Everything PhotoPass & Memory Maker

[aggiedog]

I tried searching, but I just don't have it in me to read 41 pages of this thread.

We are going on a school trip next week to WDW, and then dd and I will spend a few days after that on property by ourselves. I have magic bands for those last few days on our add-on trip. If I do Memory Maker for the days we're on the school trip portion (prior to checking in) can we use our Magic bands or will I need a photo pass of some sort? Our actual tickets those days with the school will be paper tickets handed out the morning of, if that makes a difference.

Does my question make sense? Basically, can I do MM, and use our Magic bands, when combining two types of trips?

 

[Tiggerlover91]

I tried searching, but I just don't have it in me to read 41 pages of this thread.

We are going on a school trip next week to WDW, and then dd and I will spend a few days after that on property by ourselves. I have magic bands for those last few days on our add-on trip. If I do Memory Maker for the days we're on the school trip portion (prior to checking in) can we use our Magic bands or will I need a photo pass of some sort? Our actual tickets those days with the school will be paper tickets handed out the morning of, if that makes a difference.

Does my question make sense? Basically, can I do MM, and use our Magic bands, when combining two types of trips?

Memory Maker has nothing to do with the number of trips you have. It simply is a product for taking pictures while at Disney. If it's linked to your band, It will work on your school trip and your family one. Just remember, photos have to be downloaded 45 days from first one taken.

 

[Tomh]

I tried searching, but I just don't have it in me to read 41 pages of this thread.

We are going on a school trip next week to WDW, and then dd and I will spend a few days after that on property by ourselves. I have magic bands for those last few days on our add-on trip. If I do Memory Maker for the days we're on the school trip portion (prior to checking in) can we use our Magic bands or will I need a photo pass of some sort? Our actual tickets those days with the school will be paper tickets handed out the morning of, if that makes a difference.

Does my question make sense? Basically, can I do MM, and use our Magic bands, when combining two types of trips?

As long as your Memory Maker is linked in your MDE, and your daughter is linked to you, you can use the one Memory Maker, with your Magic Bands for both the school portion of the trip, and your add on days.

 

[aggiedog]

Great, thank you. I wasn't sure if the magic bands would be "activated" before our check in.

 

[Tomh]

Great, thank you. I wasn't sure if the magic bands would be "activated" before our check in.

Magic Bands are "activated" the moment they are linked to your MDE account. In the case of Magic Bands that are shipped to you as part of a package purchase, they are linked before they are sent to you. In the case of Magic Bands that you purchase separately from your vacation package, they can either be linked by the CM when you purchase them (assuming you purchase on site) or you can link them yourself via MDE.

 

[aggiedog]

Good to know. I'll make sure we wear them for the school part of the trip then. Thanks for all the help. We don't usually do MM, but I caved on our last trip and really enjoyed the pictures we got. I figure this time around I'll get good pictures, and I'll have some to share with dd's friends, since they'll be mostly group pictures anyways, especially on rides.

Edited to add - wow, I'm feeling so old. Why is this so confusing to me? So I purchased the MM, and put it under dd's name. Am I automatically included in it? I read that I can go under the Friends and Family list and make sure "photopass" is updated to green but there isn't an option for that on the website or my MDE app.

 

[Tomh]

Good to know. I'll make sure we wear them for the school part of the trip then. Thanks for all the help. We don't usually do MM, but I caved on our last trip and really enjoyed the pictures we got. I figure this time around I'll get good pictures, and I'll have some to share with dd's friends, since they'll be mostly group pictures anyways, especially on rides.

Edited to add - wow, I'm feeling so old. Why is this so confusing to me? So I purchased the MM, and put it under dd's name. Am I automatically included in it? I read that I can go under the Friends and Family list and make sure "photopass" is updated to green but there isn't an option for that on the website or my MDE app.

Does your daughter have her own MDE account, or is her name just listed in your friends and family as "managed by me?"

If she has her own, then you need to go to your friends and family list, click on update next to her name, and then, in the pop up window, make sure that the option to share photopass photos is green.

If she does not have her own profile, and is simply managed by you, then everything should work as is.

 

[aggiedog]

She's on ours. So I guess we're good to go. Darn technology. I'm starting to feel like my grandmother! Thanks for all the help!

 

[hes122]

I feel like I've seen this somewhere, but I don't have the patience to read through 40 pages of this thread right now. LOL

Anyhow...if I upgrade my regular ticket to an AP will I get a credit or refund for the pre-purchased Memory Maker?

 

[Tomh]

I feel like I've seen this somewhere, but I don't have the patience to read through 40 pages of this thread right now. LOL

Anyhow...if I upgrade my regular ticket to an AP will I get a credit or refund for the pre-purchased Memory Maker?

I would imagine that if you call that could be worked out, however, I've never done it, so I can't say for certain.

 

[HausofDisney]

I did photopass/memory maker on my last trip to Disney for MNSSHP at Magic Kingdom and Food & Wine Festival at Epcot. Let me tell you, I will NEVER do it again. Amateur photographer's are taking photos at the parks, these photos were NOT good at all. Some of the photos were horrible. These people do not care about quality, they're just quickly snapping a photo and moving on. For the money that you pay, you should expect to get a few decent photos. It is the biggest waste of money. Anyone who is considering this, a family member with an iPhone, decent smart phone or personal camera can take better photos! I promise. Save the money and use it for something else on your vacation.

 

[Tomh]

I did photopass/memory maker on my last trip to Disney for MNSSHP at Magic Kingdom and Food & Wine Festival at Epcot. Let me tell you, I will NEVER do it again. Amateur photographer's are taking photos at the parks, these photos were NOT good at all. Some of the photos were horrible. These people do not care about quality, they're just quickly snapping a photo and moving on. For the money that you pay, you should expect to get a few decent photos. It is the biggest waste of money. Anyone who is considering this, a family member with an iPhone, decent smart phone or personal camera can take better photos! I promise. Save the money and use it for something else on your vacation.

I am sorry you had that experience, however, that is absolutely NOT the same experience everyone has. I have had Memory Maker for 10 different trips, and have gotten good photos every time. Not every photo, but plenty enough to justify buying the Memory Maker.

I hope you reached out to Disney when you saw the photos. I am quite sure they would make every attempt to make things right for you.

 

[starb37]

I have been trying to download the animated "Magic shots" and they are not downloading correctly. I can preview them on the site, but when I try to download (which I have done from multiple internet providers), the mp4 files play with nothing but a black screen. The sound is there, but the animation and our picture is not. Any tricks to getting them to download correctly?

 

[Tomh]

I have been trying to download the animated "Magic shots" and they are not downloading correctly. I can preview them on the site, but when I try to download (which I have done from multiple internet providers), the mp4 files play with nothing but a black screen. The sound is there, but the animation and our picture is not. Any tricks to getting them to download correctly?

If you are trying to view it in Windows Media Player, it is quite possible that the problem is the player, not your mp4 files. You may need to convert the MP4 file to a WMV file, or play it with a different video player such as VLC media player.

 

[starb37]

That worked, thanks for the suggestion!

 

[Jhp8]

I want to verify my understanding of the memory maker timelines are correct. I have gotten conflicting information and the most common answer I get from people I think is wrong after reviewing the first post here, the disney website, and the memory maker pdf book I am using. I am really second guessing myself since so many people tell me I have it wrong.

This is for a MM share.
First person gets their pictures taken on 3/16
Last person ends on 4/13

If the first person downloads on 3/20, we would be able to add pictures until 4/19 (30 days from the first download). My understanding is we would also be able to continue downloading pictures until they expire (45 days from being taken) even after 4/19. Said in another way, the pictures taken on 4/13 would be available for editing/download until 5/28.

Is my understanding correct?

 

[Tiggerlover91]

I did photopass/memory maker on my last trip to Disney for MNSSHP at Magic Kingdom and Food & Wine Festival at Epcot. Let me tell you, I will NEVER do it again. Amateur photographer's are taking photos at the parks, these photos were NOT good at all. Some of the photos were horrible. These people do not care about quality, they're just quickly snapping a photo and moving on. For the money that you pay, you should expect to get a few decent photos. It is the biggest waste of money. Anyone who is considering this, a family member with an iPhone, decent smart phone or personal camera can take better photos! I promise. Save the money and use it for something else on your vacation.

Sorry this did not work out for you, but I've had GREAT photos EVERY TIME I've purchased Memory Maker. They've gotten shots me nor my husband could have caught with our phone or camera.

 

[FoxC63]

I did photopass/memory maker on my last trip to Disney for MNSSHP at Magic Kingdom and Food & Wine Festival at Epcot. Let me tell you, I will NEVER do it again. Amateur photographer's are taking photos at the parks, these photos were NOT good at all. Some of the photos were horrible. These people do not care about quality, they're just quickly snapping a photo and moving on. For the money that you pay, you should expect to get a few decent photos. It is the biggest waste of money. Anyone who is considering this, a family member with an iPhone, decent smart phone or personal camera can take better photos! I promise. Save the money and use it for something else on your vacation.

I am sorry you had that experience, however, that is absolutely NOT the same experience everyone has. I have had Memory Maker for 10 different trips, and have gotten good photos every time. Not every photo, but plenty enough to justify buying the Memory Maker.

I hope you reached out to Disney when you saw the photos. I am quite sure they would make every attempt to make things right for you.

@Tomh , you and others may have had great experience on prior trips but @HausofDisney is specifically stating MNSSHP & F&W 2018. I assure you I feel the exact same, I too am very disappointed with our 2018 MNSSHP photos. They were the worst. Maybe a fluke, I'll take that into consideration even though it happened to me in 2017 as well.

• Too many images were blurry.
• Too dark and could not be lightened up.
• Missing many photos that could not be found.
• Attitude from the photographers were uncalled for.

These are not things we're making up. The bottom line, I would encourage people to contact Disney IMMEDIATELY if you don't like your photos not cross reference your prior trips as successful as that helps no one.

@HausofDisney - You still need to report this, it's never too late. Hopefully you can get a refund AND once reported they can look at the photos and find the photographers responsible who may need additional training. It would also further prevent this from happening to others. For me that is the main point for posting frustration of poor photos.

@Tomh Please know I have nothing but the highest respect for you. You really are amazing!

 

[Tomh]

@Tomh , you and others may have had great experience on prior trips but @HausofDisney is specifically stating MNSSHP & F&W 2018. I assure you I feel the exact same, I too am very disappointed with our 2018 MNSSHP photos. They were the worst. Maybe a fluke, I'll take that into consideration even though it happened to me in 2017 as well.

• Too many images were blurry.
• Too dark and could not be lightened up.
• Missing many photos that could not be found.
• Attitude from the photographers were uncalled for.

These are not things we're making up. The bottom line, I would encourage people to contact Disney IMMEDIATELY if you don't like your photos not cross reference your prior trips as successful as that helps no one.

@HausofDisney - You still need to report this, it's never too late. Hopefully you can get a refund AND once reported they can look at the photos and find the photographers responsible who may need additional training. It would also further prevent this from happening to others. For me that is the main point for posting frustration of poor photos.

@Tomh Please know I have nothing but the highest respect for you. You really are amazing!

I was there for MNSSHP 2018, and didn't have the same experience with photos. That being said, there are a LOT of photopass photographers, so it is completely possible for two people who are there during the same time frame to encounter all different photographers, and have drastically different experiences.

I agree that anyone who is unhappy with what they received for their money should absolutely contact Disney. Things will only get worse if people don't let them know they are not satisfied.

 

[cebfennell]

If I buy the memory maker half way through our trip, will I still get the pictures taken during the first half?