If you’re in the process of booking a trip to Disney World, you might be wondering whether Disney’s Memory Maker package is worth the cost. For our first trip to Walt Disney World, we did not purchase Memory Maker, and I ended up regretting it—and probably spending more money than I would have if we would have just bought it upfront! Since that first trip, we have always purchased Memory Maker ahead of our trip. Today I’m sharing everything you need to know about Disney’s Memory Maker package so you can decide whether or not it’s worth it for you!
What’s the difference between PhotoPass and Memory Maker?
PhotoPass is the name of Disney’s photo service. This term refers to any way you can get your picture taken in Walt Disney World—from the photographers lining Main Street USA ready to snap your picture in front of the castle to the hidden cameras on rides that take those perfect (and sometimes really funny) action shots. You’ll find PhotoPass photographers all over the WDW parks, and there’s even a PhotoPass Studio in Disney Springs! PhotoPass makes it easy to get great family shots during your vacation. They snap the photo and scan your magic band, and the photo pops up on your My Disney Experience app, sometimes within just a few minutes.
Another really fun perk of using PhotoPass is Magic Shots! The PhotoPass photographer will tell you how to pose, and something magical will be digitally added into your photo. Liam loves these and always looks forward to seeing the magical additions!
You don’t have to pay anything for PhotoPass photographers to take your picture. But if you want to download those pictures later, you will have to pay for them! And that’s where Memory Maker comes in!
Memory Maker is a package add-on that you can purchase for your Disney vacation. It costs $169 if you purchase it more than three days in advance of your trip. It includes unlimited downloads of any and all photos taken by PhotoPass photographers during your vacation, including character photos and ride photos. Seems great right? But it’s not cheap, especially when you’re trying to have a magical vacation on a not-quite-magical budget. That $169 could easily pay for a character meal for your family or magical add-ons like a trip to Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique or a dessert party with firework viewing.
So why buy Memory Maker?
You don’t need to have Memory Maker to use PhotoPass. Pre-COVID, PhotoPass photographers would even snap your picture with your phone if you asked them to. (During the pandemic, however, PhotoPass photographers will not handle your phone, so you’ll have to take your own shots if you want them on your phone.)
But here’s the thing—if you wait until after your trip to decide you want to download some of your photos to make an album (like I did the first time!) you’ll end up paying around $69 per day of photos or $16.95 per individual photo. That adds up really fast, especially if you’ve had a weeklong vacation!
After our first trip, I ended up spending more than $200 downloading photos, and I had to agonize over which photos from which days took priority. It would have been so much easier and cheaper if we had just purchased Memory Maker.
Be sure to purchase Memory Maker ahead of time!
If you decide that purchasing Memory Maker is the right move for your vacation, don’t wait to get it! If you buy it less than three days in advance or once you’re already at WDW, the cost bumps up from $169 to $199.
In my opinion, the benefits of purchasing Disney’s Memory Maker in advance are well-worth the cost. Once you’re home from your trip, the photos (and photo books!) are what will bring those magical memories back to life. You’ll want that family picture in front of Cinderella’s Castle, trust me! And when you have Memory Maker, you’ll be able to take full advantage of every PhotoPass opportunity, download your photos as soon as they show up in the My Disney Experience app, and post them on the ‘gram asap! And who knows, you might actually end up saving money in the long run!
Do you like to take advantage of PhotoPass when you’re visiting the Disney parks? Have you purchased Memory Maker for your vacation? Let me know below!
And check out some of my other Disney World vacation planning tips here!
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