Everything you need to know about Disney Photopass, Orlando

What is a visit to Disney World without returning home with a bag stuffed with photos in front of iconic sights, and with your favourite characters?

The Disney Photopass service helps you capture amazing vacation photos at dozens of beautiful locations across the Disney theme parks, restaurants, water parks, and resorts. So you don’t have to worry about being a photographer yourself and can get on with enjoying your holiday; the Photopass team will make sure you have plenty of memories to take with you once your vacation is over.

This guide will tell you everything you need to know about using Disney Photopass, including; how it works, where to find photographers, how to get the best pics, and how to access your photos. The service differs between resorts, so this guide focuses on how to use the Disney Photopass at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.

What is the Disney Photopass?
How does it work?
Accessing photos
How much is it?
Memory Maker
Memory Maker One Day
Magic Shots
Attraction videos
Photopass locations
Vacation rentals near Disney

What exactly is the Disney Photopass?

Using the latest digital equipment and Disney-engineered technology, Disney Photopass gives guests the opportunity to have amazing professional photographs taken by special Disney photographers at dozens of iconic locations around Disney World Resort.

The service is simple and convenient. When you visit, you’ll see Photopass photographers throughout the various parks, at character meet-and-greets, select dining spots, Disney Springs, the water parks, and hotels. They’re pretty easy to spot with their clearly-marked jackets and cameras and are more than happy to take photos of you and your loved ones enjoying time together.

It’s a great way to ensure nobody gets left out of the picture, especially as selfie sticks are banned at Disney World. When you return home, your photos can be easily accessed, shared, and ordered online.

Photopass lenses, 360 and Super Zoom passes

A cool feature of the Photopass is the Disney Photopass lenses (which comes with Disney Genie +) This is a state-of-the-art augmented reality feature accessible on your mobile phone. Look out for special areas in the park, where you’ll be able to make magic happen right in front of your eyes. Characters could appear behind you to photobomb your images, or you might see the castle dressed as a cake. Anything is possible with this fun new feature.

Another awesome feature is the 360 and Super-zoom photo passes. To get in on the action, find the Super-zoom zone (there is one in every park), and a shot will be taken from a distance and zoomed into where you are standing. Similarly, the 360 shots show everything around you within one photo, as if you are standing on top of the world. These new features create unique souvenirs from your Disney vacation.

But that’s not all! There are also some exclusive 50th magic Photopass shots, to commemorate the anniversary of the park opening. Hold a bunch of 50th mickey balloons, blow confetti at the camera, or enjoy other party-centric snaps. Cast members give you hints on how to pose and then the magic happens.

If you’re staying at one of the fantastic resorts near Disney World you’ll benefit from access to a wide range of travel extras such as attraction tickets (with a free PhotoPass Memory Maker!).How do your photos get on your Disney Photopass?

When having photos taken by a Photopass photographer you can link them to your My Disney Experience account by touching your Magic Band, Memory Maker card, Disney Photopass card, or park admission ticket to the camera that the photographer is using.

For photos and videos taken on attractions, you’ll have your photos automatically associated with your account simply by wearing your Magic Band while experiencing the attraction. If you don’t have a Magic Band, you can manually link your ride photos by touching your park ticket or Memory Maker card to the touchpoint next to your picture at the ride’s photo preview wall.

Photopass Disney is a great way to capture all your vacation photos

Accessing your photos

By signing in to the online component of Disney Photopass, your vacation photos are linked together into one online account that you can use at your leisure to view, share and order photos. There’s also the option to add Disney-themed borders and special effects to your photos. You can also buy a range of personalized products such as mugs, cards, and calendars.

How much does Photopass cost?

The Disney Photopass service is complimentary, and you are under no obligation to buy any photos. You can still view and share them online with friends and family for up to 30 days. What’s more, feel free to ask Disney Photopass photographers to take a photo using your own camera. Most often they are happy to oblige and you will have a fantastic free photo with your whole party in.

If you do decide to buy any Photopass pictures, you can order individual prints for around $17-$21. Alternatively, you can buy digital downloads of them all with Memory Maker.

So, what’s Memory Maker?

Disney’s Memory Maker is an add-on package that lets you collect, view, download, and also share all of the photos linked to your My Disney Experience account. You’re able to download digital copies of every single photo taken of you by Disney Photopass photographers during your chosen Memory Maker time frame (either 1 day or 30 days) for one price.

What’s the difference between Disney Photopass and Memory Maker?

You may have heard the terms Disney Photopass and Memory Maker used interchangeably, so it can be a little confusing. Just remember that Photopass is the name of the overall service through which you can buy personalized products and individual prints, while Memory Maker is the name of the add-on package containing all of your Photopass pictures in digital format.

With Memory Maker, you can also download images and other digital content from Family and friends connections who choose to share it in your My Disney Experience account. You can also download attraction videos and other exclusive extras such as Animated Magic Shots.

Check out tickets with a free Disney Photopass Memory Maker.

If you just want to capture the photos from a single day or special event, Disney now offers Memory Maker One Day.

Memory Maker One Day

Disney World Photopass gets everyone in the picture

If you’re visiting Disney World for a shorter time, you can get Memory Maker One Day. With this, you’ll get unlimited digital downloads from a single day, including downloads for all photos captured by Disney Photopass photographers, at character meet-and-greets, and select attractions and dining locations.

You have the option to purchase it in the My Disney Experience mobile app once you’ve linked at least one Disney Photopass photo to your account from the day, or at the theme park ticket windows and Photopass Centers.

How to add Memory Maker to your Disney Experience app

The first step is to make sure that you have downloaded the My Disney Experience app so that you can access the Memory Maker. Once you have purchased the Memory Maker, you will need to link it to your account the app in order to use it. Simply sign in to your account, before opening the My Reservations and Tickets tab. Find Memory Maker and then enter your Memory Maker ID or ticket order number.

If you purchase a Memory Maker with your tickets then it’ll be linked to them. All you have to do then is link your tickets to the My Disney Experience app, and your Memory Maker will be there.

Photopass add-ons

Magic Shots

Magic Shots are Photopass photos that are digitally enhanced to include a ‘magical’ element like a cartoon character, a fun sticker, or a dazzling special effect. Not every Photopass photographer can do these but you’ll find a number of designated Magic Shots locations around the parks, each one offering ‘magic that’s themed around where the photo is taken.

With Magic Shots, you really have to take part in the creative process to get the best results. That’s the fun of them. Your photographer will ask you to do a number of different poses so that the magical element will look like it’s really there. It’s a great way to enjoy some family fun and the end results are definitely worth all the posing!

Animated Magic Shots

Animated Magic Shots are just like Magic Shots but with some added Disney animation. When visiting select locations such as behind Spaceship Earth at Epcot, you can ask a Disney PhotoPass photographer for an Animated Magic Shot. Once your view your photos online you’ll be amazed to see animated Disney characters moving around and interacting with you in the photos.

Disney Photopass Magic Shots are fun for all the family

Attraction videos on Disney Photopass

Disney Photopass service doesn’t just offer photos. You can also get videos at select attractions. These are taken using in-built video capture technology and are the perfect way to help you re-live the thrills and cure any post-vacation blues. These are available on the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at Magic Kingdom and on the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

If you’re wearing a Magic Band that’s linked to your My Disney Experience account while riding either of these attractions, you’ll find a video in your account not long after riding. You’ll be able to view your videos in the My Disney Experience mobile app and also in your Photopass account; however, an active Memory Maker or Memory Maker One day is required to download and share them.

The best Disney Photopass locations at Disney World

This summer, Disney Photopass is available at more locations than ever before. The resort has added dozens of new photo and video opportunities to the existing offering, including Magic Shots locations themed around The Lion King, a new photo and video experience in front of Cinderella Castle, a photo capture opportunity onboard the Haunted Mansion, and new Animated Magic Shots at select character experiences.

Disney Photopass locations around Disney World

Here’s a list of our favorite Disney Photopass locations: