Photopass+ - still have to pay for photos?

[Infamousmare]

Leaving for yearly trip to MK in 34 days. Woo hoo! We've always gotten the Photopass cards, but never order the photos because they are sooo expensive.

However, I'm growing weary of lugging my SLR around the parks...and not being in most of the photos because I'm the one behind the camera.

I'm toying with buying Photopass+ but I have some questions that aren't addressed on the info. page. Here goes:

1. If I go with Photopass+, am I able to order photos free of charge? I remember the prices being pretty expensive, which is why we never ordered any from our regular Photopass cards in years past.

2. Instead of paying extra for photos at certain restaurants (we're eating at Chef Mickey's, Akershus, 1900 PF - twice + Cindy's Castle), will they all come free? I can't remember which ones are part of the meal price and which are extra... Also, if they all come free, will we still get prints at the restaurant, or will they all be tossed onto the Photopass+ site for us to check out later?

3. The site mentioned photos on rides. Does this mean the photos taken on rides like Space Mountain, Buzz Lightyear ride, etc. will be automatically linked with the Photopass+ card without me buying them at the ride? If so, how does this work? Do I show the card at the counter at the ride's gift shop? Some of those ride photos are fun, but SOOO expensive!

It seems like this *might* be worth it if I can order prints free of charge. However, if I have to monkey with printing from home or paying to print from a CD, I'm not sure it's worth it. TIA for your help.

 

[vicki_c]

Only answering one question - you get a CD with all your photos on it, or a digital download as part of the Photopass + price (or regular PP price but without meals/rides), but you don't get to order actual prints for free. You would still have to have them printed elsewhere.

 

[juliebug1997]

1. It does not include buying prints of your photos.

2. It includes all of the photos that come with dining experiences.

3. You can link ride photos to your PP+.

While it would be nice to be able to get photos free of charge, just think about all the photos they'd be printing. Some people (me included) would just think, "I'll just get five of every picture." Then what's the point of giving you the disk if you have enough copies or more copies than you could ever use.

 

[angierae]

Like others have said, other than the prints from the restaurants, everything else will be on acd. However, it's not that expensive or troublesome to upload the ones you want to Walgreens or your photo printer of choice, which is what we do.

 

[Infamousmare]

Good to know. Thanks!

I should have clarified - I certainly didn't mean unlimited free prints! I thought they might include a certain number.

We do have Walgreen's close by - I've never done printing through them before (always upload my own photos to a traditional photo website); however, that might be significantly cheaper. I'll check out their pricing.

For those who have done this before, did you think it was worth it? That is, I think I don't seek out the photographers as much because I think that I'll just take the pictures I want. Were you happy with the pictures they took, in general? (Not expecting perfect results in each photo, just want to be sure that generally people are satisfied). Even at the reduced rate, it's still a lot of money.

 

[juliebug1997]

Before the plus version, we would get the CD and a few of the meal pictures. Now, for I think about $20ish more than we used to pay, you get all your pictures from around the parks, ride photos and any photos that are taken at meals. To us it is a good deal! Also, Walgreens has done a great job with our pictures.

We have been very happy with our PP pictures, those taken by them. If we didn't use them, then we'd have double the number of pictures: one with DH and all the shots and one with me and all the shots. This allows us to both be in the pictures together, which is what we would really rather have.

 

[smitch425]

Good to know. Thanks!

I should have clarified - I certainly didn't mean unlimited free prints! I thought they might include a certain number.

We do have Walgreen's close by - I've never done printing through them before (always upload my own photos to a traditional photo website); however, that might be significantly cheaper. I'll check out their pricing.

For those who have done this before, did you think it was worth it? That is, I think I don't seek out the photographers as much because I think that I'll just take the pictures I want. Were you happy with the pictures they took, in general? (Not expecting perfect results in each photo, just want to be sure that generally people are satisfied). Even at the reduced rate, it's still a lot of money.

For ride photos, you must go to the ride desk after each ride and tell them which vehicles your party is in so they can be added to your card. At meals, they will bring your photo package to your table for free.

 

[ElizabethG]

Good to know. Thanks!

I should have clarified - I certainly didn't mean unlimited free prints! I thought they might include a certain number.

We do have Walgreen's close by - I've never done printing through them before (always upload my own photos to a traditional photo website); however, that might be significantly cheaper. I'll check out their pricing.

For those who have done this before, did you think it was worth it? That is, I think I don't seek out the photographers as much because I think that I'll just take the pictures I want. Were you happy with the pictures they took, in general? (Not expecting perfect results in each photo, just want to be sure that generally people are satisfied). Even at the reduced rate, it's still a lot of money.

You get a cd with all of the pictures taken. You can have them printed anywhere you like (somewhere around .15 cents per 4x6 print). You can also use them in photobooks or other prducts on sites like Shutterfly. I love the service and have used it every year (pp+, only once - we pre-ordered the cd before that). I still bring a point-and-shoot camera with me. There are lots of pictures I like to take where there is not pp available. However, I am never in any of those pictures.

 

[suzyqqq27]

I think it's totally worth it but I'm a scrapbooker and I love all the bonus shots they give you too. I love that our whole family is in the shots. I love that when you tell the PP CM that you've already ordered the cd, they take more shots than usual. I LOVE the magic shots. I love that you can customize the pictures online and add borders. I do this to nearly every photo - sometimes with two or three different borders on each. I have managed to get up to over 800 photos on our cd because of this from 300 originals.

I would recommend anybody getting the photo cd and we're trying the PhotoPass+ this year to get the ride shots and the meal shots - for $20 extra? I think it's a steal.

 

[mamabear0222]

Not to hijack but can you order extra cd's? Anyone know how much? I can't find this on the photopass site.

Sent from my Samsung S3 using DISBoards

 

[smitch425]

Not to hijack but can you order extra cd's? Anyone know how much? I can't find this on the photopass site.

Sent from my Samsung S3 using DISBoards

Do you mean extra copies of the same Photopass CD? I believe they are $20 each, but most computers can copy and burn a CD, and that is a much cheaper option. I've done it multiple times and had no issues with copying them.

 

[DisneyMom11121213]

Not to hijack but can you order extra cd's? Anyone know how much? I can't find this on the photopass site.

Sent from my Samsung S3 using DISBoards

I am pretty sure you can for like 20.00 more. Don't quote me on that though. I think I remember seeing it before when I ordered my last PP CD.

 

[suzyqqq27]

Yep - extra copies are $19.95 each. It gives you the option when it's in your cart.

 

[DisneyMom11121213]

I love PP+. I am scrapper and I love that I can do the black/white the autograph and the border on all the pictures. My favorite part about the PP+ was the bonus CD I got in the mail. It had a lot of special pictures from around the parks and of the fireworks show.

 

[wookiebeck]

I would recommend anybody getting the photo cd and we're trying the PhotoPass+ this year to get the ride shots and the meal shots - for $20 extra? I think it's a steal.

Oh great, now the price will go up because you printed the word 'steal' in a WDW forum.

Also as a side note, Walmart, CVS and Walgreens can be strict on the licensing of professional photos. Included in the WDW CD is a contract allowing you ownership of the jpgs so that they are able to print them for you. Just print that out at home first and bring with you to the kiosk in case they ask for it.

 

[JessM]

Not to hijack but can you order extra cd's? Anyone know how much? I can't find this on the photopass site.

Sent from my Samsung S3 using DISBoards

We were able to order 2 copies of our Photopass CD in December. I wanted one and my Mom wanted one, they sent us each one It worked out great!

 

[akclayton]

I think PP+ is worth is. I was skeptical last summer to do it but I got over 1,000 photos by the time we were done and we were there for 5 days. We used it each time we saw a photographer, for all the character interactions/autographs and the rides and the BBB. We didn't use them at dining places because we didn't book them. I did notice that the photographers took more pictures when they saw that we had PP+. If people had just a normal PP, then they would get a picture or a couple more with the characters posing. With our PP+, we got pictures of my niece and nephew walking up to the characters, interacting and posed. We usually average 10 photos per character if not more. It was great. For the rides, you look at the computer screen and get the number(s) associated with your picture on the screen. There are usually CM's at the monitors with papers that they can write your numbers on so you don't have to memorize them. If you don't want to wait in line to have them scan your card and apply your photos, then you can go back later and give them your numbers and they will apply them. We did that once and then another time, we were split up on rides and one set of us had the card and the other didn't. So, we went back to the other ride and got the picture added at a later time. At the BBB, we ended up with almost 200 pictures total as well as the posed session at the end of her experience. By the time I modified and added and put more sizes on all of our pictures at the end before I ordered the CD, I had over 1500 pictures. I went online to WalMart and got them printed. (Make sure that you develop the copyright they provide you on the cd. they will ask for it and if you don't have it, they won't give you the pictures. I included mine because I knew from past experience but they told me that it happens all the time.) At Wal Mart, you can get Matte prints delivered to your house for 9 cents a piece. We leave Thursday for our trip and I pre-ordered the PP+ again. The kids said that they wanted their ride photos again and wanted more pictures. I made them each their own photo book last year and they loved them. So, to me... It's worth it.

 

[monorailrabbit]

I've only done PP, never PP+ - decided to do it this year - $20 is TOTALLY a steal! I was really, really happy with all of our PP pics! They got some really awesome candid ones that are my favorite pics out of all the ones we took. They usually take a pic on your own camera too if you ask them, but 9 times of of 10 theirs was better than one from my camera. I have to bring my own camera along for pics of the monorail and stuff but I will never go without PP again.

Here is a ? I just thought of, does the CD that comes with + and all the extra stock pics come separate or is it on the same CD as your own photos? Do you get the CD when you leave or do you order it when you get home? (Sorry, I don't mean to hijack either but this is the first year I am pre-buying and the CM wasn't very helpful) Also, do you still only have like 30 days or so on the website to mess with boarders and stuff?

 

[ses1230]

I've only done PP, never PP+ - decided to do it this year - $20 is TOTALLY a steal! I was really, really happy with all of our PP pics! They got some really awesome candid ones that are my favorite pics out of all the ones we took. They usually take a pic on your own camera too if you ask them, but 9 times of of 10 theirs was better than one from my camera. I have to bring my own camera along for pics of the monorail and stuff but I will never go without PP again.

Here is a ? I just thought of, does the CD that comes with + and all the extra stock pics come separate or is it on the same CD as your own photos? Do you get the CD when you leave or do you order it when you get home? (Sorry, I don't mean to hijack either but this is the first year I am pre-buying and the CM wasn't very helpful) Also, do you still only have like 30 days or so on the website to mess with boarders and stuff?

The CD of stock photos is seperate.

If you purchase the photopass Plus CD through the prearrival offer website, the voucher and CD of stock photos are mailed to you. Take the voucher with you to get your Plus card. In the case of the stock photo CD is where you find the code to enter into the website when you are ready to have your CD shipped.

The time limits are the same as with regular photopass - 30 days to claim your photos, and once claimed 30 days to edit and have the CD shipped.

 

[angierae]

If you opt not to get PP+, and just get regular PP, it's a good idea to tell the photographer at meet and greets that you've preordered the CD, so please take "candid" shots, as well - the sort of thing you probably wouldn't buy individually, but they are SO nice to have. Some photogs will do this automatically and some won't, so I've really learned to just let them know that they should take as many as possible, and you'll sort them out later