Magic Kingdom Photo Session (Question for Past Brides)

[TiffinyKaye]

Hi Everyone!

So my fiance and I are in the process of talking with a Disney wedding coordinator to get a contract signed by December 8th (for a 2014 wedding). We are trying to figure out all the elements we want, and I wanted to find out some information about the Magic Kingdom photo session. For me and my fiance, having Mickey and Minnie at the wedding reception, and the photo session in front of the castle, are the ABSOLUTE deal breakers for the Disney wedding. We would be okay with just Mickey and Minnie if it came down to it...but before spending the money on the photo session, I wanted to ask if anyone felt it was worth it.

The reason I ask is because I have fallen for the “hype” on the Disney Fine Art & Photography examples on their website. Those photos are BEAUTIFUL and it looks like the brides just walked into a freaking fairy tale (because they’re close to the castle, and the photos are photoshopped up the wazoo). That’s what I want. I want something so overly photoshopped that *I* look gorgeous on my wedding day, and my pictures look AMAZING.

I came across advice from another bride though that the pictures don’t necessarily turn out that way though. I did a quick Google search and DID find Magic Kingdom session photos that are…far from what I would consider “standard” for Disney. That said, it looked like those couples used their own photographers, as opposed to Disney’s photography service. Do we know if you bring your own photographer, they don’t let you get up close to the castle? We planned on using Disney’s people anyway (we’re out of state…so it’d be a pain in the butt to bring someone with us).
Please let me know, people with past experience! Thank you!

Tiffiny

 

[andeesings]

You can't bring your own photographer period. Magic Kingdom portrait sessions must use Disney photography.

 

[sambycat]

The pictures on their website are the exceptions not the rule would be my response. We used disney for the MK photo shoot only and while we did get a number of very special pictures that I am glad we have, the number approaching the quality of those on their website is well less than any? Given, I'm no model, so that is part of it - I still look like me! Ha! We are so glad we did it, but I think what you have to weigh is having one or two really special pictures amongst a few handfuls of ok ones for the cost. And there are brides they had like no acceptable pictures as well. There are probably 6 pictures out of ?60 or 100 total I liked whereas our wedding pics I loved most of them (yay David and Vicky!)

 

[TiffinyKaye]

The pictures on their website are the exceptions not the rule would be my response. We used disney for the MK photo shoot only and while we did get a number of very special pictures that I am glad we have, the number approaching the quality of those on their website is well less than any? Given, I'm no model, so that is part of it - I still look like me! Ha! We are so glad we did it, but I think what you have to weigh is having one or two really special pictures amongst a few handfuls of ok ones for the cost. And there are brides they had like no acceptable pictures as well. There are probably 6 pictures out of ?60 or 100 total I liked whereas our wedding pics I loved most of them (yay David and Vicky!)

Do you have your pictures linked anywhere, Sambycat? I'm really nervous now about forking out the money if my pictures aren't going to meet the advertising...

 

[wiigirl]

You can't bring your own photographer period. Magic Kingdom portrait sessions must use Disney photography.

Exactly...

 

[sambycat]

I'm on my phone so I don't know if this will work but this is the money shot from out shoot -

 

[sambycat]

Ok that didn't work!

 

[Bewitch324]

I love this shot Lisa and I think you look beautiful!

Brooke

 

[1EvilQueenfan]

Ok that didn't work! http://s204.photobucket.com/user/sambycat/media/PSMKpic.jpg.html

Great picture!! Who was your photographer? We have out MK shoot scheduled for Jan 25!!

Thanks
Jodi

 

[TiffinyKaye]

I agree that's lovely!


Okay--new question then. I actually called Disney Fine Art & Photography today to let them know that they're kind of the final thing I need to make sure of (aside from budget) that this is really happening. I let them know that I had seem some of their work on MK bridal sessions and was less than impressed (for example, LurkyLoo's portraits). I asked them if they could make my pictures look like the stuff on their website...that dreamy, ethereal, walked-into-a-fairy-tale look. They were all like, "Oh yeah! Of course we can!"

At first, I was wary to listen to this promise...and still want more of an assurance from my consultant before I actually sign a contract. I told my fiance the story, and he actually suggested that maybe the reason the Disney website photos look so incredible is because they're super retouched (which, of course, obviously). He suggested that maybe one of the reasons that everyone else's MK sessions didn't look INCREDIBLE was because they didn't pay for re-touching...which makes me wonder...

Does Disney charge extra to re-touch? Am I looking at an extra $1,000 in re-touching my images so that I am not upset to look at them in fifteen years and think, "Why did I spend so much money for a session to have it not look like a fairy tale?!"

I will admit it...I am a bridezilla. I'm trying not to be super annoying...I just feel like when you're looking at spending crazy amounts of money (by most people's standard)--there's an expectation that should be met by the vendor. Disney is no exception...

Tiffiny

 

[impromptudisneybride]

I agree that's lovely!


Okay--new question then. I actually called Disney Fine Art & Photography today to let them know that they're kind of the final thing I need to make sure of (aside from budget) that this is really happening. I let them know that I had seem some of their work on MK bridal sessions and was less than impressed (for example, LurkyLoo's portraits). I asked them if they could make my pictures look like the stuff on their website...that dreamy, ethereal, walked-into-a-fairy-tale look. They were all like, "Oh yeah! Of course we can!"

At first, I was wary to listen to this promise...and still want more of an assurance from my consultant before I actually sign a contract. I told my fiance the story, and he actually suggested that maybe the reason the Disney website photos look so incredible is because they're super retouched (which, of course, obviously). He suggested that maybe one of the reasons that everyone else's MK sessions didn't look INCREDIBLE was because they didn't pay for re-touching...which makes me wonder...

Does Disney charge extra to re-touch? Am I looking at an extra $1,000 in re-touching my images so that I am not upset to look at them in fifteen years and think, "Why did I spend so much money for a session to have it not look like a fairy tale?!"

I will admit it...I am a bridezilla. I'm trying not to be super annoying...I just feel like when you're looking at spending crazy amounts of money (by most people's standard)--there's an expectation that should be met by the vendor. Disney is no exception...

Tiffiny

I think you SHOULD be a bridezilla when it comes to this. Your photography is the thing that you get to have to remember this for the rest of your life... visually. Sure you have the memories... but the pictures are priceless if you ask me. And if I were spending upwards of 2k on a MK photo shoot... I'd want perfection too. That's not being bridezilla!

 

[TiffinyKaye]

I think you SHOULD be a bridezilla when it comes to this. Your photography is the thing that you get to have to remember this for the rest of your life... visually. Sure you have the memories... but the pictures are priceless if you ask me. And if I were spending upwards of 2k on a MK photo shoot... I'd want perfection too. That's not being bridezilla!

I feel like, if anything, I should be uppity about the pictures more than anything. I just wonder how to MAKE SURE that Disney doesn't just crank out the photos looking like ANYONE could have taken them. Does anyone know if they charge extra for retouching?

Tiffiny

 

[CMA21]

I just had my wedding last month and had the Mk Photoshoot. As far as I know they don't charge additionally for re-touching. They take the pictures, then edit as they see fit, and then they give them back to you. If you want additional edits you might be able to ask for a few touch-ups.

I personally love my pictures, and although I don't know that they're overly re-touched, they did do some editing on them and I love them. I'm also in the profession of digital design though, if need be I knew I could also just edit and re-touch them to be exactly what I wanted.

If you have any questions though, I'd be happy to answer them! (And you have every right to be a bridezella on your wedding day when you pay this much money )

 

[Lorelei528]

No, they don't charge extra for retouching....we had Regina for our MK and EPCOT shoots and we loved her, but now she is on her own, so she is no longer with DPS.

Here are some of ours, you can see the retouching in most of these I think...

 

[TiffinyKaye]

Okay Lorelei--you have me sold. I will just do Disney then. I'm sad that the photographer is no longer there. I LOVE your pictures. I will have to just insist that they do as much as they can to make my pictures pop like the ones on the website.

Has anyone had Ty? I've looked at a couple of the photogs' work, and I"m impressed with his.

Who is best?

Tiffiny

 

[sambycat]

Great pictures! Re: photo shop- I'm sure basic enhancements are included, but "extra" photo shop was at the time charged at $75/hour I personally didn't feel that the lamp tumor growing out of my hubby's head is something we should have been billed for and we did have to lobby for that to be done without charge. YMMV

 

[TiffinyKaye]

So interesting to hear the horror stories about photography with Disney. I think I'm going to ask that question of my consultant when I talk with her Friday. They either need to guarantee me up front that I'm not going to have lousy photos, or no wedding. I'll go to Swan & Dolphin and do a wedding with Mickey & Minnie and then STILL have money left over for the vacation!



Tiffiny

 

[lurkyloo]

The trouble is, what you consider a lousy photo and what they consider a lousy photo is different. I spent 6 months going back and forth with them over our seriously awful photos, and they just kept telling me they didn't see anything wrong with them. I sent a 16-page document with side-by-side comparisons of my photos and others' and got the same reply. There's no accounting for taste…

 

[orion2185]

The lack of quality control with Disney world photography is one of the major factors that pushed us toward Aulain.
We have spent over a year researching and planing and of course the dis boards have been more than helpful.

There have been too many cases of past Disney wedding couples that had horrendous photos taken. Let's be realistic here folks...I could train a monkey to take better pics than majority of what we have seen Disney produce. Or, really set up the camera and use the timer function and I would say we still would get better photos than Disney.

Then in our dealings with them...there are some many restrictions and limitations...as we had some pretty specific ideas/things we wanted to do....and Disney came back with it can't be done ...bla bla bla
You pretty much don't have too much say..your under that control of your Disney photographer.

Now of course there are some amazing photos done by Disney. But we feel these are done to "sell" you on using Disney. In fact, allot of the photos that are all over the Internet are unfortunately staged photos.that were in fact paid models and Disney had outside photographers take the photos. Used solely for marketing purposes.

This is not speculation but fact...as we have a couple of friends who are in high ranking positions for Disney company.
As well as I have worked with Disney on a number of projects for various devisions of the company.

The amount of money you pay gives you that sense of entitlement for great photos. And to be honest it's not a sense of entitlement...it's what you should get.

The fact that you get a random photographer (requesting someone can be done...but it's hit or miss)
From what we have been told by cast member friends..you pretty much can be given a basic course on using the camera and then your a photographer.
And anyone who's says different is delusional.

Some of these people just don't know basic photography...and the proof is in their photos
Shots not cropped correctly cutting peoples heads off...land so much more.

We go the impression with the in park bridal photos...that's it's just snap and take the photos and you might end up with a few good ones
Quantity over quality appears to be what they do
Since your working with such a limited amount of time.

While we have never personally done the bridal photos..we have spoken with a number of couples who did...and I don't think one of them had anything. Good to say. Other than the fact they had the experience...but no where lives up to your expectations nor the price tag. While I know everyone has different expectations...you should at bare minimum get professional and useable photos.

It's really sad to see that Disney does not stand by its products and what it produces.
The whole Disney wedding business model is based around this same mindset. We don't have to produce quality as we have some many people waiting in line. We just want to take your money and you get what you get. If you don't like it...there is another couple who is eagerly waiting

It's a difficult choice to pay all that money to gamble on what your going to end up with.

Don't get us wrong. We love Disney and they can certainly produce an amazing event
It's just very difficult at times to get the result that one should at the price point you are paying.

The whole Disney wedding business is getting a total revamp and excited to see that Disney is acknowledging there are problems with its wedding events
And is working to correct these issues. Hopefully that means things are,looking up for us the end consumer.

Just our Two cents

 

[Lorelei528]

While we have never personally done the bridal photos..we have spoken with a number of couples who did...and I don't think one of them had anything. Good to say. Other than the fact they had the experience...but no where lives up to your expectations nor the price tag.

Maybe not, but we actually enjoyed our MK and EPCOT shoots a lot and totally think we got what we paid for. Also I never had any service issues with DPS either before or after our wedding. I was ordering products for months and years after. I even got a few free prints. Pixie dust I guess?

So, I guess it's a good thing you didn't talk to me or DH, as then you couldn't say not one couple you spoke to had anything good to say!

I could poke holes in a lot of what you wrote, but I'll leave my post at this. Just because NO one you asked had anything good to say about their bridal shoot or DPS for their wedding, doesn't mean there IS nothing good about hiring DPS.

And yes, I do admit, there have been some pretty major F*ups by them with brides I'm familiar with and it sucks, and is inexcusable. Especially for the $ they charge....