Buying Photopass CD in advance- worth it?

[sissa216]

pre-order offer still IS available, just not through that link

Actually- it looks like the pre-order is still available, they're just not allowing the link to be shared anymore
I sent a message to photopass asking if the discount would come back.
They replied that 45 days from my arrival I would receive an email with a link to the discount.

I went back and checked- as Friday was my 45 day mark, and I did have an email from Disney Destinations.
I hadn't paid much attention to it, because it mostly advertises new attractions, etc.
But at the bottom, there is a link to photopass that simply says "click here for details".
It doesn't say it will take you to a discount, but it does take me to a modified version of the old discount pre-purchase offer.
- Only this url has a guest ID number, arrival date, and pin code built in.

The email says "Disney Vacation Must Sees for the Xxxx Family".

So it looks like they are still offering the discount ahead of time-
as they told me everyone who is signed up to receive email from Disney and staying on property will be receiving this email.
You just have to know what to look for.


I think the CD is worth it just to have the cute borders and add-ons.
I still end up with about 4000 of my own pics :lookaroun but I like ordering this as well


Oh, and the new link also has the option of adding on a "Personalized PhotoPass Card" to your order for free
(it looks like you can upload your own picture and they will send you a card ahead of time with your picture on it, instead of getting a generic one from the park)

You have the option to pay $4.95 including shipping for just the personalized card, without buying the CD or CD/Book package

 

[jekadial]

email

uhhh! I just deleted that email a few days ago. I remember seeing it now that you mention it.... do you think they will resend? We are now 36 days from arrival date>

 

[CastleBound]

I pre-ordered the cd and went to Disney planning on taking a ton of pictures. My girlfriend and I both had our own cameras and the photopass. We went to every photopass several times. Different poses, smiles, faces, clothes and such make for a new picture every time. I felt it was worth it. Majority of the pictures are similar but its great to have any extra memories that we could have!

 

[kittybubbles]

uhhh! I just deleted that email a few days ago. I remember seeing it now that you mention it.... do you think they will resend? We are now 36 days from arrival date>

Not sure if it is standard practice or not, but we just got an E-mail to the link to pre-purchase PhotoPass CD for our 10/28 arrival so they do seem to send it a few more times in their 'tips' E-mails and such.

 

[kittybubbles]

We have had trips where we were very happy we pre-bought the CD and other trips we were not (I imagine we could have asked for a refund).

The benefit to us has often been getting pictures with the whole family as well as the moments a photographer might catch (say at a meet and greet or at a water park) were we are enjoying the moment and don't have the camera ready.

For us, the cost is a good deal when compared to what it would cost for them to print a few pictures if there is something we really wanted, when we pre-buy, we try to get a lot of pictures and w/ the CD we get them all and we can print the ones we like ourselves.

A December visit is great for this as there are times that the resorts tend to have a PhotoPass Photographer near the Christmas trees where you can get a family picture.

As for the more expensive option to buy the book as well, you might want to see what they sell the book for. As I recall they have two prices for the books. Best I can tell, the more expensive book (which I think is the one they sell on the pre-buy) just gives you the option to include some of their stock photos in your book. If you plan on just having photos from your trip, you might not be saving anything by including the book as I think you once were be able to by the regular book for cheaper (w/o the right to use stock photos), but you should check the prices now for that was last year when we took that option (and didn't use any stock photos).

 

[SonicRuin]

Just my humble opinion but the Photo Pass CD is very overpriced no matter when you buy it.
You may be better off just using pictures that you took yourself and having them put onto a CD.

Tks.

The things that make it worth it is that you can still upload your own pictures and use their borders and fancy things. Plus you get the copywrite to the pictures that their photographers take.

MAKE SURE TO ASK THE PHOTOGRAPHERS FOR MAGIC SHOTS!!! These also make it much more worth it and are a lot of fun to look back at.

My wife has been sitting here for the past two weeks editing pictures. It was also doubly worth it for us because we went down there at the same time as some close friends of ours so we split the cost.

 

[SIMONRTAYLOR]

I am leaving on the 3oth and must have also deleted the amil has booked direct with disney and stopping at music, does nayone have the link I can use to pre-order the cd and book, dont want to miss out on the cheapprice after everyone has made it soound so good

Or could someone send me a copy of the mail which i should have received, has i hae my reservation number to use to pre=pay for the cd

many thanks for your help

 

[SIMONRTAYLOR]

Not sure if it is standard practice or not, but we just got an E-mail to the link to pre-purchase PhotoPass CD for our 10/28 arrival so they do seem to send it a few more times in their 'tips' E-mails and such.[/QU

Hi

Woudl you have a copy of this mail as i woudl like to pre-order the cd and book for my trip next week, and I never received one!

I woudl much appreciate a copy being sent to me - my email is red.5@blueyonder.co.uk

Many thanks for anyones help in gettign this pre-order link

Simon

 

[sissa216]

MAKE SURE TO ASK THE PHOTOGRAPHERS FOR MAGIC SHOTS!!! These also make it much more worth it and are a lot of fun to look back at.

Right- thats another thing I forgot about. I think last I figured, the cd was a good value if you were going to print at least 6 5x7s. We had 6 magic shots alone- so even if you have the photographers use your camera, the CD will get you the "magic shots".


Also, here is an email I received when I sent an email to Disney over the weekend asking if they were going to bring the discounts back.
This was before I looked more closely at the email I had from Disney Destinations with the discount link:

"Greetings,

Thank you for your recent visit to DisneyPhotoPass.com.

The pre-arrival savings offer is made available through the marketing
department of Disney Destinations. In order to receive this prepurchase
offer, the guest must meet the following guidelines:

-Have an upcoming reservation in a Walt Disney World Hotel

-Have their email address on file in the marketing database

-Have opted in to receive email from the Walt Disney World company

If you meet these requirements, you can expect to see this email about
45 days prior to your arrival. Once you have received this email, you
are within a safe time frame in which to make your prepurchase without
worry that your promotion code/s will expire.

*Please note that this link is only available for one pre-Purchase offer
and must be purchased prior to your arrival date as this directly linked
to your reservation. This link is non-transferrable. This offer will
expire at 11:59 PM the day prior to your arrival date.

If you do not receive this offer, it could be because your email address
is not on file and/or permission was not granted to send marketing
messages to you. Also, if you booked through a travel agent, we may not
have your email address in our database. The pre-arrival savings offer
is meant for guests who purchase before their trip.

If you have lost your offer, we regret that we are not able to replace
or extend this invitation as this offer is not sent out by
DisneyPhotoPass.com."

 

[Nightsbane]

Leaving in less than two weeks, signed up for disney newsletter in two places, and still haven't gotten anything in the email...

Is it perhaps because I went through a travel agent?

 

[blackthidot]

When you order the CD how do your photos get put on the disc???

 

[Nightsbane]

Just like to add what I found out on the phone with them. I did not receive this information because I booked through a travel agent. They are not offering to anyone who booked through an agent.

Kind of ticks me off a little bit when they do things like this. There are quite a few little things they do that make using a travel agent a headache, which makes absolutely no sense. Especially since it costs them money! Why would I ever consider paying double for the same disk just because I used a travel agent?

 

[sissa216]

When you order the CD how do your photos get put on the disc???

When you pre-order the CD, it "ships" you (via email) a code that you put in at the checkout once you have edited your images and are ready to order the CD.
At first it is a bit confusing, because they send you a message saying your order has shipped when you pre-order it- really they are saying they "shipped" you the code to prove you already purchased it.

If you don't preorder, then you just pay for the CD when you are ready to order and have edited your pics.


Nightsbane- it looks like they have a lot of issues to work out with this new system of sending out codes. I agree, it is not fair to penalize you for using a TA.

 

[kittybubbles]

Hi

Woudl you have a copy of this mail as i woudl like to pre-order the cd and book for my trip next week, and I never received one!

I woudl much appreciate a copy being sent to me - my email is red.5@blueyonder.co.uk

Many thanks for anyones help in gettign this pre-order link

Simon

The link was very specific to our reservation, it had a guestID (not a reservation number)/arrival date, all sorts of stuff in it that makes me think it could not be used by another user. The link also took me directly to my PhotoPass account for me to log in and use the link.

The E-mail was from Disney Destinations with a topic like 'your trip is almost here'.

I had deleted the E-mail after I ordered the CD

 

[LoriMistress]

OK, one more newbie question for now...

Is it worth it to buy the Photopass CD in advance (saving 20% and paying $99 now instead of $149 later)?

Does that include all the 'photoshopping' of the pics, prints, etc. or is just $99 to have the pictures themselves and I'll still be paying per photo I want to order?

Thanks!!

Sandy
11/20-11/27/09- ASM Family Suite.... 42 days and counting!!!

Personally, yes! We purchased our PP in advance for our 2007 trip. It was worth every penny. We had over 300 pictures for PP alone. I normally take all the pictures, so it was nice to be in some pictures.

 

[KC82271]

How soon did you receive the link before your trip? I leave 2 weeks from tomorrow - just went to pre-order and see it's no longer available to the public.

 

[Diane Hughess]

I received a book which has all our reservations, coupons, etc. for our trip next Friday, 10/30. In the book, there was a page with a card which told me to sign up before our trip, so our account would be ready. So I signed up. Next day, I got an e-mail from PhotoPass "Don't miss out on the memories..Even though your trip is over..." But I haven't even gone yet! I e-mailed Photopass to see if they'll give me a pin code, as I have not been offered any type of discount, and I'm NOT paying full price if all others get a discount! Grrrr!:shrug: