Select photopass locations to be replaced by automated cameras

[Disneybiginner]

True. In which case, my guess is M&Gs will become timed. The camera will be set to go off automatically at certain intervals, so meet and greets will be rushed along to keep up with that. Just another factory assembly line production. Step forward. Quick hug. Turn to face camera. Smile. Walk off. Next...

That sounds awful! Magic is dead right here! What if the box stop working? Is it going to fix itself? Or still need someone who needs to be paid $15/h come fixing it, so, what’s the point to switch over?

 

[SaphiraSage]

That's unfortunate news. Last time we went my DS was still very shy and wouldn't meet some of the characters. I have a spectacular photo where the photographer turned around from taking photos of my DD with Tiana and captured a beautiful shot of my DS in his dad's arms with a huge smile on his face. One of the few pictures during that trip with my son's smiling face visible to the camera. I will send an email too...

 

[Cayaco]

The first pictures utilizing this new service are beginning to show up from the Tinkerbell photo booth machine. I can't post them here as they are someone's private picture of their family but know that it looks like absolute garbage. The dynamic nature of a photographer having fun and taking candid pictures is gone and this looks exactly like what you would expect from an unmoving camera in a box.

Huge thumbs down from everyone who has seen it.

 

[jayfo]

The best shots always came from the CM crouching down for those candid photos capturing the initial reaction of joy or amazement. So sad this has to go.
I'm sure it has everything to do with the wage increases. Have to pay higher salaries per person? Fine. Just eliminate people then. This is probably going to be first of many more cutbacks ahead.

 

[siren0119]

The best shots always came from the CM crouching down for those candid photos capturing the initial reaction of joy or amazement. So sad this has to go.
I'm sure it has everything to do with the wage increases. Have to pay higher salaries per person? Fine. Just eliminate people then. This is probably going to be first of many more cutbacks ahead.

Disney is a business though, and feedback has influenced their business decisions in the past. Write, call, complain, tag them on twitter....I think people forget that we don't have to resign ourselves to this decision especially if it will negatively impact customer perception (even worse than has already happened due to other changes).

 

[china mom]

From the article

A kiosk at the meet and greet will show the guest the captured image, with a touch point to scan with a MagicBand to associate the image. Much like those found at on-ride photo locations.

So, what is going to happen is people will go to the kiosk, look at their photo, realize that little Johnny wasn't smiling and they will go back to the character for another shot.

no, that won't cause a back up (sarcasm)

 

[dlavender]

This is one of their worst cost cutting moves....

 

[Mrs. W]

The first pictures utilizing this new service are beginning to show up from the Tinkerbell photo booth machine. I can't post them here as they are someone's private picture of their family but know that it looks like absolute garbage. The dynamic nature of a photographer having fun and taking candid pictures is gone and this looks exactly like what you would expect from an unmoving camera in a box.

Huge thumbs down from everyone who has seen it.

So the new photo system is in place already? The posted article said this wasn’t expected to begin until November 26.

 

[jayfo]

Look how long it takes some people to figure out how to scan a magic band to enter the park. I can see this picture taking/don't like it try again/scan a band process taking forever.

 

[monorailrabbit]

I don't have words for how much I hate this idea. The candid shots are the ones we end up loving the most. Keep stripping away the little magic touches, Disney. I am glad this is our last trip for the foreseeable future. As seemingly insignificant as this change is, its a nail in the coffin so to speak. Its too much greedy $$$ at the expense of magic. I hope this is stopped before it begins. I will hold off purchasing our PP for this trip until we see how quickly it will roll out. I will certainly not spend $ for a photo from a box.

 

[ShadeDK]

Photography is an art - not a science - and I have no desire to have a picture taken by a static, automatic camera that looks just the same as every other picture taken from the exact same height, angle, distance, and exposure settings. Agree with others that the candid shots are generally the best. Also interesting that you seem to get one shot - quite a departure from getting at least 3-4 different shots during a M&G in the past. This isn't a ride shot where you're zooming by at 40 mph and can only get one snap in (although who knows - maybe they're trying to speed guests through at that rate with this new set up...)

I assume that, if expanded, this would only be used with permanent M&Gs for characters with indoor locations? If so - by my count that would affect about 25 - 30 M&G opportunities currently in the four parks. I also assume that the characters in outdoor M&G spots (about 30 currently) and wandering characters would still require photographers. But those numbers would tell the tale - the ability to cut half of the photographers currently assigned to M&G spots.

 

[Douglas Dubh]

The only reason for Disney to do so is saving money, so let’s do a simple math. All the numbers are in average, assuming all the 4 parks open 12 hours/day, the minimum hour rate for a live photographer is $15/h, I don’t know how many in door M&G in total, but assume there are 30, so the money Disney really saves is $15*12*30=$5,400. I am positive that lots of people will no longer purchase Memory maker if the M&G picture are taken by a box, $180*30=$5,400, which means Disney will be at a total loss if more than 30 guests stop buying memory maker/day, which is going to happen for sure! Who ever made this decision needs to go back to business 101, kind remind me the last famous Disney dumb business decision, tomorrow land tent, for $3,000/day, they put up that ugly tent in the middle of the park! Glad that didn’t last very long, hopefully Disney will realize how stupid this is, and either bring back the live photographer or even better, drop this idea completely now!

An employee generally costs a company twice what they are paid in wages.

 

[ChipnDale79]

wow...that's um, magical.

 

[afan]

This makes no sense to me other than for them to save money. Though it'll cause complaints to go way up so I'm not sure that's a huge savings in the end.

With this box I wouldn't have gotten a pic of Sadness and me crying or my friend and I dancing with Launchpad. If anything it makes more sense for on front of the castle etc. But you'd still need a peraon there to monitor so you're not saving anything there in the end. I'll need to email my complaint.

 

[dlavender]

Photography is an art - not a science - and I have no desire to have a picture taken by a static, automatic camera that looks just the same as every other picture taken from the exact same height, angle, distance, and exposure settings. Agree with others that the candid shots are generally the best. Also interesting that you seem to get one shot - quite a departure from getting at least 3-4 different shots during a M&G in the past. This isn't a ride shot where you're zooming by at 40 mph and can only get one snap in (although who knows - maybe they're trying to speed guests through at that rate with this new set up...)

I assume that, if expanded, this would only be used with permanent M&Gs for characters with indoor locations? If so - by my count that would affect about 25 - 30 M&G opportunities currently in the four parks. I also assume that the characters in outdoor M&G spots (about 30 currently) and wandering characters would still require photographers. But those numbers would tell the tale - the ability to cut half of the photographers currently assigned to M&G spots.

It might be a combination of things, as you point out.

Trying to speed people through: "Step into the rectangle, smile, tap your band, go buy something" and cutting labor.

 

[JaxDad]

So, basically a giant selfie machine...

 

[twix516]

There are so many logistical issues that I don't understand. Is the camera going to wait for everyone to get set before it snaps a photo? Can you have a picture of just your kids with the character, and then jump in with them? Will they still take the candid pics of your kids hugging the characters? I saw the tinkerbell test pics as well and they look TERRIBLE. The camera is way too far away and the quality is horrible. This is such a bummer...

 

[jtwibih]

You need to email guest relations or even leadership if you have an issue with this. I just did. Not sure it will do much good on its own but could help if others followed.

I think this is just too much of a change to the guest experience to be ignored. There is no way that this doesn’t lessen the experience significantly. It may take some time but Memory Maker sales will drop in my opinion.

 

[sjberg79]

I'm going to guess the top part of my 6'8" husband's head is going to be cut off in these pictures, the humans who take them always have to back up to get us in the frame. A camera box can't do that. Either that or my husband is going to have to start kneeling in all our pictures. Not a fan. Why buy photopass if all the photos are bad?

 

[Cayaco]

So the new photo system is in place already? The posted article said this wasn’t expected to begin until November 26.

Yes here is a picture of the new box at the Tinkerbell M&G..

Http://mobile.twitter.com/BackDoorDisney/status/1062912095258329088