WDW: Photopass Review

Before we went to Disney, I had read about Photopass. Basically Disney employs photographers with cameras to wander around all of the parks (I say "wander around", they have pitches near good photo ops, and rather you see them as you wander around!). You will recognise them, as they are the people who have a giant camera and AREN'T wearing sandals with socks. ;)
Also they have a Disney Cast Member name badge, which helps.

They will take your photo (on your camera or theirs) and, if they use their camera, give you a small plastic card which they will scan.

Here we come to

The First* Rule Of PhotoPass:

ALWAYS TAKE A PHOTOGRAPH/NOTE OF THE NUMBER ON THE BACK OF THE CARD.

Take a photograph, put it in your phone, write it on your hand/map/child...wherever, but take a note of that number. That way if you lose the card, you can go to Guest Services with the number, and they can transfer all of your photographs onto a new card for you.

Now that you have your shiny new card, keep it somewhere safe (or in your back pocket, as I did, so that it was always close to hand and I didn't have to rummage. I guess it depends if you're a fast storer or a rummager. Time is often of the essence when there is a queue, so I went for speed over rummaging). Every time you get your photograph taken by a PP Photographer, give them the card and they will scan it, saving your photographs to your account. The cards work in every Disney park, so you only need to keep hold of one card.

Then, when you get home, you go to the website, register your details, and enter your card number (aren't you glad you saved it now? See? First Rule totally rules) and voila, all of your photographs are there, along with many generic Disney shots that they throw in for "free".

You can then edit the photographs and add borders, signatures, pictures, etc. If you had any Magic Shots taken like the ones below, your magic friends should also have been added. You can also alter and crop the photographs, and do basic photoshoppery. Then you can either order a CD or a digital download, and get all of your photos delivered! When I did it, the photographs cost $170 for everything in your account. That included all of the "free" shots, and also all of your edits.

Be careful when you activate your card online, WAIT until you get home (I guess that could be rule 2, if there was a Second Rule Of Photopass). You have 15 days after the last photograph was taken to claim the photos online. Then after you claim them, you have 30 days to edit/purchase them before they are gone forever (FOREVER).

There was no way that we could conjour up $170 in 30 days (yeah, I had to have a look as soon as we got home...). So, we did a bit of jiggery-surfery, and found out how to get them for free.

http://youtu.be/3pYuhYDsikg

I should add here that the video above is NOT mine, and I do not really support what it does. However, I also do not believe in paying extortionate amounts for photographs when they actual photographers do not benefit from me being ripped off, and still only get paid their basic salary whether I purchase the photographs or not.

You know what? I'm in the wrong on this one. I admit it. However, that's the way it is.

Now...On to the photos! I've tried to include one of each "thing", so that you can see what can be done, as well as showing off the photography.

Border.

Autograph.

Magic friends.

I definitely think that Photopass is awesome, especially if you don't always have an extra person to take the shots you need, and don't fancy handing your camera off to random tourists (interesting point...the posher the camera you are carrying, the more people ask you to take their picture). We got loads of adorable couple shots that we wouldn't have got on our own (because I do NOT hand my camera off to random tourists!).

*OK, pretty much the only rule, since I can't think of any more.