Disney’s Most Memorable Souvenir
In addition to impromptu or staged photos, MagicShots infuse extra magic into your vacation photos with characters or other surprises you can see right from your My Disney Experience app.
Update October 11, 2023 – Memory Maker prices have increased to $185 for pre-arrival, and $210 for onsite purchases. As always, for the best price, ask your agent to add Memory Maker to your package as early as possible.
Walt Disney World is full of iconic attractions and photo-worthy moments across the parks, resorts, and Disney Springs.
Still, when you’re hustling from ride to ride or carrying a Mary Poppins bag of park necessities, it’s not always easy to keep a camera on-hand, or to ask a friendly stranger to snap a group photo in front of Cinderella’s Castle.
Here is where Disney’s PhotoPass system shines. Cast Member photographers are strategically planted in optimal – and sometimes unassuming – photo locations for you to smile, scan your MagicBand, and move on to your next attraction. They even offer MagicShots, where your photographer will have you pose, and they’ll insert a Disney character or magical surprise.
Disney Memory Maker lets you step out from behind the camera and be a part of your family’s vacation experience.
Along with ride photos, you can browse and purchase these images later from the My Disney Experience App.
While we love scrolling through park pictures at the end of the day, we’re often left wishing we didn’t have to pick our favorites, or have to pay for pictures one-by-one. Instead, we recommend opting for the Disney Memory Maker package, which grants access to all your trip photos in one place, for one fixed cost.
We spoke with MVT Agent Nicole M. about her experiences with Memory Maker, and why she swears by the service for her own Disney vacations.
“Memory Maker has captured the joy of our trips and my family’s growth over the years,” Nicole said. “I always come home with so many high-quality pictures, and with little effort or worry during our trip.”
The service opens up photo freedom on your vacation. You can hop in front of any PhotoPass station and take several shots to view and download later on. You never have to worry about being the one behind the camera or wait for other guests to exit the frame.
As someone who often travels with immediate or extended family, Nicole believes Memory Maker is especially valuable for first-time visitors, or multi-family and multi-generational groups “trying to capture all of the magical memories of their time together.”
“We love to pose in silly ways on ride photos, it’s such a funny keepsake,” she said. “I also love the MagicShots – you can’t get a photo with Tinkerbell in your hands any other way!”
As of October 2023, Memory Maker packages come in multiple tiers and prices. If you purchase at least three days before your trip, you’ll get access to all your images for a flat rate of $185. If you purchase during or after your vacation, you’ll pay $210. Finally, if you want to purchase photos from one specific day, you can get them all for $75. Once you activate your Memory Maker package, you have 30 days to capture all of the photos you’d like, and up to 45 days to download them for future use.
Nicole is so fond of Memory Maker, that she’s used the service for all her family’s full-length trips. Still, she admits that she hasn’t always used it to its full potential. “We recently went with my parents and brother’s family, but we didn’t stop in front of the castle for a group photo, and we didn’t stop for MagicShots. I wish we would have slowed down and captured more of the magic!”
In addition to making sure you slow down enough to actually take photos, Nicole shared one of her favorite under-the-radar tips for getting the most out of your Memory Maker package.
“If you’re in Disney Springs, stop by the Disney PhotoPass Studio,” she said. “It’s a great option to get some posed family photos without the outdoor elements like heat and squinting eyes.” This area is a not-so-hidden gem for those looking for nicer group shots that are still playful, but don’t necessarily involve park wear or popcorn buckets.
The studio is in the Disney Springs Marketplace, just a few doors down from World of Disney. Here, you can also take some time at the viewing stations to browse or purchase prints to have on-hand right away. If you’re in the Magic Kingdom, the same PhotoPass Studio services are available at Sir Mickey’s in Fantasyland.
No matter which option you choose, our agents agree that Memory Maker is certainly worth adding to your trip to commemorate your next Disney vacation. The service allows you to get the photos you want, without being glued to your phone or skipping out to play the role of family photographer. Plus, while you’ll get a deal by booking the package before your trip, you can always choose to add on later if you change your mind or forgot to do so beforehand.
Be sure to ask your agent about adding Memory Maker when you book, or even when requesting your free quote to find out what works best for you and your family!
