First time to Disneyworld - FastPass+ Photo Pass etc questions

[projectaero]

Hi guys.
I am more than likely staying at a disneyworld resort come late june next year.
This is my first time to disneyworld.
I have a few questions.
1 - FastPass+ is it a no brainer that its a must if you plan on seeing 1 park per day ?
2 - MagicBands, since we are going through a dvc member do we get a magic band and can someone explain exactly there use?
3 - Disney Photo Pass and Disney Memory Maker are they the same? And if yes or no is it recommended.
We will be taking a camera with us, but the thoguht of someone getting some good quality photos would be good, does this cover thrill rides etc?

 

[Kingoglow]

Hi guys.
I am more than likely staying at a disneyworld resort come late june next year.
This is my first time to disneyworld.
I have a few questions.
1 - FastPass+ is it a no brainer that its a must if you plan on seeing 1 park per day ?
2 - MagicBands, since we are going through a dvc member do we get a magic band and can someone explain exactly there use?
3 - Disney Photo Pass and Disney Memory Maker are they the same? And if yes or no is it recommended.
We will be taking a camera with us, but the thoguht of someone getting some good quality photos would be good, does this cover thrill rides etc?

I'll try to help.
1) FastPass+ is a no additional charge service. I don't see any reason why someone wouldn't utilize it unless they are just stubborn. You say that you are staying on resort property, which means that once you link your tickets (or buy a package) you will be able to select your FastPass+ reservations 60 days ahead of your first vacation day. Pick whatever is important to you/your family. Common strategies include picking long wait time attractions during the busiest time of day, or reserving a spot in que for entertainment like Meet and Greets.

2) I am not a DVC member so I do not know the answer to this. There is a DVC forum that can help you.

3) Photopass and Memory Maker are indeed the same thing; they just rebranded the service to memory maker. I have used it in the pass; for my family, it is not something that I would use again. The selling point is that everyone is in the picture (which is cool). What they don't tell you is that you can ask the photographers to take pictures of you/your family with your phone. So you can get the same results without the cost. Please note that Memory Maker can be very useful for large groups. IF a group splits up during the day and everyone gets pictures taken, everything is centralized back into Memory Maker which makers it easier for everyone to see and share.

 

[Rob562]

2) Once you make the DVC reservation (whether through a friend or family member or if you're renting points through a website), get the Disney reservation number. At that point you can link it to your My Disney Experience profile which will give you the 60-day window as previously mentioned, and you'll also be able to customize Bands for each member of your group.

3) While I have had a PhotoPass photographer take our picture using my own camera, I always let them take a couple with their professional camera, too. I'd just feel weird having them take a pic with only my camera.

-Rob

 

[dreamfinder]

1 - FastPass+ is it a no brainer that its a must if you plan on seeing 1 park per day ?

It's a no brainer period. While it does stink terribly to try to plan out your day 60 days in advance, they are giving you the option, go ahead and use it.

2 - MagicBands, since we are going through a dvc member do we get a magic band and can someone explain exactly there use?

Once the booking is made, do as @Rob562 said, link the reservation to your MDE account and you will then do the band customization. The Magic Band will serve as your room key, and can also be used instead of the physical ticket for park entrance (as long as you link the park ticket to your MDE account as well), and also gets used for things like room charges as well.

3 - Disney Photo Pass and Disney Memory Maker are they the same? And if yes or no is it recommended.
We will be taking a camera with us, but the thoguht of someone getting some good quality photos would be good, does this cover thrill rides etc?

Yes and No. PhotoPass is the service that Disney offers. They have photographers throughout the parks willing to take your picture, and have also taken control of the on ride photos. MemoryMaker is the name for the PhotoPass product that lets you get a digital download of any pictures (plus edits) you had taken in the park. It also includes your ride photos and now videos where applicable. They still offer the PhotoPass archive CD, which entitles you to a DVD mailed to your house with the in park pictures and edits, but doesn't include ride photos unless you buy those separately.
It's value totally depends on your touring style. If you want group shots of your whole family, it could be good for you. If you want magic shots (where they insert character into your photos digitally) then it could be good for you. If you want nighttime shots that have a chance at coming out, then it could be good for you. Unless you are rocking a tripod and know how to use both a long exposure and a flash odds are your night shots won't be as they could be. If you have kids and plan on doing characters, if could be good for you as the PhotoPass photographers are usually ready to take that picture of Johnny running up to Mickey for a hug while you are still dealing with the stroller, trying ti open up the autograph book, etc. If you choose not to buy MemoryMaker or the PhotoPass archive CD you can still buy individual pictures, so keep that in mind. If you don't plan on doing characters, don't want to stop when you see a photographer and possibly wait in line a minute or two, then it may not be worth it for you. My last trip I ended up with over 4,000 photos and edits, but I know other people who only end up with 30-40 pics and wonder why they bought it. While the photographers take pictures for a living, that doesn't make them all pro photographers. Some only know what they were taught, don't bother making sure the picture is in focus, take 3 shots, and move on to the next family. Others know photography, make sure to get a good picture, take multiple pictures in multiple poses, trying different things before moving on.