I love photos! Seeing the faces of my loved ones captured in a moment of time brings me joy long after the moment is done. Whether it’s a candid snap or a posed pic, photos play an important role in recording memories for our family. I know there are many talented guests who also happen to be brilliant photographers roaming the parks, but I am simply not one of them. I often need help setting up and snapping family pics worthy of sharing on social media. For 18 years, PhotoPass photographers have helped guests like me capture charming photos at Disney Parks. Read on to find out why we always use PhotoPass to capture fun times at the parks.  

5. Iconic and Unique Shots

PhotoPass photographers know how to capture both iconic and unique shots! Sure, they will snap that castle pic for you, but they will also take the time to do a few unique poses and station themselves around the castle, not just in front, for a different perspective. Check out this unsolicited pic captured by a PhotoPass photographer a few years ago outside of Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. While we were waiting for my daughter’s fairy godmother to escort us from the Boutique to the Royal Hall, a PhotoPass photographer happened to stroll by. He saw my daughter peering over the railing along the castle moat and asked if he could take a few pics. Of course, we obliged. This thoughtful photographer ended up taking my favorite picture of the whole trip.

4. Everybody’s In!

One of my saddest realizations looking back at photos from my single parenting days is how few pictures I have with my boys. Sure, I have plenty of pics showing their transformations from chubby-cheeked babies to nearly grown-up young men who now tower above me, but I don’t have many pictures of the three of us. When you utilize the PhotoPass photographers you can be sure to get your whole party in the picture! 

3. Magic Shots

Often, there comes a point during a photo session when a PhotoPass photographer will make a strange request. You may resist when you are asked to “hold your hand out and make a shocked face” or “cup your hands and look surprised” but I implore you to trust your photographer and just do it! Sure, it feels silly when you’re in the moment but as the seasoned PhotoPass utilizer knows, if you indulge the photographer, you almost certainly won’t regret it! 

2. Attraction Photos

Have you ever stopped to see what you looked like as you dashed along Slinky Dog Dash or when those disorienting strobe lights assaulted your eyeballs at the end of Space Mountain? We love pausing to download pictures as we exit our favorite attractions. I can’t think of a better way to show friends back at home how much fun it is to be terrified! But attraction photos aren’t just a way to show that an attraction was conquered. Some folks take the opportunity to bring fun props for these pictures. I know you’ve seen the group playing a board game while they dive into the briar patch or the whole Tower of Terror elevator car taking selfies, right?! Here is a personal favorite from my archive.

1. Skillful Cast Members

The number one reason I love PhotoPass is the cast members who provide the service! In my experience, the PhotoPass photographers are some of the most patient, pleasant, and flexible cast members I interact with at the parks. The skills they possess for creating magical snapshots in mere minutes are amazing! When the sun is too sunny, they have a trick for that: “Just look down until the count of 3, then smile and look at me.” When we are feeling awkward and don’t know quite how to stand or what to do with our hands, they gently coach even the most self-conscious subject into a perfect pose. PhotoPass photographers also work hard to minimize photo-bombers in your pics and don’t allow guests who are impatiently waiting their turn to rush them through their shots. Their skillful, speedy, and flexible demeanor allows them to create magical snapshots that I treasure!

The feeling that I get as I scroll through my PhotoPass pics after a Disney vacation or when social media reminds me of memories from years past is almost as magical as being in that moment. To me, capturing these moments is well worth the cost of PhotoPass and Memory Maker packages for our family’s vacations.