Disney's Photopass

Gone are the days when you would have to keep track of endless slips of paper so that you could claim the photos taken by Disney's photographers. Disney has created a system where a photographer can snap a picture of you and scan a barcode on your Photopass and voila! In addition to getting pictures printed in the parks you can access them online and order prints and various other items like mugs and scrapbooks.
Disney's PhotoPass Cards
So how do you get a Photopass?
Look for a Disney photographer as soon as you enter the parks, have your picture taken and they will give you a Photopass with a unique ID number on it. This will be your Photopass for your vacation (if you forget your Photopass at your resort you can always ask for another one and have them combined).

*Tip: Write down your ID number or take a picture of it with your phone in case you lose it, then you can still access the photos on that card.

Check out these maps of where Disney photographers are located so you can plan before you go!

Photopass Discounts and Promotions
Disney will run promotions on it's Photopass website from time to time including a 10% discount off of a photo cd, a $25 discount on a $100 order, and a $10 discount on a $50 order.

If you attend one of the special parties at Disney such as Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party and Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party you'll get a card for that event. The special card will get you a 40% discount on the photos from that party. You can then have all the rest of your photos transferred onto to that Photopass and get the discount that way.

PhotoPass Helps Caputure Your Memories

Advantages and Disadvantages

Photopass Advantages:

• You get professional quality of photos of your Disney vacation.
• You don't have to carry around a heavy camera bag or take up space in your backpack or purse.
• You can get photos with a "magical" element. Sometimes the Disney photographers will have you pose in a weird way but when you look at your photos you can see the "magical" extras added to your photos, like Mickey balloons, Tinkerbell, Figment, and Simba or even Tinkerbell wings!

Disadvantages to Photopass:

• Missing photos. There have been reports of people missing photos because of technology mishaps. It is a good idea to check your photos before you leave your resort. If you bring your own camera you can get the same shots so you know that you have the photos.
• The cost. Hands down it will be cheaper if you bring your own camera and take your own photos but they might not be the same quality as the ones taken by Disney photographers.
• There may not be photographers at a location where you want a picture, and if you don't have your own camera with you this could be a big issue.

So Yes or No to Photopass?
I would have to say that using Photopass can make your vacation that much more relaxing. Why not have the photos taken? If you bring your own camera and get some of the same shots then you don't have to pay for the Disney photos if you don't want them.

Do you use Photopass? Would you recommend it?