Last Updated on September 15, 2023 by Heather
If you are like us we take a lot of pictures when we go to Disney. With that being said, there are always great photo’s but everyone can’t always be in the pictures. Disney offers a really great photo service called Disney Memory Maker, where you can make sure that everyone is included in the shots that are taken. Which also happens to include the best backdrops with some of the best characters.
A lot of people are really confused about how it works, where you can use it, etc. Well, hopefully, we can answer some of those questions, including how memory maker works exactly.
What Is Disney Memory Maker?
Memory Maker is a service that you book with your vacation where you get unlimited PhotoPass photos and ride photos during your trip. They are all added to your my Disney Experience account and can be downloaded, printed, or shared with family and friends.
What Does Memory Maker Include?
Memory Maker included unlimited downloads of all your PhotoPass photos as well as select ride photos, select character dining photos, and Magic Shots added to your photos. If you want to have your photos printed at Disney you will receive a discount too!
What is the difference between Memory Maker and PhotoPass?
Memory Maker is an add-on product that you can purchase with your PhotoPass account. With Memory Maker, you’ll receive unlimited digital downloads of all the photos in your account – including photos taken by Disney PhotoPass photographers, ride photos, and character dining photos. Memory Maker also includes some special benefits, like the ability to download animated GIFs and Disney’s magical borders.
Memory Maker is available for purchase before or during your trip. If you purchase it before your trip, you’ll receive a discount. If you wait to purchase Memory Maker until after you’ve already started using PhotoPass, you’ll pay the full price.
So, if you’re planning on taking lots of photos on your Disney vacation, Memory Maker is a great option. But if you’re not sure how many photos you’ll take, or if you just want to have the option to purchase individual prints or digital downloads later, PhotoPass is a good choice.
How Much Is Memory Maker?
If you purchase at least 3 days before you arrive the cost is a flat fee of $169. If you purchase it while on your trip the flat fee is $199.
Do I Need A Magic Band For Memory Maker?
You do not need a magic band. If you have a card for your tickets then you will have the PhotoPass photographer scan that to add it to your account. There are a few places in Disney where the PhotoPass photographer will scan a PhotoPass card and hand it to you. You can then add the code from that card to your account to add the pictures to your other photos.
Does Memory Maker Include Ride Photos?
Yes, on select rides you get ride photos taken and some even offer videos. Below is a list of what rides currently offer this.
- Buzz Lightyear
- Haunted Mansion (new for 2019)
- Space Mountain
- Splash Mountain
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train (video too)
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- Test Track
- Frozen Ever After
- Rock ‘N Roller Coaster
- Tower of Terror (video too)
- Slinky Dog Dash
- Dinosaur
- Expedition Everest
How Long Does Disney PhotoPass / Memory Maker Last?
Once you purchase Disney’s Memory Maker it is good for the entire length of your trip. Once you are home though I would download your pictures right away because they are only saved for 45 from the day they were taken. That is always one of the first things that I do when I get home to make sure I get all of my pictures.
Here’s everything you need to know about the expiration dates for Disney PhotoPass photos and products:
-Photos taken during your Disney vacation will be available to view online for 45 days from the date they were taken.
-If you purchase a Disney PhotoPass+ product, your photos will be available to view online for 365 days from the date they were taken.
-If you purchase a Disney PhotoPass CD, your photos will be available to view online for 45 days from the date they were taken. The photos on the CD will never expire.
For anyone who is traveling with you and is on your park tickets reservation the Memory Maker package will be shared so that anyone can use it. Once you download your photos from the website you are able to share those photos with anyone that you choose.
How To Download Memory Maker Photos
Once you have gotten home you will want to log into your My Disney Experience page from a computer, this will not work from the app. Find the section from Memory Maker. In that section, you can add borders or special effects if you want.
Then go to the My downloads section and download all of your pictures. Make sure that you do this before the 45-day window is over. After that, your pictures will not be available. Once you have downloaded them you can print them or share them however you like.
Is Memory Maker Worth It For One Day?
This depends on how many pictures you think you will have taken. The average cost to buy individual pictures is between $15-$17 per. The cost of a one day Memory Maker is $69. So if you have more than 5 pictures taken you will be saving money. Personally, we always have far more than 5 pictures taken in a day.
Are There Ever Memory Maker Promotions?
Occasionally Disney will offer a free Memory Maker added into a package, however, it may not be the best deal because oftentimes you can save more with other promotions.
The best way to save on Memory Maker is if you can become an annual pass holder because you get Memory Maker included with the cost of the Annual Pass.
Can I Use Memory Maker On A Disney Cruise?
“Memory Maker” is a service that is offered in the parks at Disney World. While the Disney cruise lines do not offer “Memory Maker” they do have photography packages that you can purchase. They actually have 3 packages that you can choose from.
Digital Collection – you get a USB jump drive with all of your digital photos from the cruise
Prints Package – Have all of your photos printed while you are still on the ship
Customizable Photo book – choose up to 34 of your favorite pictures from the cruise to be put into a fantastic keepsake photo book.
Is Memory Maker Worth It In The End?
From our experience on our Disney vacations, we always purchase the Memory Maker. At the end of our week-long trip, we usually have well over 100 photos that were taken. There are so many of those precious pictures that we wouldn’t have everyone in the picture.
I am usually the one who takes most of the pictures in our family when we go on vacation. Without Memory Maker, I wouldn’t be able to have some of the best family pictures that I proudly hang on our living room walls. So yes, it’s worth it a million times over.
