Hi, Rick! Thanks for bringing another question to the Disney Parks Moms Panel.
I have had wonderful success with special requests from
Disney PhotoPass Service photographers in each of the Theme Parks (and even at
Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park, too)! Of course, each experience may be different based on a variety of factors (including length of line, time of day, etcetera), but we’ve asked for special photos of our daughter in front of Cinderella Castle or family photos on Main Street, U.S.A. at
Magic Kingdom Park, special Magic Shots at
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, photos of us jumping into the air at
Epcot, or photos with our
runDisney medals from various
Star Wars-themed races at
Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Generally speaking, you will find PhotoPass photographers in the Theme Parks during
Extra Magic Hours, although I have noticed more of them during the evening.
In my experience, it’s best if you approach a photographer who doesn’t currently have a long line and talk to them about what you want to do beforehand. It’s also a good idea to plan out the kinds of photos you want to take and communicate that to the photographer. Sometimes I’ve also had sample photos I’ve been able to pull up on my phone to show the photographer a general idea of the type of shot I’m looking for.
Since you’re sure to end up with some amazing photos, don’t forget to purchase your
Memory Maker in advance! Link it to your
My Disney Experience mobile app to preview, share and download your photos, too. While attraction photos tend to take a little while to show up, I’ve generally found that photos taken by the official Disney PhotoPass photographers appear in the app just a short time after they’ve been taken.
Also make sure you take advantage of those special features like
Magic Shots. These are always some of my family’s favorite photos. If you're planning something special, you could also employ someone from
Disney Fine Art Photography to make the memories even more magical.
Don’t forget to smile, Rick!
Best wishes,
Amy