People constantly ask all sorts of questions about Disney's PhotoPass service, so here is a primer on the PhotoPass system:
What is PhotoPass?
Disney's PhotoPass is a system of roving photographers in the Walt Disney World and Disneyland parks who take your photo for free in the hope that you will purchase the photos later.
PhotoPass is a 21st Century digital version of the old roving photographers who could be found at the park entrances, and at places like the boardwalk and beach in Atlantic City, Rehobath, Ocean City, Virginia Beach, etc. Those photographers would take your picture and give you a slip of paper so that you could claim the photo later, but Disney has added some terrific new wrinkles to that model with PhotoPass.
Here's how PhotoPass works:
Upon entering a Disney park, find a PhotoPass photographer and have your picture taken.
Get a PhotoPass card (a barcoded card the size and shape of a credit card) from the photographer.
The photographer will swipe the card with a device attached to the camera, associating the card with the pictures in the PhotoPass computer system.
Later, you can view your pics in two ways:
At one of several PhotoPass viewing stations located in the parks
Upload your own digital photos for use in Photobook albums and other products
Buy various products made from your PhotoPass pics and/or your uploaded personal photos, including:
4x6 Prints (2) - 14.95
5x7 Prints - $12.95
8x10 Prints - $16.95
5x7+4 wallets package - $19.95
16x20 Prints - $29.95
Customizable Photobook album
Custom Cover Photo Book (3 colors available, includes a photo) - $79.95
Disney Parks & Resorts Professional photo album (can include PhotoPass pics, uploaded photos, and stock images) - $74.95
Disney Parks & Resorts Personal photo album (can include ONLY your uploaded photos) - $49.95
Adventures by Disney (foil-stamped cover) - $74.95
Hi-res Photo Download, one file ($14.95)
Photo CD with all of your PhotoPass pics on it at full resolution (includes ONLY PhotoPass pics, not your uploaded photos) - $149.95
Personal Archive CD (includes ONLY your uploaded photos and any modified copies you make) - $19.95
Disney's Photo Gallery CD (includes ONLY Disney stock images from the PhotoPass web site) - $39.95
NOTE: The lineup of available products changes constantly. Check the Disney PhotoPass web site for a current list of available products.
General Details
PhotoPass is the name of the entire system, including the photographers, the cards, the prints, the web site, etc.
Getting your pics taken by PhotoPass photographers is free.
The PhotoPass cards are free. You can get one from any PhotoPass photographer.
PhotoPass cards come in two form-factors - credit-card size, and a smaller square on a coiled wristband (see pics at the top of the page) Both work the same and both can be used anywhere.
You can still use the PhotoPass cards from those previous trips. The cards are just barcodes with serial numbers that act as an ID tag to help you claim your pics, and they can be used over and over again.
Be sure to write down the number from each card, in case you lose one. With the number, you can still claim any pics that are associated with the card, even if you lost the card. AllEarsNet recommends taking a digital pic of the back of each PP card with your own camera as soon as you get it, that way you can look up the number while you are inside the parks and view your pics at one of the PhotoPass viewing stations.
PhotoPass pics are shot with a Nikon D70s at a resolution of 2000x3008, or 6 megapixels.
File sizes range from 600k up to 1.6mb (they are JPGs, so the size depends on the subject of the pic).
You can add as many PhotoPass cards to your account as you like.
You can add PhotoPass cards from Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and the World of Disney store in Manhattan to your account.
Where can I find PhotoPass photographers?
At Walt Disney World, PhotoPass photographers can generally be found (partial list):
Currently, Test Track is the only ride photo on the PhotoPass system. Additional rides were to be added over the a two year period starting in spring 2008, starting with rides that do not already have photo capability as of November 2009, had not yet begun.
In various places inside the Magic Kingdom during after hours functions such as Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween party, and Disney's Pirate and Princess Party
Blizzard Beach
Typhoon Lagoon
Magic Kingdom
Along Main Street USA
At the Partners statue in the Hub
With characters at Ariel's Grotto
With characters in Mickey's Toontown Fair
Outside Crystal Palace during MVMCP and MNSSHP
Outside Pirates of the Caribbean during PPP
Epcot
At the fountain inside the park entrance
At the Fountain of Nations
Along the walkway to World Showcase
Near the entrance to the Seas with Nemo
With each character at Character Connection
Throughout World Showcase
Accompanying various Characters at designated Meet and Greet locations in the Park
Disney-MGM Studios
Along Hollywood Boulevard
Along Sunset Boulevard
With characters at Al's Toy Barn
With characters at the Mickey Meet and Greet on Mickey Avenue
Disney's Animal Kingdom
Outside the main entrance
At the Oasis near the Tree of Life (they add Simba to this pic)
Camp Minnie Mickey
The Character Landing
At Disneyland, PhotoPass photographers can generally be found (partial list):
Disneyland Park
Main Street USA
In the Hub
Disney's California Adventure
Outside the entrance near the California letters
The Greetings from California shop
How does the picture-taking part work?
Just find and approach a PhotoPass photographer. They may have other Guests already queued up to get pics, or they may be standing around, waiting for you. Just ask to get your pic taken.
When you have a pic taken, the photographer swipes your card on his camera, which associates that card with that pic in the computer.
At Test Track, you swipe your card in a slot under the viewing screens when you exit the ride.
The pics are not stored on the card.
You can swipe as many pics as you want onto one card.
You can swipe multiple cards on the same pic, so that everybody in a group shot can have the pic associated with their cards.
The PhotoPass photographers will take your pic with your own camera as well as theirs - just ask.
What next?
You have 30 days to claim your pics by entering your PhotoPass card numbers into a PhotoPass account; after 30 days, unclaimed photos are deleted
After you claim your photos, you have 30 days to modify them and order products; 30 days after you claim them, the pics are deleted.
After you have a bunch of pics associated with your card, you can view them at one of the PhotoPass viewing stations.
Viewing stations can be found at:
Camera centers at each of the four theme parks
Both water parks
Downtown Disney Marketplace
M. Mouse Mercantile at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa.
Back Home
Whether you look at your pics at the viewing station or not, you can also view your pics online at the PhotoPass web site (www.disneyPhotoPass.com).
You must first create an account on the site (which is free)
Enter the numbers of all of your family's PhotoPass cards. As you add a card, all of the pics associated with that card will be added to your account; this is called "claiming" your pics.
Once you have claimed all your pics, you can do the same stuff that you can do at the viewing stations - add graphics, crop, order prints and other products, or buy the CD.
Prices online are the same as in the parks.
After your pics are taken, you have 30 days to claim them on the web site, or they will be deleted.
After you claim them, you have 30 days to customize them and order products. After 30 days, the pics are deleted, whether you have ordered products or not.
PhotoPass PhotoCD
The CD costs $149.95
The CD will contain all of your pics in hi-res JPG format, suitable for printing
If your pics will not all fit on one CD, your pics will be split onto multiple CDs at no extra charge (I've gotten as many as 3 CDs in one order)
The CD will contain a legal release giving you full ownership of the pics so that you can legally have them printed anywhere you want
The CD will include all of the PhotoPass pics from one account, including any copies you make with borders and signature graphics added
The CD will NOT include any Disney stock photos - to get these, order the Disney's Photo Gallery CD for $39.95
The CD will NOT include any of your own photos that you might upload to the PhotoPass web site - to get these, order the Personal Archive CD for $19.95
Disney PhotoPass customer service can be reached via this phone number: 407-560-6068. You will have to leave a message, and PhotoPass will call you back; be sure to speak slowly and leave your phone number and only a brief description of your problem.
