News PhotoPass at some character locations being replaced by automated cameras

[ThatMouse]

This just reinforces my opinion that PhotoPass is not worth it. What's amazing is the overwhelming love of PhotoPass. Yet, I have never personally gotten a PhotoPass photo worth printing or doing anything with. Ride photos are dumb. Pose & smile photos are uninteresting. The best ones are always taken by our own cameras. Good thing is cast members and guests are more than happy to take some of us both FOR FREE!

 

[jt04]

Not to thrilled about this either.

However, in that regard, hasn't Universal been doing this for a while now, not with character meets, but Photo Spots?

And speaking of which, this was trialed last year to negative reaction. Seems like they fixed the kinks or made improvements.

People don't pay Disney prices for a Uni experience.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

Islands of Adventure has had a photo shoot Kiosk in Jurassic Park for a long time...I found these two on google as examples to show what they look like..

First is the camera station to the right side..

And Here's the end result....

 

[jt04]

You forgot to add "quoted for truth".

 

[peter11435]

It was a question because I have no way of knowing that. Never been employed by Disney.
Surely they get CPR training.

No

 

[KBLovedDisney]

People don't pay Disney prices for a Uni experience.

 

[KBLovedDisney]

That was literally my face when I read that.

 

[jt04]

No

 

[DABIGCHEEZ]

You say you want a human Photopass photographer... no problem.

I am sure they will be announcing in very near future... Get those awesome family shots in front of the castle and great character interaction shots with your own WDW personal Photopass photographer ... all for the introductory price of $400/per day.

 

[TOCPE82]

You say you want a human Photopass photographer... no problem.

I am sure they will be announcing in very near future... Get those awesome family shots in front of the castle and great character interaction shots with your own WDW personal Photopass photographer ... all for the introductory price of $400/per day.

Or like the guy who complained about the lines and under-staffing... and the GR CM tried to sell him on a personal VIP tour at $$$$$$$$

 

[jpeden]

I emailed Kalogridis. This really is the final budget cut for me. I’m not renewing my AP and this trip next week is the last I’ll take for a very long time. It will probably be post 2021 before we go back.

 

[Tavernacle12]

Ugh to all of this.
Why are they starting with Tinkerbelle? You'd think they'd start with someone who draws less of a line to test it out with. I don't think any guests are going to be happy with this, the question is how many are going to complain. Why the high cost of Photopass if all I'm paying for is a computer to press record?

How much is this going to impact actual character interactions? I haven't done it a ton, but I feel like the photographer usually helped end them. Is the machine going to know when to stop awkward moments quickly or to not interrupt something special?

I imagine this won't effect the character dining at all, since those don't have photographers anyways (except maybe for Cinderella at Royal Table?).

 

[DznyGrlSD]

You say you want a human Photopass photographer... no problem.

I am sure they will be announcing in very near future... Get those awesome family shots in front of the castle and great character interaction shots with your own WDW personal Photopass photographer ... all for the introductory price of $400/per day.

They already offer this: http://disneyfineartphotography.com/

 

[Missing20K]

Well I, for one, cannot wait for these cost savings to be passed on to me, the Guest.

All I can see with this development is how it's truly all about the Guest.

More timeless, more relevant, more family, more Disney.

 

[IanDLBZF]

I imagine this won't effect the character dining at all, since those don't have photographers anyways (except maybe for Cinderella at Royal Table?).

This won't affect outdoor character meet and greets either.

 

[wdwmagic]

Something that maybe hasn't been mentioned is how PhotoPass can greatly help with the interaction. There are times when an attendant isn't really involved in an interaction, and the PhotoPass CM really helps with character-guest communication.

 

[SSH]

Please please please write in, complain at Guest Relations, do any and all feedback you can about this poor decision as I feel that will be the only way that some kind of reversal of this decision could happen, but even then that’s a stretch still.

I wish you guys luck...I have no stake in this, since I've never been a photopass customer...but I WAS on the "write, complain, send any/all feedback" about value resort parking fees. I emailed them, called and posted on social media, as did many others and got a canned response for my efforts.

I will feel badly for everyone when the next market crash and recession hits, but the only bright spot will be the humbling knockdown WDW experiences- 2009 will come again.

 

[Tavernacle12]

One nice thing about this, insofar as people being able to complain, is that since Photopass is an add on, if the pictures don't come out well, not only will people stop paying for it on subsequent visits, but sites will start recommending people avoid it all together. It's not a situation in which, say, cutting effects on a ride or streetmosphere means people spend less somewhere. If it doesn't work, Disney will see the monetary effect of that really quickly.

 

[IanDLBZF]

Odd, don't you think?

 

[LSLS]

Well I, for one, cannot wait for these cost savings to be passed on to me, the Guest.

I'm sure they did. They save about $250 a day assuming $10/hour, 12 hour day, 2 meetings. That is about 4/10 a cent per guest. Rounding that to the nearest cent, your ticket price goes from $125.00 to $125.00. See, they passed it right on to you.