Hi Amy!
Thanks for stopping by the Disney Parks Moms Panel! This is a great question - I know the two services can seem confusing, so hopefully I can help explain.
Disney PhotoPass is a free service that lets you take advantage of hundreds of photo opportunities all around Walt Disney World. Just find any Disney PhotoPass Photographer to have your photo snapped – they’re everywhere from character meeting spots to Cinderella Castle. The first time you do this, you'll receive a PhotoPass card, which will link your photos to an online account. Once you get home, just log into the
Disney PhotoPass site, enter your Disney PhotoPass card number(s) and you'll be able to see all your vacation photos in one spot. You can then edit, share and order as many of those photos as you'd like right from the website.
Memory Maker takes advantage of the Disney PhotoPass service, but makes it even better. When you purchase Memory Maker, you get digital copies of ALL your magical vacation photos, including those from some attractions and character dining locations. Once you're home, you'll then be able to download those digital files and have them printed in any way you'd like. There's no limit to the number of photos you can collect on your account or the number of times you can download them. If you're interested in Memory Maker, the most affordable option is the advance purchase, which requires a 3-day waiting period before you can start adding photos. You'll then have 45 days from when the photo was taken to download it off your account.
I hope that helps explain the two services, but if you have any other questions, just let us know. Wishing you a most magical vacation, Amy!
Beth