I’ve done the pick up in the park method.
I think you can only activate your package at the photo places inside the parks. If there are alternative places then that’s new information to me.
I activated mine at the very first photo kiosk right at the entrance of the Studio’s. There’s also a photo desk inside one of the entrance shops to the right of Port Of Entry at IofA.
You can collect ride photos on a temporary card issued at the attraction and have them added to your package when you activate it, so you don’t have to waste time activating the package at rope drop.