Hi, Eileen! We appreciate you stopping by planDisney with your question. I'm here to help you with your picture-perfect vacation!
It's no surprise that Walt Disney World Resort tops the list of the most photographed places in the United States. I remember being excited to use my new digital camera to take photos of Cinderella Castle during my honeymoon in 1999. The only problem was that I wasn't in any of the pictures! It is hard to imagine a time before cell phones, social media, and Photo Pass Photographers existed!
Luckily, we now have
Memory Maker, which is an optional add-on to your vacation that gives you access to unlimited digital downloads of your
Disney PhotoPass photos. Believe it or not, I sometimes have almost 200 PhotoPass pictures on my My Disney Experience account after our family trips! The easiest way to get Memory Maker is to purchase it in advance, which gives you a slight discount; however, you must wait at least three days to activate it. I confirmed with a Cast Member today that Monday will be the date your Memory Maker becomes valid. Then the photos will remain accessible in your account for 45 days from the date they were taken, so you'll have over a month after you get home to download photos.
Most PhotoPass Photographers will do Magic Shots, and it's always fun to see what kind of pixie dust is added when your images download. I will usually ask the photographer if they have any available when we stop for a quick pose. I also like the
Super Zoom and Tiny World Magic Shots, which give your pictures a unique perspective, available at all four parks.
Start practicing that smile, Eileen, and get ready to say, "Cheese!" with the Big Cheese!
Eean