I have heard mixed reviews of the quality of Memory Maker. I’m wondering if anyone would be willing to share opinions and some MM pictures. My DH and I have talked about it being worth it just so I’m not lugging my camera around the parks and I’m kind of agreeing with him. On the other hand, I’ve heard that a lot of MM pics are out of focus and not very good.
Thanks!
The majority of mine turned out nicely. I don’t have any available to share right now, but I can try to do so tomorrow if you’d like.
I would recommend looking into a share. I participated in one for my most recent trip. Instead of paying the full price of Memory Maker, you split the cost with other people visiting within the same 30 day window. You then take turns downloading and editing the pictures, so that everyone has a chance. By splitting the cost with other people, you can reduce it dramatically. I paid about $45 for my share, which was 100% worth it to me.
Also, you get ride photos (and videos on 7DMT and ToT!) with Memory Maker. If you’re the kind of person who buys those anyway, MM can offer a good value.
I concur completely with @theredhead. Vast majority of my pictures were good to great. And I got a lot more pictures taken than I would have otherwise. We were in the same share group. It worked out great.
I’m a take my own photos kind of person, but when the opportunity presented itself at character meets and some other locations we had Disney photogs take shots of the whole family.
On the whole, I was very unimpressed with the quality of their shots. The inside character meets were OK, but my outside photos often had bad exposures - tending toward the dark. The one we really wanted was an empty Main Street family shot with the castle behind us - but we could hardly see our faces in the photo! Jiminy Cricket, they should know to use a fill flash.
I also like to get a lot of relaxed, walking around quick shots in addition to the standard posed ones to use for in between things in photos books, so I’ll always carry my own camera.
On the other side, I think I am in the minority with my opinion, a LOT of people on chat swear by MM. So, I guess if you find having them take all your photos and it makes you feel less encumbered to be camera-less, probably worth a shot!
Here’s a link to a gallery of Memory Maker from our last trip in 2012. I believe everything is there (i.e. I didn’t delete any “bad” pics) - that should give you a flavor for quality at least. Now it’s possible the photographers are worse now as it has been 3 years & there are no ride pics included in those as that was before the systems linked. But it should give you an idea.
I always take my DSLR & shoot a lot of pics, but with Memory Maker I get to be in a few so it makes it worthwhile for us…
Ours by and large the quality of ours were very good too. There were a few that were out of focus, but usually we’d get others that were nearly identical that were in focus. The photographers would occasionally capture moments that were in between poses (e.g., chatting with Cinderella, our giggling at something silly, our pulling an unintended funny face when getting prepared for the picture, etc.). And some of those in-between shots are my favorites. I would definitely take advantage of the MM again in the future.
YMMV, because the WDW photogs are not usually trained beyond the basic operations of the equipment. We found that the pictures were perfectly fine to good. We had no problems with out-of-focus pics. The employees may not have gone to College for photography, but the equipment to my knowledge is good, so that helps ramp up the quality of what you get.
If you have a decent camera and don’t mind carrying it around and having it ready for you, then I’d suggest taking your own photos (and remember that Disney MM photographers will also take group photos with your camera at popular locations/character meets). @JJT mentions some of the reasons why I suggest that, beyond just quality, but also capturing non-posed moments. Those tend to be my favorite vacation photos when traveling with friends and family.
A couple folks mentioned character meets. My understanding is that MM photographers are supposed to capture several moments, including the character greeting, the posed photo, and goodbye, but that doesn’t always happen. When traveling with kids, I try to make sure I catch how they react when they first meet the characters and that (along with other silly interaction) usually makes for a better photo. I’d rather make sure I don’t miss something like that. However, others may suggest they’d rather witness that without looking through a camera lens and take the chance that the Disney photographer will capture the moment.
how do you do a MM share?
Add me to the list of those satisfied with my MM pics, especially the ones from out trip in October. (Baymax photobombed us at Space Mountain during MNSSHP!
In January, we took several hundred pictures with an iPhone 4 and they were, by and large just as good, though we both weren’t in them, of course!
Now, all this said, after experiencing the joys of a share, I would never pay for MM on my own again.
One person will need to take the lead. That person would make a post here (or on another Disney forum, if preferred) soliciting participants. Once you have a few (most shares seem to be 4 to 6), the person taking the lead makes a “dummy account”, an account which everyone will eventually log into.
The dummy account owner purchases the Memory Maker, the rest of the group sends their portion of the funds via PayPal. Each group member then adds the dummy account to their friends/family in My Disney Experience. The dummy account will have every group’s pictures. The sharers then coordinate times to begin downloading and editing pictures.
I have not coordinated one myself. @Jedilogray coordinated our share, I’m tagging her because she might have some useful advice. Denise, any thoughts?
We purchased MM for the first time on our last trip and shared with 2 other families. I was really happy with the quality of photos and the availability of photographers in the parks even though it was over Thanksgiving week. It’s nice to finally be in the photos with my family! 
One photo came out so well that we’re using it for our Christmas card. I will definitely purchase it again.
We shared a mm with strangers a year ago November. 4 families from all parts of the country. Took lots of time sorting through all of the photos. Turned out pretty good. Worth the time and money.
We were not the lead family. Thought my whole family was linked, but only photos that showed up where when my band was scanned. Only ride photos we got were when I was on the ride. We ended up with some great family photos at each park that we would not have otherwise. I took about 1000 photos with my nice Nikon, but I am many of them. Disney photographers took many with my camera.
I will say that they could do a better job keeping there photo equipment clean. Bunch of shots have crap on them.
Hey @theredhead. Yes what she posted was right. I would only join a share that gives you the main user and log in. And you have to be aware of the dates. Try and have them as close together as possible. Also do no more than 5 families total because itnis a lot to sort out.
It is worth it if you can join a share. If i had to pay full ticket i would not bother.
Also look up websites that show you a bunch of the magic shots that yoy can get to have more fun pictures.
I went a bit above for my group. I was in the middle of my of my group and i made sure the everyones pictures showed up in the photo pass. Made sure everyone was able to download the pictures.
Hi
On all of our 7 trips I’ve bought the package of photos (now memory maker) on average we have about 400 over the 13 days we’re there. Very rarely do we have bad ones and if we do the photographer has always took an additional one which covers it. I’ve taken a camera in the early years for those off the cuff shots but this last year we used our Samsung phones and as someone else has suggested when needed the PP person was happy to use the phone as well as taking the shot.
Over the years we have found that they will take any shot you ask Children on their own, together, parents on their own and group shots. On occasion I’ve asked for the photos to be taken in a certain way i.e. instead of towards the castle, towards the railway station and entrance and they are always happy to do this. If my wife is waiting for us to come off a ride (she doesn’t like rock and roll roller coaster) she will find a PP person and have some photos.
I think it’s really good value and wouldn’t think about sharing as it’s a fair price for the many photos you get.
So yes good photos at a good price
Regards
Paul