Update to Disney's PhotoPass site adds copy protection watermarks over images

[DisneyDebRob]

Disney could consider adding a price to each park ticket, $15 to $20 each and then include PhotoPass access when you buy a ticket, or a 3 day or more park hopper.
People would still purchase the frames and graphics for their photos so Disney would still make even more money.

No thank you.

 

[dreamfinder]

I think the other tidbits in the story are just as big of a new item as the lead. Being able to download all edits when you buy one
original, and getting the digital rights when you buy a print are both nice touches. Helps to push for single item sales.

I almost wonder why they haven't found a way to prevent photos being taken of the screens at ride photo ordering locations. Polarization or something, but it seems like the bean counters would be upset over lost revenue when all the folks walk up to the screens, cell phones in hand, and snap pictures of their images.

A bunch of them do have words and stuff splashed all over the image. If someone really is happy with having prices and numbers on the image, then I can't see them buying the pictures.

 

[Rob562]

I almost wonder why they haven't found a way to prevent photos being taken of the screens at ride photo ordering locations. Polarization or something, but it seems like the bean counters would be upset over lost revenue when all the folks walk up to the screens, cell phones in hand, and snap pictures of their images.

Disney filed for a patent a few years back that would use an infra-red projector to project a watermark on a fine mesh cloth stretched over the screen. The watermark would be invisible to the human eye, but fully visible to most digital camera sensors which pick up more of the infrared spectrum than humans do.

-Rob

 

[StitchRox]

Fortunately, Disneyland is still the tired ol' website they have had since 2005.

 

[BJones82]

I almost wonder why they haven't found a way to prevent photos being taken of the screens at ride photo ordering locations. Polarization or something, but it seems like the bean counters would be upset over lost revenue when all the folks walk up to the screens, cell phones in hand, and snap pictures of their images.

They actually recommend you take a picture if you have memory maker in-case it doesn't automatically add to your photopass account. That way you have the date and time as well as the photo number lol....

 

[JeffH]

Just to be clear, the 100 or so KB image that PhotoPass created in your cache is FAR from High Res. Although you could create a decent 8x10 and the resolution was ideal for Facebook or a scrapbook size picture, the "High" Resolution picture that's you'd get is far more detailed then the image in your cache. The typical .jpg size for a "High" Resolution image (300ppi) is around 3.5 Megabytes. So I'd expect the "High" definition of your PhotoPass pics to be at least 10 times more resolute. There's a big difference between photo-ready and being able to print it out.

 

[dstrawn9889]

and to think i just used printscreen and pasted to MS paint to get some from the site before... take a full size and shrink it a couple of percent to help with the resolution...

 

[That Guy]

I can't say I am surprised by this, but it is a little disappointing. I always hoped/thought Disney knew that by not watermarking the prints, they were getting millions of dollars worth of free advertising from Facebook pictures alone. I almost always "borrowed" a pic or two as a memory of a fun day at the park and uploaded it to Facebook. But if the park is at capacity every day, who needs free advertising?

 

[dreamfinder]

I can't say I am surprised by this, but it is a little disappointing. I always hoped/thought Disney knew that by not watermarking the prints, they were getting millions of dollars worth of free advertising from Facebook pictures alone. I almost always "borrowed" a pic or two as a memory of a fun day at the park and uploaded it to Facebook. But if the park is at capacity every day, who needs free advertising?

The joys of every division being told to turn a profit. Someone in middle management somewhere thinks that the Photopass group (who I thought was folded into another group) could make more sales by watermarking the images. And so it came to be all because that manager thought he could get more sales, and thus a bigger bonus through watermarks.

 

[kbmum]

I've never purchased MemoryMaker due to the price, but last year I bought an Attractions+ pass for approximately $55. You can load an unlimited number of ride pics on the pass for the length of your visit. There were six people in my group and I had around 100 photos on the pass. I was able to make edits and add a limited selection of frames to the photos. I thought it was a pretty good deal.

 

[NowInc]

Just to be clear, the 100 or so KB image that PhotoPass created in your cache is FAR from High Res. Although you could create a decent 8x10 and the resolution was ideal for Facebook or a scrapbook size picture, the "High" Resolution picture that's you'd get is far more detailed then the image in your cache. The typical .jpg size for a "High" Resolution image (300ppi) is around 3.5 Megabytes. So I'd expect the "High" definition of your PhotoPass pics to be at least 10 times more resolute. There's a big difference between photo-ready and being able to print it out.

The lower res you get on the site is what is also used to make the prints from. They aren't holding larger files..jpegs straight out of the camera that are downsized on the server end.

 

[NowInc]

What amazes me is how many people are ANGRY about this after blatantly admitting to stealing the files from the website (one particular that I saw was boldly proclaiming that he/she would never use photopass again...but since they were not paying for the images anyway..I am missing the point of the protest). I get it you lost your "free lunch", but you can't be mad at them doing something you knew was wrong. This is a service like any other, and yes...I get it...Disney is all about profits etc..they charge too much..blah blah... I am not arguing with that point. Regardless of your view on it, they provide photopass to SELL the photos. That was always why it existed. If they were going to be really malicious they would not allow the CMs to use your camera to take a pic of you and your family.

My only hope is that maybe with this change the CMs will get better at taking pics with gear that isn't disney issued. I am more than aware of how bad some CM taken pics are.

 

[kbmum]

If they were going to be really malicious they would not allow the CMs to use your camera to take a pic of you and your family.

My only hope is that maybe with this change the CMs will get better at taking pics with gear that isn't disney issued. I am more than aware of how bad some CM taken pics are.

I've always been surprised that CMs are allowed to use guests' cameras. What would happen if the CM accidentally dropped the camera? As for the quality issue, I often get better pictures with CMs using my camera than with the PhotoPass photos taken with Disney-issued gear.

 

[napnet]

If only the prices were lower I'd actually be interested in it. As an AP I'm there frequent enough that I don't wan't to buy them but at a lower price I would. I had just written a script to strip them off the site which worked great.

 

[note2001]

I have only one issue with the watermark: I have a few where it is covering the faces of family members. I have no idea if I want those pics in a calendar I'm putting together or not without seeing how the image came out. We don't have very many pics to start with, but I certainly don't want a bad one on the calendar if I can help it.

 

[kbmum]

I have only one issue with the watermark: I have a few where it is covering the faces of family members. I have no idea if I want those pics in a calendar I'm putting together or not without seeing how the image came out. We don't have very many pics to start with, but I certainly don't want a bad one on the calendar if I can help it.

You can see through the watermark, though. If someone blinked when the picture was taken, for example, you should be able to see if their eyes were closed.

 

[note2001]

You can see through the watermark, though. If someone blinked when the picture was taken, for example, you should be able to see if their eyes were closed.

Looking again: the watermarks are all one transparent color, but we have extremely fair skin in the family and our features just don't show through well. Zooming helps... Man, I didn't realize how bad these pics are (out of focus, poor lighting) they need better equipment on the rides. The in person photographers did a better job, but have no idea how to frame a pic.

So glad I didn't get the memory maker.

 

[yedliW]

If only the prices were lower I'd actually be interested in it. As an AP I'm there frequent enough that I don't wan't to buy them but at a lower price I would. I had just written a script to strip them off the site which worked great.

The cost is too high for an every trip purchase, especially if you go annually or more often. It is reasonable for those special trips (first trip.. anniversary.. birthday.. honeymoon.. etc..) I do like that they added the ride photos to MM.

The individual price is way high.. it doesn't take many individual pics to make it worth getting the whole shebang..

 

[PhotoDave219]

What amazes me is how many people are ANGRY about this after blatantly admitting to stealing the files from the website (one particular that I saw was boldly proclaiming that he/she would never use photopass again...but since they were not paying for the images anyway..I am missing the point of the protest). I get it you lost your "free lunch", but you can't be mad at them doing something you knew was wrong. This is a service like any other, and yes...I get it...Disney is all about profits etc..they charge too much..blah blah... I am not arguing with that point. Regardless of your view on it, they provide photopass to SELL the photos. That was always why it existed. If they were going to be really malicious they would not allow the CMs to use your camera to take a pic of you and your family.

My only hope is that maybe with this change the CMs will get better at taking pics with gear that isn't disney issued. I am more than aware of how bad some CM taken pics are.

Shutter. Monkeys.

Most couldn't take decent photo if their life depended on it.

 

[englanddg]

Fortunately, Disneyland is still the tired ol' website they have had since 2005.

Just wait. FP+ testing starts next month for you guys.