What Is PhotoPass?
PhotoPass is a service at Disney World where you get a card that allows you to access photographs that Disney photographers take of you and your family. Disney photographers are located throughout the Disney parks – especially around iconic location like in front of Cinderella Castle at the Magic Kingdom or in front of the Tree Of Life at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. When you see a Disney PhotoPass photographer, you give them your PhotoPass card. They then take multiple pictures of your family. When you get home, you use the ID on your PhotoPass card to view your pictures on the PhotoPass website.
Basic PhotoPass Is Free
Disney takes the photos for free, and you can view them for free and even e-mail them or share them on Facebook – all for free. If you want to purchase a “photo product” (like your picture on a coffee mug or in a book), then you can order it from the site.
While having your photos taken and browsing them is still free, PhotoPass+ costs $199. What do you get for that money? Like with other packages, you get a PhotoPass CD that contains all the photos taken on your Disney World vacation (up to 14 days worth).
What Extras Does PhotoPass+ Give You?
You get all the photos taken on attractions – the action shots automatically snapped at places including:
- Magic Kingdom attractions: Splash Mountain, Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, Space Mountain
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom attractions: Dinosaur, Expedition Everest
- Disney’s Hollywood Studios attractions: Rock ‘n Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
In addition, you get all the photos taken at select Disney character dining events:
- Cinderella’s Royal Table in the Cinderella Castle at the Magic Kingdom
- Princess Storybook Dining at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall at Epcot
- 1900 Park Fare at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa
- Tusker House Restaurant (breakfast only) at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
- Ohana (breakfast only) and Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show at Disney’s Polynesian Resort
- Chef Mickey’s at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
- Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue at Disney’s Fort Wilderness
You also get a special PhotoPass+ card and lanyard, and some stock photos.
Purchasing PhotoPass+
Interestingly, right now you can only purchase PhotoPass+ inside the Disney World parks. And in order to include the character dining or attraction photos, you need to present your PhotoPass+ card.
Is It Worth It?
Disney charges close to $20 for ride photos – which includes either an 8X10 or a 5X7 plus four wallet photos. If you plan to purchase lots of ride photos, it may just be less expensive to collect them on PhotoPass and them print them out on your local drug store.
Many folks report that they end up fewer than 100 PhotoPass pictures from their vacation. If you get that many, you are paying about $2 per photo, but some of those are sure to be ones you don’t really want.
PhotoPass+ might be a good deal for you if:
- You plan an extended vacation
- You plan to seek out every opportunity to have a PhotoPass photographer take your picture
- You plan to attend multiple Disney character dining events
- You really enjoy the photos taken on attractions
- You want digital access to all the photos taken so that you don’t have to pick and choose
If that sounds like you, consider purchasing a PhotoPass+. Otherwise, you might get a better deal by purchasing a different package.