What is the deal with PHOTOS About This Page:

[awrightsel]

I can't believe I am going to admit it, but here I go. Disney has me hooked on their photos. I have purchased the photopass CD on our last 3 WDW trips and I love it! I remember in 2003 when we cruised that I spent a fortune on pics from Shutters and all I have for it are the prints I purchased. I know that photopass is currently not available on the cruise ships so I am not going to hold my breath for that to change. But do they have pricing on the ships that will allow you purchase all photos and get them on a disk and not have to give them your first born or your right arm or worse BOTH? Any pricing information on photos from Shutters would be wonderful!

Thanks!!!

[Tracyvp]

As of 3 weeks ago there was no option that I saw to do that. We purchased the smaller package that gave you 10 6 x 8 photos for around $90. Unfortunately dh accidentally packed the photos the night before, and we couldn't remember how many we had. When we got home we found that we had only ever chosen 4 photos. How sucky is that???

My pet peeve is that you can't choose the sizes of you photos. I really don't like 8 x 10 photos, and a lot of the time that's what they print. If you like the photo you're stuck with that size. That's how come we only found 4 in the size we wanted! (In reality we had 3 6 x 8 and one 8 x 10. I guess dh had planned to go switch to a different package, but alas! it never happened)

Photopass would make SO much more sense!

[MelissaL]

We were told on our cruise that if you bought a package but later decided you wouldn't find enough photos that you wanted, you could get a refund and pay only for the photos you wanted. You can also exchange photos if, for example, you select all of the photos for your package in the first 2 days but find a photo you really want on a later day.

I too wish there were a way to purchase a CD with all of the images. I suspect that with the constant influx of new passengers and a limited photo staff, it would be difficult to assemble CDs for each person or group that wanted one, because that would mean knowing which photos went with which people. But we can dream...

Melissa

[chezp]

Originally Posted by MelissaL

We were told on our cruise that if you bought a package but later decided you wouldn't find enough photos that you wanted, you could get a refund and pay only for the photos you wanted. You can also exchange photos if, for example, you select all of the photos for your package in the first 2 days but find a photo you really want on a later day.

That's exactly how it worked when we were on the Med cruise last year.

[OffKilter_Lynn]

One huge thing to keep in mind…the smaller prints, while costing less, are 6”x8” NOT the standard 5”x7”! You will have an impossible time finding frames when you get home (unless you buy from DCL, of course!) or have custom mats made for an 8”x10” frame! If you’re going to scrapbook the photos, then it’s not an issue (as long is you use bigger pages).

Single Photo Prices:

6x8 photos $9.95 each.
8x10 photos $19.95 each.

Package Prices: 6x8 Photo Packages

10 photos - $84.95 ($15 saving)
15 photos - $119.95 ($30 saving)
20 photos - $149.95 ($50 saving)
30 photos - $219.95 ($80 saving)

8x10 Photo Packages

5 photos - $84.95 ($15 saving)
10 photos - $149.95 ($50 saving)
15 photos - $219.95 ($80 saving)
20 photos - $289.95 ($110 saving)

Mixed Photo Packages

A - $169.95 (save $40) - Any 5 - 6x8 photos & Any 8 - 8x10 photos
B - $239.95 (save $79) - Any 8 - 6x8 photos & Any 12 - 8x10 photos
C - $299.95 (save $119) - Any 12 - 6x8 photos & Any 15 - 8x10 photos

All photo packages are refundable – if you don’t find enough photos you like in the quantity you bought, the difference will be refunded. You can also upgrade to a higher package if you find you'll want more pictures.

They also offer photo cards (cards are 4” x 8”) – have your Christmas cards done now!

40 cards - $39.95
100 cards - $69.95
200 cards - $119.95

Other services include film developing & processing ($10 for 24 4”x6” prints or $0.40 each); transfer digital photos to CD for @$15, 2D crystals for $59.95 (includes $50 of gifts).

If you'll want reprints made of the photos you buy onboard, you'll need a photo release: https://www.image.com/html/guest-pos...eleaseForm.cfm

The reason photopass isn't offered is the photography is run by a contracted provider (The Image Group). The photographers are employed by The Image Group, not DCL. PhotoPass is Disney's technology and I'm sure it's more cost-effective for them to contract out the photography (and spa) services then operate it themselves.

Photos are a huge part of my onboard budget! I always have a portrait session done before dinner, especially on formal night. Check your navigator for times and plan on getting their EARLY!

[WDWfan]

I'll also mention that the 6x8s tend to be the photos with the characaters. 8x10s are the formal pictures, a few special character shots, dining room shots and your boarding picture. I also spend a fair amount on pictures on the CP cruise. One of the best deals they offer is the "friends and Family" page. If you buy and 8x10 (not sure if they can do it with a 6x8 or not) you can get a page of the same print for 19.95 that has 2 5x7 and 3 wallet pictures. I had that done with a couple of the portrait shots I had taken.

[emtpej]

Originally Posted by OffKilter_Lynn

They also offer photo cards (cards are 4” x 8”) – have your Christmas cards done now!

40 cards - $39.95
100 cards - $69.95
200 cards - $119.95

Lynn, thanks for that info. Maybe we will get our Christmas Cards done on the cruise.

[Tracyvp]

Originally Posted by MelissaL

We were told on our cruise that if you bought a package but later decided you wouldn't find enough photos that you wanted, you could get a refund and pay only for the photos you wanted. You can also exchange photos if, for example, you select all of the photos for your package in the first 2 days but find a photo you really want on a later day.

Melissa

This is absolutely the case. Our problem was that we had packed away our whole folder, including the pictures and the receipt, so we were unable to take anything to Shutters for an adjustment.

[awrightsel]

Sounds like I need to start saving all of my pennies. If Disney did not take pictures you would not know that I have ever been on a vacation with my family. DH just does not take good people pics. Plus I am terrible at picking, I want them all!

[OffKilter_Lynn]

Originally Posted by awrightsel

Sounds like I need to start saving all of my pennies.

Most definitely! It's scary when your photo purchase ends up being bigger than your BAR TAB!!

I'm grateful for the photos, too - otherwise I'd never be in any of them as I'm normally the one behind the camera.

[YoHoTales40]

Originally Posted by OffKilter_Lynn

The reason photopass isn't offered is the photography is run by a contracted provider (The Image Group). The photographers are employed by The Image Group, not DCL. PhotoPass is Disney's technology and I'm sure it's more cost-effective for them to contract out the photography (and spa) services then operate it themselves.

Yep, I was going to mention this. We just found this out on our recent cruise after having a very nice conversation with one of the photographers at Shutters during a slow time.

[awrightsel]

I started looking back at our pictures from the last cruise and I was not in a single family picture taken with my camera. I know that the photo folks whole thing is to take your pic and you buy them. I got that! Don't worry photo folks I will pay you plenty. I have full intensions of buying the large amout of pics and hoping I'm not leaving too many, but I still want some pics with my own camera that I so that I have digitally. Is it like it is at the parks and there is a handler for Mickey who would not mind if you asked them to take a pic with your personal camera?

[OffKilter_Lynn]

Yes, there is someone available to take pictures with your camera. For character meets, there will be a handler and photographer, just like in the parks.

[Marv]

Lynn, thanks so much for posting the link for the permission to reprint pics. We just got back from our cruise and I was planning to do a search to find it and you saved me so much time. I now have the release in my hand!

Unlike most folks, we only bought 3 pictures. My kids are 12 and 15 and we only had 3 sets of photos taken, ha! I knew there was the online release, so rather than buy the package for 85.00, we just bought the 3 individually (paid 60.00) and will reprint ones in the sizes we want to give to family and for our Christmas cards. We did, however, buy tons on our cruise when the kids were littler! Guess this time around I could spend extra on my bar tab, ha! The kids loved their trip and we had a hard time getting them out of the stack and ocean quest! DH and I haven't talked so much since before we had kids, 15 years ago!

[minushka72]

Originally Posted by awrightsel

I started looking back at our pictures from the last cruise and I was not in a single family picture taken with my camera. I know that the photo folks whole thing is to take your pic and you buy them. I got that! Don't worry photo folks I will pay you plenty. I have full intensions of buying the large amout of pics and hoping I'm not leaving too many, but I still want some pics with my own camera that I so that I have digitally. Is it like it is at the parks and there is a handler for Mickey who would not mind if you asked them to take a pic with your personal camera?

This works for the character shots because the handler is a Disney employee and they will use your camera. We had trouble with the formals though because the CM was not nearby and the photographer said he was only allowed to use the company camera due to liability issues.