MyUniversal Photos...worth the price?

[DRD]

Curious if anyone has experience prepaying for the MyUniversal Photos package? We will be at Universal for 2 full days. On our last trip to WDW, we used the Disney Photopass package and felt like we got our money's worth (though it is pricey I think). MyUniversal Photos is quite a bit cheaper (1 day package for $69.99 or 3 day for $89.99) but I've heard there aren't as many photographers as there are at Disney, though if their locations page is correct, there seem to be a good number of them. I'm a little disappointed there don't seem to be as many Potter locations as you'd expect. And, I'm not sure we'll be doing more than a couple character meet and greets for what it's worth.

Pros/cons? Ripoff/good value?

Thanks in advance!

 

[lebeau]

Curious if anyone has experience prepaying for the MyUniversal Photos package? We will be at Universal for 2 full days. On our last trip to WDW, we used the Disney Photopass package and felt like we got our money's worth (though it is pricey I think). MyUniversal Photos is quite a bit cheaper (1 day package for $69.99 or 3 day for $89.99) but I've heard there aren't as many photographers as there are at Disney, though if their locations page is correct, there seem to be a good number of them. I'm a little disappointed there don't seem to be as many Potter locations as you'd expect. And, I'm not sure we'll be doing more than a couple character meet and greets for what it's worth.

Pros/cons? Ripoff/good value?

Thanks in advance!

I have purchased the photo package twice - both times at a discount. Watch for specials. They seem to offer discount packages fairly often. Having said that, I found the photo package to be borderline even at half price. At full price, no, I don't think it is worth it.

Overall, there aren't a lot of photographers to be found. Sometimes there will be a photographer for meet and greets, but since a lot of characters roam freely, you can't expect a photographer to be present. You can usually count on seeing photographers at the park entrances. Sometimes we have bumped into them randomly, but outside of the entrances they are pretty hard to find. At the entrances, it just depends on how many people are coming through at that time. You might have to flag a photographer down if you enter the park when a lot of other people are coming or going.

There are also some self-service areas where you can use a device to take your own picture. Sometimes these turn out. Sometimes they don't.

If you like to buy ride photos, the value of the package goes up. Of course a lot of rides don't include a photo op. And I have had ride photos that didn't turn out for one reason or another.

Unlike Disney, Universal uses a third party to operate their photo package and it shows. Amazing Photos does not live up to their name. Some of the photographers are great, but we have encountered a lot of employees who didn't want to be there.

 

[DRD]

That's fantastic information. Thank you so much. I hate to hear that the quality level is not the same as Disney's, but that (I guess?) is to be expected especially if they're using a third party.

I assume there are still places to buy individual ride photos if you choose to? We're not big on those, but they were fun to have with the Memory Maker at Disney...though the reason we did MM at WDW was because of the character meals, castle pics, etc. Probably won't be doing too much of that at Universal.

Think I'll take my $89 and invest in a new card for my camera and take the rest and buy Duff Beer in the park.

I really appreciate this information--great stuff.

 

[lebeau]

That's fantastic information. Thank you so much. I hate to hear that the quality level is not the same as Disney's, but that (I guess?) is to be expected especially if they're using a third party.

I assume there are still places to buy individual ride photos if you choose to? We're not big on those, but they were fun to have with the Memory Maker at Disney...though the reason we did MM at WDW was because of the character meals, castle pics, etc. Probably won't be doing too much of that at Universal.

Think I'll take my $89 and invest in a new card for my camera and take the rest and buy Duff Beer in the park.

I really appreciate this information--great stuff.

Sure thing. You can buy any pictures you want (ride and otherwise) individually. Like at Disney, photographers are happy to take pictures on your own camera for you. I have had random team members offer to take our picture as well.

Enjoy your trip!