Using memory maker in the parks - how does it work?

[nicksinger8]

Hi. I have memory maker attached to my 14 day pass. And the passes are linked to my Disney experience i.e. I have made reservations for all the parks and some table service restaurants. Everything appears on my phone in my disney experience app. If I wanted to use memory maker do I just go up to a photographer and let them scan the barcode on the ticket on my phone? Same with say, Splash Mountain - do i go to a booth after the ride and get them to scan? Does it then just go into my disney experience? If not, how do I do this? Thanks.

 

[EmilyGahr]

For the ride photos - some automatically go to your MDE app, and some have touch points at the end of the ride where you'll see your photo on the screen and tap your magic band/card to get the photos. Some with touchpoints that I can think of are Buzz Lightyear, Space Mountain, Rockin Roller Coaster.
For photos in the park, the Photopass photographer will take your photos (like in front of the castle) and then they'll scan your magic band/card and the photos will be on the app!

 

[Jonfw2]

Only note of caution: they WILL expire from the app. When you're in the car or the airport on the way home from your trip, download every one of them you want to your phone.

 

[nicksinger8]

For the ride photos - some automatically go to your MDE app, and some have touch points at the end of the ride where you'll see your photo on the screen and tap your magic band/card to get the photos. Some with touchpoints that I can think of are Buzz Lightyear, Space Mountain, Rockin Roller Coaster.
For photos in the park, the Photopass photographer will take your photos (like in front of the castle) and then they'll scan your magic band/card and the photos will be on the app!

Thanks. How will it do that automatically on the ride? How will it know I am on it? Surely I have to sign in or scan in at some point?

 

[nicksinger8]

Only note of caution: they WILL expire from the app. When you're in the car or the airport on the way home from your trip, download every one of them you want to your phone.

Oh wow they left that out of the literature or didn't make it clear! How long do I have to download that? I have a 14 day trip planned. I won't be able to access them on my PC when I get back to the UK?

 

[EmilyGahr]

Thanks. How will it do that automatically on the ride? How will it know I am on it? Surely I have to sign in or scan in at some point?

It only works automatically if you have a newer magic band - works through RFID, no scanning anywhere!

 

[nicksinger8]

For the ride photos - some automatically go to your MDE app, and some have touch points at the end of the ride where you'll see your photo on the screen and tap your magic band/card to get the photos. Some with touchpoints that I can think of are Buzz Lightyear, Space Mountain, Rockin Roller Coaster.
For photos in the park, the Photopass photographer will take your photos (like in front of the castle) and then they'll scan your magic band/card and the photos will be on the app!

And also - will they scan the tickets on my phone within the app. I have four each with a barcode.

 

[chrisgeraci]

I had them scan my magic band. A lot of the ride photos show up, as others have said, big brother is tracking us!

 

[nicksinger8]

It only works automatically if you have a newer magic band - works through RFID, no scanning anywhere!

So if I don't have the newer band - I only intend to use the tickets already on my phone - it is pretty limited for ride photos? Seems like such a great feature and I got it for free, but I have found it very opaque as to how it works in practice.

 

[Jonfw2]

Oh wow they left that out of the literature or didn't make it clear! How long do I have to download that? I have a 14 day trip planned. I won't be able to access them on my PC when I get back to the UK?

I believe it's 60 or 90 days after your trip ends. And they will...well, they MAY...send you a heads up a few days before this.

 

[qman6975]

A word of caution…we’ve loved the pictures we got via Memory Maker but during our last trip in November (2021) we found the number photographers in the parks greatly reduced. They were missing from many places we saw them before or we had to wait in long lines to get a picture. The number of pictures we got was far less than in the past making us question if it was worth the money.

 

[sanveaz]

Just got back from a 9 day trip. There were photographers everywhere. Main Street in Magic Kingdom had at least 4 photographers and then there were 4 more around the castle. We had no problem getting pictures in any of the parks. We ran across photographers in areas we didn't expect them to be.
The way I understand it works with the ride photos is that if you have a magic band the pictures automatically download to your MDE account. If you don't have a magic band as long as the Bluetooth is on on your phone the photos without the tap point will go to your MDE account. You can also get a keycard at the hotel, which will be your room key, and ticket. The photographers will scan that and you can use it at the tap points at rides. We had one person without a magic band and this is what he did.

 

[CarolynFH]

. If you don't have a magic band as long as the Bluetooth is on on your phone the photos without the tap point will go to your MDE account.

In addition to having Bluetooth turned on on your phone, you also have to give the MDE app permission to use Bluetooth. My MDE app sent me several reminders, with a link to the phone settings to do it.

 

[TheDailyMoo]

A little off topic but Is there still a way to get the pre purchase price for photo pass? The 169 instead of the 199. Trip in a week and photopass section of MDE only has the full price option.

 

[growhappiness]

We were there May 2-10th and got 636 photos taken with PhotoPass. There were photographers everywhere and while the parks were fairly crowded, there were so many photographers that we didn't really have to wait in any lines. Also, after our trip, I got several emails warning us that our photos would start expiring June 17th.

 

[nicksinger8]

Thanks everyone - love this forum. I have learnt more in the short time this thread has been alive, than I learnt reading other sources (including Disney's website) over several weeks. And of course - bluetooth! It is all set up on the app. Glad to hear there are lots of photographers around. I guess it is the time of year as well as the world coming alive post Covid. When I go to UK theme parks I am usually satisfied with one or two of those pics you buy after the ride. Sounds like we'll have more than enough. I will definitely be keeping a close eye on those photos being deleted although my wife will be onto the album the minute we land back in England

 

[SkipperDave]

How much does memory maker cost?

 

[nicksinger8]

How much does memory maker cost?

Mine came free when I purchased a 14 day pass which I think is only available for UK customers - we seem to be the only people who come to Disney for that amount of time! Otherwise, I've seen $169 and $199 cited - I think the former is if you buy further out?

 

[JBelle19]

So, just to make sure I'm reading right...

We have magic bands we purchased in April. We have memory maker attached to our package. When I get off say, Tower of Terror, my picture automatically uploads to my MDE app because I scanned in to the ride? How does it know which picture to give me out of all of the people who have scanned in? I'm so very confused lol

 

[KrazeeK120]

So, just to make sure I'm reading right...

We have magic bands we purchased in April. We have memory maker attached to our package. When I get off say, Tower of Terror, my picture automatically uploads to my MDE app because I scanned in to the ride? How does it know which picture to give me out of all of the people who have scanned in? I'm so very confused lol

You don’t have to scan in anywhere. The ride knows you’re on it because of your MagicBand location.

We haven’t been since 2018, but on our trip that year, all of our ride photos appeared in my account. I was skeptical of the technology beforehand, but it worked great!