendar for Christmas gifts.

[klwa]

We've done it (or the previous incarnation, Photopass) all three trips we've done as a family. Love it! The first time, DH's entire family was going & my parents ended up down at the same time. So many good pictures, especially of my mom who ended up passing away a few months later. The second time, I debated it, but we decided to get it. And then I lost my SD card with the first 3 days worth of MY pictures on it. So, the only pics we had from those days were the PP/MM pictures. Last year when we went, there was no question: we were getting it!

ETA: This site ( http://capturingmagic.me/photopass-magic-shots ) does a good job explaining magic shots & where to find them. Basically, it's where the photographer asks you to do a certain pose & effects are digitally added to the shot. And wdwent ( http://wdwent.com/ ) or Kenny the Pirate give good explanations as to what characters you can find where. Most of the time, if a character has a dedicated meeting spot, they'll have a Memory maker photographer there.

[elbenn]

For PP who got hundreds of pics or others who got a lot, how did you get so many? We just went to WDW and spent 5 days in the parks, and I don't feel like there are that many pics. We did get some nice ones at each park where photographers were located at key photo positions and we requested the pics, but we didn't get that many from the rides. We did scan our magicbands unless we had FP's, but we had FP's for most rides, so we thought they would know from that. Am I wrong about that?

[keh602]

For PP who got hundreds of pics or others who got a lot, how did you get so many? We just went to WDW and spent 5 days in the parks, and I don't feel like there are that many pics. We did get some nice ones at each park where photographers were located at key photo positions and we requested the pics, but we didn't get that many from the rides. We did scan our magicbands unless we had FP's, but we had FP's for most rides, so we thought they would know from that. Am I wrong about that?

For 4 of our 5 trips, we've had extended family with us, so either they'll get photos on their own in addition, or it just means more combinations of photos when we're together as a group. We try to do day and night photos in each park (in front of the castle, for example), different angles of the castle, around the World Showcase, different spots in AK, the Epcot Character Spot, etc. We've discovered by accident some neat photo spots, like in front of Big Thunder Mountain or The Little Mermaid ride. A lot of the characters have photographers, and those add up. Some photographers take more photos than others. Sometimes you'll get two photos from a photographer, and other times you'll get 10. Catch enough of those photographers, and that's a lot of photos!

To get some of the ride photos you have to scan your band after you get off the ride. Underneath the screens that display the photos are Mickey heads where you scan. I haven't had to pay too much attention to it, because DH is usually on it.

[anonomom]

I thought ride photos showed up automatically, even if you didn't scan your magic band at the ride. They still have readers that somehow link the correct photo with your band.

characters have designated meet & greet spots; you may sometimes catch them as they walk to their spot, but they usually don't stop for photos then. Some have long lines, some don't. Pictures aside, I think character meals are a great strategy to see a lot of characters without spending ages in line. It's just not as good for photos.

Some trips where we've had MM, we've really only ended up with photos from character meets. Other trips, we've focused on finding photographers. There tend to be a lot at the World Showcase in Epcot; there's generally one near the river in Fronteirland in the Magic Kingdom, they're at the front entrance to every park, of course.

[Dayzy]

I spent 5 days in the parks in April and came home with almost 400 pictures. We stopped at a few places to get the family shots and some pics in front of the Castle and the Tree of Life. We did character meets for my kids and they got some great ones. And you get ride photos on some of the coasters because they installed magic band readers in the cars. I thought it was well wort it because I didn't have to jump around trying to get a picture, I could just enjoy myself.

[belovedgandp]

I've loved having it the two times we did it. We just went in February with my brother and his family, so we were able to split the cost with them which definitely made it easier to swallow.

The biggest thing for me is having a chance for all of us to be in pictures. We've been to WDW three times in the past 8 years. The first time we did not do the photopass/mm - I have two pictures of our family of four together from the entire trip. I just never stopped to hand over my camera to someone else. Partly because I didn't think about and partly because I have a big dslr that intimidates people.

The next two trips we did it and have fantastic photos of our entire family and then even the larger group a few times on our most recent trip.