Any first hand reports of Photo Pass box with Tink?

[FoxC63]

I think they are supposed to go into all the fixed indoor meets
Town Square (Mickey/tink)
Launch Bay
Anna and Elsa
Have been confirmed

Tink - was added a while ago
Mickey - just recently
And now Anna & Elsa, here's the story:

Another Automated PhotoPass Camera Appears in Epcot’s World Showcase!

"During our visit to Epcot, we noticed a themed camera box and what appears to be a PhotoPass kiosk in the Norway Pavilion’s Royal Sommerhus. In case you didn’t know, this is where guests can meet Anna and Elsa from Frozen. " LINK

 

[SaharanTea]

So how many pictures does the box take you think? I wouldn't have an issue with this if it just takes a ton of pictures .. or if it simply takes a video where you can capture stills from.

We had three different boxes this summer. They took 11, 12, and 12 pictures. Quality was all over the map with some of them in the "unusable" category.

The posed shots were usually at least decent, but the box doesn't make sure your kids are looking the right direction like a human photographer does.

 

[mshanson3121]

Saw in another group today that the boxes are being installed in Princess Fairytale Hall

 

[lostprincess_danie]

I sent a message through guest services about how disappointing these new boxes are. It felt like I was just shouting into a void but maybe they will listen if enough voices chime in.

 

[1lilspark]

Saw in another group today that the boxes are being installed in Princess Fairytale Hall

That was one of the 9 locations that were hinted at just shy of a year ago
1) tink
2) launch bay
3) Mickey
4) frozen
5) fairytale
6) most likely adventure outpost (safari Mickey and Minnie)
After that idk if 7-9 will be additional indoor meets or if it’s counting each storybook and launch bay character queues as individual meets

 

[NJlauren]

I’m so sad to see they are adding this to more meets

I didn’t think the pics we got were horrible at Tink we’re horrible but they certainly were good or amazing! Blah

 

[mom2rtk]

I'm so glad they didn't do this when my kids were little. I'm sure we'll be fine because we're all old enough to line up on the mark and smile at the box. And nobody believes, so there are no "It's really Mickey!" moments that will be missed. What a shame.

 

[BattyKoda]

We just got back from a trip (well, back almost a week ago)...
We got 10 photos at Tink's M&G and I'd rate two of the ten as good photos... the rest are meh or worse.

I know that others have said that they haven't noticed it, but it seemed to me that we def saw a reduction in the number of photographers out and about... so much so that my dw and dd both commented on how much time I spent looking through my camera, which I haven't done in YEARS.

Due to both of these issues, I no longer think Memory Maker is worth the cost... course, this is my opinion and that with three fifty will get you a bottle of water at Disney (unless you are smart and ask for a cup of ice water at a counter service ).

Hope others have a better experience.

 

[dwbrewster]

So how many pictures does the box take you think? I wouldn't have an issue with this if it just takes a ton of pictures .. or if it simply takes a video where you can capture stills from.

Sorry for the delay. It varied, we got no more than 5 or so though - of which maybe 2 or 3 were good. Contrast that when we did our Mickey/Minnie M&G where I believe I read they now have boxes and we had a good 20 pictures of some amazing candid moments.

 

[tlmadden73]

Sorry for the delay. It varied, we got no more than 5 or so though - of which maybe 2 or 3 were good. Contrast that when we did our Mickey/Minnie M&G where I believe I read they now have boxes and we had a good 20 pictures of some amazing candid moments.

Hrm. Ya, I usually seem to get about 10+ photos from human photographers at most M&Gs, especially the ones with their own rooms/sets like the ones in Storybook circus or the Princesses. But a lot of those aren't great or just repeats of a similar shot.

This is definitely a step in the wrong direction and I hope Disney hears the feedback to either revert these changes or improve the technology. I will definitely complain if we use any of these boxes this coming trip and we don't like the shots.

 

[mom2rtk]

Hrm. Ya, I usually seem to get about 10+ photos from human photographers at most M&Gs, especially the ones with their own rooms/sets like the ones in Storybook circus or the Princesses. But a lot of those aren't great or just repeats of a similar shot.

This is definitely a step in the wrong direction and I hope Disney hears the feedback to either revert these changes or improve the technology. I will definitely complain if we use any of these boxes this coming trip and we don't like the shots.

I personally believe there is no possible tech improvement that can replicate what a human can do with a camera in their hands. Any human. Maybe even a trained monkey.

And Disney knew this wouldn't be well received. They did it anyway. So there's no chance they backtrack on it.

 

[tlmadden73]

I personally believe there is no possible tech improvement that can replicate what a human can do with a camera in their hands. Any human. Maybe even a trained monkey.

And Disney knew this wouldn't be well received. They did it anyway. So there's no chance they backtrack on it.

I feel the technology can do anything. Install multiple cameras (not one static box) to get a bevvy of photos, install multiple lenses (like the iPhone 11) that can have different zoomed or wide angle shots simultaneously or simply take an entire VIDEO of the whole encounter. Now, whether they want to invest in that technology is another thing.

If this puts more photographers in the park itself (and outside of these buildings), then great, but I would gather we all know this is just a way to cut a "skilled" position for a "directing traffic" position.

Disney is definitely taking away something ..and we guests don't HAVE to purchase Memory Maker.

Since this is just a cost savings measure and not a technical enhancement (like say adding more ride photos to other rides), I feel Disney will feel the backlash here with less people opting to get Memory Maker or buying individual photos.

 

[mom2rtk]

I feel the technology can do anything.

And I don't. It can do a lot, but it won't replicate what a human could do here. A photographer can move around and adjust for the sibling who darts out in front, can wait a half second for the strange look on the face to pass, can retake the shot when mom blinks.

And who said this is going to put more photographers out in the park? They said that would be the case when they removed Photopass from some character meets at DLR and it never happened. Same photographers in same positions as always. But none in the character greets.

 

[Kestryl]

I will not buy Memory Maker in the future. If I have to, I’ll just swap phones with the group in front of or behind us to get photos.

 

[Roscoe18]

There are plenty of changes to WDW that we can be upset about and even complain about, but this one feels different to me. I felt compelled for the first time to write and express my concerns to Disney. As someone else said, they may not even listen, but at least I can say I tried. Apparently there's also a Change.org petition up to keep the human photographers:

https://www.change.org/p/the-walt-d...xp=initial-17308092-en-GB&share_bandit_var=v3

 

[tlmadden73]

And I don't. It can do a lot, but it won't replicate what a human could do here. A photographer can move around and adjust for the sibling who darts out in front, can wait a half second for the strange look on the face to pass, can retake the shot when mom blinks.

And who said this is going to put more photographers out in the park? They said that would be the case when they removed Photopass from some character meets at DLR and it never happened. Same photographers in same positions as always. But none in the character greets.

Humans aren't flawless either -- I've had good and bad photographers, but I agree, humans can adjust on the fly to whatever is happening LIVE.

I DOUBT they will put more photographers in the park, I HOPE they would do that. I would rather have more of them wandering about. The amount of photographers they had in SWGE was pretty awesome. So if this is a way they can increase park presence while NOT increasing staff. I am "ok" with that.

That would make this technology giving us something rather than taking something away ... BUT this definitely feels like a "let's cut staff and replace with technology" .. just how every fast food restaurant is now getting self order kiosks. It's a use of technology to save money, not to improve anything .. and in a lot of ways make things worse. Not a trend I like to see with Disney. I want (and expect) Disney to be "Chick Fil-A", not McDonalds.

Things will change if it starts to hit them in the pocketbook. We'll see them pull this back, offer discounts to Memory Maker or something.

I am curious to see how these go, but am skeptical. I have a Tinker Bell and A&E M&G planned. I guess I will have my phone out of my pocket as a backup .


Playing Devil's Advocate, I could see how these could increase immersiveness. Make it more of a "Meet and Greet"at that character's house .. rather than a photo shoot. *shrug*

 

[Eddie]

We have had some photographers that were not great most are for the part very good to great. However even the less then steller ones were better then the one's from the automated boxes. Not a step in the right direction!!!

 

[mshanson3121]

We just got back from a trip (well, back almost a week ago)...
We got 10 photos at Tink's M&G and I'd rate two of the ten as good photos... the rest are meh or worse.

I know that others have said that they haven't noticed it, but it seemed to me that we def saw a reduction in the number of photographers out and about... so much so that my dw and dd both commented on how much time I spent looking through my camera, which I haven't done in YEARS.

Due to both of these issues, I no longer think Memory Maker is worth the cost... course, this is my opinion and that with three fifty will get you a bottle of water at Disney (unless you are smart and ask for a cup of ice water at a counter service ).

Hope others have a better experience.

We noticed this as well. There weren't nearly as many photographers during our last trip, as our one in 2015. And hardly any Magic Shots, despite asking. Definitely will not purchase MM again.

 

[FoxC63]

Did anyone else read this sad article from Disney Food Blog?

Here’s Why Everyone’s So Mad About Disney World’s Automated Photopass Camera Boxes.

LINK

 

[lostprincess_danie]

Did anyone else read this sad article from Disney Food Blog?

Here’s Why Everyone’s So Mad About Disney World’s Automated Photopass Camera Boxes.

LINK

I read it.

I think DFB tends to be very neutral on general news about the parks. I was surprised they addressed the automated photos in this way. Not sure how much traction their site has in the Disney blogosphere but it's pretty telling that they wrote about it. Guests are not happy with this change.