Get In The Picture at Disney and Universal!

While Orlando’s theme parks are guaranteed to provide indelible memories of your holiday, it is handy to have the proper back-up for them – great photos.

The old saying insists that a good picture is worth a thousand words, and that is definitely true of Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando, where they have practically elevated ordinary holiday snaps to an art form.

With various enhancements, additions and just drop-dead-gorgeous backgrounds, the official park photos have become virtually a must-have accessory for your visit to the Theme Park Capital of the World.

It also seems fitting, with World Photography Day on August 19, to highlight this epic bonanza by detailing the best ways to make the most of PhotoPass (at Disney) and My Universal Photos (at Universal) in our latest blog.

So, pay attention – here’s the lowdown on how to put yourself firmly in the picture in the parks!

What is PhotoPass?

Walt Disney World introduced this professional photography service in 2004, initially in just the four main theme parks, but it was soon available in virtually all parts of the resort, including the water parks and Disney Springs.

PhotoPass photographers are highly visible in all the main areas, stationed at key points that provide the ideal backdrop to every family photo.

In 2012, Disney debuted the associated Memory Maker option (initially called PhotoPass+) that allowed guests to pre-buy all their PhotoPass photos, including those on the rides and other attractions, in one neat, fixed-price package. It was an instant hit.

Now, guests can pay a one-off fee of $69 for a day’s use of Memory Maker, or $169 in advance for your full holiday duration, and take advantage of every PhotoPass photographer in and around the parks.

(It’s worth noting that our 7 and 14-Day Magic Tickets all come with Memory Maker as a FREE bonus)

How do you use Photopass?

Once you have Memory Maker as part of your Disney MagicBand or entry card, you are free to line up for any PhotoPass photographer wherever you see them (and they are easy to spot with their full camera set-up and signature vest-type jacket).

The photographer will scan your MagicBand or park entry card either before or after taking your photos, and the snaps will then magically appear on your My Disney Experience account.

You have to set up your account online in advance, but it is a simple procedure (see this Disney link), and, once you have linked your Disney tickets to your account, all your PhotoPass pics will be entered on the ‘My Photos’ section of your online account.

To make sure you collect all your ride photos (and videos in a few cases), just swipe your MagicBand or card over the appropriate terminal as you exit the ride. If you don’t see a PhotoPass station to swipe on the way out (notably on the Expedition Everest and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train attractions), that ride photo will automatically be added to your account via your MagicBand or card.

You can also use the new MagicMobile service to link photos to your account as it works like a MagicBand. Just ensure you have Bluetooth enabled on your phone for the photos to link via the My Disney Experience app.

So, what are the best photos to get with Photopass?

The short answer here is – all of them! Most locations are set up to put you firmly at the centre of an iconic Walt Disney World location, such as Cinderella Castle at the Magic Kingdom and the Tree of Life at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

There are also special set-piece elements that pop up periodically, like for the festivals at the Epcot park, and for new films at Disney Springs. Some photographers also have props to add to the photographic fun, and others can offer what they call a Magic Shot, an extra feature that appears in the photo once it has been taken.

These Magic Shots include things like a well-known character popping up as a surprise element, various 50th anniversary celebration moments, animated effects and even music. The photographer will ask you to pose in a particular way, and you’ll see the results on your My Photos section online.

Don’t be afraid to ask a photographer about Magic Shots if they don’t mention them directly. You can also do some preparatory homework about what photos to look for on the Disney PhotoPass Facebook page.

What else can PhotoPass do?

Disney has been experimenting with a series of special-effect PhotoPass shots in recent times, and these can be really effective in providing that ‘something extra’ for your photo collection.

Look out for the new Tiny World Magic Shots that provide a unique 360-degree twist to your photos next to the Star Tours ride at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the Tree of Life, and also in front of Spaceship Earth.

Super Zoom Magic Shots add a burst of photos that come together as a dynamic video in iconic locations such as Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge (Disney’s Hollywood Studios) and the Everest Riverside Theater (Animal Kingdom), as well as in front of Cinderella Castle and Spaceship Earth.

Finally, you can order prints, calendars, ornaments, gifts and more with your snaps printed on them from the Disney PhotoPass Gallery online. There is a huge variety – just be sure to check out the Gallery. Need help? Just talk to the Cast Members at the Disney PhotoPass Studio at Disney Springs.

How does My Universal Photos work?

Taking a leaf out of Disney’s book, Universal Orlando introduced its own resort-wide photographic service in 2012 (originally as Universal Photo Connect). In the same way as PhotoPass, it collects all the photos taken of you in the three Universal parks each day and allows you to download them digitally or buy prints and other photo-related memorabilia.

Once again, you start by creating an online account and purchasing either the single-day or multi-day package options, with a discount for paying in advance. Alternatively, you can get a My Universal Photos card from the first photographer you see and continue to use the same card all day. With the latter, you will be given the option to purchase individual prints or buy the full photo package (but without the advance discount).

You can also look for the My Universal Photos shops just inside the gates of both Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure.

Only the online account allows you to accumulate photos and view your photos via your account. The individual photo cards from the photographers are valid ONLY for the day of your visit, and photos need to be purchased before you leave the park.

At Volcano Bay, you use your TapuTapu wrist band to collect your photos (as long as you have an email account linked to your band).

What photos do Universal Photos offer?

Once again, you can get both pics taken by various Universal snappers around the parks (albeit not nearly as many as Disney’s PhotoPass service) as well as on-ride shots, of which there are 13 spread over the three parks.

Volcano Bay also includes various selfie spots where you can use the TapuTapu band to generate your own photos.

If you haven’t purchased a My Universal Photos package, you can only collect the individual ride photos by buying them separately or by having them added to the temporary one-day card you got from the first photographer you came across (and remember to redeem them before the end of the day).

You can look up all the photo locations in advance on this Universal link.

What are the must-have photos at Universal?

For Harry Potter fans, it has to be the unique individual photo option in the regular queue for the Harry Potter and the Escape From Gringotts ride at Universal Studios (but not the separate Single Rider or Universal Express queues).

This can be added to your My Universal Photos package at the end of the ride (and, to underline, it is available in the queue itself, NOT on the ride), but, if you want a printed photo, it can only be purchased there at the photo kiosk. Because of arcane licensing rules, Harry Potter photos aren’t available for printing at the main photo shops, although they can be added to your card.

There IS an on-ride photo for Potter and the Forbidden Journey at Islands of Adventure but, once again, if you want a printed photo you must get it from the kiosk at the end of the ride.

Fans of the Transformers will also want to know that the big meet-and-greet with Optimus Prime, Megatron and Bumblebee offers a great photo opportunity, too, while there are THREE for The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, with one in the main queue, an on-ride pic, and the nearby Spider-Man meet-and-greet. The Raptor Encounter photo-op at Islands of Adventure is also super-cool.

Okay, now you are fully armed to enjoy all the photographic elements of the Disney and Universal theme parks. Just get out there and have fun.

Oh, and happy World Photography Day…!

Have you used PhotoPass or My Universal Photos? Give us your thoughts on our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.